Best bits: soaking up the amazing scenery, familiarity of the coast and associated memories with Angela
Worst bits: sore foot again!
Distance: 17.2 miles
The day started off with an interview with That’s TV Scotland. I’m not sure when it’s going to be broadcast, but it was a recorded interview. Because I was setting off a little later and it was going to be a long day instead of going back to yesterday’s finish point I walked from close to where we had parked up last night.
I was soon on the coast path and the views were absolutely spectacular this morning and I could see as far as Scarborough Castle. The sea was flat and calm and the waves were gently lapping against the beach below me.

I’m loving being back on the cliffs the views are spectacular. However, sometimes the path goes dangerously close to the edge so I need to keep my wits about me.
Allan and Jackie were doing some butterfly surveys and we had a good chat about the local area and Great Ayton where Angela and I lived for 7 years.

As I neared Scarborough the sun came out and the south Bay was suddenly bathed in sunshine.

The iconic landmarks of the Scarborough Spa, a grand Victorian building staging entertainment; the Grand Hotel built in 1863; and the 32 m high Observation Wheel. Many of the buildings here have red roofs.

As I came down from the cliffs I spotted Clay and Linda taking photos of each other. I offered to take some of them together. It turned out that they were from Virginia and have visited the UK several times before. They have also on this trip been to Berwick, Whitby, and Bamburgh. Guess where they are off to next, Hebden Bridge which they love. Perhaps they may bump into Lynn and Harb.

This stretch of the coast is very familiar to me and I walked it last year as part of my preparation. I took a quick look at the little harbour surrounded by stalls selling fresh seafood. There was the familiar busyness of the seaside arcades little cafés and fish and chips stalls.

Then it was round the headland onto the North Bay, which is much quieter. I could see the rainbows of the multitude of beach huts. The modern pyramid buildings of and in the distance the old Scalby Mills pub. The last time I was here I had Poppy and the waves were crashing up over the sea wall.

Giant sculptures made from metal welded together seem synonymous with the area. Freddie Gilroy and the Belsen Stragglers is a statue by sculptor Ray Lonsdale. It is based on a former miner and brickmaker from County Durham who, as a soldier shortly before his 24th birthday, was one of the first allied troops to enter Bergen-Belsen concentration camp in Germany in April 1945.

I was fascinated by the detailing on his head and face. 

The beach was full of primary School children on trips out wearing high vis jackets and playing in the sand. There were also lots of teenagers who clearly had finished their exams and were now enjoying the summer.
Rhoda and Steve were waiting for me at the end of the north Bay and we went for a drink at the Old Scalby Mills pub. then I climbed back up on the cliffs to walk to Ravenscar. 

I hadn’t been walking very long when a man asked me if I was from Bearsden and did I know Danny? It turns out that Mark was also from Bearsden and his son Calum knows my son Danny. Mark had also seen me on BBC breakfast a few weeks ago. How weird was that?

Mark had Calum‘s dog with him she has her own Instagram account @Maevethespaniel and she is now following me on Instagram.

A few more lovely people gave me donations today, including Stephen who had been on the beach, Andy from Liverpool and Carol from Staithes.

A man told me he had seen a pod of dolphins, but they were now swimming northwards. I scoured the sea all afternoon but never saw them. However, I was delighted to hear the sound of so many bees, just buzzing along doing their thing.

The sun came out and it became quite hot when I bumped into Steve and his friends from Wakefield. They were amazed that I was doing this journey on my own.

I was really enjoying this varied terrain today. Walking on glorious hilltop paths in the sunshine then down through shaded woodland, climbing up steep steps and dropping down into valleys. I spent a lot of time thinking that Angela’s feet have trodden these paths too when we walked the Cleveland Way many years ago. They are very happy memories for me.
The farmer was cutting the hay and I love this time of year seeing all the hay bales drying in the sunshine.

The views were so beautiful today that I spent a lot of time soaking them in, making the most of them, fixing them in my mind and living in the moment.

Steve was waiting for me in Priscilla at the tiny village of Ravenscar. Then it was a short journey to our evening camping spot near Robin Hood’s Bay where Rhoda had our dinner on the go. Not a bad view from our vans.






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