Barb & John's Hols: UK Trip Day 16 Robin Hood's Bay

A wet day in Robin Hood's Bay

We awoke this morning to vile weather. It is raining and windy and very, very, cold here (steady on - probably as high as 12°C - this is summer - that's why it's not 1°C!) on the Yorkshire Moors. Even Daisy and Bella weren't keen to go outside in the cold .... who could blame them?

Barb was too cold yesterday to go for a walk

We had intended going to Leyburn today (about 100 km away), but such a long drive in horrid weather didn't seem like a good plan, so we chose to still go out but stay a bit closer.

Off we drove, this time taking the route John and Susan had used yesterday to get to Danby. It's still scary (narrow and winding) but less so than our initial drive in. We turned in the direction of Guisborough, a market town not far from Middlesborough.

It was freezing cold (don't forget, around 12°C) and raining as we stepped from the car. Barb's Kathmandu jacket was just not up to the job of keeping her warm and dry, and she had three layers underneath it! We scurried across the road into Costa Coffee and warmed ourselves up with bowl size hot chocolates. Ah! .... that's better! It should be noted the cakes weren't too bad either.

Guisborough in summer

Madam, your vat of chocolate ....

.... and so many marshmallow!

Guisborough is a big enough town to have a decent supermarket and several promising shops in which we might purchase some warmer gear for Barb, who's hands were suffering in the cold. The first shop we went into we were given the usual speil .... I'm sorry, we don't carry gloves at the moment, it's summer. Who are they trying to kid!

Next door was a delightful shop packed floor to ceiling with this'n'that. There we found a very suitable warm and waterproof coat for Barb. Sure it was khaki .... not her usual colour palette, but who cares? What's more it cost only £20. Bargain! She also found warm woollen tights AND gloves .... also khaki (at least they match). We have a happy Barb.

With Barb decked out warmly we next headed to the coast. First stop was Saltburn-by-the-Sea. The new coat proved it's worth when we jumped from the car and were lashed by the driving rain. All good .... still warm inside. The main point of interest here was the tram car to the beach from the cliff above, which is one of the first water-powered ones of its kind. Nobody else was going on it on a day like this, so we didn't either.

Hey, it's cool to wear shorts in an
English summer. Just wrap up well.

Yep. That's the way to wrap up.

The English just love the beach in summer

The cable car

Off we went on the coastal road towards Robin Hood's Bay. We passed through a couple of old coal mining villages on the way. Apparently they used to tunnel out beneath the sea in the past. Yikes .... no thanks.

When we got there it was still raining gently, incessantly, thoroughly. This tiny fishing village tumbles down a maze of tiny winding streets to the sea. You have to park at the top of the cliffs and walk down a very steep cobbled path. Robin Hoods Bay seems very far from Sherwood forest and we did wonder how it came by its name. Legend has it that Robin Hood visited here and defeated a bunch of marauding French pirates and gave the booty to the poor people of the village. Far-fetched? Hmmm.

Much more believable is the story of smuggling activities in the area. Contraband was smuggled in from the Netherlands and France to avoid stiff excise duty and there is said to be a series of tunnels connecting cottages beneath the cliffs.

Pink became John's fave colour for the day

We said it was steep!

Ah. Still more crowds at the seaside.

After a long search, the beach

Triumphant. Enjoying summer like a real Pom!

The beach also contains lots of fossilised ammonites (prehistoric cephalopods) which are sold in some of the stores here. One little shop we went in to reminded Barb of a bookclub book she'd read (although that was set on the south coast near Lyme Regis).

Other shops were selling jewellery made of Whitby jet, which is a fossilised wood, a precursor to the coal which is found in the local area.

We warmed ourselves up with a lovely lunch at an old Victorian pub up on the cliff near the car park. In good weather it would have splendid views. Barb was pleased with her new gear, which by now included short wellington boots purchased in Robin Hood's Bay (also in khaki - Barb's new colour motif). Let it rain .... she's dry and happy.

At the car park. No idea what it is!

Our lunch hotel

You must put out the picnic tables ... it's SUMMER

Arriving back at the cottage, we found Susan and Geoffrey sitting at the kitchen table engrossed in a jigsaw puzzle. We all sat down to work on it while John prepared dinner.

After a while Barb sneaked upstairs to blow up the balloons we'd purchased at Guisborough, to decorate the dining room for an impromptu and somewhat belated surprise 70th birthday party for Susan. We had pink princess party hats and bunting and of course some champagne to toast her with. It was a lovely evening.