Time to Discover the Yorkshire Countryside…
I truly forget sometimes how lucky I am to live in Yorkshire. Not only is it a gorgeous part of the British countryside, but I’m constantly in awe of the new areas I discover in this region. And, that I’m so close to several areas, including the Yorkshire Coast.
So, on one of the many Bank Holiday weekends that we have coming up, my husband and I decided to load the dog into the car and head East. The drive to the Yorkshire Coast is stunning, you have to drive through the Yorkshire Moors. Again, I forget how drop-dead gorgeous they are, especially in the Spring sunshine. Now, if there is anywhere I could truly pick up and move to, it’s North Yorkshire.
The drive itself from West Yorkshire was just under two hours. We set off early, so we could get parking close to the beach, which I knew would get full with it being a day off work for everyone. For us, we have an anxious puppy who does not live traffic, so a quick route to the beach was a must. We got there just before nine and the weather was perfect. We completely lucked out.
Runswick Bay, North Yorkshire.
Now, where did we end up? Runswick Bay. Just a little up from Whitby, it’s a tiny former fisherman village, but perfect for a quiet getaway. Picturesque, sheltered and utterly gorgeous. Though we didn’t wander around much of the village, I can report that right on the beach is a lovely little coffee shop (tick box for us), along with a few pubs that do some delicious fish and chips. Exactly what you want after a day at the Yorkshire coast.
Since researching this area, I’ve learnt that the it’s one of the longest part of the British coast that is untouched. It has a gorgeous coastal cliffside and because of its untouched areas, it’s ideal for fossil hunting.
However, what we were most looking forward to, was the coastal walk.
SALTMOORE Hotel
book Your Yorkshire
Coast Stay
The Cleveland Way Yorkshire Coastal Walk.
When researching where to go for Dash’s big walkies out, the main things I was looking for was a beach for him to run along, but also a countryside walk for him to enjoy. This is where I discovered the Cleveland Way, over 100 miles of walkways that stretch across the Yorkshire Moors. The coastal part of the walk forms part of the new King Charles Coast Path.
If you wanted to, you can do the whole walk, it roughly takes you eleven days. However, there are several parts of the Cleveland Way that take you along the Yorkshire Coast. The most popular is Saltburn-by-the-sea, Staithes and then to Whitby, with Runswick Bay being a stopping point.
For us, we started up at Runswick and followed the route to Kettleness, a small rural village. We could have gone further, if our legs would have allowed it. Our puppy loved it. Being a Border Collie, he was in his element and was utterly shattered by the time we got back.
As beginner walkers, it’s an easy route to do. We packed an M&S lunch which made it even more enjoyable. Plenty of water for the humans and pupper, and don’t forget to reward your efforts with fresh fish and chips right from the coast.
Future Yorkshire Coastal Walks.
We’ve already made plans as a family that we need to do more of this in the future. We’re 100% bought into the idea to rent a camper van (can’t believe I’m uttering those words) so we can do more trips out. The joy is that we can easily get to these areas, but it would be lovely to take the puppy with us and make a holiday out of it. I’ve also said we’d have to take a camper van up to the Scottish Highlands, a dream UK trip of mine.
You’ll have to keep an eye out on my YouTube channel for more webisodes on our adventures.
