Whitby and Robin Hood’s Bay – Part 2 Robin Hood’s Bay

Robin Hood’s Bay [mentioned as “Robin Oode Bay” around 1322-1346] is an old fishing village 6 miles south of Whitby and 15 miles north of Scarborough on the Yorkshire Coast. The village saw the passage of Roman soldiers, Saxon peasants, Norsemen and Norwegians, and passed to history as the busiest smuggling community on the Yorkshire coast. Its natural isolation, protected by marshy moorland on three sides, offered a natural support to this well-organised business which, despite its dangers, must have paid better than fishing.

Everyone in the village was involved, fisherfolk, farmers clergy and nobility, even wives were known to pour boiling water over excise men from bedroom windows in the narrow alleys. Cottages in Bay were full of hiding places, bolt holes and secret passages. It is said that a bale of silk could pass from the bottom of the village to the top without leaving the houses. RHB today is a vibrant and charming village full of cafes, pubs, restaurants and small craft shops. 

From Whitby it is possible to reach Bay in different ways, we decided to walk through Cleveland way. The hike takes around three hours to complete, you’ll walk edging the cliff for around seven miles. It can be exhausting during summer under the pick of the sun, although it can be very muddy in winter, and there will be some ups and downs but I can reassure you that you won’t be alone, if on your left you’ll have a beautiful view on to the sea, on your right you’ll have immense green hills and cows and sheep to keep you company.

Exhausted, starving and burned from the sun that miraculously appeared, we reached Robin Hood’s Bay. A truly jewel. Arrived in the main square we’ve been immediately surrounded by music, a guitar and violin duet was taking the scene in front of a big crowd just two meters from the beach now hidden by the high tide. Locals were sit outside their houses to enjoy the vibe, people were dancing and kids were eating chips. It seemed to be inside a postcard, there was such a good vibe, one of those moments when you would like to stay there all day. That was a perfect moment for a pizza and a pint outside to enjoy the sunset.

The village smelled of ocean, the last rays of sun of the day passed through the narrow alleys, everywhere sea themed decorations covered the doorstep of the cottages and kids were enjoying the first ice-creams of the good weather. 

We stayed there a few hours but the tiredness of the long walk, and the sun that kicked on our head all day were starting to show so we decided that was time to leave. It was getting dark and was too late to come back to Whitby by walk so we took a bus.