Winter Beach Stories #2
We love the UK coast and how diverse it is. The South West has its golden beaches with surfers lined up waiting for that perfect wave. The South coast with its white cliffs and bird life attracting people from all around the globe. The Welsh coastline with its secret coves and beaches has a very special place in our heart but there is a new place which is quickly becoming our new favourite area on the 19,491 miles of beach, cliff and bustling seaside town that surround this country. We’re talking about the North East of England . It is a wondrous and assorted part of the country with major cities such as Newcastle, Hull and Middlesbrough sitting like giants on the edge of the North Sea coast. Industrial heartlands like Hartlepool keep the essence of the North East alive with grit and determination pushing the region forward. In between these busy and sometimes urban landscapes are miles and miles of dramatic coastline. We headed to the most Northern spur of Yorkshire near the Teeside border to discover a gem of a place. It was already sunset when we arrived in the town of Saltburn-by-the-Sea. We meandered through the streets towards our home for the weekend. Our home was a modern two bedroomed apartment just off the ocean front road. We’d been hiking up Roseberry Topping, (keep an eye out for a future article about this), earlier in the day so spent the evening relaxing with a gin before tomorrows exploring.
We awoke in the morning with the dappled sun reaching us through the slatted blinds. The warm of the winter sun was rejuvenating and we got ourselves ready for a day of the unknown. We knew that Saltburn-by-the-Sea was a great place. We had heard and read many people sing its praises before but we had deliberately not made any concrete plans. We wished for an organic experience of exploration. One that was unbiased so we donned our backpacks and set off for the beach.
The beach is set some few hundred metres below the town so it meant some climbing was required. A set of manmade steps took us down from the road to the beach below. Towards the north we could see the Teesport Docks with its cranes reaching into the sky like a roller coaster. Breaking our eye line to the North though was a range of small sandstone cliffs that were glistening in the morning sun.
We carried onto the beach. There was a promenade stretching along the beach front lined with brightly coloured beach huts. The beach was our destination however so we crossed over the well trodden prom and walked along the beach. Dogs ran around in the morning light with the waves rolling on to the shore with a thunderous roar. The grey waters have quickly become a sort after location for British surfers but the barrels of water had only tempted a few hardy wave-hunters in so far. The beach itself was a mixture of pebbles and coarse sand depending on the tide height. We combed the floor for treasures and fossils as the coastline here is rich in history that only time can beat in longevity.
You can see the victorian pier when making your way down the sands. The metal structure should be alien in this landscape but the closer we got the more in-keeping it looked. The pier is a simple boardwalk built onto an iron frame but its distinctions is its purity. It allows one to walk amongst the waves. To float above the waves. The views across to the South are brilliant with the coastline curving around the bay until it dramatically rises for Hunts Cliff. A stripped beast of land which is one of the most obvious demonstrations of sedimentary rock formation I have ever seen. Millions of years of history for our viewing, totally free of charge!
At the entrance to the pier there is a couple of places you must visit if your in Saltburn-by-the-Sea. The first is the amusement arcade. Housed in the pier building itself the arcade is a cracker. A staple of the UK seaside you can loose an hour in the place and only spend a couple of quid. The lights, sounds and gaudy carpet is so typical of many summer holidays. The second place is slightly more serious yet remain fun. The water balance cliff railway is a famous landmark and sits proudly on the cliff and carries tourists and locals down to the beach. It’s performed this task since 1924 and since its recent restoration its performing it better than ever!
The coastline in the North East of England can get a battering from the winter weather. It may miss out on many of the Atlantic fronts and storms but it makes up for it in the cold Arctic winds. You’ve got the be prepared. Jumpers, Coats and Hats are very much required. Sam even had her snow boots on for walking on the beach!
The footpath from the pier rose up via some steep steps and we followed our noses into the town centre. The streets were lined with grand Victorian architecture. Large glass fronted buildings reflected light into ornate pubs with chandeliers and ornate ironmongery. The streets felt alive and vibrant. In comparison to other coastal resorts in the winter Saltburn-by-the-Sea was very much awake. Its cafes and bars were full of locals and tourists alike. The train station, positioned in the heart of the town, was surrounded by independent shops and eateries. The entire town had a very self-sufficient feel with the distinct absence of major chain coffee shops and outlets. A small flea market was unfenced and filled the arches of the station. In the evening we visited a local bar called The Guns Bar and drank local ale with people had been working all day. The bar was cosy yet spry at the same time. The community was alive and kicking.
The next morning we opted against leaving the town immediately to move along the coast. The sun was again shining so we grabbed our boards and skated along the coast roads. With the cold ocean air on our faces we propelled ourselves along the phantasmagoric sea front.
The sea had drawn more surfers in today and the board shops were busy. Vans and motorhomes lines the street overlooking the grey waters proving the towns allure.
We fell in love with Saltburn-by-the-Sea during our short visit. It is raw but homely, vibrant but peaceful and it is dramatic but also exactly what you expect. The area continues to grow as a surfers hotspot in Europe so I imagine we will be back again and again.
Winter brought its own peculiarities to the town but who wants everything to be normal anyway?! Saltburn-by-the-Sea is simply wonderful.
