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The Coast
Runswick Bay
Clinging to the cliff at the northern end of a beautiful sweep of sand, Runswick Bay is yet another of those North Yorkshire villages which seems impossibly pretty.
The red-roofed cottages and grey stone sea walls and jetty curve round a golden beach made for nostalgic seaside trips – rock pooling, fossil hunting, sandcastle building and walking are favourite pastimes.
Historians will enjoy the RNLI lifeboat station, now disused; the tiny Methodist chapel (now privately owned), built in the early 1800s by the women of the village; and, right on the seafront, bravely facing down the weather, the white-painted thatched cottage, probably the village’s most photographed building.
And Runswick Bay, like so many of the villages on this part of the coast, has long been a haven for artists, with the nearby Staithes Arts Group spilling over into the village – the pair have been compared with Newlyn in Cornwall as centres of artistic excellence.
Saltburn by the Sea
Enjoy life at a relaxed pace at Saltburn and embrace this refined and picturesque Victorian Spa town. Brimming with history and tradition, this untouched town has such a wealth of outstanding architecture and original features you can easily imagine strolling through its streets in your Victorian Finery.
In contrast to its stunning built environment, Saltburn has a wealth of more natural charms including beautiful gardens, plentiful areas of preserved woodland, over a mile of curving, golden sands and rugged sea cliffs providing breath-taking views. Visitors of all ages will find something to enjoy.
Journey between town and beach with a ride on the oldest water-balanced cliff lift in Britain, where you’ll disembark alongside Saltburn’s magnificent 600ft long Victorian Pier, the sole surviving example on England’s north-east coast.
Saltburn can proudly boast to being the home town of the infamous ‘Yarnbombers’ who regularly make national news with their fabulous and inspired knitted creations that mysteriously appear during the night.
Sandsend
Just above Whitby, this gorgeous little village stretches along a sweep of fine beach, divided by a stream running into the sea, with clear views of historic Whitby Abbey. Sandsend is great for families, those looking for a romantic and nostalgic break, surfers and fossil hunters. It boasts fine food, from simple beach shacks through tea rooms to some seriously swanky restaurants, a gallery selling the work of some of the region’s best artists.
Robin Hood's Bay
Forget the deckchairs and dodgems; this is Yorkshire’s coastline at its most raw and elemental. Here, brooding cliffs tower over a huddle of red roofed former fishing cottages that spill right down to the edge of the sea, creating a ‘lost in time’ getaway for anyone who loves unusual architecture and breathtaking scenery. Why not join them for a bracing walk or a fireside drink in a cosy inn?
Whitby
Whitby is famous for many things: it’s a traditional seaside resort with Blue Flag beaches, and has some of the best fish and chips around. But there’s so much more to visit in Whitby.
With Blue Flag beaches and many attractions, including the world-famous steam train, North Yorkshire Moors Railway. Whitby is the perfect base for a family holiday. But it doesn’t end there. Whitby wallows in history, including fishing, the jet industry (did you know that it’s still the best place in the world to find the gleaming black gemstone so beloved by the Victorians?), Captain Cook (who was born nearby, and whose famous ship the Endeavour was Whitby-built) and whaling. And its literary connections – Bram Stoker’s famous Dracula features the town, with the vampire first coming ashore here from Transylvania in the guise of a black dog – have inspired the world famous Goth Festival, which now takes place twice a year, in the spring and around Halloween.
