Walk from Runswick Bay to Whitby

This page is about a walk from Runswick Bay to Whitby. For other information about staying at Whitby see the page here.

Other Walks:

I took a bus to Runswick Bay and walked back, along the coast (Cleveland way) to Whitby. The walk to Sandsend is about 5.2 miles then you can either catch the bus or walk back along the beach to Whitby.

You could stay on the bus a bit further and walk back from Staithes but that walk was a bit long for me so I preferred the shorter walk from Runswick Bay.

Check the tide times for Runswick Bay as there is a short section of beach which is not usually a problem except for very high tide.

I used X4/X4A Middlesbrough - Loftus - Runswick Bay - Whitby which was operated by Arriva. If you plan to use this check with the operators before you go as bus franchises and timetables do change.

Bus to Runswick Bay

I walked from Larpool Hall to Whitby bus station as explained on the page here.

At the bus station I caught the X4 bus toward Middlesbrough:

Get off the bus at Runswick Bay Hotel, Ellerby Lane, Runswick Bay.

First go down to Runswick Bay.

Back the way the bus came along Ellerby Ln and turn right twice to go down Cleveland Wy. Or go a slightly longer way, past the car park along Bank Top Ln.

At the roundabout here go right down to cafe and toilets.

This is the cafe, beyond that is the toilet and beyond that is the lifeboat station.

There are also plenty of benches.

Runswick Bay to Sandsend

Go down the slope and along the beach

Looking back to Runswick Bay:

Go past these caves in the cliff and head for this slope on the cliff.

There are some steps up next to this stream:

and up more stairs:

Eventually we get to the top on the cliff:

The view back to Runswick Bay:

All the way along these cliffs there is lots of evidence of industrial activity from the past. I assume this type of landscape is related to the alum quarries:

There was once a railway all the way along this coast from Scarborough to Whitby past here to join with the existing railway to Saltburn. The path goes near the old track bed.

The cliffs rise up at Kettleness and the railway went through a long tunnel. Unfortunately this is not open for walkers so the footpath goes up and down.

The path down has a flight of metal and a flight of wooden stairs:

The tunnel entrance at the other end:

The path goes past a lot of alum quarries and lunar landscape of spoil tips.

Whitby starts to come into view:

but first we get to Sandsend:

Sandsend to Whitby

At Sandsend you can either walk back to Larpool Hall along the beach or road or catch the bus back.

More about Sandsend to Whitby on the page here.

This page is about a walk from Runswick Bay to Whitby. For other information about staying at Whitby see the page here.

Other Walks:

Getting To HF Houses on Public Transport
Abingworth Hall
Dolserau Hall in Dolgellau
Longmynd Hotel in Church Stretton
Holnicote House - Selworthy
Newfield Hall - Malham
Derwent Bank - Keswick
Freshwater Bay House
Chy Morvah - St Ives
Harrington House - Bourton-on-the-Water
Nythfa House - Brecon Beacons
Peak District The Peveril of the Peak - Dovedale or Lee Wood Hotel - Buxton
Larpool Hall - Whitby
Thorns Hall - Sedbergh
Monk Coniston
Nether Grange - Alnmouth
Alitshellach - Glen Coe

Former HF Houses
Conwy (1914- 2011)
Newlands (1914- 1987)
Swanage (1947- 1995)
Isle of Arran (1925- )
Scarborough (1954- 1998)
Lulworth
Beddgelert
New Inns
Penrith
Milford-on-Sea

About This Site

Here is some information I have gathered together about getting to and walking from HF houses when leaving the car at home. On these pages I have also put some history about former HF houses I have visited.

The information here is based on my visits to HF houses over the years. It may be out of date so don't rely on anything here without checking. If you find any errors why not let others know by putting a post on the HF Holiday Fans ( unofficial) Facebook forum. I will try to quote such posts here so they don't get lost.

This is information I have discovered over the years which would have been useful to know before. Unfortunately the travel information on the HF website, for getting to houses by public transport, is poor. I think it would be better if the information on this page were on the HF website.