The Search for Old Jacks House

Ahhhh Staithes...

I have kind of fond memories of this place. I first visited when I was at middle school on a residential trip and stayed in the cabins at the top of the hill. The cabins are still there but I am not sure if they are still used as a site for kids outdoor adventures. We crabbed in the harbour, spent time in Whitby and walked to Sandsend nearly getting cut off by the tide in the process. That was 26 years erm... several years ago.

Since having muddy monsters of my own, I have been tortured subjected to a variety of children's TV programs to view, a recent one is a CBeebies creation called Old Jack's Boat, which is filmed on location in Staithes. The youngest muddy monster being 3 years old quite likes watching this program and was very excited to hear that we could possibly visit Old Jacks house - if we could find it.

Having checked out the geocaching map we discovered there was also a rather lovely multi-cache in Staithes ,which required us to explore off the beaten track, round some of the old footpaths to gather information and find the final spot. This served a dual purpose - more of a chance of finding Old Jack's house by wandering about and the incentive of finding treasure if case we failed.

If any of you are familiar with Staithes you will know that access to the village is very limited and parking is at the top of a very steep hill with a yomp down to the sea (and back up again to get your car) so i have to give brownie points to the youngest muddy monster, Bear who traipsed up and down the road and around the many footpaths without complaint, no mean feat for a 3 year old.

We headed straight down to the harbour front and worked our way across the village and eventually back up to the top of the hill. Our first stop was Captain Cooks cottage where he lived as an apprentice and discovered his love of the sea.

Not Old Jacks House but it was Captain Cooks

 On the harbour front we discovered this art installation. Neither boy quite knew what to make of it and Jake found then "scary". Bear wanted to know what was in the girls bag.

The boys weren't sure what to make of these

 There is a geocaching clue facing the sea, just around the corner of the bench.

Harbour front

 Barometer clue in the wall think it needs checking as the time was wrong and the weather was more "stormy".

another clue.

 We finally found all the clues needed for the geocache when a kindly gentleman overheard us discussing where "Old Jack's House" could possibly be and he pointed it out to us. Its actually situated on the rather steep "Cowbar Nab" but the boys had no problem rushing up there to see it in close up.

Old Jacks House!

Outside Old Jack's

Not the real Old Jack and Salty I'm afraid.

Outside the wonderful Lifeboat station Jake was a bit gutted it was closed.

 We spotted this lovely Noah's Ark artwork above a garage near the lifeboat station.

Artwork

Staithes

So that was our wonderful afternoon in Staithes. We found Old Jack and Salty's abode and discovered all the clues for the geocache by having a lovely stroll around the old houses of Staithes. We will leave the collecting of the actual cache for another time and the tide was in which would have hindered our path to the treasure somewhat. We will have to visit again.