The day started brightly and I passed through Runswick Bay , yet another attractive coastal village. The next port of call was Sandsend. This was the busiest beach I had come across on my walk as the fine weather and school holidays combined to fill the beach and the promenade.
I could see thi iconic abbey ruins of Whitby on the skyline and was soon closing in on them.
If I though Sandsend was busy it was nothing to compare to Whitby. I had to follow the Cleveland way through the town and navigating while trying to not knock someone over with my rucksack or impale their foot with my walking poles was a real challenge. The streets were full and the final straw was when they closed the harbour bridge to let some boats out. This resulted in crowds of several hundred people on either side and the resulting melee when they were let through was something to behold.
The path to the abbey was equally crowded but luckily my path went round it , past a caravan site and on to Robins Hood bay.
Robins Hood bay is the other end of the Coast to Coast path from St Bees which I passed in June.
Unlike St Bees there were relatively few walkers and I tried my luck at the Boggle Hole Youth Hostel

On the off chance I asked if they had a room. Jackpot, shared 4 bed dormitory with just me in it. Excellent cooked breakfast too!!