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Robin Hoods Bay was a favourite day out when I was a child, it had a sandy beach with
shallow waves, donkey rides and a quaint little town built on the edge of the cliff
with narrow streets which created a fantastic maze to play in. Ice creams and fish and
chips made for a perfect day!
The main colonists of this coast were Vikings who were probably attracted by good soil
and plentiful fish. The likely original settlement of the Norsemen was at Raw, a hamlet
slightly inland, which helped to avoid detection by other pirates. By 1540, the village
was said to have fifty cottages by the shore (easier to get to/from the boats).
In the 18th century, Robin Hood’s Bay was reportedly the busiest smuggling community on
the Yorkshire coast. Its natural isolation, protected by marshy moorland on three sides,
offered a natural aid to this well-organised business which, despite its dangers, must
have paid better than fishing. Although there is some fishing now, Robin Hood's Bay is
famous as a holiday place and for the large number of fossils which may be found on its
beach. No-one knows where the name came from.
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