Day 247 - Robin Hood's Bay to Whitby Abbey

Brilliant sunshine today, and we know what that means: long walk. With Lord Finley, we took the bus to Robin Hood's Bay in order to do a walk back along the Cleveland Way and the raw coastline to Whitby.

Originally settled by Danes, Robin Hood's Bay was for many years a fishing and farming village. Following the Norman invasion, the village eventually was given to Whitby Abbey, where we will end our walk today.

No one quite knows how it got its name as Robin Hood was never thought to have been in the area. However, there is a legend that the fishermen were robbed by French sailors at one time and Robin Hood got the loot back for the residents.





By the 18th century, Robin Hood's Bay was itself involved in smuggling in goods (most likely from France). The town extends down a steep ravine, with houses appearing to cling to the cliffs and joined by numerous narrow alleyways. It is said that the houses are connected by underground tunnels and many have trapdoors beneath under which goods such as gin, brandy, tea, tobacco, and French lace could be stored without discovery by customs officers before being sold on the black market.

With the War of Independence raging in America and Britain involved in numerous other battles, duties and taxes were needed to raise war funds. The people thought otherwise, with about 40% in the area being involved in smuggling. In reality, everyone was involved as no one messed with the families leading the endeavour.

Today, tourism is the village's primary industry, and the town is filled with pretty shops, pubs and restaurants, all making the meander down well worth the inevitable walk back up.

View back to Robin Hood's Bay

After a brief visit to the village, we went back up hill to find the Cleveland Way, the path we would be walking back to Whitby. The path hugs the cliff...quite literally in several spots. And you can see places where the former path has fallen away. Interesting job to be the one to ensure the path is kept as far to the edge of other people's property as possible, without actually going over the edge!

The path undulates through some creek valleys, where built-in steps help you maneuver up and down the hillsides.

After a few hours, we were ready for a drink. Good thing the Whitby Brewery, decided to set up its microbrewery just off the path as we approached Whitby Abbey.

Across the road is Whitby Abbey, an English Heritage-managed site. Being members, we didn't have to pay the entrance fee. The site now has a small museum you can go through before entering the site of the abbey ruins. The ruins are those of the 13th century monastery church built on the site of previous churches, and for which building was not completed until the 15th century. 

The Whitby ruins circa 1740, when quite a bit was still
intact. Source: English Heritage.

The monastery didn't last long after it's completion, being destroyed on order of Henry VIII in 1540 during the Dissolution of the Monasteries. How much beauty would still exist if it weren't for Henry's roving eye?


The Cholmley family were granted the rights to the Abbey ruins and the surrounding land. They used some of the stones to build their manor house and other buildings.

Wind and rain have caused further erosion, and the Abbey was subjected to shelling from two German battleships during WWI, destroying even more.

Despite all of that, you cannot help but look up in amazement at the detail in the carvings that remain and the sheer human effort and skill that went into building this masterpiece, which continues to inspire even in its demise.