| Fishing villages and artists' haunts | | | | quieter than South Bay, so if you're looking for a |
| If you are looking for traditional seaside cottages | | | | bit of peace and quiet away from the crowds, |
| North Yorkshire is the place for you. Here you will | | | | this is the place to be. At the end of North Bay is |
| find picturesque fishing villages such as Robin | | | | Peasholm Park with boats for hire on a tranquil |
| Hoods Bay, Runswick Bay and Staithes. The | | | | lake. The lake is also the venue for the |
| pretty-coloured cottages and their red pantile | | | | thrice-weekly 'Battle of Peasholm', one of the |
| roofs of Robin Hoods Bay are huddled around a | | | | great eccentric English seaside attractions. The |
| slipway at the foot of a steep ravine and climb up | | | | battle between model warships mostly |
| the steep hillside. Packed with secret passages | | | | manpowered has been delighting audiences for |
| and alleyways, it is easy to imagine the days | | | | more than 80 years! |
| when smugglers would slip their contraband up the | | | | The resort that never was |
| hill under the cover of darkness. The village has | | | | I first visited Ravenscar, the |
| always been connected with the sea and fishing | | | | resort-that-never-was many years ago when |
| was the main livelihood here until the end of the | | | | walking the Cleveland Way National Trail. The |
| 19th-century. Today, you can still see fishing boats | | | | views from the cliffs towards Robin Hood's Bay |
| and fishermen at work. Runswick Bay is another | | | | were simply breathtaking. However it was the |
| picture-postcard setting loved by both artists and | | | | story of the failed development that intrigued me. |
| holidaymakers. Situated at the northern end of a | | | | At the beginning of the 20th-century an ambitious |
| beautiful sandy beach, its red-roofed cottages | | | | plan to build a holiday resort called Peak was |
| with pretty gardens appear to tumble down the | | | | begun. A railway line was being built to link the |
| cliffside. On the seafront below you will find | | | | towns of Scarborough and Whitby, with Peak as |
| colourful fishing boats. Located furthest north | | | | the central point. Roads were built, sewers were |
| Staithes, unlike the other two, is tucked into a | | | | laid and plots of land sold to city dwellers who |
| cleft of rock which forms a natural harbour in this | | | | liked the idea of living by the beach. However, the |
| rugged patch of coastline. There's a Mediterranean | | | | plan was badly researched as the route to the |
| feel to the place with its crop of white-washed | | | | shore is precarious and the area, though beautiful, |
| cottages and haphazard pantile roofs. Not | | | | is very exposed. The project failed when the |
| surprisingly many artists have been drawn to the | | | | development company went bankrupt. The layout |
| area down the years and some are still displaying | | | | of wide roads remains and the houses built for a |
| their work in the village. Staithes, however, is still | | | | new town look strangely out of place on the cliff |
| a working village. There are often many fishing | | | | top. |
| vessels in the harbour, adding to the beauty of | | | | Home to Dracula - and the best fish and chips |
| the place, and fishermen regularly catch cod, | | | | With its quaint cobbled streets and picturesque |
| lobsters and crabs. When the tide is out there are | | | | houses standing on the steep slopes of the River |
| also many rock pools to explore, which are great | | | | Esk, Whitby is dominated by its cliff top Abbey. |
| for families with children. | | | | Situated along one of Britain's finest stretches of |
| Britain's first holiday resort and eccentric seaside | | | | coastline, with cliffs, lovely bays, safe sandy |
| attraction | | | | beaches and attractive villages, Whitby has been |
| Scarborough claims to be Britain's first holiday | | | | a port for more than 1,000 years and is still a |
| resort, welcoming visitors for over 360 years. | | | | seafarers' town today. The narrow streets and |
| Today it is a bustling seaside town catering for | | | | alleys winding down to the quayside still bustle as |
| the whole family. The safe, sandy beaches of the | | | | they have done for centuries. From these |
| North and South Bays are broken by a rocky | | | | centuries-old streets, 199 steps (it's a tradition to |
| headland on which stands a reminder of the past | | | | count them) lead up to the parish church of St |
| - Scarborough's medieval castle. At its foot is the | | | | Mary, whose churchyard inspired Bram Stoker to |
| harbour where the boats still land their catch. Safe | | | | write his world-famous novel, Dracula. If you |
| beaches, clifftops and a busy shopping centre | | | | decide to spend a holiday in Whitby, you really |
| stand only yards apart and are all reached by the | | | | must try the fish and chips! The town claims to |
| famous Victorian cliff lifts. In fact, those same | | | | have the best in the country, and it is hard to |
| Victorians left a town of immense style with | | | | disagree. Perhaps the most famous is the Magpie |
| some of the finest parks and gardens in Britain, | | | | Cafe. Overlooking the quayside the restaurant |
| the elegant Esplanade, the magnificent Spa | | | | usually has a queue, but believe me, the wait is |
| Complex and the large Grand Hotel overlooking | | | | worth it. Rivals have sprung up along the quay, |
| the South Bay. The North Bay area is much | | | | many award-winners in their own right. |