The Beautiful Yorkshire Coastline

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.

Kent’s Beautiful Coastline

When you think of the best beaches in Britain and the most beautiful rugged coastline it usually conjures up images of Cornwall, Devon or Norfolk perhaps. However head for south, eastern part of the country and you’ll find yourself in Kent, complete with simply beautiful beaches, gorgeous coastal walks, cute little bays and its famous white cliffs. The Kent coastline stretches for 350 miles and is a fantastic place to holiday, pick one of a number of its lovely seaside towns or head this way for a day trip. Kent’s coastline is perfect for all ages and abilities and there are more blue flag beaches than in any other county. We’ve picked our favourites below.

Dungeness Beach

This first of Kent’s beaches is not the rolling sand that you would imagine but is actually a vast expanse of shingle beach that has a really atmospheric feel to it.

Dungeness has one of the most unique habitats in the country and is technically classed as a desert, that said though it is still home to a number of rare insects and around 600 species of plants.

You’ll also notice the wooden cottage sat on the beach with its driftwood garden, once lived in by film director Derek Jarman.

The imposing sight of the flat land with two lighthouses jutting up and the eerie looking nuclear power station just add to the surreal vibe at this one of Kent’s beaches, it is definitely worth a stroll around if you are in the area.

Minster Leas Beach

The village of Minster is home to the next of Kent’s beaches. Minster is a lovely village that has a Saxon Abbey on the only high ground of the Isle of Sheppey. The Isle of Sheppey is a small island just off the northern coast of Kent which offers lovely beaches, some fantastic places to eat and stay and a little bit of island life just off 46 miles to the east of London.

Minster beach is a really tranquil spot, it has a grassy area that leads down to a long, shingle beach and when the tide is out you’ll be treated to sand as well.

There is a lovely promenade that is very popular with dog walkers and families taking their children out on bikes and it has amazing views over the North Sea, The Swale and The Nore.

St Mary’s Bay

St Mary’s Bay is a lovely sandy one of Kent’s beaches. It is located between Viking Bay and Stone Bay, in the coastal village on the South East Kent coastline. It is gorgeously sandy with flat rocks around the low water mark, there are loads of rock pools for children to explore and it has a promenade linking all of Broadstones beaches so is really easy to get to.

Botany Bay

This is probably the most famous of Kent’s beaches, with the most beautiful views of the white cliffs and chalk stalks and gorgeous sandy beaches, you’ll see why its so popular.

Botany Bay is a great place to come to relax or if you have little ones and relaxing out of the question then wait for low tide and go fossil hunting and exploring in the rock pools. It is safe to swim here if you are heading to this one of Kent’s beaches in the summer time or just chill out and enjoy the peace and tranquility on one of the quiet expanses of soft sand.

The area around Botany Bay is great for golfing, so if this floats your boat then definitely bring your clubs. If not then be sure to explore the unique heritage of nearby Broadstairs with its abundance of independent shops.

Margate Main Sands

The Main Sands at Margate offer your typical British seaside resort and make for a brilliant day out, especially if you have kids in tow.

The beach itself is a wide expanse of lovely golden sand and has a tidal pool, children’s rides and amusement arcades to keep you happy all day long.

There are loads of restaurants, bars and stalls selling lovely fresh seafood just a walk away in the Old Town.

As the sun sets on Margate’s Main Sands the colours reflect on the water and make for a beautiful spot to see the end of the day. During the summer months we’d recommend grabbing some fish and chips and finding a space on the beach, bring some jumpers and blankets too.

St Mildreds Bay

This one of Kent’s beaches is a small sandy bay near to the seaside town of Westgate and not far from Margate.

This lovely beach is backed by cliffs and has a tidal pool at the far end, a promenade to stroll and a handful of places to eat.

St Mildred’s Bay is a good middle ground between the more secluded and quieter beaches in Kent, and the hustle and bustle of the seaside beaches of Margate.

Whichever of Kent’s beaches you decide to head for, have a wander, see the sights, dip your toes and then grab a deckchair and take some time out listening to the waves coming in and the seagulls playing.