Castle to Abbey Coastal Challenge
An epic 22-mile walk along the coastal Cleveland Way and through the North York Moors National Park, from Scarborough Castle to Whitby Abbey.
Experience Type: Day Experience
Distance: Approx. 22 miles (35.4km)
Duration: Most groups complete this walk in 10-12 hours
Level: Tough (Walking) - see Large Outdoors Experience Levels here
Age: 16+ (under 18s must be accompanied by their parent/guardian throughout)
Dogs: No dogs, except trained assistance dogs
In a Nutshell:
Feel elated after completing a new challenge - an undulating 22 mile coastal route with the equivalent ascent of summiting Snowdon (Yr Wyddfa)!
Soak up the superb scenery and enjoy the company of fellow challengers, with a Large Outdoors guide taking care of navigation.
Experience the Yorkshire Coast’s beautiful beaches, dramatic cliffs and characterful seaside towns - starting at Scarborough Castle and finishing at Whitby Abbey.
Yorkshire’s dramatic coastline unfolds magnificently during the Castle to Abbey Coastal Challenge!
Don’t be fooled into thinking this is 22 miles of easy-going coastal path though, as the route - which follows the Cleveland Way National Trail includes over 1000 metres of ascent. In fact, the ascent conquered on this walk is the equivalent of climbing Snowdon (Yr Wyddfa)!
There is lots of ascent and descent - with steep sections and plenty of steps to tackle. However, there are rewards aplenty for your efforts, whether it’s the pleasure of glimpsing dolphins, seals or birdlife out to sea; walking in wooded glades and along rugged clifftops; or passing through iconic North York Moors National Park fishing villages, such as Robin Hood’s Bay.
Your experienced and friendly Large Outdoors guide will help you along the route and lend some motivation if it’s needed (which we’re sure it won’t be!).
Suggested Itinerary
We meet at 7:15am in Whitby (see Meeting Location & Time section below for details) and we hop on the coach and drive to the start point in Scarborough. What better way to start a march than looking up at the magnificent Scarborough Castle, a prominent 12th century fortress where you can imagine Henry ll’s troops being given their marching orders?
With the castle looming above us, we’ll begin the walk alongside the beach and past the colourful North Bay beach huts, before picking up the Cleveland Way, and leaving the spa resort of Scarborough behind. The undulating route winds its way up onto the cliff tops, with open fields to one side and enticing seascapes to the other, before entering National Trust woodland at Hayburn Wyke. The name derives from the Anglo Saxon word Hayburn which means hunting enclosure by a stream and the Norse word Vik which means sea inlet. Wandering through the woodland all that makes perfect sense, especially once you reach the star of the show, the waterfall that tumbles directly onto a pebble beach.
It’s worth having a breather here but with more great views up ahead we won’t linger too long. We’ll press onwards and upwards (lots more steps!) through the woodland to emerge onto the open cliff tops once more. A few more miles along we will come to ‘the town that never was’ - Ravenscar - a hamlet which is hard to believe was once destined to be a rival spa town to Scarborough in Victorian times, if the developers hadn’t gone bust. Today you’ll notice a few of the streets that were constructed and the old railway line. Further along another slice of Ravenscar’s history is discovered as you pass through the remains of the alum works.
From here the path begins to descend gradually to Stoupe Beck and then the delightfully-named Boggle Hole, so-called because goblins were said to inhabit one of the caves near the sandy cove! Here the YHA’s Quarterdeck café with its view out to sea provides an enticing prospect for re-fuelling.
We then leave Boggle Hole through a woodland path and back onto the headland where you’re rewarded with fine views, particularly when the village of Robin Hood’s Bay comes into sight. As you reach the village the Cleveland Way weaves its way through the cobbled alleyways and tiny snickets between the cottages where you can easily imagine what life was like in the heyday of smuggling. There’s plenty to hold you here but we’ll press onwards knowing we’re on the final leg of the journey.
Passing above Saltwick Bay, you’ll see the remains of the shipwrecked fishing trawler the Admiral Von Tromp near the rocks. Once past Saltwick Bay and with the outline of Whitby Abbey acting as a beacon, all that remains is a 20-minute stride out to reach the finish!
Most groups complete this walk in 10-12 hours.
Good to Know
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Meeting Time: 7:15am
Please ensure you give yourself plenty of time to arrive in Whitby and meet you guide by 7:15am. Transport departs at 7:30am, to take you to Scarborough to start the walk. If you miss the transport departure you will not be able to join the walk!Meeting Location:
Turning Circle at the end of Abbey Lane (next to the Church of St Mary)
East Cliff
Whitby
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Parking: There is a large car park available just a 5-minute walk from the meeting location. £9 per vehicle for up to 24hrs - pay by coins, card or RingGo. The car park address is: Abbey Headland Car Park, Abbey Lane, Whitby, YO22 4JT.
Public Transport: Whitby Train Station has services to/from Middlesborough, Newcastle and Sunderland and buses are available to/from York and Leeds, but the early start for this experience and train timetables generally requires an overnight stay.
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Included:
• A Large Outdoors guide to lead you on your Castle to Abbey Coastal Challenge.
• Transport from the meeting location in Whitby to the walk’s starting point in Scarborough (so you walk back to Whitby/where your car’s parked).
• The chance to make new friends and meet like-minded people - Large Outdoors is all about making outdoor adventures sociable.
• Pre-event support from the Large Outdoors team - give us a shout if there’s any advice or information you need and check out our Blog for useful articles too.
Not Included:
• Travel to and from the meeting location.
• Any extra (i.e. not mentioned above in ‘Included’) excursions or activities that you may partake in which incur a cost.
• Any food, drinks or goods you choose to purchase at any shops, restaurant, pubs or cafés visited.
• Travel/activity insurance - we recommend having insurance to cover, at a minimum: cancellation and curtailment; medical and emergency expenses (including repatriation); personal accident; injury and death.
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Please see our General (Walking) Kit List.
The compulsory items are selected for your safety, which is of paramount importance to us at Large Outdoors. Each participant should have the items listed.
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• What level of fitness is needed?
This trip is rated as Tough (Walking) and you certainly need to be capable of managing ascent and descent - you’ll be tackling the equivalent of Snowdon (Yr Wyddfa) after all! You’ll be walking around 22 miles (35.4km) on the day, so ensure your training walks are an appropriate length and don’t forget to include some hills! Click here to see Large Outdoors’ Experience Levels.• Is there a time limit?
We generally allow up to 12 hours to complete the walk, which is adequate for the majority of participants. Our guides do their very best to accommodate the speed of the group they are leading, whilst providing the encouragement needed to complete the challenge. Most groups complete this walk in 10-12 hours.• Can I buy food/drink on the walk?
There are no guaranteed stops for water refills or food along the route, so you should bring sufficient water (at least 2-3 litres per person) and plenty of food. There are usually cafés open along the route from late spring until late autumn, serving hot and cold drinks, plus snacks (but these are independently operated so we can’t guarantee availability, or that there will be time for your group to visit).• Is there a toilet?
There are public toilets near the walk’s start point in Scarborough, as well as Ravenscar and Robin Hood’s Bay. Local cafés with toilets ask that you make a purchase if you wish to use their facilities, so please make sure you have some money with you. These facilities are independently operated, so we can’t guarantee opening times and/or availability.• Can I attend on my own?
Absolutely. The majority of our participants are solo travellers and adventurers. Plenty of fun, laughter and numerous long-term friendships (and a few marriages!) have begun on Large Outdoors experiences since 2008, so there’s no need to feel worried about your first experience, or indeed trying a new type of outdoor activity, with us.• Can I bring my dog?
Dogs are not allowed on this experience, except for trained assistance dogs. If you wish to bring your trained assistance dog, please let us know in advance of booking so we can discuss the activity and any additional safety requirements or considerations that may be necessary.
This map is provided for guidance regarding the general location. For detailed meeting information, please refer to the 'Meeting Time & Location' section.