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Yorkshire Coastal Villages

artnbarb

1000+ Posts
WE'll have 2 weeks in July in Yorkshire this summer, based in Thirsk. I have a long list of questions about Yorkshire, but I'll start with this one: which seaside villages are worth a visit and which are too commercialized? I had read that one particular city was now very much a seaside resort, but I can't remember where I read it. Some of the cities on our list are: Whitby, Scarborough, and Staithes, and there are lots of smaller ones in between. Whitby seems to be mentioned a lot, but is it worth the ype, and the crowds?
 
It's been a while, but each has its own particular charm, so I'd suggest staying reasonably centrally and sampling each as a day trip. Yes there is tourism, but I don't recall it being overbearing tourism.

Whitby I certainly enjoyed, and worth a visit if only for the Sutcliffe gallery http://www.sutcliffe-gallery.co.uk/ with some wonderful black and white photography of the era. I still have two framed prints from when they had a shop in York.

Filey less touristy, but was always rated very highly locally for its fish & chips

Bridlington also well worth a visit

Robin Hood's bay is small by comparison, with very undulating approach, quite steep at times, but visually it's a real treat. I recall a video of the route on youtube, and would definitely recommend viewing that to get a feel for it.

Scarborough is the most touristy, yet even here if you head towards the north part of the beach, it's much less built up and even enjoys a surprisingly steep putting course. The southern section certainly quite tacky touristy, yet an hour here to experience is still something to consider.

also Flanborough head as a nice spot for a windswept walk.

So definitely recommended as a sampling destination, giving a day to each if you can.
 
Two whole weeks - how wonderful! And what a lot you will be able to see and enjoy.

I love Whitby and it is definitely worth visiting. Its streets are very narrow and that can make it seem busy. It is dominated by the ruined abbey high above the town and reached up the ‘199 steps’. Each time I do them I get a different number. Last visit I made it 206!
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Don’t miss the delightful St Mary’s Church next to the Abbey. It actually predates the Abbey and parts of it are Norman.
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The interior is a marvellous example of a Georgian Church and jam packed full of box pews.
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Whitby is famous for its jet which was popular for mourning jewellery in Victorian times. There are lots of jewellers selling it. There are also fish and chips... Guide books recommend The Magpie but I always go to the tiny Monk’s Haven Cafe on Church street. Portions are huge and I do mean huge, but they do small portions which are the size of large portions elsewhere.

If you like Kippers then there is Fortunes on Henrietta Street below the Abbey. Fortunes has been smoking kippers for over 150 years and they are some of the best I have ever tasted. It has a tiny smokehouse behind the very old fashioned shop and you can peep in and see the kippers being smoked traditionally. There are no artificial dyes here and the smell is wonderful. Follow the crowds and your nose to reach it!
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I also second a visit to Robin Hood’s Bay just down the coast from whitby and can easily be combined with it. The village is tucked away at the base of the cliffs. Only locals are allowed to drive down into the village. Visitors have to leave their cars in the large car park and walk down. It is a network of tiny streets and even narrower alleyways. On your way here, look out for Old St Stephen’s Church at the crossroads before the road begins to drop down. The church is no longer used and lovingly cared for by the Churches Conservation Trust. Again it is an unspoilt Georgian Church but remarkable for its Maiden’s garlands. These were made by friends of a young woman who died before she was married and were carried in front of the coffin at her funeral. Hanging in the back of the church are garlands from around 1850.
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A few miles further south is the tiny settlement of Ravenscar. In the early 1900s there were big plans to develop the tiny settlement which had been the centre of the alum industry into a tourist resort to rival Scarborough. The company went bankrupt leaving the remains of empty streets with no houses... there is a short walk you can do round the town that never was. The beach is a good place to find fossils.

It is years since I last went to Scarborough, so no pictures I'm afraid. It is the largest holiday resort on the Yorkshire coast and was an important spa. It has a ruined castle and two bays. The South Bay was the site of the medieval settlement and harbour. and is the main tourist area. It can be a bit ‘kiss me quick’ in places. The North Bay was the more ‘up market’ area

It is probably even longer since I visited Staithes which could possibly be described as a smaller version of whitby but without the Abbey. It was one of the largest fishing ports on the north east coast. James Cook who later became famous as Captain Cook worked in a grocers shop here before moving to Whibtby where he joined the Royal Navy. The rest is history...

Just north of Whitby is Sandsend with its glorious sandy beach. Behind the beach is Mulgrave Woods and there is a lovely walk through the woodland

Between Sandsend and Staithes is Runswick Bay , with its small village nestling around a sandy beach and described as one of the Yorkshire coast’s prettiest destinations. If passing it is worth a quick look.
 
Staithes is lovely and possibly a bit less touristy than Robin Hood's Bay. You similarly need to park at the top and walk down. Nobody seems to have mentioned Saltburn. It has a nice pier and an old funicular going up and down the cliff. Next to the pier there is an excellent fish and chip restaurant (eat in, or queue at the window for takeaway and eat on the beach with added seasoning of sand). We nearly always go there when we're up that way.
 
Come back if you want ideas for the North York Moors - I've loads of suggestions for them too!

AND i see that you have!!
 
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