Of the seaside towns on the yorkshire coast this is my favourite, overlooked by grand Georgian…read moreterraces the seafront is well kept and charming rather than tacky. Usual seafood and old scool coffee shops, the beach itself is broad and usually quiet with a great walk out onto a spit of land to the north where you can stand infront of crashing waves. Walk across the clifftops and look north to scarborough without actually having to go there... Fish and chips and a beer in the town after are mandatory and not to be missed.

This is owned by Yorkshire wildlife trust and mainained by them and volunteers. It used to be a…read morequarry and is a great place for lots of different people. There is two lakes and its lovely to sit on a sunny afternoon watching the dragonflies and surrounded by trees and flowers. There are different areas so kids feel as if they exploring up and little slopes etc.Its near a bypass, the railway lines, a pub and supermarket among other things and yet feels isolated and tranquil. In the Spring frogs abound and every season has its own special stuff.Its a real treat after a supermarket trip especially if you take some refreshments to sit and enjoy.

I did the walk the other way, from Whitby to Robin Hood's bay, and it's not 18 miles. I went along…read morethe road, setting off about 9 in the morning, and I was there by 1 in the afternoon. Robin Hoods bay has lovely windy streets and paths to explore, but there's not that much to do. I had intended to stay at Robin Hood's youth hostel, but instead i walked on to Scarborough, which is a long way, finally arriving about 8pm, to find the youth hostel shut. Ha! I would say the walk from Whitby to Scarborough is probably between 13 and 16 miles given it tooke me about 6 hours after I'd decided to stop walking along the beach cause I thought i was going to drown. (time includes a climb up the cliffs to escape certain death.)

The walk from Robin Hood's Bay to Whitby is a 3 hour march - make that into whatever mileage you…read morewant but consider I'm big and relatively unfit. The scenery is stunning and the sound of the gulls and other seabirds wonderful. But, and this is a huge but, don't do the walk in August as the cliffs are teaming with flies, at times so numerous that my arms were a black crawling mass Taken me two days to get over the icky feeling from it. I would do the walk in late spring or early autumn as then it wouldn't have so many insects and could be done at a far more leisurely pace.

This is beautiful stables set on a nice large piece of land. The land extends over a main road…read morethough so can be a bit difficult to cross. There are about 20 horses here, each with their own stable. Horses are available to rent which does cost a lot but it is quite competitive compared to others. If you do this you get to ride them, clean them out, feed them. A close friend of mine has one and I often visit with her, it's a wonderful experience. All of the equipment can be provided at a bit of an extra cost but the sizes are limited. The instructors are really helpful and definitely help increase your confidence.

My wife and I visited Danby Lodge in September 2024 on a day trip driving around the North York…read moreMoors. Luckily we had great weather to enjoy all the fresh air and outdoors had to offer. There are lots of activities to enjoy around the site of this former hunting lodge to Danby Castle. There is a nice short walking trail that takes you around the grounds with several attractions along the way. The Danby Den playground is excellent and novel. The water bailiff audio guide was an interesting take. The dragon. The mud kitchen. The zip line. All excellent fun for the young ones. We crossed the river Esk and walked up to Danby Castle. A lovely stroll across the moors without being too long or strenuous.  Crow Wood is adjacent to the parking lot and has the bird watching hut and a few other notable attractions around the loop. There is a cafe serving hot drinks and snacks that was most welcome. In the same area there is an interactive nature exhibit intended for kids to learn about the environment. Its all really well done and we wished we had come here when our lad were a nipper. Entry is free but paring has a small fee. Parking lot is pretty big and we had no problem finding a spot. It was an off-season weekday and was pretty quiet. I can imagine summer weekends this place would be teeming with families. Great fun and highly recommended if you are in the area.

Whitby traditions include: a phantom coach and horses, which thunders to a halt outside the church,…read morea headless spectre at Fitzsimmon's steps, and a mischievous sprite called Hob (which is a generic name for a mischievous goblin), who haunts the dark country lanes around the town, and associations with the giant Wade who lived nearby. The first poet of England is also lived at Whitby in the 7th Century. He was given the gift of poetry after having an angelic vision. An ancient festival called 'The Planting of the Penny Hedge' is held on the shore here on the eve of Ascension Day. Wooden stakes are cut from Eskdale side and carried through the town at sunrise to the shore, where they are woven into a strong hedge before the tide turns. The name Penny Hedge is thought to relate the price of the knife used for cutting the hedge. In legend the ceremony dates back to 1159 when the Abbott of Whitby imposed a penance on three hunters and their future generations for murdering a hermit. To save them from execution they had to make a stake hedge that would resist the sea every year until their descendant had died out. The festival is probably related to the renewing of old boundaries around the parish. There are also various ammonites..3 set into a door ..supposedly snakes killed by the Abbess and ammonites found on the shores were long thought to be snakes she had pertrified.

Raincliffe Woods is one of the best woods to go to when visiting North Yorkshire. I actually spent…read moremy childhood coming to these woods with my brother and Dad growing up, and we always had so much fun! The lake at the bottom of the woods is really pretty, and there's always plenty of ducks chilling in the water. The best time to visit the lake is at sunset, the reflection of the sunset shimmering across the lake is magnificent. If you're visiting Scarborough, and would like to take a nice walk through some local woods, then Raincliffe Woods is your best bet!

Raincliffe woods are very popular with walkers, chidren and dogs. There is Throxenby lake where…read morechidren got to see tadpoles and then frogs and there are birds to watch. From here a path goes up to the woods but you can continue along the road and there are various paths up and through the woods. A good guide is available for all the walks and fauna and flora. Scarborough Council hold secret wood events and a lot of these are family days and there is allsorts to try (for adults too). There are also events offering tree hugging etc. There are often guided walks on offer, I really loved the wildflower walk learning names and seeing things you might not have notiiced.

Sandsend the Place is fantastic. The beach is vast and you could walk to Whitby. Our airbnb was…read moreright on the front with a bay window that gave sweeping views of the ocean. Nothing to do in Sandsend but relax with a book and then walk over to Estbeck House for a magnificent meal and libation.

An excellent beach to the north of Whitby. There's free parking on the main road (the A174) just…read moresouth of the village itself, and from there steps lead down to the beach itself. It's a huge beach, with plenty of sand and pebbles too. There's not much else -- no funfair, very few shops, no pier -- and to be honest that's part of the attraction as far as we are concerned. It can get quite busy (head north to Runswick Bay if you want to get away from the crowds), but even when it's busy there's still plenty of room for everyone. All in all, a very pleasant spot.