Saltburn - Smugglers, Victorian Piers and Cliff Lifts and a Dark Maritime Past!

ByANDY FLEMING

The Ship Inn, Saltburn, home to one of the area’s most famous smugglers.

Visiting north east England and its beautiful coast?

Then head off to Saltburn-by the-Sea, a seaside resort with a dark, deep maritime past that still permeates the air. Formerly an upmarket resort for Victorians, this small town can be seen down the coast from Hartlepool and lies just south of its larger neighbour, Redcar.

Saltburn is still a relaxed resort, with a charm and character that’s distinctly Victorian, and indeed many features remain from this era. The beautiful Valley Gardens and the formal Italian Gardens are linked to the shore by a miniature railway and a unique cliff lift, which opened in 1884 and is Britain’s oldest operating water-balanced cliff lift. The lift affords splendid panoramic views during its gentle descent to the north east coast’s only pier.

The discovery of massive deposits of iron in the hills during the nineteenth century created an industrial explosion along this coastline and also saw plans to exploit the wonderful sandy beaches, safe seas and 'invigorating' air.

The Saltburn coastline is recognised as part of the 36 miles of Heritage Coast, crowned by dramatic headlands. The Heritage Coast south from Saltburn climbs high above smugglers' secret caves as it continues south towards Whitby. Rich in fossils, the sheer rock faces boast some of the finest formations in Britain, whilst providing shelter for native and migrant birds. In times past, these rocks also concealed smuggled contraband, landed here by the expert seamen whose skills made them popular targets of the ‘pressgang’. Saltburn’s miles of flat, golden, sandy beach is protected by the huge headland of Huntcliff and provides one of the best surfing locations in the north.

On the promenade there are amusement arcades, snack and ice creams bars and cafes, trinket shops and a pub.  Ascending to the main town square adjacent to the railway station you’ll find a great choice of shops, supermarkets, pubs, fish and chips shops, takeaways and restaurants that all adds to a great day out.

To get to Saltburn simply take the A19 from the A1(M) and take the A174 via the Parkway to the Marske roundabout, at which take the second exit.

As a bonus, why not let the train take the strain.  There are regular train services from the mainline at Darlington to Saltburn.  For full details of fares and train times visit the National Rail Enquiries website at http://www.nationalrail.co.uk/ or phone 08457 48 49 50.