8/14/2022 0 Comments Walk 4 - ScarboroughThis is probably not what you were expecting, it's not what I expected either. I had tickets for concerts at Scarborough Open Air Theatre but the week before I was due to go I finally caught COVID and it was possible that I would not make it to Scarborough at all. However having several clear tests in the days before I was due to go decided that I would be OK forgetting that Scarborough is built on hills and anywhere that has cliff lifts should ring alarm bells with anyone who dislikes hills. To add to the challenge, I had booked a hotel next to the castle - yes you know what's coming next - at the highest part of the town. I have many happy memories of Scarborough. We took holidays here when I was young, it is also a day trip location for us being only 2 hours from home across stunning moorland. I also took my first girl's holiday here with my best friend from school when we finished our O-levels in 1987. Although we stayed with her aunt, we did have free reign to do what we pleased, and if I remember the weather was really good. One of my lasting memories of a journey across the moors was watching a bus being pushed up each of the inclines as there was not enough power to get the bus and all of its passengers up them. We had a Vauxhall Chevette estate and all of the kids piled in the back so the adults could have the seats. This was back in the days before seatbelts in the back and car seats for every child. How things have changed. This trip was made special by the tickets we (my mam was with me on this trip) had to the 2 concerts. I was not really expecting to enjoy the first one, Michael Ball and Alfie Boe, but they sang a number of sing along songs from Queen, Tom Jones and Wham. Most of us had a grand time but I think the die-hard fans were disappointed it was not more like Phantom of the Opera. The second concert we attended was Bryan Adams. He never fails to disappoint and this venue is amazing, really good acoustics. North Bay Two of the main attractions in the North Bay are the miniature railway and Peasholm Park. This walk starts the park gates. Several times a week there are battles in the park pond, aptly named the Battle of Scarborough. Each of the battleships involved actually has a person underneath controlling the ships which fire cannons and is quite a spectacle but we missed it on this visit. We did however take the miniature railway which runs from Peasholm Park past the open air theatre to Scalby Mills. Seeing the engine turn around on the turntable made my day! On the walk from Scalby Mills there are many brightly coloured beach huts and you can either walk along the promenade or on the beach. It was a lovely afternoon for paddling so we took the beach option. The view of the castle up on the promentory is a permanent feature as you walk around the headland. There is little else to do here, but the beach is popular with paddle-boarders and wild swimmers and on a hot day is quieter than the south bay. Children may also enjoy the Sealife Centre. Town Centre We started our second day with a visit to the castle and then a walk through the old town. The castle is ruined and with the stormy clouds made for a really ethereal scene. There are spectacular views across both the north bay and south bay with its harbour and spa from here. we wandered through the old town, which is an eclectic mix of buildings with their red tiled rooves, and through the indoor market to the modern town centre. Sadly my happy memories of wandering the quirky hippy shops and record shops in the town centre have been dashed as the town centre is full of empty shops and large chain stores like most town centres these days. I do long for the days when you could wander into a record shop and flick through the racks and ask for a particular record to be put on the turn tables. If you've never had the opportunity to do that then check out the record shop scene from the Rock of Ages movie*. And yes, were were known to sing along too. We headed back down to the sea front via the cliff lift - the Victorian Central Tramway. Scarborough used to have 5 cliff lifts back in the mists of time, but now it only has 2 and the spa cliff lift was not operational, only the central cliff lift connecting the town centre to the sea front is still working. We were suddenly caught in a deluge and sought shelter in the fancy shelter with seats along with a number of artists painting scenes of the pier and harbour. Wandering along the seafront, the sky remained gray threatening more rain. From the harbour we took the path up towards the castle and the hotel. Be aware that this is steep all the way to the castle. Still recovering from Covid, this seemed to be an impossible task, but I did make it eventually. South Bay Between the harbour and the Grand Hotel is a row of typical seaside establishments, pubs, cafes, piers, arcades and shops selling buckets and spades. Continuing around the South Bay we passed the Grand Hotel, which by reviews is not as grand as the name suggests to the Spa Bridge. This is an old footbridge which spanned the road down to the sea front. Beneath this was once an underground entertainment venue, this is now just an underground car park. The cliff lift here no longer works and has been turned into a cafe. It is so close the the central cliff lift however it is not really needed. Actually the walk up to the Rotunda Museum and on to the town centre is much gentler than walking up through St Nicolas Gardens next to the Grand. Beneath the Spa Bridge is a busy roundabout, but beyond this the spa buildings are more interesting. It seems out of place now to see cheeky postcards, but honestly some of them are funny. We continued walking (in the rain) to the constellation map. At ground level it is really not that spectacular. There is supposed to be a viewpoint further up Cliff Gardens but other people said the vegetation blocked the view. Walking back to the car, I can now safely say I have completed the Scarborough stretch of the England Coast Path. *Rock of Ages - originally a stage show, it was turned into a movie in 2012 starring some people you may not expect to see in such a movie. Although quite different, they do have the same basic storyline and soundtrack, based in approximately err, 1987, the summer I spent my teenage holiday in Scarborough. I have seen the stage show twice, so if you haven't already and you love 1980s rock music, do go and see it. Sometimes I wish I could be back in 1987 when exams were over and I didn't have a care in the world except the music. Now, I have new memories of Scarborough, contributing to the walking of the England Coast Path and enjoying outdoor concerts!
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AuthorWrite something about yourself. No need to be fancy, just an overview. CategoriesAll England Coast Path North Gare To South Bents South Bents To Amble
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