Day 229: Flambrough to Filey

Best bits: seeing a puffin, meeting up with Rhoda and Steve

Worst bits: sore foot

Distance: 13.7 miles

I was up and out early this morning to drive to Flamborough Head. I parked up by the Lighthouse and was delighted to see that the café was open so I popped in for an early cuppa.

There were a few good photo opportunities as the sun was shining directly on the cliffs making them appear even more white.

My progress today was a little slow as I kept meeting lots of people on chatting to them. I had completely underestimated the amount of people who would be around today on these cliffs. There were people of all shapes and sizes who were sporting all shapes and sizes of binoculars and cameras.

Bempton cliffs where I once came on a biology field trip back in 1983 were especially busy. I was delighted to finally see a puffin. This little one was perched on the edge of the cliff. I was lucky enough to see several others flying with their tiny wings flapping at great speeds. They look like little rockets shooting forward.

Today there were ladybirds absolutely everywhere. They were on my clothing, on the ground and flying in the air.

All day I could see Filey Brigg in the distance teasing me. This is the finishing point for the Cleveland Way which Angela and I did many years ago. This next section of the coast holds many memories for me with Angela including Wainwright’s Coast to Coast. I’m also in the land of Angela’s childhood holidays.

The beaches were shining golden in the sunshine. At a junction I decided rather than walking on the cliff tops to take the path down to the beach as the tide was in my favour.

The beach was beautiful unspoiled firm and flat perfect for walking on.

Some poor insect decided to get in my path and as I inhaled it must’ve gone up one of my nostrils. This tickling sensation caused me to sneeze for several minutes. I blue my nose many times, but still couldn’t seem to dislodge the insect. Eventually they tickling subsided and I assume the poor insect had died.

After about 10 miles, I spotted a beachside café up a little creek. Jessie chatted to me about what I was doing and gave me a shout out on social media.

Rhoda and Steve were waiting for me at Filey. We worked out that they last saw me when I was at Carlisle in November when they left me in an Asda car park. We decided to have fish and chips for dinner and ate them outside under the watchful eye of some seagulls.