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A Photo Diary From Staithes, North Yorkshire, UK
I had been living in Yorkshire for almost two years before I made it to the coast. Two years in Yorkshire, yet I hadn’t even heard of Staithes!
Sure, I could come up with a whole host of excuses about why that was, but the truly honest answer is that I thought the Yorkshire coast would be ugly. One trip to Scarborough when I was a kid had scarred me for life.
If anybody had mentioned the Yorkshire coast to me, I would have imagined a grim wasteland with grey skies, lots of concrete, and lots of rain.
Obviously, by this point, we all know I was wrong.
After watching the film The Phantom Thread starting Daniel Day Lewis, my mind was changed for good. The Yorkshire coast looked breathtaking! And it was right on my doorstep!
The Easter bank holiday weekend was coming up, and the weather was set to be almost tropical by northern England’s standards. I was desperate to get to the beach to make the most of the weather (and to pretend I was on holiday). My housemate Ben agreed, and we started planning a gorgeous day at the beach.
Unfortunately, every other person in Yorkshire seemed to have the same idea.
This meant that the drive from Leeds, which was said to take around 1 hour 40 minutes, took us three hours.
The temperature inside the car was absolutely sweltering and seeing all the beautiful weather outside that I was missing due to traffic jams was driving me crazy. Luckily, after about two hours of almost no movement we realised almost all that traffic was headed to Whitby, or the hugely popular Robin Hood’s Bay. Suddenly I perked up. So long, suckers! My day had been saved! I wouldn’t have to share the beach with 1000 others! We had chosen to visit Staithes in North Yorkshire in the hope that we could escape the bank holiday crowds. Our risk had paid off!
The last thirty miles were a breeze. I rolled down the window and let the wind rush through my fingers and watched as field after green field streaked by my window, uninterrupted by any buildings for what seemed like miles.
Planning a trip to Yorkshire? Check out my Ultimate Yorkshire Bucket list!
We pulled into a car park a mile or so away from Staithes, deciding we would hike down into the village, grab some lunch and hang out there, then hike along the coastal path to Runswick Bay, (which admittedly has a beach better suited for sunbathing) to check out the beach and maybe go for a swim.
Exploring Staithes
Even just on my walk down to the village I could feel the sun beating down on me and opted for my sunhat and some sun cream (almost unheard of in a British April). Walking into the village, I could barely believe my eyes. Staithes was just like gorgeous fishing villages of Cornwall, but without the crowds!
Higgledy-piggledy houses sat overlooking the harbour, where a boat lay waiting for high tide. Fishing nets were stacked next to each other, and I could smell the salt of the sea in the air. We walked around to check out the water and rockpools lining the coast before heading to the Cod and Lobster for lunch, where we managed to snag a seat on their balcony overlooking the sea! I couldn’t believe my luck; it felt like summer had come early.
Ben and I ordered fish and chips and a crab salad to share, as we were both super eager to try the fresh seafood on offer. Man, it didn’t disappoint. The cod was so chunky and fresh, and the batter was crispy and golden, with the perfect thickness. The crab salad was second to none – again, the fish tasted super fresh, and the portion size was huge. We also both ordered pints of beer because, hey, why not! There’s no feeling quite like drinking a pint in the sun.
The Cleveland Way Hiking Trail
The next part of the plan was to dip into the Cleveland Way National Trail to hike along the coastal path from Staithes to Runswick Bay. This section of the path is just over three miles long and is thought to be one of the most beautiful.
Trust me, I can’t imagine it getting much better than this.
Walking up a steep hill to get to the cliff top was well worth the reward – views of rolling hills and gorgeous meadows filled with flowers, and the vast expanse of sea stretching out indefinitely.
The walk was fairly easy, except for an uphill section towards the end which lasted around 15 minutes which could be very uncomfortable for people with limited mobility.
The whole trail hugs the coastline, meaning, to my delight, we didn’t have to take our eyes off the sea once.
Runswick Bay
Finally, on arriving in Runswick Bay, we dutifully queued at a café on the beach to buy ice creams (I had been looking forward to rewarding myself with one after the hike!) then rolled out our towels and soaked in a few of the late afternoon rays. The beach was pretty, and from my experience it’s one of the prettiest beaches in Yorkshire.
I decided to head to the shore to see just how cold the sea was, and to assess whether our plans of a swim were realistic.
Yikes…
I’m surprised I didn’t get frostbite! The water instantly made my whole legs throb, and then my toes started going numb. I retreated up the beach, conceding defeat, before plopping down on my towel with a book.
At around 5pm, with the sky starting to turn a beautiful orange hue, we decided to head back to the car (which was still quite a walk away) and trudge home. A few hours later I realised that my sun cream hadn’t been applied liberally enough, and I had a lovely red face as a souvenir from our day trip.
Worth it.
Want more Yorkshire Coast? Check out my North Yorkshire Coast Road Trip!
My top tips for visiting Staithes
If you’re considering visiting Staithes, or even if you’ve never heard of it, I really recommend a visit. Staithes gets barely any international visitors, so if you’re in the north of England and want to get somewhere off the beaten tourist trail, this is it. Even in terms of domestic visitors, Staithes and Runswick Bay are a lot more tranquil than other places in Yorkshire like Whitby or Robin Hood’s Bay.
Obviously, the time you visit plays a huge factor in the crowds you’ll be competing with. Visit on a Tuesday in February and you’ll have the place to yourself. Visit on a weekend in July and it will be busier.
If you’re looking to visit Staithes as part of a longer trip in Yorkshire, I would stay in Staithes at least one night. There are a good number of pubs and restaurants to keep you entertained, and some of the holiday accommodation there looked unbelievably cosy and quaint.
If you’re looking for a guest house, The Royal George (£90 per night for a double room) gets excellent reviews and is right in the centre of town. I also recommend this awesome hotel (£115 per night for a double room), which has the most knockout views over Staithes!
You could also use Staithes as a base to explore other nearby areas, such as more of the Cleveland Way National Trail, Whitby, Robin Hood’s Bay, Sandsend or Filey.
Getting to Staithes (and most of the Yorkshire coast in general) via public transport is pretty much impossible, so you’ll need a car. I headed out from Leeds, where the drive time (without traffic) is around 1 hour 40 minutes. From York it’ll take around 1 hour 20 minutes, or from Newcastle expect to drive for around 1 hour 25 minutes.
It’s safe to say I had an amazing time on the North Yorkshire coast, and I think the photos speak for themselves!
Spending more time in Yorkshire? Check out my Awesome 1 Day In Leeds Itinerary!
Have you visited the North Yorkshire coast yet?
12 comments
I was introduced to Staithes by a very good friend(Steve) who is sadly no longer with us. We spent a weekend in one of the cottages down by the harbour(Cowbar I think) It was perfect very cosy and scenery stunning thoroughly recommend a trip there.
I’m so glad you enjoyed visiting Staithes, it really is special
Loved this post! Sometimes the destinations that we are least looking forward to seeing actually wind up being the best ones! I’ve been wanting to see so much more of the UK, and you’ve convinced me to add this to my list. The fish and chips with a cold beer looking at these amazing views sounds really nice right about now.
I’m so glad you’re expanding your U.K. list! There is certainly a lot to see here. Anything sounds better than lockdown right now, but the memory of this day makes me smile
Staithes looks like the perfect village to spend the day. I can’t believe that it was so hot in April! We still are getting snow. You mentioned crowds (which didn’t end up going to the beach). Are they not under quarantine?
I should have clarified that I took this trip last April! Please don’t worry, no quarantine rules were being broken 🙂 I just wish days out like this were still possible
So beautiful! Every time I read about (and especially see images from) other parts of the UK beyond London, I sooooo want to have a whole summer to explore them!
The U.K. is so, so much more than London (as much as I love it). Glad I got to show you somewhere you otherwise might not have known about 🙂
Isn’t it funny how we have pre-conceived notions about nearby places? I’m so glad that you decided to go explore Staithes. The town looks lovely! You’ve good magnificent views from all those trails. And what a lovely beach to lay and read a book. That was brave of you to try the water but definitely glad you didn’t risk frostbite by going in! What a great discovery.
So glad you enjoyed the post! This trip definitely pushed home to me the fact that beautiful places can sometimes be right on our doorstep!
I’ve been to Yorkshire a few times but never thought to visit the coastline. I love your photographic diary of your visit, especially the higgledy-piggledy houses and the fishing village paraphernalia. Lovely piece.
The Yorkshire coastline is such a pleasant surprise – everybody goes in with terribly low expectations! Thank you for your comment 🙂
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