Coast to Coast UK - Egton Bridge to Robin Hoods Bay

We finished as we had begun – fully decked out in wet weather gear.

There had been rain overnight, as forecast, but when the rooster crowed at dawn (his personal version of dawn), there was a suggestion of weak sunlight, and we mistakenly thought the day was going to fine up. We had already looked at some alternate lane-based routes to skirt us around the wet-underfoot and boggy bits, if necessary, so we felt well prepared for the day.

Back in the room after a quick breakfast, we readied ourselves for our predetermined departure time of 08:30. This time was based on information that the North Yorkshire Moors Railway steam-hauled train would be arriving at Grosmont Station, 2 miles up the road, at 10:25 and we thought it would be nice to have a coffee there and watch said train arrive and depart.

Ready to leave right on time, we looked out the window, to see the rain bucketing down. So it was packs off, waterproof layers and pack covers on, and we were again ready to leave. The walk to Grosmont was easy going on an old toll road and only involved a modicum of puddle dodging, nothing too drastic. We stopped to take some photos along the way, thinking we had ample time, but something Mrs NZ had said at breakfast had been niggling at Wallsy, and as we left the toll road and turned on the final strait towards Grosmont, he said, ‘She was right you know, there is a steam train to Whitby at 09:26.’

We still can’t work out whether we had missed this on the timetable, or whether we had thought we wouldn’t be there in time, but we checked our watches and immediately increased our pace, not knowing exactly where the station was. Magically it appeared before us around the next bend. Sure enough, there was a steam train at the platform, obviously about to leave. I spoke to an employee, asking if this train was going to Whitby, he replied in the affirmative, and asked if we wanted to board, we looked at each other, considered the weather and made a split-second decision: yes we did!

Our other bad weather option, the one that didn’t involve replacing boggy fields with well-surfaced lanes, had included a steam train ride to Whitby, followed by a 6.5 mile walk on the Cinder Track from Whitby down to Robin Hoods Bay. Part of the National Cycle route, the Cinder Track is the trackbed of a disused railway and is so named because the ballast used on this railway, rather than crushed stone, was made from cinders. We had basically discounted this idea however, because the timetable indicated that the 10:40 departing train was not steam-hauled, and the next was not until 13:35. But now we found ourselves on a steam train to Whitby, warm and dry and watching the scenery, including an impressive viaduct, pass by. We both thought this was a much better option than ‘yomping’ across the moors in the rain; besides it wouldn’t be a trip with Wallsy, if it didn’t involve a steam train at some point.

The train put us into Whitby at about 10:00, we of course watched the movement of the engine from one end of the train to the other and waited for the train to depart on its return journey to Grosmont, before we sought out the platform coffee shop for some refreshments. The rain seemed to have stopped, so I happily removed my gaiters and waterproof pants, which do far too much swishing as I walk for my liking. We popped into the Coop to purchase something for lunch and then set about finding the hop-on hop-off bus stop – it seemed to be a good way to see Whitby in a short amount of time – we did have a walk to complete after all.

The bus tour was very informative, lasting an hour, plus a 35-minute stop at Whitby Abbey. The abbey is undeniably impressive, but the icy cold, gale force wind up there on the hilltop meant we only did a quick whiz around the ruins before making a visit to the indoor, interactive museum display. Back on the bus, we completed the tour of Whitby and then, resetting our walking apps, walked from the centre of town up to the Southend Gardens to the starting point of the Cinder Track, setting off at about 1pm.

The track began with an attractive tree-lined section, and we passed a few seats by, finally deciding to stop for lunch before, a) we ran out of seats, and b) we were out in the open again (thinking of the wind up at the abbey). Continuing on, we soon came to the Larpool, or Esk Valley Viaduct, a 13-arch brick viaduct, the very same one we had passed under in the steam train this morning. Then we were out of town, passing fields with the coast coming ever closer, on our left. Thankfully the wind this far inland was nothing like it had been on the clifftops of Whitby, and we thoroughly enjoyed the walk on a well-made, even surface with spectacular ocean views, especially for the final 3 kilometres, as Robin Hoods Bay and the end of our quest, grew ever closer.

2 ½ hours after we had joined the Cinder Track, we were wending our way down the steep, narrow streets of Robin Hoods Bay, towards the beach. We had done it: in 16 days of walking we had covered 210 miles, which amounted to 196 miles, or 315 kms of actual walking, with an additional 8 miles travelled on the Ullswater ferry, and 6 miles on the heritage railway. Alfred Wainwright, or AW as we coast-to-coasters prefer to fondly refer to him, set about finding a way to walk across Britain, covering as many natural features encompassed by three national parks, using public footpaths and bridleways as much as possible. He pointed out when he wrote his guide A Coast to Coast Walk, that he was only suggesting a route, not prescribing it. To quote the great man himself:

‘Some walkers may choose to vary it in places, either to take additional detours or to short-cut corners, or even follow their own course over lengthy distances. Such personal initiatives are to be encouraged.’

In this vein, we set about making the challenge of walking across England from the Irish Sea to the North Sea, our own walk at our own pace. Hence we have avoided dangerous peaks in bad weather by taking low routes; we have lightened the walking load on some days by taking a steamer to get us to the other end of a lake, or a road to avoid boggy tracks; we have taken detours to see viaducts, even if it increased the total mileage for that day; and today, our last day, we chose to inject some fun and do something we both enjoy – ride on a steam train.

Our last day of this great adventure really was of our own design.