A mixed kayaking-hiking trip from Saltwick Bay to Robin Hood's Bay, 9 July 2023

We tried to walk along the shore from Saltwick Bay to Robin Hood's Bay on more than one occasion at low tide, but all attempts failed. We were moving too slowly and every time had to turn back due to the incoming tide. This time we decided to paddle this section across the sea in a kayak. The weather was grey, but no rain and no strong wind - just right for sea travel. There were waves, but very gentle, 0.6-0.8 metres high. On the way back we walked with the kayak along the path above the shore.

The blue line shows our track. Shift-click on the track link will open it in nakarte.me.

Saltwick Bay: our starting point.

The end of the kayaking part: Robin Hood's Bay. The weather did not change in two hours, so there were no more pictures from the 9 km kayaking trip. The tide started to go out and the water was rapidly receding.

We had a snack, folded up the kayak and headed back along the coastal path. View of Robin Hood's Bay.

The Cleveland Way runs along the North Sea from Filey to Saltburn, before turning away from the sea at North York Moors and ending at Helmsley. Here it follows the cliffs above the sea.

We have never seen such beautiful sheep: their belly is black, smoothly transitioning to white wool on the back. The muzzle is also black with black spots. The sheep specialist identified them as Badger Faced Welsh Mountain Sheep.

At low tide, the water recedes far from the shore and theoretically you can walk here - but you have to get to the place where you can climb up before the tide comes in. The sea is eroding the rocks. We saw the rocks crumble from the cliffs several times while kayaking.

The path goes up and down along the cliffs above the sea. They are very steep and it is impossible to climb down to the sea. Several times the path crosses streams that flow into the sea through deep wooded gorges.

Not far from Saltwick Bay there is a lighthouse and signalling station. The lighthouse is very ornate: white with emerald piping. There are several residential houses beside the lighthouse.

A colony of gulls. There are chicks in some nests.

Saltwick Bay. The sea is completely gone. Black Nab (the big rock on the bottom right) can be walked around, but in the morning we kayaked easily around it. This rock is clearly visible in the first photo on this page.