My Walking Journeys

The Cleveland Way: Whitby to Port Mulgrave.

Hello and welcome back to my blog 😊.

Today, Angela and I walked another section of the Cleveland Way along the Yorkshire Coast from Whitby to Port Mulgrave 13-miles.

It was a clear blue sky day as we walked from our overnight accommodation to pick up the Cleveland Way again.

A scenic view of a harbour with moored boats, surrounded by greenery and residential buildings under a clear blue sky.
Whitby

If you are lucky you might just see a steam train leaving Whitby beside the River Esk.

A steam locomotive numbered 926 pulling a series of red carriages alongside a river, with smoke billowing from the smokestack against a backdrop of green trees.

At the bottom of the steps leading to North Cliff we passed an interesting sculpture of a man called Henry Freeman wearing a life jacket – he was the sole survivor of the Whitby lifeboat disaster in 1861 because he was wearing a cork lifejacket- a new concept.

A wire sculpture of a man standing next to a barrel, with a basket of fish and a trap nearby, set against a grassy backdrop.

Having viewed Captain Cooks statue at the cliff top we dropped down onto the promenade and walked along the beach towards Sandsend.

A scenic view of a beach with gentle waves, sandy shore, and a coastal path lined with colourful beach huts. The sky is partly cloudy with patches of blue.
Dropping down from North Cliff Whitby to the beach
A scenic beach view with golden sand, gentle waves, and a cloudy blue sky, featuring distant cliffs and people walking along the shoreline.
Heading for Sandsend.

Sandsend is the village where the sand ends and rock cliffs begin. We stopped for a break in Sandsend and admired the old cottages built by the Mulgrave Estate for workers in the Alum Industry.

A picturesque view of a coastal village with traditional cottages, rolling green hills, and a clear blue sky.
Cottages in Sandsend
A man and woman seated on a bench outside a stone building, enjoying ice cream and coffee. The man is wearing a cap and a long-sleeve top, while the woman, in a blue t-shirt and sunglasses, smiles at the camera. Flowers in a pot are visible nearby.
On a break in Sandsend

After a nice break we headed uphill to the cliff top and followed the cinder path of the old coast railway which closed in 1958. Alum quarries were either side of the railway – these stopped working in 1871.

A coastal view featuring a sandy beach, gentle waves, and a cloudy sky, with greenery and rocks in the foreground.
View of Sandsend from the cliff top

The clouds started to gather and it wasn’t long before we had some light rain.

A scenic view of a coastal landscape under a cloudy sky, featuring a grassy field leading to the sea and cliffs in the distance.

A coastal view with cliffs under a cloudy sky, featuring waves lapping against the shore and grassy foreground.

There was evidence of the Alum quarrying along the way. The rain has passed over and the sun was out once again.

Information board about Deep Grove Alum Quarry, detailing its history, geological significance, and historical maps.
Coastal landscape showcasing cliffs, sand and rocky shore under a blue sky with scattered clouds.
quarrying scars on the cliffs

Along the way we could hear the sounds of seals calling to each other – they were basking on the shore. Our next stopping point was Kettleness- a tiny hamlet south of Runswick Bay. Most of the original village was lost in a landslide in 1829. Here there were a few benches so we took a short break and admired more views.

We continued along enjoying the moment and Runswick Bay soon came into sight.

A scenic coastal view showing a sandy beach with gentle waves, surrounded by lush greenery and cliffs under a clear blue sky.
Runswick Bay in the distance

We arrived into Runswick Bay via the beach – well of course we did!

People walking on a sandy beach with a coastal village in the background, featuring houses with red roofs and greenery.

I thought that this village was lovely and it was amazing to chill out and watch the waves rolling in. Inevitably we had to move on. We climbed up onto the cliffs again and got more super views.

A scenic view of a beach with gentle waves and a rocky coastline, surrounded by lush green hills under a clear blue sky.
View of Runswick Bay as we left

Our final stretch of the day was to Port Mulgrave. Back in the day Ironstone was quarried here from the cliffs and sent via boats to Jarrow on Tyneside. The harbour wall was blown up in 1939 by Royal Engineers to prevent the port being used by invading German forces.

And so, todays lovely walk concluded. Tomorrow we will finish the coastal section of the Cleveland Way walking to Saltburn

Happy Walking 😊🚶

oldblokewalking

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