Dunsdale to Robin Hoods Bay (Fri) to Hunmanby (Sat) to Ulrome (Sun) to Humber-Upon-Barton (Mon)

So, four days since last managed to get a 3G signal on my dongle - could get a good 1G signal, but no good for the internet connection.  Another 150 miles cycled, total up to over 1,000 miles now (approx 1,050 mies).   Were lots of hills on Friday as we made our way from Clive's towards Whitby - can't go the most direct route as this takes you on an A road that is also designated a trunk road - not a good place to be on your bike.  As we cycled down towards the sea from Dunsdale, a panoramic view northwards of industrialised Teesdale, which suddenly changes to a countryside and coastal scene.  Saltburn-by-the-Sea looked an interesting place, despite a steep descent down to the seafront (had a pier as well) followed by a really steep hill the other side - a tough gravelly footpath for walkers and cyclists.  We did what we were told to do - 'Cyclists Please Walk, Steep Track' - honest we'd have managed to cycle it (...not!!)  A guy on a mountain bike overtook us at the top - not sure if he'd cycled all the way up or not - he was on his way home having just cycled to Middlesbrough for some new brake pads.  Long and steep ups and downs were the name of the day.  For some reason the No 1 North Sea Cycle Route has a 15 mile gap in it, from Staithes (east along the coast from Redcar) to Whitby.  There is no other route possible than to follow other than the busy A174. Very pleased when we got to Lythe Bank, a 1 in 4 hill - going down...... and down to Sandsend, a lovely sandy beach that continues round to Whitby.   Good views of the abbey on the headland above the bay.  Past a guest house that differentiated itself by using the Dracula theme.  Route 1 suddenly appears on the map again, and follows the route of the old Scarborough to Whitby railway line - once we were able to actually get onto the track - could see where it was but missed the cycle entrance some how - ended up manhandling the bikes down some very steep wooden steps. Not an easy task. We both found the old railway track hard work - a grotty fine gravelly track with sections of large gravel - both really treacherous to our bikes - you have to be on your toes all the time in case you skid.  Also a slight incline for much of the way - but a good gradual downhill section towards the end thank goodness.  But - there is always another hill......  - the campsite was half a mile up hill and being the Friday evening of the Bank Holiday Weekend was packed out.  We'd rung before we left Clive's in the morning to book in because of this - supposed to stay a minimum of 3 nights, but the owner very kindly had said he'd find us some room.  Good views over Robin Hood's Bay.  
Everyone on the campsite was up amazingly early on Saturday - probably because it was so cold!!  An overcast and miserable sort of morning - we locked the bikes up at the carpark above the narrow steep road down into the village of Robin Hoods Bay and walked down to the cove at the bottom and then back up.  Lots of people there, some really struggling to make it back up the hill again.  There is an old black and white photo of a bus (a charabang) that got trapped as it went round one of the narrow bends - it took many, many hour to get it unstuck - and trapped some motorists at the bottom of the hill.  They were very proud though that the mail got through - it was passed up the hill around the obstruction to another postal van the other side, and a spare bus was sent to take the stranded passengers home!!!   The jail is now a holiday house that is let out - it was built at the time the railway was built because at weekends the railway navvies would get very drunk on the beach and fights would break out, and someone was even killed.  Until the jail was built those who were arrested would be loaded up into a cart and a net thrown over them and taken off to Whitby.  By the time it was built though, the need for it had almost gone as the railway was finished and the workers moved on.  Another tale that is told is when a ship foundered in the bay and the lifeboat from Whitby had to be brought by land as too rough to launch it from there.  They had to get through huge snow drifts - and amazingly managed the 6 miles or so in 2 hours - with the help of all the locals and 12 horses.
The coast to coast walk ends/starts in Robin Hood Bay - and there is a Wainwright Bar to commemorate its founder,and the opportunity to buy a plaque - the example says that 'Tom, Dick and Harry completed the walk.  Always think that I'm very glad I don't live in popular grockle spot.
Followed the old railway track once again all the way to Scarborough - the first few miles being particularly hard work - a gradual incline on the same grotty surface as the previous afternoon - up to the highest spot of 631 feet. at the village of Ravenscar  It's much steeper than normal railway tracks -and the steam trains would have to take a couple of goes at the final incline ( a 1 in 39 slope) to make it.  A short closed off tunnel (cost an extra £500 to build this) is bypassed by the route - this was built so that the railway didn't spoil the view from the local hotel there.  It was always wet and  damp inside the tunnel making it even harder for the train to make it up the hill.  In 1947 12 foot snowdrifts isolated the town for 6 weeks or more until they were finally relieved by a snowplough loaded with bread and cakes.  Ravenscar was a town that never was - set up to rival Whitby to the north and Scarborough to the south - as the 'most bracing health resort' on the east coast!!! Roads were laid out in readiness for an expected influx of developers - but they never came and in 1911 the company that had speculated on the land went broke.  Continuing to Scarborough was mainly on the now gradually descending old track, lots of walkers and cyclists.  Stopped at a cafe at the lovely old station of Cloughton - had won many prize for the best kept station - right up to 1964 when Beeching did his worst.  The guy who lived there was a chatty sort of guy -not sure how he got much work done in the garden -asked us about what we were doing and where we were from - turned out that a judge who lived on Lower Cribden in Rawtenstall (about 1/2 mile away from our house) was staying in the station holiday let next door.  Through the centre of Scarborough and overlooked the bay from the cliff tops and hotel/guest house land, with a view of the Grand hotel.   A gradual uphill ride southwards then, miserable weather with rain threatening all the time.  Had thought about getting to Flamborough Head but we'd done over 30 miles, and a campsite was signposted at Hunmamby, afew miles south and inland from Filey (and down a steep hill....), and it was at least another 12 miles to the next campsite shown on our map -if it was actually there.  Good call by Roger, as we'd just got the tent up and cosy inside when it started raining - and continued till 10 pm or so - in time for the campers enjoying the Kar-e-oke (however you spell it!!) in the nearby bar to congregate outside near our tent as they smoked their cigarettes.  There was a cigarette but container on the wall - but with a sign on it saying not to use it as birds nesting in it.  As I went to take a photo of the sign a small bird flew out of the box - just missed it.  Also lots of funny signs from railways inside the amusement arcade area (!!) but was locked up when I went to take some photos of them the morning after.   There was also a miniature railway and station at the campsite, with the kids able to go on a trip around a small pond.  Next morning (Sunday), still cold and fairly miserable, the hill back up on to the route didn't look as bad as it had done the night before but still lots of up and down - but with a glorious couple of miles downhill at a speed of about 20mph- straight, narrow road, no traffic and good road surface - oh, if only cycling was more about this...... it would no doubt get very boring.....  Bridlington seems more like the Blackpool of the east coast, Scarborough the Southport and Whitby perhaps the Morcambe equivalent????  
Could see 12 win turbines in the distance that we finally came upon - they are sited at the old Lisset air field - it was the Bomber Command that was nearest to Germany during the 2nd World War and home of 158 Squadron.  The windmills are 410 foot high (makes you think when I was talking about how hard going it was up the old railway track to the height of 631 feet!!) and the twelve of them can generated enough electricity to provide the annual needs for 10% of the east riding houses.  A memorial has been set up to the 851 members of the squadron who died on active service (see photo) and all the names are included on the figures. In addition 11 of the 12 turbines have been named after planes that flew from here - Jane, Blondie, Zombie, Lili Marlene, Maori Chief, Goofy's Gift, The Menace, Friday the 13th, Xpress Delivery, Git Up Them Stairs and Minnie the Moocher.  The final turbine is named after 6 aircrew  who were killed when a 1,000 lb bomb exploded unexpectedly at the air base.  A lovely idea - worth calling to see if you are driving near by.
30 miles for the day got us as far as Ulrome, a small coastal village to the north of Hornsea.  Thought we'd stop here for all the usual reasons - weather, logistics, was there anywhere else nearby that might take tents etc - and the wind was really getting up.  The site was ginormous with field after field of caravans and tents, all close together.  The coast here is all being eroded away and there are old caravan pitched that have fallen away into the sea (one with an enticing electricity socket dangling that was just too much of a risk to get to for Roger to make use of it....) - a lovely beach though that is accessible from the campsite which makes it.  Roger fell out with me because I decided the spot to camp was at the far end of the field - empty compared to the rest of the site - enormous tents dotted around the perimeter of the field.  Tents are so big these days - lots of them with a large central communal area with 3 large wings coming off this which are the bedroom annexes.  Anyway, where I suggested was quiet - way from the narrow entrnce in, away from noisy kids, away from the road, away from the rubbish bins - but it was the furthest away from the loos - and Roger hates walking, and also exposed to the wind - as were most places in the field - all except for a small space right by the entrance to the field - which was a haven from the wind I do have to admit when I walked to the loos later on.  It was really windy all night - and cold.  So much for being the end of May - just when is summer proper going to start?

We were back to three layers this morning when we set off - had to turn back as the road we wanted to go along had fallen away into the sea.  Into Hornsea - one layer off by then - but still windy - went into an empty cafe for an early lunch - and started a trend - 20 minutes later when we left it was heaving with people.  We'd come off the official North Sea Route to come to Hornsea - the end of the Trans Pennine Cyclepath, which runs from Southport to Hornsea - Roger and I cycled this from Southport as far as Hull 3 years ago on our way to the Black sea.  So wanted to see the official end and cycle the missing 13 miles we didn't do last time.  The route once again follows an old railway line that goes at a 45 degree angle from the coast to Hull, on the river Humber.  Once we were 1/4 mile or so inland the weather changed really quickly and the sun was out and the wind not nearly as blowy as it had been.  Lots of people out walking and cycling and making the most of a now nice Bank Holiday Monday.  A lovely way to come into Hull - in the centre before you knew it - spent some time finding a bike shop - but unlike all the other shops round about it - it was shut unfortunately- hopefully the workers were all out enjoying the good weather on their bikes.  Stopped to shop at an Asda - recognised it from calling in at it when we cycled the Trans Pennine last time - getting goodies to eat on the ferry crossing to Rotterdam.  Last bit of the day was a cycle, first under the access road with a great view of the underside of the bridge, followed by cycling across the Humber bridge itself in the sunshine, with views down onto the old clay pits at the side of the river and the old brick factory near by to them.  The pan tiles of the roofs in this part of the world used to be made here from the clay and left out to dry along the banks of the  Humber.  Camped in a small campsite just near the river - am typing this sat at a wooden picnic table and benches with all my layers on, with a hot cup of tea, gloves and hat on and starting to shiver.  The sun has long gone I've eaten my tea that chef Roger has very kindly made and I'm eating Dolly Mixtures now.....  We're spending 2 nights here as mum and her friend Sandra are coming to see us tomorrow on the train - the station is close by to the campsite.  Lets hope the weather is nice......