Folklore and history, walks and storytellers, up to the much visited Sherwood Forest: here's what to expect from this place suspended between reality and folklore.
Overlooking a bay on the east coast of the British Island, it is located Robin Hood's Bay, In Yorkshire, which according to the history of the place, was visited by the best-known archer in British literature, cinema and folklore, Robin Hood, the outlaw “who steals from the rich to give to the poor”.
Between myth and reality we take you with us to discover the place.
Where is Robin Hood's Bay
Robin Hood's Bay is located in the Fylingdales district, but the origins of the name are still a mystery. It is thought to derive from the Old English Fygela, which means swampy land, but as to whether Robin Hood actually passed through here, there is still a mystery.
The name grew with local legends related to the Robin Goodfellow spirit. What is certain is that in the eighteenth century the place was best known for the raids of smugglers. This is where the largest community on the entire Yorkshire coast was concentrated. This happened thanks to the isolation of the territory, protected by a marshy area on three sides, a characteristic that made smuggling a more profitable activity than fishing. In fact, it is said that a bale of silk can cross the entire town without leaving the houses, thanks to the secret passages and tunnels between the houses. Everyone was involved, from fishermen to farmers, from clergy to nobility.
Visit to Robin Hood's Bay Museum
A second legend tells that the women threw boiling water from the windows of the room, to the men of the customs. Anyone wishing to learn more about the subject can visit the Robin Hood's Bay Museum, inside the old mortuary of the crowns: Coroner's Room and Mortuary.
The museum itself has an interesting history. It was bought by Reverend Cooper, Vicar of Fylingdales Parish, who transformed a room downstairs into a mortuary. From 1900 the room was used as a reading room, for almost the entire century, until it became a museum.
What to do in the town
The town is divided into narrow streets and alleys that rotate and narrow, with numerous steps. In the lower part is the old fishing village, characterized by the cottages and houses built attached to each other.
The main activity is fishing. In fact, in summer it is easy to see small boats that set sail in the morning, and return loaded with fish in the evening.
To fully experience the traditions of the place, we suggest taking part in a Ghost Walk during your stay. The Ghost Walk is a walk through the alleys of the town with a storyteller, a narrator, who will tell you about the stories of the place. To find out the dates, visit the website Whitbystoryteller.
The walks start from Slipway outside the Old Coastguard Station Visitor Center.
Old St. Stephen's Church, another landmark in the town, is made up of galleries to the north and west with a three-story pulpit in the middle of the south side. Also inside there are memorials for the castaways, as well as in the cemetery.
The most visited forest in the world
About XNUMX miles from Robin Hood's Bay is there Sherwood Forest, of three hundred and seventy five hectares, visited every year by more than three hundred thousand people. The forest is home to centuries-old oaks, including the Major Oak, which should be around a thousand years old. While you're at it you can discover the stories that revolve around the figure of Robin Hood.
Nearby is the Fylingdales Moor, which is home to numerous bird species, including the short-eared owl; entering the Sneaton forest there is a waterfall, Falligf Foss Tea Garden.
