Walks of less than 10 miles in and around Scarborough

Wherever you go, follow the Countryside Code:

 

• Enjoy the countryside and respect its life and work
• Leave livestock, crops and
• Guard against all risk of fire machinery alone
• Fasten all gates
• Take your litter home
• Keep your dogs under close control
• Help to keep all water clean
• Keep to public paths across farmland
• Protect wildlife, plants and trees
• Use gates and stiles to cross fences, hedges and walls
• Take special care on country roads
• Use gates and stiles to cross fences, hedges and walls
• Make no unnecessary noise

 

Oliver's Mount and The Mere - approximately 4 miles

 

Overlooking the southern part of the town is Oliver’s Mount, which is 500ft above sea level and from which you can obtain a breathtaking view of Scarborough. It has an impressive War Memorial, the column rising to 75½ft. The former name of the hill was Weaponness and its present name may be derived from the mistaken belief that Oliver Cromwell placed batteries on it during the siege of the Castle.

 

To reach Oliver’s Mount, leave the railway station on A165 road to Cayton and Filey, cross the long and impressive Valley Bridge, which is about 70ft above the beautiful Valley Park, and continue up Ramshill Road past the traffic lights, turning to the right at Mountside.

 

Scalby Cut to Hackness - approximately 8 miles back to Scalby

 

This can be started from the bus stop at the Rosette Inn on the Scarborough to Whitby road. Follow the sign to Hackness bearing right at the crossroads, and immediately before the river bridge leave the road by the stile on the left-hand side. Follow the riverbank for about 2½ miles, through trees and then open country. On the left can be seen Raincliffe Woods and on the right the flat hill tops of the Suffield area. Another road is reached, and turning right, walk along the road to Hackness.

 

At the War Memorial and Village turn right to Scalby. Soon may be seen an ornamental lake in the grounds of Hackness Hall, seat of Lord Derwent, and then the gates and Hall set in parklands. Climb to the hamlet of Suffield, and descend with magnificent views to Scalby, where there is a frequent bus service to Scarborough Hackness Hall was built by Peter Atkinson, pupil of John Carr of York, in 1795. The church was built on the site of a small convent and is early English with several Norman arches. It contains parts of a Saxon Cross.

 

Burniston, Silpho Moors and Hackness - approximately 8 miles to Hackness

 

Start from the bus stop at Wood’s Garage, Bean’s Corner, Burniston. Turn down a side-road, leading west, then south west, follow signposts pointing to Hackness - the road climbs gradually. Pass straight ahead over two sets of crossroads, the second bears a sign pointing to Suffield - this should be followed. The road is now quite steep leading to the top of the moor. Looking back when the top is reached the coast can be seen.

 

Now, turn right for a short way and sharp right again onto a track skirting the top of an old quarry, known as Cumboots Quarry; passing an ordnance survey triangulation point, continue along the hill edge.

 

After about two miles this track leads out onto a road, which runs up the steep side of the hill. The continuation of the track can be clearly seen; following this for a mile another road is reached at the top of the hill known as Reasty Bank - from here are magnificent views.

 

Cross the road, enter by a gate onto a Forestry Commission track. After a few yards turn left, then keep straight on over a junction. The track soon leads downwards into a valley, called Whisperdale. Pass to the left of a farm, then cross a stream: walking with this stream now on your left, continue down the valley. After crossing another bridge a narrow road is reached - this is Lowdale.

 

After about a mile, Hackness School and Church are reached. There is a very infrequent bus service so the walk should be timed to fit in with this.

 

Scalby Mills, Burniston Bay and Cloughton Wyke - approximately 7 miles to Cloughton

 

This walk starts from Scalby Mills, at the extreme end of the North Bay (bus from Scarborough). Cross the footbridge over Scalby Beck and follow the coastal path north passing Jackson’s Bay to Burniston Bay. This walk (of approximately 4 miles) can be concluded by taking the road from the cliff top into Burniston village where there is a frequent bus service to Scarborough.

 

Alternatively, continue northwards along the cliff path to Cloughton Wyke, then take the road to Cloughton village (bus to Scarborough).

 

Forge Valley Walk - approximately 3.5 miles

 

Take a bus to West Ayton. Beyond the river bridge, turn right up Yedmandale Road and take the second on the right ‘Castle Rise’. This will bring you to a footpath, which passes the ruins of Ayton Castle. The path continues on the left and follows the riverbank up Forge Valley. It is possible, at two points, to cross the river by footbridge and return to East Ayton on the path by the roadway. Forge Valley is owned by Scarborough Borough Council.

 

Falsgrave Park and Jacob's Ladder

 

Walk along Falsgrave Road (west from the railway station), turn left into Seamer Road (A64). The fifth turning on the right is Springhill Road, which leads into Falsgrave Park. This park is about 13acres in extent and rises to a point from which an excellent view of the Mere and Oliver’s Mount is obtained.

 

Keep to the west side of the park, climbing by paths and steps to the top, and down a narrow path to crossroads. Leave one road on the left, and follow a narrow road, which soon begins to rise. Proceed through a swing gate into a field. A path leads across this to the bottom of a wood and steps - ‘Jacob’s Ladder’. At the top of the wood the walker has attained a height of five hundred feet above sea level.

 

The path passes along the left-hand side of a pine plantation and soon joins the Ayton Road. Turn right to Scarborough, where it is possible to board a bus at the end of Sandybed Lane.

 

NOTES

‘ Walking on the North Yorkshire Moors’ - Ramblers Association

‘ North York Moors Walks for Motorists’ - Geoffrey White

(Two books - north and east circular walks and west and south circular walks)

 

Notes of Buildings and Gardens

South

 

Belvedere Rose Gardens, Italian and Holbeck Gardens situated between the Esplanade and the beach. Also Shuttleworth Miniature Garden, at the corner of Holbeck Road and the Esplanade.

 

Valley Bridge, 70ft above the Valley. An iron toll bridge was first laid in 1865 and it was freed from toll in 1919 and widened 1925-1928 to present dimensions. Below are the Valley Gardens, an area of about nine acres.

 

Spa complex with Grand Hall, Theatre and Ocean Ballroom.

 

Central

 

Wood End in The Crescent, was built in 1835 and in 1870 became the home of the literary Sitwell family (Edith was born there). The restored West Wing houses an almost complete library of their works. Wood End was formerly a museum with displays introducing the wildlife, rocks and fossils of the Scarborough area, including the giant Tunny - the unofficial British Record Tuna Fish caught off Whitby in 1949. Now it is a creative workspace centre and conference venue.

 

Scarborough Art Gallery in The Crescent, opened in 1947. This early Victorian Italianate villa retains many original features. The gallery displays Scarborough’s Fine Art collection, including the Laughton Collection donated by the brother of actor Charles Laughton and a wonderful collection of seascapes and views of the town. Paintings by Grimshaw, HB Carter, Frank Mason and Ernest Dade, also an early work by Lord Leighton.

 

The Rotunda Museum is small but perfectly formed and is regarded as one of the UK’s finest surviving purpose-built museums of its age. Built to a design suggested by William Smith - the geological authority of the day and ‘Father of English Geology’ - the Rotunda retains its original carved mahogany display cases, a moving platform to permit viewing of

the upper cases, and round the upper balcony, a handpainted geological section of the Yorkshire Coast. Exhibits include ‘Gristhorpe Man’ a Bronze Age tree trunk burial, finds from the internationally important Mesolithic lakeside encampment of Star Carr and items from Victorian Scarborough - also Scarborough’s original pancake bell. The museum was reopened by Prince Charles after a major multi-million pound refurbishment.

 

North

 

Alexandra Gardens, about five acres, with flower beds, rockeries and crown bowling greens.

Peasholm Park, with Island, waterfalls and coloured glens.

 

When Members of Parliament wish to resign they apply for the Chiltern Hundreds and are appointed to the stewardship of the Chiltern Hundreds and to Northstead Manor alternatively. The ancient Manor of Northstead lies under the lake in Peasholm Park.

 

The Marine Drive, linking the North Bay and South Bay. A remarkable feat of engineering which took 10 years, 10 months and 10 days to build and was completed in 1908.