YHA Whitby - January 2025, plus special guest YHA Boggle Hole

The cliffs between Robin Hood’s Bay and Ravenscar, looking south.

In early January, the cold still had its claws sunk deep into the Yorkshire soil. April may be the cruellest month (an assertion that I still find doubtful, sorry T.S.), but January is often the bleakest. With the cold of the start of the year, however, comes the dramatic low winter Sun that makes walking a delight. As you may have noticed, I will never stop extolling the photogenic virtues of that light.

Ravenscar was a childhood mainstay of mine, and I have fond memories of fossil-hunting along this particularly rich stretch of the Jurassic Coast. When the tide allows, there is ample opportunity for seal-watching (from a respectful distance, of course), as they bask on an outcropping just away from the headland (‘South Cheek’, on Google Maps - I confess I have never heard it referred to as such). On this visit, however, the tide wouldn’t allow for beach access without approaching the seals too closely. There are a multitude of signs, and often volunteers too, on the climb down warning against disturbing the seals, but just to reiterate: Do not get too close. You will spook them and their pups may be abandoned.

Happily, the Cleveland Way - the coastal path that runs along the cliffs - is very pleasant too. On our visit, my partner and I got our steps in retreating back up to the overlooking route, making our way towards Robin Hood’s Bay.

The rising winter tide over the rocky beach at Ravenscar. Seals not pictured.

Nestled in all this rugged natural beauty, the Peak Alum Works, historical remnant of Yorkshire’s industrial past, represents an informative pit-stop very close to Ravenscar itself. This 16th century site, now owned by the National Trust, was once used for large-scale extraction of alum (potassium aluminium sulphate), once the most common mordant (fixer) used in the dyeing industry. This site was originally chosen for the abundance of local shale. Other ingredients in the extraction process were a little harder to come by. It required massive amounts of urine (reportedly around 200 tonnes every year), which were transported by boat from London, Newcastle and Hull. The demand for seaweed, used to provide potassium, was also too high to be locally-sourced, and it was imported from as far afield as the Orkneys. This blog post gives a great insight into the chemical processes involved and goes into more detail on the nitty-gritty of the Peak Alum Works operation.

The view from the climb down to the beach from Ravenscar.

Around halfway between Ravenscar and Robin Hood’s Bay, the path dips down to the beach, allowing access to that primeval beast we call the sea. Unfrequented by seals as it was, we took the opportunity to walk along the shore, although we had to beat a hasty retreat when we realised that the next beach access point, the wonderfully named Boggle Hole, was somewhat less accessible than we thought.

My previous stays in YHA Boggle Hole have been excellent, hence its stealth-inclusion in this post.

The glory of the winter sun on the sea, looking back towards Ravenscar.

Robin Hood’s Bay itself is a charming fishing village, with many twisting alleyways and hidey-holes that speak of a storied smuggling past. Benches by the beach or on the cliffs overlooking the bay make for excellent picnic spots.

Instead of simply retracing our steps, we opted to take a looping path back to Ravenscar, a route which held its own charm of forested trails and moorland views. It is possible to continue along the Cleveland Way to Whitby, but on this occasion the drive sufficed as daylight was failing.

The view over Robin Hood’s Bay from the road beside Raven Hall.

YHA Whitby is perfectly-located next to the Abbey, with views over the town practically from the front door. To reach the town proper, simply descend the 199 Steps (John Buchan’s much-anticipated follow-up), and feast your eyes on the harbour, else visit the Whalebone Arch, the Captain Cook Memorial Museum, or the Lighthouse. Feast your… stomach, I suppose, on the delicious fish and chips, which are in no short supply here. I confess that our minds were indeed on sustenance, and we enjoyed our F&Cs by the harbour, the bright full moon over the abbey. A perfect, thematically appropriate end to our day.

YHA Whitby verdict: Perfect!

The building itself is well-maintained and cosy, the location is excellent both for Whitby sightseeing and for coastal walks, and the complimentary tickets for the Abbey are the cherry on top!

YHA Boggle Hole verdict: Excellent!

The location is unparalleled, with the beach essentially on your doorstep, making tidal troubles a worry of the past. For this reason, I have found the hostel to be in quite high demand, so make sure you book well in advance (or keep an opportunistic eye out).