Some bright spark decided many years ago to build a pier way up North in Saltburn By The Sea. I'd imagine many bright sparks built piers along the North Eastern coast but Saltburn is the only one that still stands.
The upshot of this is that we had a 260 mile detour to see just one pier.
Starting just outside Hull we had a very quick and uneventful journey up the M1 and made it to Saltburn by lunchtime. We easily found parking (with no restrictions or payment required!) just opposite the upper station of the Cliff Railway. Built in 1884 it's a water power funicular railway and we had a very enjoyable, short trip down the side of the cliff in a beautifully restored carriage and exited outside the pier.
There's a small arcade at the front of the pier, which is nothing special and needs a lick of paint, but it leads to the boardwalk of the pier which certainly is special and doesn't need a paint job.
It's about 200 metres long and the boards are in great condition thanks to a major restoration of the entire pier in 2000. It all makes for a very aesthetically pleasing look to the pier. Along the side railings there was a knitted scarf with an assortment of knitted items attached (apparently it first appeared in 2012) which added to the charm of this lovely looking pier.
Selfie done we headed along the promenade and up the steps. Halfway up (actually more like a quarter of the way) I realised that it probably would have been a better idea to do the opposite and walk down and get the railway back up. Oh well, with the amount of fish and chips I've eaten in the last 2 weeks I could do with the exercise.
Once back to the top of the cliff, and after a 10 minute rest on the bench, we set off to have a look around the town. First impressions of Saltburn as we drove in was of a very pretty town and nothing we saw since has changed that opinion.
It was a long way to go to visit one pier but the whole package; the pier, the cliff railway, the town made it completely worthwhile and another great chapter in our epic journey.
Next up on our list is Blackpool meaning a cross country drive. We're half way there as we stayed in Skipton, Yorkshire overnight. There may be no piers here but there is a beautiful castle, a stunning canal and a wonderful town centre. It's a trip that just keeps giving......
Miles travelled so far: 1981 Piers visited: 44
The upshot of this is that we had a 260 mile detour to see just one pier.
Starting just outside Hull we had a very quick and uneventful journey up the M1 and made it to Saltburn by lunchtime. We easily found parking (with no restrictions or payment required!) just opposite the upper station of the Cliff Railway. Built in 1884 it's a water power funicular railway and we had a very enjoyable, short trip down the side of the cliff in a beautifully restored carriage and exited outside the pier.
There's a small arcade at the front of the pier, which is nothing special and needs a lick of paint, but it leads to the boardwalk of the pier which certainly is special and doesn't need a paint job.
It's about 200 metres long and the boards are in great condition thanks to a major restoration of the entire pier in 2000. It all makes for a very aesthetically pleasing look to the pier. Along the side railings there was a knitted scarf with an assortment of knitted items attached (apparently it first appeared in 2012) which added to the charm of this lovely looking pier.
Selfie done we headed along the promenade and up the steps. Halfway up (actually more like a quarter of the way) I realised that it probably would have been a better idea to do the opposite and walk down and get the railway back up. Oh well, with the amount of fish and chips I've eaten in the last 2 weeks I could do with the exercise.
Once back to the top of the cliff, and after a 10 minute rest on the bench, we set off to have a look around the town. First impressions of Saltburn as we drove in was of a very pretty town and nothing we saw since has changed that opinion.
It was a long way to go to visit one pier but the whole package; the pier, the cliff railway, the town made it completely worthwhile and another great chapter in our epic journey.
Next up on our list is Blackpool meaning a cross country drive. We're half way there as we stayed in Skipton, Yorkshire overnight. There may be no piers here but there is a beautiful castle, a stunning canal and a wonderful town centre. It's a trip that just keeps giving......
Miles travelled so far: 1981 Piers visited: 44
No comments:
Post a Comment