Plan The Perfect Weekend in Staithes and Runswick Bay
A walker's paradise, this most northerly stretch of Yorkshire's coast is packed with history and picture-perfect places to visit
The post-card perfect village of Staithes was once one of the largest fishing ports on this stretch of the coast and home to Captain James Cook, with cobbled streets, tiny alleyways and ancient ginnels. A little further south is the sweeping sandy beach of Runswick Bay, once a hub for smugglers. Great for rock-pooling and fossil hunting, the red-roofed cottages cluster around the northern end of the bay which is a popular spot for swimming and fishing, sheltered from the winds thanks to Lingrow Knowle.
Just north of Staithes, the Land of Iron is well worth a detour. This state-of-the-art museum takes you back 150 years to the industrial revolution on the site of the first ironstone mine in Cleveland, when the area supplied over a third of the world’s iron and steel. Book a tour in advance as it’s very popular. The Cleveland Way passes along the clifftops here, but you should definitely head down to Staithes’ pretty harbour (if you are in the car, park at the top as you can’t park in the village itself). Don’t miss The Captain Cook & Staithes Museum which tells you everything you need to know about this picture-perfect village and the industries it relied on, and is a treasure trove of books, letters and memorabilia which provide a fascinating insight into the explorer’s extraordinary life. Staithes has long attracted artists who come to admire the stunning coastal scenery and immortalise it on canvas, there are always paintings from local and visiting artists on show here, and the annual arts festival in September is a must-visit.
Sheltered and car-free, Runswick Bay is hugely popular with swimmers thanks to its safe waters, but is also great for rock-pooling and fossil hunting, and exploring the hob holes on the headland. The village is a maze of steep paths weaving between colourful cottages – the iconic thatched cottage which appears on so many postcards is one of the last thatched properties on the Yorkshire coast. Pop into the café on the seafront when you’re in need of refuelling, or to pick up all the necessities such as buckets, spades and even inflatable dinghies. The Bay is on the Cleveland Way and a superb five-mile walk along the clifftops takes you to Sandsend to the south, or a slightly shorter route back to Staithes to the north.
Right beside the harbour in Staithes, the Cod and Lobster is a long-established local favourite for good seafood and has a well-stocked bar if you just want a pint while you watch the boats heading in and out. Dotty’s Vintage Tearoom has inside and outside seating and Cobbles of Staithes serves great coffee, Brymor and Ryeburn ice cream, homemade cakes and bacon rolls.
As you would expect there is a plethora of holiday cottages available to rent up and down this stretch of the coast. Dog-friendly Dunsley Cottage in the very heart of Staithes is an old fisherman’s cottage dating back to 1871, sleeping just two. The Old Joiners Shop is another romantic retreat with a private terrace overlooking the inlet. The Endeavour is a popular B&B tucked away on an old, cobbled street in the village. Nearby, Grinkle Park Hotel is set in 35 acres of its own parkland but is just a 10-minute drive from Staithes, as is the 18th-century Jack and Jill Coaching Inn overlooking Scaling Dam on the very edge of the North York Moors, which boasts a huge children’s play area and 18-hole adventure golf course.
