Palegrimage 2022 - Scarborough to Whitby via the Cinder Track

Thursday 25th August 2022

Walking Diary (All Walks) North Yorkshire & Co Durham North Yorkshire Moors

The pALEgrimage is a yearly event where teams of 'Smoggies' leave Teesside for various breweries scattered far and wide. These breweries donate a cask or pin of ale, the pALEgrims collect it and get it back to The Golden Smog pub in Stockton-on-Tees.

So far, so easy? Not as easy as it sounds as the pALEgrims carry their precious cargo while walking, running or cycling from their nominated brewery back to The Golden Smog with their ale. Once all the kegs and pins are back, they are racked in the alley at The Golden Smog and the pALEgrims, their friends and family and Smoggies have ourselves a brilliant beer festival with all the donated ale.

The pALEgrims are sponsored for their endeavours and every penny of the festival ale sales goes in the charity pot too with all the donations going to The Great North Air Ambulance.

A local band of ale lovers called The Ale Team started the pALEgrimage with a yearly walk to Masham a few years before The Smog opened, but the two teamed up and held their first joint pALEgrimage in May 2015.

This would be my first participation in this yearly event, my team leader Phil had been on many before although this time he had chosen probably the furthest away brewery (North Riding Brewery in Scarborough) and was doing the first two legs by himself, so I offered my assistance and he agreed to have me along, as long as I could keep up. We discussed possible routes and Phil chose the 'Cinder Track' from the North Riding Brew Pub to the first nights stopover at Whitby. A good choice, as the track is ideal for pulling a trolley along and covers virtually the entire route from start to finish.

The Cinder Track runs between Scarborough and Whitby and is roughly 22 miles. It is free of traffic along its length, apart from a couple of short road sections and It follows the old railway line that linked Scarborough with Robin Hood’s Bay and then headed further north to Whitby. The line was part of the Beeching axe and it was closed in 1965. However, Scarborough Council bought the line shortly after it closed and it is now a well-maintained bridleway with plenty of cyclists (and walkers) using it.

Although this was quite a long walk, as stated above, it was very gentle and offered an ideal way to transport a barrel of beer. Off we go - that Sunday celebration seems a long way away !

The information contained in the material on this Website is for information purposes only and does not constitute advice.
Distance: 22.7 miles
Duration: 9:00 hours
Ascent: 1145 ft
Difficulty: Moderate
Accompanied By: Phil Casino
Weather: Warm & Sunny

3D outline of route

Parking

Setting off bright and early from the North Riding Brewery tap (Brew Pub) in Scarborough. This was the first time I had ever gone on a walk having to push or pull a barrel of beer along with me, so I was pleased to have one of the most experienced Palgrimage athletes alongside me.

An inauspicious start of the Cinder Track at the corner of the Sainsbury's Car park.

A bit of light reading before we set off - Can't really go wrong on this one, it's just a case of keeping to the path.

Possibly the only bit of careful navigation on the whole walk as we kept to the main path being mindful not to follow adjoining ones whilst heading out through the suburbs of Scarborough

All smiles as we headed along the old railway route - often being stopped by passers by who enquired about our endeavours. Many people were kind, handing over donations to our charity as we went on our way.

A glimpse of the North Sea as we neared Scalby. The Cleveland Way ran parallel to the Cinder track almost all the way today. This would have been my route of choice had it not been for the package we had to deliver. The hard flat cycle track made for much easier transportation rather than an undulating coastal path.

Plenty of signage along the way, but still a fair way to go.

Nice and flat, but a bit mundane. Certainly easy walking but not that much in the way of views, especially as we were often so close to the coast.

The one thing that I really enjoyed was spotting the old railway relics along the way. Old carriages, railway stations, platforms, sidings, signals etc. and more were all preserved and visible as we pressed on down the line.

Spotted in someone's back garden !

Things were going fine, but our chief engineer and pace setter was always at hand to do the necessary maintenance.

No holding him back now - The first few hours were done at a fair old pace considering the burden we were bringing.

I stopped taking pictures of bridges after the first hundred.

Crowden Railway Station - Impressive.

Oh ! go one then - Here's another bridge.

Old WW2 radar station pillboxes guarding the North Sea coastline.

Our lunch stop - tea and cakes at the Ravenscar Tearooms

Robin Hoods Bay comes into sight. Many a happy memory over there throwing our pebbles into the sea and drinking to celebrate finishing the Coast to Coasts.

No much danger of getting lost on this one !

Woodland near Stainsacre

After driving us on relentlessly, Phil began to tire for the last couple of miles, although pleased to have achieved his PB on this walk he was glad that the end was almost in sight.

Crossing the River Esk on the outskirts of Whitby.

Determined to get the glory as we arrived in Whitby, Paul seized the barrel of beer in anticipation of the large crowds waiting to welcome the two hardy walkers. No crowds - but Lou was there, so all's well.

The start of the Cinder track at the Whitby end, or in our case the end of todays walk.

With the help of the lovely Lou, who acted as our very own Whitby tour guide, it was a few photos and then a very welcome drink in some of the Whitby Real Ale and Craft bars.

Whitby Abbey and its 199 steps - Plus of course 'Count Dracula'