The town that never was

The day began bright but overcast, but by lunchtime had improved - we had a gorgeous afternoon. I wanted to return to Ravenscar as I'd forgotten that there was a trail around the proposed development back in 1897 to build a seaside resort to rival Scarborough. The railway had arrived in 1884 and in 1897 a company was set up and 1500 plots put up for sale. Roads were laid out, drains and sewers dug and a map was drawn to show the amazing new town. Unfortunately it didn't come off, 700 plots being sold but only a few houses were built. 

We walked along the 'Marine Esplanade', which is just a field, where forty villas were to be built - only two made it! Along Loring Drive, which has kerbs but not much else, where four 'show houses' sit, all that were built of the proposed 50. Empty fields everywhere were to be laid out with streets and hundreds of houses. Unbelievable - a dream which didn't come true.

My Blip today is of Station Square - taken from the abandoned railway - which would have been the centre of the new town. We had lunch in the cafe here. My extra is of Crag Hill Road, which has a road sign but no road! I think the entrepreneur rather jumped the gun! Back to the car at the NT centre - the view across Robin Hood's Bay was even more spectacular then yesterday!

After lunch we drove across country to the village of Beck Hole, on the list of places to see in the area, but it was a bit disappointing. I got highjacked by a bunch of tourists coming out of the pub - them, not me! -  to take their photograph on the bridge.

Then back to the house at Raw through a road landscape of steep hills and sharp bends, to sit out in the garden in the wonderful sunshine!

Quote of the Day: 'Yorkshire is a hard place to ride a bike.' - Mark Cavendish.