8 of the best views on the Yorkshire Coast
We asked for your suggestions… Here’s what you said!
Last updated 22nd Oct 2021
Many of the best views in Yorkshire are right here on the coast. We asked you for your ideas and suggestions included included everything from popular tourist spots like Whitby, Ravencar and Robin Hoods Bay to little-known remote countryside landscapes in the North York Moors. Read on to see if your favourites make our list…
Whitby's West Cliff looking East
If you're very clever, you can frame the Abbey through the Whalebone Arch.
Whitby's 199 Steps
And then there's the view looking back the other way!
Oliver's Mount, Scarborough
On a clear day, stunning views for miles...
Bempton Cliffs
A birdwatcher's paradise, said to be home to half a million seabirds every Spring.
Scarborough's South Bay
There's barely a tourist who hasn't taken this photo...
The Cinder Track
The route of the Whitby to Scarborough railway that closed in 1965 now offers all sorts of stunning views along it's 21 miles.
Cayton Bay
Just to the south of Scarborough and a favourite with surfers...
Ravenscar to Robin Hood's Bay
Robin Hood's Bay looks great from every angle including from high up at Ravenscar
Now see how the Yorkshire Coast used to look:
Filey Beach, c1910
A family day out on the beach in Filey use to look very different! This image is thought to date from around 1910.
Butlins Filey, 1954
Work on Filey's Butlins was started just before World War II. It housed military personnel during the conflict before opening as a holiday camp in 1945. It was served by its own railway station. At its peak, it attracted 175,000 guests in a single season. The camp closed in 1983. Primrose Valley and The Bay Holiday Village now occupy the site.
Sandsend, 1931
The view of cottages alongside Sandsend Beck at the foot of Lythe Bank, taken in spring 1931.
Staithes & Runswick Bay Lifeboat, 1954
The Staithes & Runswick Bay Lifeboat going to sea in Staithes in 1954.
Whitby West Cliff Beach, 1924
The West Cliff beach was just as busy on a warm summer's day 100 years ago as it is today! This is August 1924.
Whitby's 199 Steps, 1931
The first record of 199 steps up to the Abbey is from 1340. Originally made from wood, they were replaced by stone in 1774. They famously feature in Bram Stoker's 1897 novel "Dracula" when the Count, in the form of a large dog-like creature, comes ashore at Whitby and runs up the 199 steps to the graveyard of St Mary's Church.
Whitby arcades, 1969
Seafront arcades remain a tourist draw to this day. Prize Bingo was only 6d per card in August 1969!
Scarborough's Alexandra Gardens & Floral Hall, c1900
The Floral Hall – effectively a huge conservatory – was a concert and theatrical space on the North side of Scarborough. The Alexandra Gardens offered outdoor recreation like tennis and bowls. The Hall closed in 1987 and was demolished in 1989. The site is now home to Scarborough Bowls Centre.
Scarborough Spa, c1900
A familiar view of the Scarborough Spa in the South Bay. This image was taken around the turn of the century – about 20 years after The Spa was built.
Peasholm Park, Scarborough, 1922
Another familiar site where little appears to have changed in 100 years! This is Peasholm Park in 1922.
Scarborough's South Bay, 1935
Scarborough's Foreshore not long before the start of the second World War. Venues like The Futurist Theatre were already operating.
North Bay Bathing Pool, Scarborough, 1938
This is Scarborough's newly opened "North Bay Bathing Pool" in the summer of 1938. The site was redeveloped and renamed through the 80s and 90s - known over the years as "Waterscene", "Water Splash World" and "Atlantis".
Scarborough Open Air Theatre, 1957
The Lord Mayor of London opened The Open Air Theatre in Northstead Manor Gardens in 1932. The redeveloped site was opened by HM The Queen in 2010.
Bridlington Promenade, 1926
This is what a summer's day in Brid looked like 100 years ago! This view of the Promenade was taken in August 1926.
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