"Scarborough’s impressive setting is revealed in grand style on this linear walk."
Walk directions
From the high point of Old Filey Road (also known as Osgodby Hill Top), walk downhill to the north in the direction of Scarborough. Pass the entrance to the Knipe Bay estate of chalet homes. Just beyond this, take a footpath on the right with a Cleveland Way sign, running down between the chalets and a large field.
The path turns left at another signpost to run along the cliff tops, although trees mostly mask the sea views on this first stretch. Cross a short stretch of wooden boardwalk before reaching a wider track below a small pumping station. Turn right and cross a little stream by concrete stepping-stones.
There’s access to the shore if you continue straight ahead, but the Cleveland Way goes left, up steps, to emerge beside a golf course. White marker-posts along here are for the benefit of golfers, not walkers; they indicate the area that’s ‘out of bounds’. The path is quite clear anyway, and now enjoys unobstructed views over Scarborough Bay. The path traverses the steep slope above the broken, eroding cliffs, eventually meeting a wide stony track just below a road.
Turn right down the track, which runs out onto a wide grassy fan. At the bottom turn left along the sea wall. If the tide is in stay up on the sea wall (with great care if the sea’s really rough), but if the tide is out it’s better to walk along the sands. Pass below the Spa, Cliff Bridge and the Grand Hotel, then come up a ramp to the road.
Cross near the Olympia Leisure complex, and just to its right enter St Nicholas Gardens. Go up the steps and ramps, generally keeping left, to emerge near the top station of the St Nicholas Lift. A small triangular green surrounds a statue of Queen Victoria, and behind this is the Victorian Renaissance Town Hall. Walk down the street to its left.
Turn left on pedestrianised Newborough and continue along Westborough, past the Brunswick Shopping Centre. Just beyond, opposite The Lord Roseberry pub, the first bus stop is the place for Bus 7, the best service for returning to Osgodby Hill Top.
‘Are you going to Scarborough Fair? Parsley, sage, rosemary and thyme…’ Scarborough was an important medieval trading centre and its fair, which lasted from mid-August to the end of September, attracted merchants from all over England and from far beyond – possibly even Byzantium and Arabia. The... song, known in various versions, has been covered by many artists, most famously Simon and Garfunkel, and it also partly inspired Bob Dylan’s ‘Girl from the North Country’. The fair endured for around 500 years, and by the time it finally ended in the late 18th century, Scarborough was already established as a major resort; indeed, it makes a strong claim to be Britain’s first seaside resort. It was an important spa from the mid-17th century onwards, though the spa waters were declared unfit for human consumption in the 1930s. The Spa Complex remains, its facilities including the 2000-seat Grand Hall. To make access easier from the town centre, the Cliff Bridge was opened in 1827 and rapidly became a tourist attraction in its own right. Railways and funiculars The railway came to Scarborough in 1841, stimulating further growth. The Grand Hotel, whose imposing bulk looms over the later stages of the walk, was opened in 1867. It was one of Europe's first purpose-built large-scale hotels. Its design features 4 towers for the seasons, 12 floors for the months, 52 chimneys and – originally – 365 bedrooms. At one time Scarborough had no fewer than five cliff railways, also known as trams or lifts. The earliest of them was the South Cliff Tramway. Opened in 1875, this was the first funicular railway in Britain, and still operates, as does the Central Tramway, just south of the Grand Hotel. The South Cliff lift is operated by gravity using seawater for ballast, while the Central Tramway is electrically driven. The St Nicholas Lift, north of the Grand Hotel, still exists but its future is uncertain; the walk climbs through gardens alongside it. Historic landslide Early in the morning of 4th June, 1993, a guest at Scarborough’s four-star Holbeck Hall Hotel looked out of the window and saw that most of the hotel’s garden had disappeared. It quickly became apparent that a massive landslip had occurred and that further slips were likely. All guests were evacuated unharmed and on the following day, during heavy rain, much of the building did indeed collapse. The rest was later demolished. In total it’s estimated that more than a million tons of rock and earth was involved in the slide. The site of the landslip is directly above the grassy fan where the walk comes down to sea level; extensive work has been done to stabilise the area.
North Yorkshire, with its two National Parks and two designated Areas of Outstanding Natural Beauty, is England’s largest county and one of the most rural. This is prime walking country, from the heather-clad heights of the North York Moors to the limestone country that is so typical of the Yorkshire Dales – a place of contrasts and discoveries, of history and legend.
"Scarborough’s impressive setting is revealed in grand style on this linear walk."
Walk details
1hr 15min
Difficulty:
Easy
Gradient:
Moderate
Distance:
3.25 miles (5.3kms)
Ascent:
475ft (145m)
Walk directions
From the high point of Old Filey Road (also known as Osgodby Hill Top), walk downhill to the north in the direction of Scarborough. Pass the entrance to the Knipe Bay estate of chalet homes. Just beyond this, take a footpath on the right with a Cleveland Way sign, running down between the chalets and a large field.
1 of 6
The path turns left at another signpost to run along the cliff tops, although trees mostly mask the sea views on this first stretch. Cross a short stretch of wooden boardwalk before reaching a wider track below a small pumping station. Turn right and cross a little stream by concrete stepping-stones.
2 of 6
There’s access to the shore if you continue straight ahead, but the Cleveland Way goes left, up steps, to emerge beside a golf course. White marker-posts along here are for the benefit of golfers, not walkers; they indicate the area that’s ‘out of bounds’. The path is quite clear anyway, and now enjoys unobstructed views over Scarborough Bay. The path traverses the steep slope above the broken, eroding cliffs, eventually meeting a wide stony track just below a road.
3 of 6
Turn right down the track, which runs out onto a wide grassy fan. At the bottom turn left along the sea wall. If the tide is in stay up on the sea wall (with great care if the sea’s really rough), but if the tide is out it’s better to walk along the sands. Pass below the Spa, Cliff Bridge and the Grand Hotel, then come up a ramp to the road.
4 of 6
Cross near the Olympia Leisure complex, and just to its right enter St Nicholas Gardens. Go up the steps and ramps, generally keeping left, to emerge near the top station of the St Nicholas Lift. A small triangular green surrounds a statue of Queen Victoria, and behind this is the Victorian Renaissance Town Hall. Walk down the street to its left.
5 of 6
Turn left on pedestrianised Newborough and continue along Westborough, past the Brunswick Shopping Centre. Just beyond, opposite The Lord Roseberry pub, the first bus stop is the place for Bus 7, the best service for returning to Osgodby Hill Top.
‘Are you going to Scarborough Fair? Parsley, sage, rosemary and thyme…’ Scarborough was an important medieval trading centre and its fair, which lasted from mid-August to the end of September, attracted merchants from all over England and from far beyond – possibly even Byzantium and Arabia. The... song, known in various versions, has been covered by many artists, most famously Simon and Garfunkel, and it also partly inspired Bob Dylan’s ‘Girl from the North Country’. The fair endured for around 500 years, and by the time it finally ended in the late 18th century, Scarborough was already established as a major resort; indeed, it makes a strong claim to be Britain’s first seaside resort. It was an important spa from the mid-17th century onwards, though the spa waters were declared unfit for human consumption in the 1930s. The Spa Complex remains, its facilities including the 2000-seat Grand Hall. To make access easier from the town centre, the Cliff Bridge was opened in 1827 and rapidly became a tourist attraction in its own right. Railways and funiculars The railway came to Scarborough in 1841, stimulating further growth. The Grand Hotel, whose imposing bulk looms over the later stages of the walk, was opened in 1867. It was one of Europe's first purpose-built large-scale hotels. Its design features 4 towers for the seasons, 12 floors for the months, 52 chimneys and – originally – 365 bedrooms. At one time Scarborough had no fewer than five cliff railways, also known as trams or lifts. The earliest of them was the South Cliff Tramway. Opened in 1875, this was the first funicular railway in Britain, and still operates, as does the Central Tramway, just south of the Grand Hotel. The South Cliff lift is operated by gravity using seawater for ballast, while the Central Tramway is electrically driven. The St Nicholas Lift, north of the Grand Hotel, still exists but its future is uncertain; the walk climbs through gardens alongside it. Historic landslide Early in the morning of 4th June, 1993, a guest at Scarborough’s four-star Holbeck Hall Hotel looked out of the window and saw that most of the hotel’s garden had disappeared. It quickly became apparent that a massive landslip had occurred and that further slips were likely. All guests were evacuated unharmed and on the following day, during heavy rain, much of the building did indeed collapse. The rest was later demolished. In total it’s estimated that more than a million tons of rock and earth was involved in the slide. The site of the landslip is directly above the grassy fan where the walk comes down to sea level; extensive work has been done to stabilise the area.
North Yorkshire, with its two National Parks and two designated Areas of Outstanding Natural Beauty, is England’s largest county and one of the most rural. This is prime walking country, from the heather-clad heights of the North York Moors to the limestone country that is so typical of the Yorkshire Dales – a place of contrasts and discoveries, of history and legend.
