Winter walks are worth the effort.
The revitalising effects of the sea air when you’re wrapped up warm is not to be underestimated – and the Yorkshire coast of Scarborough had plenty of North Sea breeze to go around, lifting the mood, encouraging clearer thinking and getting the body a bit fitter!
A good walk any time of the year is never a bad idea, it just happened to be winter when I did this one.
I really enjoyed (and needed) this at the time – plenty of crispy aired walks, dotted with stops for thinking, pondering and taking photographs along the way.
Scarborough in December
Scarborough is probably most cherished as a seaside destination for the UK summer months, but the landscape in winter makes for an interesting contrast and some good winter walks.
Scarborough North Bay
The North Bay is known for being the more scenic side of Scarborough, with a vast quieter beach.
A cleaner beach with fewer crowds, away from the main South side tourist hub.
Maybe this has changed…..but I heard that anyone thinking about swimming in the sea in Scarborough was advised to swim in the North Bay beach which is confirmed to be cleaner and safer than the south. https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-york-north-yorkshire-66259147
When everything is closed, no shops open, no deck chairs, no candy floss, nobody selling anything along the sea front and there’s nothing but the raw coast to look at – sometimes those are the most beautiful beach and coastal scenes.
Scarborough sits on the east coast of the UK in the North Sea, known for being on the rougher and colder side of things – perfect for winter walks.
The walks captured for this post were on relatively mild days, not freezing, not blustery – just the normal coastal breezes, yet the waves and their acoustics were still pretty impressive.
Sometimes foggy mists moved in with some light rain then quickly moved off and out along the horizon.
Heading South
Scarborough South Bay
There was more hustle and bustle a 15-20 min walk down the coast to the busier South Bay – a totally different scene.
A beach football match in full swing – nice day for it:
The town in South Bay
Here’s where you find all the high street shops, a few quirky shops and a quick walk to the trains, buses and taxis, so no surprise that it’s busier than the North Bay.
Back up along the northern coast
Let’s keep walking……
People love to come and stand around the spots where the sea tends to fly up in a rage and spill over onto the roads and pavement – to get the shot!! I watched one brave photographer for a while, he went up closer to the waves than any other sensible person around. I had my phone videoing, wondering if I’d capture him getting drenched, but it seems he was lucky that day.
Then another man parked his car right up against where the sea was spraying up…..he set his phone up on a tripod and then posed on the bonnet of his car with the sea spraying up at the side of him – it’s probably on instagram somewhere 🧐 you see all-sorts on a winter walk!
Wishing you all lots of happy walks and a good week ahead 💫
Awesome pics and info, Cherryl.
Art
😊 🙏
Beautiful beach! I love to walk there ☺️ well shared with excellent photos ☺️
Thank you Priti ✨
💐
The North Bay was so beautiful in the morning when I hiked through it. Actually, the South Bay was lovely too, but it was dawn and the hordes had not surfaced. 😉
I’m normally one of the those fools trying to photograph the waves and earning an early shower. 🙂
You are very brave to try and get those shots lol, hats off! 📸 🌊
North Scarborough looks wonderful – just how I like the seaside to be. South Scarborough looks a tad too peopley for full enjoyment (unless I’m having a day of street photography). One of my usual seaside haunts on the south coast experienced such heavy flooding that rescue was required for the residents. I may have to re-think it as a potential retirement spot 🙁
Hmm, maybe not right on the sea, but a home with a sea view from a distance could still be lovely for a future home ✨🏡
Very nice. A cooold sea. Now I have a song spinning in my head…
“If you’re going to Scarborough Fair…” 😉
(I had no idea there was a Scarborough somewhere…)
Hope all is well?
Thank you! All is well 🙏 I hope the same is true with you. That song is linked to this particular Scarborough in North Yorkshire…🎶parsley , sage, rosemary and thyme 🎵 and yes, probably freezing water, I didn’t test it lol.
There are other Scarboroughs around the world too….including at least a couple of Caribbean ones in Tobago and Jamaica, and Canada as well I think, and probably others!
All well too, thanks.
Simon and garfunkel probably used a traditional song, which I’m not familiar with. I’ll have to look it up. A beautiful song anyway.
And you’re right there probably are dozens of Scarboroughs scattered across the world…
“Parsley sage…”
Beautiful pictures all, Cherryl! I also enjoy visiting beaches in the “off-season.” Being in that seaside environment in the chill of fall and winter really invigorates me.
👍 totally I agree, thanks Bruce 😊
What a fun and full post!! I love seeing your excursions! I have missed you, Cherryl and was happy to see this. Beautiful!
Aww thank you Sheila – ‘life stuff’ pulled me away for a while but I can’t keep away for long lol – hope you’re well 🤗 🙏
Wow, your photos and musings are wonderful. And I have to agree with you, walks in the colder seasons along the beach can be absolutely invigorating. You know you’re alive that’s for sure!! 🙏
Thank you – and oh yes, super alive!! 😊
You’re so right, Cherryl – a seafront walk in the winter air is a fantastic way to get rid of those cobwebs. Great shots of the crashing waves, too.
🙏😊
Scarborough, Whitby through to Robin Hood’s Bay and all the coastline in between – beautiful sprintime walking 😊. Brilliant photo’s. Thank you
Thank you! I’ll be doing a Whitby post soon – love that place 💫
I do like your sea walks Cheryl. You are so right about walks being revitalizing, for both body and mind. We need this more than ever in winter. Happy Sunday. Allan
Thanks Allan, have a great week, hopefully with some sunshine 🔆✨