Yorkshire Walks

Scarborough Castle on the headland between the north & south bays

So far this month there have been two named storm systems passing across the country and a third one is forecast for the weekend. Today we are very lucky to have a lull in the awful wet windy weather with a fine bright sunny day. My friend Jim and I drove to Scarborough on the Yorkshire Coast and parked at map ref TA 038 896, on the Royal Albert Drive, the continuation of the Marine Drive around the North Bay.

Setting off along Royal Albert Drive

Crossing the A165 to an entrance to Peasholm Park

Walking round Peasholm Lake

Through the park entrance we turned left and followed the wide surfaced path around Peasholm Lake. We continued along the path to the point where Peasholm Beck enters the lake and from there we followed the path under a Chinese style arch following the beck upstream.

From our parking spot we walked about 100m northwest along the Royal Albert Drive to a right angle bend to our left where the road becomes Peasholm Gap. We walked along Peasholm Gap for about 120m to a large roundabout at Columbus Ravine, the A165. We crossed the A165 to the entrance to Peasholm Park.

Continuing along Peasholm Gap

Peasholm Lake in Peasholm Park

The island in Peasholm Lake

Path under a Chinese style arch following the beck upstream

Peasholm Beck on the right of the path . . .

We kept to the path next to the beck

Here the path crossed back over the beck

However there was one stretch where there was only a path on the right of the beck. After about 600m along the beck the path turned sharp left doubling back to climb up the valley side to a road called Peasholm Drive.

It is a pretty parkland path next to the beck with some wooden sculptures to look out for. There are some forks in the path and bridges over the beck but we kept the beck on our right.

. . . here the path crossed the beck

We kept to the path next to the beck

The path turned sharp left and climbed up away from the beck

The path climbed up away from the beck to Peasholm Drive

Walking along Peasholm Drive

Passing the end of Dean Road Cemetery along Manor Road

Just beyond the corner of the cemetery we turned left off Manor Road onto the back lane between the cemetery and the houses that front onto Garfield Road. About 25m along this lane we turned left through some iron gates into the cemetery.

At the road we turned right and walked along Peasholm Drive to the roundabout at the junction with Manor Road and Dean Road. We crossed Dean Road and walked along Manor Road past the end of the Dean Road Cemetery.

Crossing Peasholm Drive to the roundabout on Dean Road

We turned left off Manor Road to the back lane

We turned left off the back lane into the Dean Road Cemetery

Going to the main path along the centre of the cemetery

There is an information board where we left the cemetery that has a few details about these graves. We made our way across the cemetery paths to the main path down the centre of the cemetery. We followed this path to the exit on to Columbus Ravine (A165).

The Dean Road Cemetery is an interesting place with numerous tall stone monuments and the graves and memorials to almost 350 servicemen and nurses who were killed in the Great War (WW1).

Following the main path along the centre of the cemetery

Nearing the exit from the cemetery onto the A165

Walking along the A165 to the junction by St Columba's church

Plaque on the prison wall

Crossing St Thomas Street to Castle Road

However the authentic spelling in English, not American, is 'gaol' meaning prison.) From the old prison we continued along Dean Road to the junction with the B1364. At the junction we turned left and walked along the B1364 for a little over 200m to a junction where the B1364 turns left and becomes North Marine Road. At this junction we crossed St Thomas Street and continued straight on along Castle Road. About 250m from the junction along Castle Road we turned left off Castle Road along a short street to a cast iron fence at the cliff edge overlooking the North Bay.

At the A165 we turned left and walked a few metres along this main road to the junction with Dean Road next to St Columba's church. At this junction we turned right to walk along Dean Road. About 120m from the junction, on our right, we came to a castle-like stone building with a plaque on the wall and an information board at the entrance. This is the old Scarborough Gaol built in the 1860's. (Note: If, like me, you grew up on a diet of American Western films in the 1950's you will be convinced that a prison is a 'jail' having seen the signs on the local jail in numerous western towns complete with sheriff.

Facade of the old Scarborough Prison

Turning onto the B1364 at the end of Dean Road

Walking along Castle Street

We turned off Castle Road to this view point looking over the North Bay

Path along the edge of the headland

We turned right back to Castle Road

We turned right and walked in front of the guest house which really does look like a castle. This short street brought us back to Castle road where we turned left and walked along castle road for about 150 to the Scarborough Castle entrance.

At the fence overlooking North Bay we turned right and walked along the path by a road and then continued along a narrow footpath at the cliff edge until we reached a large guest house called "Castle by the Sea".

Path along the edge of the headland to the 'Castle-by-the-Sea'

Following Castle Road up to the castle entrance

The entrance to Scarborough Castle

Our visit to Scarborough Castle:

The castle is an English Heritage site (see their website for more information) As we climbed up from the castle gate to the keep there were a series of information boards about the history of the castle from Roman times to the present day. The is a museum and cafe on the site where we had a coffee before continuing our walk.

Fortified walkway from the castle gate up to the Keep

Looking across the North Bay from the castle ramparts

The Keep at Scarborough Castle

Inside the ruined Keep

The cafe & museum seen from the Keep

The fortified entrance to the castle seen from the Keep

Looking out over the harbour & South Bay from the castle

Looking along the outer wall of the castle

Leaving the castle at the end of our visit

Start of the path from the castle entrance to the Toll House

Looking back to the narrow bridge guarding the castle entrance

. . . lower down the two paths join together

To our right the ground was falling away down to the South Bay. We followed this path dropping down the hillside to the Marine Drive at the Toll House by the harbour.

Just outside the castle gate we turned right down a surfaced path with the castle headland rising up above us to our left.

Following the path down to the Toll House

We took the right hand path but either will do . . .

Steps down to the Toll House by the harbour

Joining the Marine Drive at the Toll House

Following the Marine Drive around the North Bay

Looking across the North Bay as the tide receded

The Castle headland rose up on our left with the castle ruins visible on top. The whole route had been a little over 7km. We had a couple of coffee stops along the way and we spent about an hour exploring the castle so the whole trip had taken us about three and a half hours.

From the Toll House we walked along the Marine Drive & Royal Albert Drive for 2.25km back to our parking spot and the end of our walk. It was a lovely finish to our walk with the receding tide exposing more of the sandy beach on our right.

Castle ruins on the headland seen from the Marine Drive

Heading back around the North Bay to our parking spot

Freddy Gilroy Sculpture looking out over the North Bay near our parking spot and the end of our walk
There's more of Ray Lonsdale's work on the sea front at Filey near Coble Landing