Distance Covered: 2.5 miles Time to complete walk: 2 hours
Suitable for dog walking: Yes
Virus Awareness: The Cleveland Way is a narrow route so you will encounter other walkers. If worried at all wear a mask for the Cleveland Way part of the walk. If visting Whitby and its abbey social distancing is easier to maintain. Check out the latest information about virus awareness in Saltwick Bay here:
General Safety Tips: Take care on the Cleveland Way as the sheer cliff drop is amazing to witness, however stay to the path. Be careful on the beach towards the rock in Saltwick Bay as the rocks can be slippy. Take a walking stick. Always check the tide times and ensure there is a low tide for the walk here:
Hunt for fossils on the Jurassic coastline of Saltwick Bay. Starting your walk at the iconic Whitby Abbey, make your way along the Cleveland Way and then descend to the beach of Saltwick Bay. The walk is a point to point walk and you can visit Whitby Abbey and the seaside town of Whitby to sample its famous fish and chips after the walk. A great day out for all the family. There is a steep climb from the beach back up to the Cleveland Way.
The Saltwick Bay Walk
Getting There
From Middlesbrough follow the A171 to Whitby and as you arrive in Whitby follow the route into town and you will then come to a crossroads with traffic lights. Turn right signed for Scarborough and then turn left following the directions for Whitby Abbey. Parking is ample at the Abbey and is £3.30 for two hours.
From Middlesbrough follow the A171 to Whitby and as you arrive in Whitby follow the route into town and you will then come to a crossroads with traffic lights. Turn right signed for Scarborough and then turn left following the directions for Whitby Abbey. Parking is ample at the Abbey and is £3.30 for two hours.
Map of the Saltwick Bay walk
The Walk
From the car park head onto the road and turn left along the path
Head out of the car park
Follow the path to the left
Soon you will come to a clear path to the right signed as the Cleveland Way. Join this path.
Join the Cleveland Way
Follow this path for about a mile taking in the stunning views from the cliffs.
Views from the cliffs
Soon you will come to the Whitby Holiday Park. Walk through it passing its reception.
Walk through the holiday park
Walk past the reception
Look for a signpost to the beach on the left and follow the steps down to the beach.
Sign to the beach
Follow the path to the beach
Head down the steps to the beach.
Saltwick Bay
Steps to the beach
On the beach head to the right for views of the cliffs from the beach. Or just stop for a picnic on the beach or hunt for fossils or even some Whitby jet.
Saltwick Bay beach
Cliffs from the beach
An interesting rock on the beach is worth a visit - it stands alone on the beach broken away from the cliffs.
Head for the rock
Views of the rock
After spending time on the beach head back to the car park. If visiting Whitby for its famous fish and chips. Walk on the path to the left of the car park and follow the path down to Whitby. If feeling up to it take the famous 99 steps back up to the abbey.
Head down to Whitby
Path to Whitby
Whitby Abbey
Saltwick Bay
Saltwick Bay is a north-east facing bay approximately one mile (1.6 km) to the east of Whitby, on the east coast of North Yorkshire, England.[1] The bay contains the Saltwick Nab alum quarries, listed under the Ancient Monuments and Archaeological Areas Act 1979.[2] The bay is part of the Saltwick Formation and known for its collections of fossils. The SS Rohilla hospital ship sank in the bay in 1914, and the fishing trawler Admiral Van Tromp was shipwrecked there in 1976. The bay is accessible through Whitby Holiday Park.[3]Alum was quarried at Saltwick Bay, with the first recorded quarrying being by Sir Hugh Chomley, who lived at Whitby Abbey, in the 17th century.[4][5][6] The alum quarries were built on promontories and were 590 feet (180 m) in length and 115 feet (35 m) in depth. The quarries eventually closed in 1791.[2] There is also evidence of a medieval harbour at Saltwick Bay, and in the 18th century, Saltwick Bay and Whitby Harbour had a one-mile (1.6 km) triangular shale reef.[4]
Quarrying led to the discovery of fossils, and the bay is now known as being a
location for fossils from the Lower Jurassic period.[5][7][8][9] Fossils commonly found at Saltwick Bay include the Dactyliorsis and Hildaceras, as well as fossilised plant remains. Cuspiteuthis tubularis fossils can be found near the Black Nab, an island in the bay.[7][10] In around 1764, a horse skeleton was found about 30 yards (27 m) underground in the alum mines at Saltwick Bay,[11]:400 and in 1824, an almost complete skeleton of the extinct telesoarid Stelosauras bellensis was discovered at the bay. The skeleton is now displayed at the Whitby Museum[8][11]:405–406 Skeleta of Stenosauras borevior, another crocodile, have been found at the bay.[11]:408 Other skeleta found at Saltwick Bay have included the ichthiosaur and the plesiosaur.[11]:411–41
In 1914, the hospital ship SS Rohillar sank near Saltwick Nab in the bay; 146 of the 229 on board, including Captain Neilson and all the nurses, as well as Titanic survivor Mary Kezia Roberts, survived.[12] The conditions made rescue extremely difficult, but lifeboats from Whitby, Upgang (near Whitby), Redcar, Tynemouth and Scarborough attempted to close on the wreck.[12][13][14][15] In 1917, the SS Brentwood, which was owned by William and Cory and Son Limited, was sunk in Saltwick Bay by German mines.[16] During the Second World War, the bay was used as a gun point.[17] In 1976, the trawler Admiral von Tromp was wrecked in the bay, and two people on board died; the remains of the trawler are still visible in the bay
No comments:
Post a Comment