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15 of the Best Yorkshire Beaches

Along the beautiful Yorkshire coastline is an array of stunning beaches and bays, surrounded by charming picturesque towns and villages. On a hot summer’s day, everyone pictures themselves laying on the beach, and along the Yorkshire Coast, you can do just that. With everything from popular family beaches to serene hidden gems, where better to enjoy the summer months?

Sandsend Yorkshire Beaches — *Photo by Mulgrave Estate*

Sandsend Beach

Sandsend Beach is a delightfully long sandy beach that stretches down towards Whitby, just 8 minutes drive away. During the summer months, Sandsend Beach becomes a hotspot for locals and visitors as it’s well-known for its surf, as well as being a successful spot for fishing. It’s the ideal spot for a long stroll along the sand and a little wander around the small fishing village afterwards.

Sandsend Beach, Whitby, YO21 3TB

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Looking for somewhere to stay near Sandsend Beach?

We recommend Raithwaite Estate

Runswick Bay Yorkshire Beaches

Runswick Bay

Just 5 miles north of Whitby is Runswick Bay. This long, smooth stretch of beach runs right around the bay, offering stunning views of the coastline that look glorious in the sun. Runswick Bay is known as one of the Yorkshire Coast’s most scenic destinations with its picturesque views, fishing cottages and array of rock pools.

Runswick Bay, Whitby, TS13 5HT

Looking for somewhere to stay near Runswick Bay?

We recommend Normanby Cottage

Robin Hood's Bay Yorkshire Beach — *Image – @mikos_1985*

Robin Hood’s Bay Beach

The beach at Robin Hood’s Bay is a truly beautiful spot along the coastline, its natural beauty makes it a much-loved beach amongst people across Yorkshire. This small sandy beach provides sweeping views across the Yorkshire Coast and is certainly a popular summer destination. Whether you’re looking for a lovely spot for dog walking, fossil hunting or sand castle making, Robin Hood’s Bay beach is the place for you.

Robin Hood’s Bay, Whitby, YO22 4SN

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Whitby Yorkshire Beaches — *Photo by Andy Carne on Unsplash*

Whitby Beach

Whitby is a beautiful seaside town situated on the Yorkshire Coast with a rich local history, many activities in Whitby for all the family and lots of delicious restaurants to try. Whitby Beach stretches all the way from the West Pier to Sandsend and is a popular destination with locals and visitors as it offers plenty of space. Whitby Beach stands on both sides of the River Esk. The east side is a smaller, sheltered beach that allows dogs all year round. West Cliff is a much larger sandy beach with colourful beach huts, donkey rides, deckchairs and more.

Whitby, YO21 3PT

Looking for things to do in Whitby?

We recommend Whitby Gin Distillery Tour

Saltburn Yorkshire Beach

Saltburn Beach

Saltburn Beach is another top contender for the best Yorkshire beaches. Saltburn Beach is a beautiful sand and shingle beach located near Redcar in Yorkshire. To get down to the beach and pier, take a trip down the Victorian water-powered Cliff Lift. Whether you’re looking to spend a fun-filled family day at the beach or heading for a long walk with the dog, Saltburn Beach should be one of your top choices.

Saltburn-by-the-Sea, TS12 1HQ

Looking for somewhere to stay in Saltburn?

We recommend The Spa Hotel

Scarborough South Bay Yorkshire Beach — *Image – @all.thingsboro*

Scarborough South Bay Beach

The South Bay beach in Scarborough is known for its more classic seaside atmosphere and is one of the liveliest beaches along the Yorkshire Coast. The large sandy beach is surrounded by restaurants, fresh seafood, amusements, ice cream parlours and everything else you need for the perfect seaside day. So when the summer months return and the sun begins to shine again, where better to go than Scarborough South Bay?

Scarborough, YO11 1NT

7 of the best hotels in Scarborough

Filey Yorkshire Beach — *Image – @jd.explores*

Filey Beach

Filey is a popular holiday spot and is now best known for its stunning sandy beach that stretches for 5 miles. This welcoming seaside destination also has a historic promenade and amazing Edwardian architecture. Grab the family and enjoy a day of fun-filled activities, long walks, rock pool exploring and more at Filey Beach. Take a road trip with the family and explore one of the best Yorkshire beaches.

Filey, YO14 9JQ

Looking for somewhere to stay in Filey?

We recommend High Tide Apartment

North Landing Flamborough Yorkshire Beach — *Image – @_my_kind_of_therapy_*

North Landing Flamborough Beach

This small, picturesque beach of North Landing is surrounded by stunning chalk cliffs and situated in a natural cove in the Flamborough headland. On this beach, you can find a mix of soft sand and pebbles, and when the tide is low, it’s the perfect spot to hunt for marine wildlife in the rock pools. The journey down is incredibly steep, but this secluded beach is the ideal place to while away a summer’s day.

Flamborough, Bridlington, YO15 1BJ

Looking for somewhere to stay in Flamborough?

We recommend The Grange

Cayton Bay

Located 3 miles south of Scarborough lies Cayton Bay, a quiet beach that’s perfect for the whole family. This spot is popular amongst surfers and windsurfers as they’re exposed to the strong winds from the North Sea. This large stretch of sand is also a favourite of both bird watchers and fossil hunters, so at Cayton Bay expect to find plenty of interesting natural points.

Cayton, Scarborough, YO11 3NR

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Saltwick Bay Yorkshire Beach Image – @the_yorkshire_tourist

Saltwick Bay

One mile east of Whitby is the North-East facing bay, Saltwick Bay. Other than being a beautifully sculpted bay offering glorious views out to sea, it is also packed with history and amazing natural features. Saltwick Bay is a renowned site that’s rich with ammonites, reptiles and shells and Whitby Jet. It also contains the Saltwick Nab alum quarries, which allowed access to these beautiful fossils.

Saltwick Bay, Whitby, YO22 4JX

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Mappleton Yorkshire Beach — *Image – @yorkshirewalkiess*

Mappleton Beach

Mappleton Beach is a wide stretch of sand in the East Yorkshire village of Mappleton. This spot is ideal for families as there is plenty of space for beach activities. If a more quiet and secluded beach is what you’re looking for, take a trip to Mappleton Beach. Even throughout the holiday season, the beach still remains serene.

Mappleton, Hornsea, HU18 1XX

Thornwick Bay

Thornwick Bay is another one of the four beaches on the coast of East Yorkshire in Flamborough. This beach is mainly rocky with several caves and a magnificent sea arch in the cliffs. It is certainly one of the most picturesque beaches in Yorkshire with stunning high cliffs, rock pooling and boulders covering most of the shoreline.

Flamborough, Bridlington, YO15 1AU

Danes Dyke Yorkshire Beach

Image – @wonderfully.wild.wilsons

Danes Dyke Beach

Danes Dyke Beach is located on the southern side of the Flamborough headland and north of Bridlington. It is a lovely quiet beach hidden away from the nearby seaside towns, surrounded by white cliffs and made up of both sand and pebbles. It’s a great nature reserve and offers a treasure chest of treats for fossil hunters thanks to the geological surroundings. If you’re looking for a serene, tranquil spot, Danes Dyke Beach is one of the Yorkshire beaches you need to visit.

Bridlington, YO15 1PQ

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Bridlington Yorkshire Beach — *Image – @journeywithjames1*

Bridlington Beach

Another popular area for Yorkshire beaches is Bridlington, home to two large sandy beaches looking over the Yorkshire coastline, divided by Bridlington Harbour. The south beach overlooks Bridlington Bay and visitors can enjoy an array of classic seaside activities, or you can take a walk along the attractive promenade on a warm summer’s day. The north beach provides the perfect spot to relax and watch the hustle and bustle of a lively day in Bridlington.

Bridlington, YO15 2JF

Marske Sands

Marske Sands in Marske-by-the-Sea is a gently sloping sandy beach nestled between Redcar and Saltburn. Here you can enjoy a refreshing day out and it’s the ideal destination for water-sport lovers. The waters are perfect for swimming, surfing, boating, fishing and paddling. With wide open spaces and panoramic views across the North Sea, you’re certainly not limited to fun seaside activities. This is certainly one of the best Yorkshire beaches along the coast.

Marske Sands, Redcar, TS11 7NF

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