Between the Cheeks

Robin Hood's Bay is lies between Whitby and Scarborough on the Yorkshire coast. The Village is a tightly woven mesh of terracotta roofed houses and narrow streets lining a steep gorge that runs down to the sea. Away from the humdrum is one of the most beloved youth hostels in the UK. Boggle Hole is yet another steep narrow gorge but the only buildings here belong to the youth hostel that bears the same name. The northern extremity of Robin Hoods Bay is marked by 'North Cheek'. The southern extremity is marked by 'South Cheek'. Boggle Hole is mid-way between the two (don't bother with answers on a postcard).

Ian and I paddled from the 'hole' and out past the seal infested South Cheek and continued south on our 10km trip towards Scarborough. The cliffs beneath Ravenscar are far more spectacular than I had anticipated. They rise to more than 160 metres and are well vegetated with trees, bracken and heather. Names like 'Beast Cliff' and 'Rodger Trod' added to the anticipation of the journey as force 5 winds whistled over the cliffs round our ears and out to sea. As we made our way past the sheltered bays at Hayburn and Cloughton Wykes there was no sign of civilization nor any clue as to the culture shock awaiting us upon our arrival at Scarborough. Upon arrival we did as Romans and engaged in the seaside promenade culture. One cup of tea and a whippy 99 ice cream laid the foundations for fuelling the return journey through the wilderness to Robin Hoods Bay. Although the wind funnelled strongly from the valley dealing us a proctalgic slog into the bay, it was not enough to prevent us from landing perfectly between 'the cheeks' safely back at Boggle hole.