Along the Headland Way
It’s not surprising that the East Yorkshire coastline around Flamborough head is a classified Heritage Coast site with its own long distance footpath, The Headland Way. This circuit of the Flamborough Head peninsula is one of Yorkshire’s most spectacular walks. For a photographer it ticks all the boxes with stunning scenery including caves, rock formations, bays and dramatic headlands to capture.
A couple of years ago I walked the 124-mile Cleveland Way with my mum, who is also a keen walker. We always intended to follow this long distance trail up by walking the clifftop paths further down the coast. This circular walk around the Flamborough headland is about 10 miles and takes the best part of a day if you want to do it at a leisurely pace - including stops for photo opportunities.
The walk starts out at Flamborough village. Following a footpath out of the village, it’s about a mile to get onto the headland at Thornwick Bay which with its two bays, Little Thornwick Bay and Great Thornwick Bay. There’s a little cafe here with great views and access onto the beach. Continuing along the coastal path, you pass another bay, North Landing, the site of the old lifeboat station. If you can bag yourself a bench, this is a pleasant place for lunch as you overlook the bay below. From here head back onto the path towards Flamborough Lighthouse which you can see in the distance.
The scenery is spectacular, particularly at this time of year with grasses and wild flowers, including swathes of sea chamomile, lining the path and spilling over the cliff edge.
From Flamborough Lighthouse it is another couple of miles to South Landing, the site of the present Lifeboat Station. South Landing is a lovely expanse of sand and pristine white pebbles and cliffs. It also has a 34-acre nature reserve, featuring a wooded ravine, wildflower meadow and sculpture trail.
From South Landing, the walk continues to Danes Dyke, where you return via the car park (ice creams available), along a field edge footpath to Flamborough Village.
For detailed information about this walk and a route map, please follow the link here. Note, the official route starts at The Priory Church of St Mary in Bridlington but it can start from other points on the map, as we did, from Flamborough Village.
