A scenic ten mile coastal walk joining these two quite different but equally lovely places, via the coast path and beach, but also on some disused railway and through a pleasant wood. Another outing nearly joining two of the Cicerone walks of the North York Moors. The excellent coastal bus service can be used, alighting at Runswick Bank top, or leave a car opposite the eponymous Hotel, or down the road to the beach at a pay car park. If at the latter start by strolling along the glorious beach, past the isolated sailing club hut and turning up the interesting looking defile beyond it. It is not so adventurious as when Paddy Dillon wrote of it, there is even a bridge now, followed by a long series of steps to the top. The view back across the bay is worth frequent stops. At the cliff top, take the first signed path right, across a field to where a bridge crosses the old coastal railway, and gain it carefully by the bank to the right of the bridge. An easy two miles later, join the road to Runswick and turn right to it. At the Hotel, turn left up Runswick Lane, and opposite the first house on the right in Hinderswell, take a path to the main road. Turn right, then left past a garage. This lane becomes a track. turning sharp right and leading north along the west side of Hinderswell. The intrusive “Private ……..off” signs start about here; there are many more. At a T junction, turn left, becoming a path. Down a field by a wood, then into it, cross a bridge and climb on steps, to leave the wood into a field. turn right along the top of the wood, then into it again at the field end. Carry on northwards through a nature reserve and into a pleasant open “drive”, then down past a caravan park to Dalehouse. Turn right, over a bridge, and left past the pub up a track/path which is definitely not as the maps show it (a minor road!) Over a bridge and right up to the main road, where a left turn and a couple of hundred m of this leads to a right turn to “Cowbar”. Follow the signs round this farm, then onto the road leading to Staithes, or on to our old friend the railway track. Staithes is best entered this way, a bird’s eye view of the tight old fishing village, now a tourist attraction with some fishing. After exploration, ascend Church Street past Captain Cook’s cottage and at the top turn onto the Cleveland Way path. This is soon signed left, round the cliff edge, but you could go straight ahead to join near the top of Beacon Hill. Port Mulgrave has an air of abandonment about it: the harbour was abandoned around the first World War when rail transport from Grinkle ironstone mines about 6 km SE was cheaper than by sea, which was accessed by tunnels from the mines and a railway. The tunnels have been been “closed”. Two km more of cliff top walking finishes the walk.
Entering Runswick Bay beach. Runswick Bay beach. The defile of Hob Holes. A bridge in the defile. Descending to Staithes. Staithes harbour. Staithes from the South. Port Mulgrave and the remains of the harbour.
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