rugged coastline, and this invigorating walk links two of the most attractive coastal villages found on its shores.
Before leaving Runswick Bay, take a few moments to appreciate the outstanding views. The entire length of Runswick Bay’s beautiful sandy beach stretches out below, and in the distance, the inviting headland of Kettleness beckons. In the lower part of the village, which we explore more intimately in walk four, clusters of gleaming, red-roofed cottages huddle together on the steep hillside, linked by a maze of narrow pedestrian alleyways.
From the car park, we follow the road into Hinderwell, which apparently takes its name from ‘Hild’s well’, a holy well in the grounds of St Hilda’s Church. According to legend, while returning
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The Cleveland Way formerly led away from the cliff edge to cross the slopes of Beacon Hill. However, the track now utilises a section of the England Coast Path, which takes walkers closer to the cliff edge and provides superb views of Staithes, the harbour and Cowbar Nab, with Boulby Cliffs towering behind.
The England Coast Path will eventually follow the entire coast of England, and when completed, it will be the world’s longest coastal path covering a total distance of around 2795 miles (4498km).
At Port Mulgrave, a forlorn old jetty continues to endure the fury of the waves in the tiny harbour below. The harbour which opened in 1857, offered cheaper transportation by sea, to take ironstone from the local mines to the blast furnaces at Jarrow on Tyneside, which produced steel for the shipbuilding industry. Much of the ore came from the Grinkle Ironstone Mine, 3 miles (5km) inland. The ore travelled on a narrow gauge railway which crossed three wooden viaducts and passed through two tunnels to reach the harbour.
During World War One, iron was a vital resource and ships leaving the port were in danger of attack. Therefore, in 1916, the Grinkle mine was connected to the Whitby, Redcar and Middlesbrough Union Railway after which Port Mulgrave became