Boggle Hole & Stroupebrow.
Distance: Distance: 4½ miles / 7¼ kilometers
Time: 3 hours 00 minutes
Grade: Easy/Moderate
Map: OS Explorer OL27 - North York Moors, Eastern Area
Walk Summary
Boggle is a local word for hobgoblin a mystical mischievous dwelling type fairy of folklore that is said to have inhabited the coves along this part of the coast. Boggle Hole is an old smuggler’s cove where they would bring their contraband ashore. It is on the same stretch of beach as Robin Hood's Bay and at low tide can be walked in about 15 minutes.
The walk starts from the Boggle Hole car park which is free, with a donations box that is emptied daily, then a short walk down to the beach area.
The route is set on the east coast of the North Yorkshire Moors National Park, and consists of well managed and signed bridleways, cycle ways and foot ways. The walk is easy going with a few short moderately steep but stepped ascents. The trail over the local farmland and moorland, and along the cinder track of the disused railway offer a variety of animals and birdlife to enjoy, including the occasional sighting of birds of prey, as well as views of local hill and rock formations. The cliff top views along the coast and over the beaches at Boggle Hole and Stoupe Beck Sands are breath taking.
The beaches at Boggle Hole and Stoupe Beck Sands are easily accessible for exploring their amazing rock pools or fossil hunting when the tide goes out. Boggle Hole is a site of special scientific interest (SSSI). Fossil finding can be difficult due to the beach being covered in sand. The best scouring conditions are said to be after a storm or when the sand has been washed away, when exposures of trace fossils can be found amongst the siliceous shales, some good example ammonites can still be found.
The beach areas are very popular, particularly at the weekends and the summer school holidays.
It is advisable to check the tidal information, to avoid the ingress of the tide cutting the exploring short! The tides for Boggle Hole can be estimated using the nearest port Whitby, (8 miles to the north) as a guide.
