Knowle End

A harbour was built in 1856-27 on Rosedale Wyke to ship ironstone from Charles Palmer's nearby mine. When the mine at Rosedale Wyke began to give out a mine (Grinkle Mine) was established three miles inland near Dalehouse. The ore was moved from the mine to the port along a tramway which finished in a tunnel a mile long emerging 10m above the sea in the cliff above the harbour. Ships were loaded from a gantry on the east harbour wall. In 1916 Grinkle Mine was linked to the railway network and the harbour at Port Mulgrave began to fall into decay. The west harbour wall was destroyed by the army in World War II to prevent it being used by a potential German invasion. Fishing cabins made mostly from flotsam and other found materials now line the base of the cliffs.

This is Port Mulgrave, once an active harbour east of Staithes, where ironstone was exported to foundries on Tyneside. There is still no easy way down to the harbour. Once there were steps used by the men to descend every day to work on the quays and gantries, the cranes and tips, and the ships. These steps have long disappeared, and a galvanised metal set of steps that replaced the makeshift path is currently closed due to a landslip. Prior to this there was another landslip in 2016 when I was involved with the National Trust in remedial work to clear the path; see Link. Half way along the beach is evidence of another recent landslip. Port Mulgrave is home to a small community of fishermen, with their huts, boats and tractors. I have often wondered how they got their tractors on the beach. A report from 1995 perhaps provides a clue. I did say 1995, a year when I was certainly familiar with the harbour, and the report made the national newspapers. But I have no recollection. 72-year-old Walter Walker lived in the village on the cliff top. He had moved from Leeds in the 1950s with the dream of becoming a salmon fisherman. In 1970, he began building is own boat in his back garden, a 20-foot, 17-ton catamaran, named 'Stealaway'. In 1995, his boat was completed but a couple of obstacles stood between him and the sea. Firstly, his garden was only accessible through a cornfield as it had been cut off from the track that led down to the harbour by a development. The second minor obstacle was the 300-foot cliff face. The farmer of the field refused permission but Walker moved his boat anyway, dragging it the 400 yards through the cornfield at a rate of 60 yards a day. The farmer just happened to be on holiday at the time. Solicitors' letters followed but Walker thought "What the hell". The move was the talk of the village; there was a turn out of 200 onlookers, and a local councillor served drinks. In order to lower his boat down the cliff, Walker "dug a trench right down the face". This incurred the wrath of English Nature as it is a Site of Special Scientific Interest because of its layers of rock and fossils. It is "regarded as the standard textbook example of a particular chapter in geological time, the layers date back 180 million years. The site is one of the few where Whitby jet can be seen at the surface." I wonder if there is any connection between Mr. Walker's trench and the recent landslips. Taken from my daily blog Link. Sources: 'Fisherman's voyage round the corn' (1995) Daily Mail, 11 Jul, 21, available: Link [accessed 19 Dec 2021]. 'Old man's short cut to the sea mars geology site' (1995) Times, 07 Sep, 5, available: Link [accessed 19 Dec 2021].

Public house and restaurant on the High Street

A harbour was built in 1856-27 on Rosedale Wyke to ship ironstone from Charles Palmer's nearby mine. When the mine at Rosedale Wyke began to give out a mine (Grinkle Mine) was established three miles inland near Dalehouse. The ore was moved from the mine to the port along a tramway which finished in a tunnel a mile long emerging 10m above the sea in the cliff above the harbour. Ships were loaded from a gantry on the east harbour wall. In 1916 Grinkle Mine was linked to the railway network and the harbour at Port Mulgrave began to fall into decay. The west harbour wall was destroyed by the army in World War II to prevent it being used by a potential German invasion. Fishing cabins made mostly from flotsam and other found materials now line the base of the cliffs.

The Cleveland Way runs 110 miles (177 km) between Helmsley and the Brigg at Filey, skirting the North York Moors National Park. Its highest point is at Urra Moor, 1,489 ft (454 m).

The Cleveland Way runs 110 miles (177 km) between Helmsley and the Brigg at Filey, skirting the North York Moors National Park. Its highest point is at Urra Moor, 1,489 ft (454 m).

A harbour was built in 1856-27 on Rosedale Wyke to ship ironstone from Charles Palmer's nearby mine. When the mine at Rosedale Wyke began to give out a mine (Grinkle Mine) was established three miles inland near Dalehouse. The ore was moved from the mine to the port along a tramway which finished in a tunnel a mile long emerging 10m above the sea in the cliff above the harbour. Ships were loaded from a gantry on the east harbour wall. In 1916 Grinkle Mine was linked to the railway network and the harbour at Port Mulgrave began to fall into decay. The west harbour wall was destroyed by the army in World War II to prevent it being used by a potential German invasion. Fishing cabins made mostly from flotsam and other found materials now line the base of the cliffs.

A harbour was built in 1856-27 on Rosedale Wyke to ship ironstone from Charles Palmer's nearby mine. When the mine at Rosedale Wyke began to give out a mine (Grinkle Mine) was established three miles inland near Dalehouse. The ore was moved from the mine to the port along a tramway which finished in a tunnel a mile long emerging 10m above the sea in the cliff above the harbour. Ships were loaded from a gantry on the east harbour wall. In 1916 Grinkle Mine was linked to the railway network and the harbour at Port Mulgrave began to fall into decay. The west harbour wall was destroyed by the army in World War II to prevent it being used by a potential German invasion. Fishing cabins made mostly from flotsam and other found materials now line the base of the cliffs.

The Cleveland Way runs 110 miles (177 km) between Helmsley and the Brigg at Filey, skirting the North York Moors National Park. Its highest point is at Urra Moor, 1,489 ft (454 m).

A harbour was built in 1856-27 on Rosedale Wyke to ship ironstone from Charles Palmer's nearby mine. When the mine at Rosedale Wyke began to give out a mine (Grinkle Mine) was established three miles inland near Dalehouse. The ore was moved from the mine to the port along a tramway which finished in a tunnel a mile long emerging 10m above the sea in the cliff above the harbour. Ships were loaded from a gantry on the east harbour wall. In 1916 Grinkle Mine was linked to the railway network and the harbour at Port Mulgrave began to fall into decay. The west harbour wall was destroyed by the army in World War II to prevent it being used by a potential German invasion. Fishing cabins made mostly from flotsam and other found materials now line the base of the cliffs.

The lane becomes steep as it heads for the upper part of the village. The entrance to a public car park (pay and display in summer, free in winter) can be seen on the left; this is the only facility for visitors but there are also car parks for residents and members of the sailing club. Parking is not allowed on the road, enforced with double yellow lines.

A former fishing village, now very much a holiday destination (many of the properties here are holiday lets), the village at Runswick Bay huddles around the north end of the beach. It was in fact relocated to this site in 1682 after the original village was destroyed in a landslip. This is one of the best-loved locations on the Yorkshire coast.

This narrow lane passes through the lower village above the beach. The Royal Hotel, actually the village pub, is just ahead on the left (but out of shot).

A number of colourful kayaks are stored here just above the beach and behind them is the Runswick Bay Rescue Boat Station. This inshore facility operates independently of the RNLI and was established in 1982 after the lifeboat was moved to Staithes.

Showing the north end of the beach where the village tumbles down to the sea.

The tide is out making it easy to walk the full length of the beach. Runswick Bay village can be seen in the background.

Runswick Bay Sailing Club was formed in 1953, becoming the Beach and Sailing Club in 1998. This is the clubhouse, at the back of the beach about half a mile from the village.