My Mother is a Yorkshire woman. She met my Father whilst staying on the North Yorkshire Coast. Where better to take her for a family break than Boggle Hole North Yorkshire. Well almost perfect venue. My Mother is in her 80’s and Boggle Hole is not a luxury hotel but a Youth Hostel. Turns out that Boggle Hole has family rooms that sleep five. My Mother was keen both to revisit North Yorkshire and to visit a Youth Hostel for the first time since the 1950s
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BOGGLE HOLE YOUTH HOSTEL
Yorkshire was the venue for all my holidays until I was nine. More than forty years down the line I have travelled all over the world but the siren call of the North Yorkshire coast remains strong. So it was that we packed our bags and my Mother into the car and headed for Robin Hoods Bay.
Boggle Hole Youth Hostel nestles in a ravine tucked in behind Robin Hoods Bay. There is no space for parking or turning at bottom of the cliff so you park at the top and carry your bags down 500 very steep metres. We checked in only to discover that our room was in the Crow’s Nest which required a steep assent up the opposite side of the valley.
Deep in the mists of time, before I was born, my Mother and a chum ventured forth on a tour of the Rhine staying in Youth Hostels (rumour has it that she was a youth at the time). She therefore found that many things have changed since then. Chores are no longer a required part of staying in a Youth Hostel and whilst all have self-catering kitchens, many have restaurants and licenced bars. Curfews and having to be out of the hostel by a certain time are also a thing of the past.
EATING AT BOGGLE HOLE
Boggle Hole has two self catering kitchens. One down in the main buildings and the other in the Crow’s Nest Building which is where most of the family rooms are. The main building has the advantage of bing next to the bar. If self catering is not your thing delicious meals are served in the bar in the main building. We did a mixture of the two, which has the advantage of keeping costs down but not always having to source food and wash up.
WALKING THE CLEVELAND WAY
Boggle Hole, Yorkshire is on the Cleveland Way. You can follow it North to Robin Hoods Bay or south to Ravenscar. If you go south the Ravenscar Hotel makes for a good pitstop and was a childhood favourite of mine, we used to come here for afternoon tea and dip in the outdoor pool.
Heading north to Robins Hoods Bay itself is best done one way along the beach and the other along the cliffs. Consult the tide tables carefully as the tide comes right up and cuts the bay off. We went via the beach and came back along the cliff. Robin Hoods Bay is not large but has sufficient places of interest to poke around in for our visit to allow for the consumption of both Fish and Chips and Afternoon Tea!
WHAT IS A BOGGLE?
A Boggle is a creature who lives caves and cracks in the rocks. You might also know them by the name of Boggart. Some call them mythical creatures but others are convinced that you will see the little folk at dusk. Boggle Hole was used by smugglers for bringing contraband ashore, they may or not have been helped by the Boggles.
LEAVING IN STYLE
Our departure coincided with the Youth Hostel Landrover making a trip up the hill. We pushed my Mother forward and emphasised her advancing years (no matter that the day before she had been skipping downhill and up dale along the coast path) she was offered a lift up. Bags and children could go in the back; departure in style! Mr CW and I got to walk up but at least we didn’t have the bags to carry!
BOGGLE HOLE: NEED TO KNOW
- Boggle Hole Youth Hostel in Fylingthorpe, 6 miles south of Whitby
- Parking in 500m away along a very steep path
- Getting there by car is deeply confusing. The road through Fylingthorpe takes you through what look to be gates leading to private land of Fyling Hall School. Have faith, go through these gates and you will find yourself on the right road.
We are big fans of youth hostels both in the UK and abroad. You read about our stays in Colditz Castle, a Dutch Castle and a cool family friendly hostel in Amsterdam.
Sounds great fun. Love Yorkshire.
I feel like Yorkshire is my spiritual home (Haworth, specifically. I want to be a Bronte). Your trips sounds lovely. The Boggle Hole is a wonderful name, it sounds like it should be for hobbits 🙂
A boggle is a small hobbit like creature, closely related to the boggart!
Oooh I know what I’ve heard of a boggle now, Bewilderwood!
I have never heard of this place. Another one for the list.
Looks lovely, I have never been there. Loving the sand art, I like to do this too but its even better when you can see it from a height.
Amanda #weekendblogshare
Oh, I know this place! We have never stayed at the YHA, but we discovered Boggle Hole on our honeymoon back in 2010, and last year we took our children there for a visit. We walked all the way along the beach into Robin Hood’s Bay, and it was fantastic! One of my favourite hidden hotspots, for sure. 🙂
https://spookymrsgreen.com/2012/09/11/the-north-yorkshire-coast-and-cycle-champions/
Ah brilliant. Personally I think that a few chores here and there dont hurt anyone. I would stay there just for the name and the nearby rockpools but it does look like a fantastic hostel. Thanks for sharing with #FarawayFilles
How lovely that you stayed at the hostel where your mother stayed in her youth. It must have been special, revisiting the places she enjoyed with her.
What a lovely break – some of my family come from Robin Hood’s Bay originally but I’ve never visited (although my parents have). It always sounds like such a beautiful part of the world. #farawayfiles
Sounds a bit like a day in Lyme Regis – fossil-collecting, fish and chips and the essential purchasing of rocks and second-hand books! I just love the name, Boggle Hole! I want to write a children’s story about it. Thanks so much for introducing me to this part of the world and for joining up with our first ever #FarawayFiles
I only know of Boggle Hole because of the Youth Hostel. I remember reading about it years ago when YHA members (as I was then) received a year book with details of the hostels in. It’s always intrigued me but I’ve never actually visited! #farawayfiles
Really just the Youth Hostel and the beach but very special
I loved the Yorkshire and Northumberland coast when we visited in May. We loved Whitby and I can imagine living this charming little hidden gem away from those crowds up the coast. (I too remember youth hostels locking up during the day and curfews at night – but no chores!) Thanks for engaging with new Faraway Files community – we’re happy to add Boggle Hole the growing collection of inspiring places! Cheers from Copenhagen – Erin
So fantastic to take you mom to a hostel. Glad to hear of your trip together.
It was the perfect place for a family break
Looks lovely Catherine. I’ve never heard of Boogle Hall. A place to look out for when next in Yorkshire.
Even just for the name it’s worth visiting!