The Lost World of Scarborough

[ArnoG]

I blame Wilcox or Rainsley or both. With their inviting pictures day in day out it was bound to happend. I went out and forked out for a camera I could actually take on my kayak. Here's the result.

With a short break in the gales we decided to go and have a look to what's going on on the East coast. We got to South Bay in Scarborough 2h before LW


Set off N on towards Robin Hood's bay with no real plan beyond looking where it takes us and finding a good place for lunch


Paddled past some locals


Around the Rock and into North Bay




With its colouful beach huts


The off shore breeze was slowing our progress across the bay but calmed down considerably when in the lee of the land


Arrived at Long Nab


And started looking for a landing spot for lunch



Between the rocks and the reefs I was starting to believe that landing for lunch was going to equate to more time spent with the gelcoat filler.
Unless...


Following rule nummber one: plastic goes first, Andy investigates


We have touchdown.


But we seem to have been swept into a timewrap or stumbled into a Conan Doyle novel



And I'm half expecting to see some pterodactyls appearing at any minutes.

Andy puts the kettle on,


And before we get found out by a horde of velociraptors we launch again


Under the inquiring eye of a much more contemporary creature

(it's a seal, honest)

Andy had been muttering that we never got him a chance to play in the surf at South Bay so we decide to go back to have a bit of fun by the beach before we need to get back on the road (I was at serious risk of loosing mucho browny points if I were to be late back home)


By then the wind had pretty much dropped so we took a more direct route back


Paddling back by Scarborough fair (had to be done)


No pictures of the surfing as I was too busy keeping my head out of the water.

All in all a great trip out when we probably made the best of the weather.

Cheers

A.-

[Mark R]

Good stuff - and well done on braving this weekend's gales.

Of no relevance to anything, but Heather and I once took the train up to a wedding in Scarborough. On the way up (with the train due to get in about 11pm), Heather asked me the name/ address of the B&B I'd booked. I admitted that I'd forgotten (and hadn't written it down), but not to worry; Scarborough was only a little village.

[ArnoG]

:o) I can imagine the dismay when you stepped out of the train.
On another note, it's a very nice piece of coast in a melancholic kind of way. Not as impressive as some rocky coast elsewhere but the continous muddy crags make it feel quite committing. And with a bit of swell, any landing could be quite a challenge let alone re-launching afterward.

A.-

[Douglas Wilcox]

Arno what a brilliant trip. I particularly like your touchdown photo on that amazing boulder beach.

Douglas

[Jim]

Good stuff - and well done on braving this weekend's gales.

Of no relevance to anything, but Heather and I once took the train up to a wedding in Scarborough. On the way up (with the train due to get in about 11pm), Heather asked me the name/ address of the B&B I'd booked. I admitted that I'd forgotten (and hadn't written it down), but not to worry; Scarborough was only a little village.

Between finishing unversity(?) in Scarborough and getting a proper(?) job as a teaching assistant (in a country with 4 languages, none of them English), one of my sisters worked in a Scarborough hotel eventually reaching the heady position of 'wedding organiser' or some such title. She probably served you your dinner... Scarborough being some sleepy little coastal village (at least, that's always been my impression too) :-)

[jmmoxon]

Key Facts about the Borough
Scarborough Borough covers an area of 81,654 hectares or 315.27 square miles. The Borough's population is 106,243 (Source: 2001 Census Area Statistics), with 60% of residents living in the three major urban areas of Scarborough, Whitby and Filey.

The population of Scarborough Town (comprising Castle, Central, Eastfield, Falsgrave Park, Newby, North Bay, Northstead, Ramshill, Stepney, Weaponness and Woodlands wards) is 50,135. (Source: 2001 Census Area Statistics)

The population of Whitby Town (comprising Mayfield, Streonshalh and Whitby West Cliff wards) is 13,594. (Source: 2001 Census Area Statistics).

The population of Filey Town (comprising Filey ward) is 6,468. (Source: 2001 Census Area Statistics)

27.5% of the population are aged over 60, compared with an average of 20.9% nationally. Only 21.9% of the population are aged between 20 and 39, compared to 28.1% nationally. During the peak season, tourism can double the population.

More than 50% of the North York Moors National Park lies within the Borough. This equates to 51,840 hectares or 200.15 square miles.

The Borough contains over 1,600 Listed Buildings, and includes 26 designated Conservation Areas which cover 635 hectares.

...34.2% of the workforce of the Borough are employed in hotels and catering, which is higher than both the national and regional averages...

http://www.scarborough.gov.uk/default.aspx?page=7982

Brought up as a local, I've stayed in Whitby & Filey, but only daytripped to Scarborough...

Mike

[Mark R]

Have just booked a flat in Scarborough for a half term 'working' week, which may or may not also include using our kayaks and boards.

Any particular recommendations on the Yorkshire coast, anyone? Always wanted to paddle there...

[Chris Bolton]

The best recommendation I can give is Jim's new book

Don't forget to take the address of the flat with you...

Chris

[Mark R]

Yup, I have Jim's book.

Just wondering what people's personal gems/ favourites are.

[daft lad]

Hi Mark. I do a fair bit of sea kayaking off the east coast. I would recommend a day out at Flamborough head while your up this way. Theres loads of sea caves and some rock gardens at low tide to play in. If your interested let me know and I'll come out for a paddle with you

[Surf or Die]

Scarborough born and bred me........i know what you mean about the melancholic feel to the coast........makes it just that bit more interesting, like the moors, the more you delve into them the more amazing the place becomes......

sniff sniff, miss it sometimes....

[Mark R]

Was hoping to paddle Flamborough Head this weekend, but it looks like the weather will be a bit lousy. Indeed, it looks crappy for the whole week.

Any recommended bad weather trips?

Cheers,

[lg18]

If you can't kayak do you mean? the North York Moors is your oyster! Also quite nice coastal walks, although not a patch on Dorset (unless it's seabird season (when Bempton cliffs come into their own), which it isn't). Staithes is cute to visit. Whitby a must (especially for Goths). Quite nice to get the steam train and walk back (North Yorkshire Moors railway).

[Mark R]

If you can't kayak do you mean? the North York Moors is your oyster! Also quite nice coastal walks, although not a patch on Dorset (unless it's seabird season (when Bempton cliffs come into their own), which it isn't). Staithes is cute to visit. Whitby a must (especially for Goths). Quite nice to get the steam train and walk back (North Yorkshire Moors railway).

All on the wishlist. Except for being a Goth. I tried that for a very short length of time in Sixth Form (to impress a girl, obviously). Hair dye wasn't my thing, and fishnets itch.

PS I'll also be taking the board, but the surf looks pretty hardcore up there ... http://video.mpora.com/watch/7WWv15pd3/hd/

Cheers,

[Curly67]

If you can't kayak do you mean? the North York Moors is your oyster! Also quite nice coastal walks, although not a patch on Dorset (unless it's seabird season (when Bempton cliffs come into their own), which it isn't). Staithes is cute to visit. Whitby a must (especially for Goths). Quite nice to get the steam train and walk back (North Yorkshire Moors railway).

All on the wishlist. Except for being a Goth. I tried that for a very short length of time in Sixth Form (to impress a girl, obviously). Hair dye wasn't my thing, and fishnets itch.

PS I'll also be taking the board, but the surf looks pretty hardcore up there ... http://video.mpora.com/watch/7WWv15pd3/hd/

Cheers,

EEEK! That surf looks great but would leave my undies needing a boil wash!

[Mark R]

http://southwestseakayaking.co.uk/2011/ ... ors-coast/

[Zool]

Home sweet home, I live/grew up and learnt to paddle in Robin Hoods Bay,

I regularly paddle RHB to Whitby and RHB to Ravenscar and back. Its a great place for sea paddling, big high cliffs covered in sea birds, seals, wrecks and lots more. Great for exploring at low tides and some good surf spots. its a secluded coastline with very little boat traffic.
A word of warning about the tides, they are strong, with tidal races around a lot of the headlands. Also landing is a problem if it all goes wrong as the high tide is up against the cliffs along most of the coast Scarborough to Whitby.

Happy paddling,

[Mark R]

some good surf spots

We did see some surf...

http://southwestseakayaking.co.uk/2011/ ... wednesday/

[Mark R]

We weren't the only paddlers on the Yorkshire coast. In fact, there seems to be some law of physics that dictates that everyone you meet out on the water will have a blog.

http://paddleswithananasacuta.blogspot. ... tburn.html

http://paddleswithananasacuta.blogspot. ... -area.html