When you think of Yorkshire I would guess that the Yorkshire Dales might spring to mind, rolling, beautiful countryside, the Pennine Mountains and plenty of peace and quiet. And you would be right! But if you head to the Yorkshire coast you’ll be surprised to find it as beautiful as any of the UK’s southern beach destinations and much more wild and rugged. On the Yorkshire coast, towns and ports give way to tiny, quaint villages with a splattering of coffee shops all run by those notoriously friendly local Yorkshire folk. We’ve picked our highlights below.
Robin Hoods Bay
Up in Northern Yorkshire you’ll find the beautiful spot of Robin Hoods Bay, a small coastal village set on a beautiful tidal bay. During low tide you can wander around on the sand and look for crabs in the rock pools. This is a fantastic spot to take little ones and they will love exploring.
You can walk around the bay on the beach to other bays down the coast, but do be aware that once the tide comes in the whole beach will be underwater, so time your walk well! There is also the option to walk up on the path along the cliff if you do leave it too late.
There are a few little coffee shops and pubs in this little village and some lovely boutique type shops with nice gifts for sale.
Whitby
Also in Northern Yorkshire not far away from Robin Hoods Bay you’ll find the gorgeous town of Whitby, a fabulous town on the Yorkshire coast.
Famed for its beautiful blue flag beaches, amazing fish and chips and its array of shopping, pubs and places to eat its definitely worth a visit.
You’ll find boat trips here amid the fishing boats and the beautiful castle set up on the cliffs overlooking the ocean and the town.
Whitby is also home to the North Yorkshire Moors Railway so if you fancy seeing the countryside on an old steam train then this is a great day out and the little ones will love it too if you are travelling with a family.
Runswick Bay
About nine miles north of Whitby on the Yorkshire coast lies Runswick Bay, with its sweeping bay and gorgeous red roofed cottages it is a really pretty destination.
This is a small village with tiny winding roads weaving around the village, it has a pub and a little shop and many beautiful walks on the coast. Expect a chilled out vibe where you’ll find some real peace and quiet.
Scarborough
Quite the opposite to Runswick Bay, Scarborough is your classic seaside town with the beach, activites on the seafront, loads of hotels, pub and restaruants, shops filled with buckets and spades and a real English seaside holiday feel.
If you are after peace and quiet on the Yorkshire coast then Scarborough probably isn’t the right choice for you, but if you fancy basing yourself somewhere with lots going on then this would definitely work and you could certainly explore the surrounding tranquil countryside from this base.
Visit Scarborough Castle, the Sea Life Sanctuary or try your hand at the Sky Trail Adventure and the Alpine Waterpark.
Flamborough
Flamborough is very rural and wild, a beautiful stretch of the Yorkshire coast with rugged white cliffs and a beautiful little bay. There is a very small village behind the bay too.
People tend to come to Flamborough for a real outdoors adventure, bird watching is great and there is a scenic nature reserve with two ancient lighthouses nearby.
The coastline is often windswept and walking terrain can be hard so its a better place for the more experiened walker to visit.
You’ll get a real sense of being away from it all in Flamborough, surrounded by Yorkshire nature at its best.
Bempton Cliffs
If you are a keen birdwatcher then you must head for Bempton Cliffs, particularly between March and October when around half a million seabirds gather in this area to breed - its a really remarkable sight to see.
Species often seen in this area include Gannet, Guillemot, Puffin, Barn Owl and Tree Sparrow.
The reserve is managed by the RSPB and during the mating season the cliff tops are patrolled by workers who strive to help the birds against environmental threats including climate change and industrial fishing.
The closest places to stay are Scarborough at about 30 minutes drive away and Bridlington which is about a 10 minute drive.