Flamborough Head circuit (17 August 2008)

The morning was wet and windy – more like late September than mid-August. I was beginning to settle down to a lazy Sunday with the papers, but saw that the weather was forecast to improve in the afternoon: and so it did.

Because of the late start I headed to Flamborough to repeat the walk I did four weeks ago around the Headland. A jolly good walk it is too.

I didn’t have my camera with me today. I’m still waiting for number two son to return it following a trip he’d had to York.

The paths were wet and soggy, but quiet, away from the car parks. The rain stayed away with the afternoon proving warm and humid.

The afternoon featured sightings of most of the common butterflies: Tortoiseshells, Red Admirals and Painted Ladies. In addition to the usual seabirds I watched a Sparrow Hawk hunting along the cliff. I didn’t see any Gannets today though, and no mammals were around; I didn’t even see a rabbit.

The car park at North Landing is a litter-strewn mess. The lighthouse area seems somewhat better, but both attract too many slobs and people happy to picnic in the detritus of others’ slops. The cliffs, by contrast are generally pristine.

I varied the walk a little bit by trying a new (to me) permissive path along the eastern fringe of Dane's Dyke. The path shaved a couple of hundred yards off the distance, and steers clear of people and traffic.

I was pleased with today. In the month since I last did this ten mile walk my fitness must have improved. Whilst it’s difficult to be totally objective, I didn’t consciously alter my pace, but walked the circuit more quickly, with less effort and reduced fatigue.    

The circuit is a good walk by any standards, with plenty of interest, both out to sea and along the cliff, ever-changing views and an abundance of bird and insect life. Shame about North Landing…