UK – Robin Hood’s Bay

This little town is in two parts – the upper level is newer and has several pubs and B&Bs, while the much older lower part of the town is down a steep hill to the bay at the bottom, with narrow winding streets and very old houses. It has a colourful history going back to the Romans and beyond.

Our accommodation is in a building owned by the National Trust. Formerly a Coastguard station, it is now run by the Trust as a shop downstairs with a holiday flat upstairs. This village is one end of the English Coast to Coast walk, with the pub over the road from us (the Bay Hotel) being the official end point. The pub has a Wainwright’s Bar honouring the great walker, although most of the present patrons don’t look like they could walk out of sight in a fog.

There are numerous walks in the area, as well as a preserved steam railway line, so lots to explore for the week we will be here. Today we took a short (3 mile) walk along the ridge top to nearby Boggle Hole, then back along the beach at low tide. Tides here are about 5 metres or more, so boats are left high and dry at low tide in the coastal bays.