By car or bus
North Yorkshire Moors National Park
Staithes sits in the east of the Park and while this national area of beauty is 1,436 sqKm, you can get around it easily enough by car and thereby visit some iconic places including Castle Howard (Brideshead Revisited), take a ride on the steam railway from Goathland (Harry Potter’s Hogsmeade railway station) to Grosmont, also a lovely 3.5 mile walk, take in one of the most spectacular views at the top of Sutton Bank or visit historic Rievaulx Abbey.
Other seaside towns
Robin Hood’s Bay – one to visit, certainly for an afternoon, experience it by parking at the top (you are used to that by now) and walking the very cute chocolate box streets, stock up in seaside rock and see how folk from all over the world like to visit quaint old seasides in Yorkshire…
…and to infinity and other Yorkshire extremities…Scarborough and Filey, even Brid?
Yes God’s own county, Yorkshire, is that big and 30 miles away is Scarborough where you have two beaches, seaside amusements galore, all kinds of restaurants, some of the larger shopping stores and if you are a cricket fan the occasional match featuring the world’s best county cricket team. Further down the coast by 5 miles or so is Filey which offers similar but smaller, a beach plus fishing boats and Filey Brigg with its impressive cliffs and reef. More cliffs plus 10 miles more and there is Bridlington, a bit more of the same again. Flamborough Head is a nice way to finish a long line of spectacular cliffs. All are nice to take in.
Runswick Bay
Picture perfect, a no-car village nestled into the cliff with a long and wonderful beach. Part of Cleveland Way and a nice cliff top walk from Staithes.
Saltburn
If you have never been don’t put it off, this is a hidden Victorian gem with a great beach with surf and the oldest working cliff railway in Britain and only 15 minutes away.
Sandsend
En-route to Whitby but a destination in itself with a very large beach, little beach huts for essential ice cream, crab sandwiches and buckets and spades, and chance to relax perhaps quietly with the family. There is Whitby Golf Club and its links course at the southern end of the beach.
Whitby
Is almost rowdy by comparison but the local ‘big’ town is a seaside destination with its full harbour, a cliff top walk and abbey, quaint side streets, donkeys and a fun fair by the beach and all with a touch of Dracula, only 13 miles away from Staithes. If you fancy a bite then the Whitby Goth Festival is a sight to behold in October, at night of course.
On foot
Why not try the Cleveland Way?
You don’t have an excuse, Staithes is en route. This is one of twelve national trails and the 110 mile walk is outstanding for both its coastal and moorland route, starting in Helmsley and finishing in Filey, going right through Staithes, right past Pelican.
Discover The Cleveland Way