The North Yorkshire Moors and Coast Quiz

Quiz Answer Key and Fun Facts

1. Alfred Wainwright wrote many books featuring walks. In 1972, he devised a "Coast to Coast" walk, which starts on the West Coast, at St Bees Head in Cumbria. In which North Yorkshire village does the walk terminate?

Answer: Robin Hood's Bay

The walk is 190 miles long and takes approximately 2 weeks to complete. The walk passes through the Lake District, Yorkshire Dales and North Yorkshire Moors.

Alfred Wainwright described the walk as covering, "the grandest territory in the north of England".

2. Which North Yorkshire coastal town was the inspiration for the Bram Stoker novel, "Dracula"?

Answer: Whitby

Bram Stoker was born Abraham Stoker on 18 November 1847. "Dracula" was published in 1897 and is said to have been inspired by Whitby Abbey and the graveyard, during the author's stay in the town.

There are 199 steps leading up to the Abbey, which is situated on a cliff overlooking the town. It was founded in the year 657, by St Hilda.

3. The Lyke Wake walk is approximately 40 miles long, it is walked between Ravenscar on the North Yorkshire Coast, and which village on the North Yorkshire Moors?

Answer: Osmotherly

The Lyke Wake Walk was started by Bill Cowley, when he walked the route with others on 1 October 1955.

There is 'New Lyke Wake Club', and in order to become a member you have to complete the crossing between Osmotherly and Ravenscar, on foot, in under 24 hours and report this to the club within 28 days.

Women who complete the crossing are called 'Witches' and men who complete the crossing are called 'Dirgers', which originates from the 'Lyke Wake Dirge', the anthem of the walkers.

4. Where on the North Yorkshire coast is England's largest seabird colony?

Answer: Bempton Cliffs

Bempton Cliffs is the home of approximately 200,000 seabirds, between April and August, when it is the home of the seabirds who return to breed.

There are many species of bird to be seen, including Gannets, Razorbills and Puffins.

5. What is Whitby Jet?

Answer: A Gemstone

Whitby Jet was mined within a 7 miles radius of Whitby until the 1920s. It is no longer mined and is now usually found washed up on the beach.

The jet is the fossilized remains of Monkey Puzzle Trees, and was said to ward off evil spirits.

Whitby Jet was used as 'mourning' jewellery by Queen Victoria.

6. The North Yorkshire Moors railway, is 18 miles long and it runs between the town of Pickering and which village?

Answer: Grosmont

The North Yorkshire Moors Railway is a volunteer run Heritage Railway. It is the second largest Heritage Railway in the United Kingdom. It was first opened in 1836 as the 'Whitby and Pickering' railway and was built by George Stephenson the railway engineer, who invented 'The Rocket', which was built in Newcastle in 1929.

At Grosmont there is a 120 foot tunnel, which was cut through rock and is said to be the oldest railway tunnel in the world.

7. What is the name of the village on the North Yorkshire Moors, which was opened by the Camphill Community Trust, in 1955, which caters for people with learning disabilities and special needs?

Answer: Botton

The Camphill Movement was founded in 1939 by Doctor Karl Konig, an Austrian Paediatrician, the first 'community' was a residential school, near Aberdeen in Scotland.

There are approximately 100 villages worldwide. These are mainly in Europe, but there are villages in North America and South Africa.

Botton Village includes five farms and numerous craft workshops, which include glassmaking and woodwork. The 'villagers' as the residents are called, produce their own dairy products and grow fruit and vegetables.

In 2005 Botton Village received the Deputy Prime Minister's Award for Sustainable Communities.

This unique village is well worth a visit!

8. Where on the North Yorkshire coast, is the oldest surviving complete lighthouse in Britain, where a naval battle was fought in 1779 and James I of Scotland was captured in 1406 whilst fleeing to France?

Answer: Flamborough Head

The Chalk Tower lighthouse, was built in 1669 by Sir John Clayton, but apparently it was never lit. The present lighthouse was built in 1806.

The Battle of Flamborough Head involved a small fleet of ships led by American captain, John Paul Jones during the American Revolution. This was said to be the birthplace of the American Navy. John Paul Jones and his crews won the battle, capturing the two British warships, HMS Serapis and The Countess of Scarborough.

Following the capture of James I, (who was a prince at the time of his capture), he was held prisoner in England for 18 years.

9. Where on the North Yorkshire Coast, is 'Hob Hole', which was reputed to cure whooping cough?

Answer: Runswick Bay

The Hob of Hob Hole was said to be able to cure children of whooping cough, which was known as 't'Kink Cough'. The child had to be laid down in the Hob's Hole, which is a cave, and a fire was built of driftwood and seaweed. Once the fire was established. the child was carried around it by a parent, chanting "Hob Hole Hob, Hob Hole Hob, Me bairn's gettin't 'Kink Cough, Tak't off! Tak't off!", which translated is, "Hob Hole Hob, Hob Hole Hob, My child has caught Whooping Cough, Take it away! Take it away!"

10. Sir George Gilbert Scott, who designed the Albert Memorial in Hyde Park, London, also designed the church and school within a country house in a North Yorkshire coastal village. What was the name of both the village and the house?

Answer: Sewerby Hall

Sewerby Hall was built in 1714, by the then owner of the estate John Graeme. It was built on the site of a previous manor house.

In 1934 the estate was sold by the Graeme family to the Bridlington Corporation and in 1936 it was opened to the public by Amy Johnson, who, in 1930, became the first woman to fly solo from England to Australia.

The school building in the grounds later became a private residence.

Source: Author demurechicky

This quiz was reviewed by FunTrivia editor Exit10 before going online.
Any errors found in FunTrivia content are routinely corrected through our feedback system.

North Yorkshire is the largest county in England and is home to the spectacular North Yorkshire Moors. It also has a wonderful Coastline. Test your knowledge of the Moors and Coast.

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