Thornwick Bay derives it's name from "Thor" the God of Thunder because of
the roar of the breaking waves on the rocks during a North Easterly gale
which pounds the magnificent cliffs. I the winter when the winds are strong
and the weather is bad, when the waves hit the rocks, foam and spray blows
up the cliff and over the cafe, but thankfully most people come to visit in
the Spring, Summer and Autumn months when the weather is much calmer, and
people can sit on the cliff top and admire the fantastic scenery and watch
the sun reflect off the brilliant white chalk cliffs which have been cleaned
by the winter storms over thousands of years.
The stretch of water North of the Lighthouse was named the graveyard by the
skippers and crew of sailing vessels which once they had lost the safety of
Bridlington Bay, and without the aids of navigation and weather forecasting
which we now take for granted, were at the mercy of the angry weather,
Marine charts show hundreds of wrecks all within a few miles radius of
Thornwick bay. Much more information can be found in the book "Shipwrecks
off the Yorkshire Coast".
A
great many people visit Thornwick Bay each year to enjoy wonderful cliff top
walks observing the abundance of seabirds including Puffins, Guillemots and
Kittiwakes etc. Flamborough Head is an official bird observatory.
Scuba diving continues to be extremely popular with many organizations and
clubs. Recently the Yorkshire Wildlife Trust has become involved in the
management of part of the area.
A perfect
day out…
We
have seen many families make some fantastic memories at Thornwick Bay. Why
not be among the next ones?
With the extensive coves within walking distance, why not come and explore
as part of a field trip, from wave cut platforms to sea anemones there is
something to catch the eye!
Contact us for more information as we are happy to cater for you and your
party.
Welcome to
the website of Thornwick Bay, in the East Yorkshire village of Flamborough
