Surprises on our doorstep!

Attractive sights on this route around Sandybed and Woodlands

Scarborough has some attractive surroundings almost on its doorstep. This walk holds several surprises, even for local residents. Start from the roundabout at the junction of Stepney Drive with Stepney Road and Sandybed Lane. Walk up Sandybed Lane and take the first turning left up Sandybed Crescent. Pass Evelyn Drive off right, and the next turning is to Sandybed shops.

Walk in front of Sandybed Stores and continue beyond along an unexpected pathway with tree planted lawns. A new sign announces Sandybed Nature Trail. Keep to the path and read about local birds, beautifully printed and illustrated by The Osprey Company, Coldstream, Scotland. Nature Watch suggests you watch out for the greenfinch, goldfinch and dunnock. Bird tables and feeders, seats, more bird identification charts, and remarkable tree trunk sculptures feature ladybird, wasp, lacewing and butterfly! At the far end of the trail turn right to access Evelyn Drive.

Cut across to a post box and into Lisvane Avenue. Pass a seat, and walk to the far end of Lisvane Avenue to new apartments at Sandybed Court. Here, turn left on the footpath to continue up Sandybed Lane. At the top is a road junction. Turn right along Lightfoots Road.

Follow the grassed verge past chalets at Spring Valley to your left.

Just beyond, take the rough track with allotments to your right. The track leads swiftly beneath trees to a bend where it swings left. Halt! Ignore the stile and footpath across a field to Jacob’s Ladder and Jacob’s Mount. Instead, take the public bridleway to your right, though both lead to Stepney Road.

Remarkable Tree sculptures feature ladybird, wasp and butterfly

Enter the handgate and ascend the bridleway – usually very overgrown at the start. Wind your way up to a handgate opening into Harland Mount Nature Reserve. Views extend over the allotments to the coastline and castle. Bracken, brambles, foxgloves and ferns adorn the route in season.

A gradual descent, and then you leave the reserve to walk through grasses, and veer left away from a cattle field.

The broad, grassy track known as House Cliff Lane meets Stepney Hill. Cross the busy A170 with care, to turn almost immediately left as signed.

The bridleway passes attractive cottages beside the short ‘lane’ leading to a field. Enter the gate and follow the right-side hedging down the grassy field. [Please leash any dogs as livestock graze this meadow.]

Keep to the hedged boundary to the far corner, where a metal gate opens into Woodlands Drive near the cemetery and crematorium. Here, turn right, admiring the grassed verges planted with fine lime and cherry trees.

Shortly reaching Hovingham Drive, turn right to find The Duchess and tempting stops for refreshment! Having re-charged your ‘batteries’, remain on Hovingham Drive to pass The Spinney and The Copse off left as you walk to the hill-top. Rounding the bend you’ll see Ox Pasture Close off right, and about 100 paces ahead is Leppington Drive. Immediately beyond is a fenced ginnel (ie beside number 43). Bicycles and motorcycles are banned.

Follow the ginnel into Gillyleas, and turn right by hedged properties. Continue to the top, and a footpath leads into Stepney Road. Turn left downhill towards the roundabout at the road junction. You’ll see Scarborough’s Sixth Form College beside Box Hill, to the right.

Approaching the floral roundabout, the Mormon church features to your left.

I hope you’ve enjoyed this local ‘circular’ walk, and have made some pleasant discoveries.

Distance: three miles approximately.

Refreshment: Sandybed Stores near the start of your walk; The Duchess, Hovingham Drive; Pizza King; Baguette Shop; Plaxton Court Coffee Shop off Woodlands Drive.