Let’s Visit Yorkshire’s Historic Seaside Resorts
Yorkshire is a huge county, and as such the east coast is home to many seaside resorts. Let’s discover a few!
Read our post on keeping dogs safe by the seaside.
Robin Hood’s Bay
Tucked between Whitby and Scarborough on Yorkshire’s wild coast, Robin Hood’s Bay (above) has cobbled streets that tumble down to a windswept harbour, where old cottages jostle for space, and the scent of sea air mixes with salt from rockpools.
It’s mostly known for being where you paddle your toes, to mark the end of Wainwright’s Coast-to-Coast Walk, which begins at St Bees village (on Cumbria’s west coast).
If out walking, always follow the Countryside Code, to keep all creatures safe.
Scarborough (England’s first seaside resort)
This town was England’s first seaside holiday destination, due to the healing powers of the mineral waters that local resident Elizabeth Farrow discovered in 1626, when she stumbled upon a stream running from the cliffs.
Grand hotels like The Grand Hotel (opened in 1867) became landmarks, offering comfort and luxury to wealthy holidaymakers. Rows of guest houses and B&Bs followed. The opening of the railway station made the town accessible from York and Leeds.
Whitby (199 steps and Dracula!)
This sits on the North Yorkshire coast, and is one of England’s most popular northern holiday destinations. With a sad history of whaling and links to Dracula, today it’s known for its sandy beaches on the Jurassic coast, and the 199 steps that lead up to St Mary’s Church and the abbey.
Perched on the East Cliff, the ruins of Whitby Abbey give unbeatable views over the town and coastline. Cross the swing bridge to the Old Town. Here, narrow cobbled lanes hide quirky shops, cosy pubs, antique sellers, and old bookshops.
Saltburn-by-the-Sea
This resort is home to England’s oldest cliff lift, a water-powered funicular railway built in 1884, to take people down to the pier.
The town also features the only surviving pleasure pier in north east England, now a Grade II listed structure.
Bridlington
This seaside resort is popular with wild swimmers. Home to one of England’s coastal weather stations, the 12th century priory was one of the country’s most wealthy, run by Augustinians.
It also hosted one of the first now not-very-politically-correct Miss Great Britain contests (began in Morecambe in 1945). Originally launched to boost tourism to seaside towns after World War II, in recent years some have boycotted them, others see them as harmless fun.
