Loop Sandsend, Mulgrave Castle, Coastal Walk

Last Saturday my friends and I went on a circular hike from Sandsend to Runswick Bay. This time we were very lucky with the weather as it was a very hot day with no rain! 

The Hike began with a short walk to Mulgrave Castle. The walk took us through a forest which looks great in photos. Unfortunately, the dogs had to be kept on leads and they are very strict on this rule with cars patrolling to make sure you do, even on Holy Saturday. 

The castle itself was in good condition for a ruin with the fireplace still in tact. From there the real hike began across the countryside including many sheep and cow fields. So more on lead walking.

We stopped for lunch in a small village, where we witnessed herds of sheep being herded or moved to a new field. I live in North Yorkshire and I have grown up with such things, but my friends from the cities of Leeds, Manchester and Hull were truly amazed by it. 

In total the walk was 12.5 miles mostly flat but there were a couple of steep up hill climbs along the way, and one slippery down hill descent. 

The bay itself was truly stunning and the dogs had a wonderful time playing. From there we ascended up a waterfall, which my cocker spaniel enjoyed. He even went for a short swim in one of the rock pools. I wish I could have filmed it, however the ground was uneven and slippery so I needed to keep moving. 

Once at the top, we had an amazing view of the coast and continued to walk through the fields following the trail. Eventually finding ourselves back at Sandsend. 

I would definitely recommend this hike to anyone who is up for a challenge or wanting to see a bit more of the North Yorkshire Moors. 

For families I would recommend a day out at Sandsend or Runswith Bay. Sandsend is the larger of the two beaches so it is likely to be less crowded, whilst Runswith lovely in its own right felt a little crowded for the number of people there. 

Both are a 1 hour and half hour drive from our Cottages in Harrogate, making them a superb day out form Harrogate. Why not plan your own short break in Harrogate? 

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