Staithes

There are endless reasons NOT to go to the coast when the weather is nice, the cues of traffic, the lack of parking, endless shops/ arcades to avoid, crowds, queues for cash, restaurants and toilets.

None of which affects the beautiful fishing village of Staithes, nestled on the North Yorkshire coast in between its better known neighbours Runswick Bay and Saltburn. Heading north on the A19 and A174 means you can be there in just over an hour.

Known to many as the home of Old Jack this village is so much more than just that, set within the North York Moors National Park and part of the heritage coast, Staithes remains largely unchanged since the days Captain Cook had his first job here.

This is a working fishing village and a walk down the cobbled high street will take you down to the harbour and beach where the fishing boats can be seen bobbing about. There is excellent crabbing off the quay when the tide is in, if you get there before 12 in the week the butcher will sell you bacon fat which is the delicacy of choice to the Staithes crab. If the tide is out it’s into the rock pools for some sea creature worrying.

On your way to the harbour you will pass Staithes spattering of unique and delightful shops, Staithes was home to an artist community in the late 19^th early 20th century and many artists still come to paint this unique landscape. Many of the works can be bought in the Staithes Gallery, there is craft centre and the amazing Dotty About Vintage, a shop packed to the rafters with vintage finds from deckchairs to Roberts radios (mucho cash is required here there is no card machine) Of course there is the pre requisite of the sea side, the shop that sell buckets, spades, crabbing equipment and owls made of shells, but this shop is so ridiculously cheap it seems to come from another era.

At the Cod and Lobster, the lovely pub on the quay, you can sit looking out to see while eating your locally caught lunch and downing Yorkshire Ale. This is a day out that will take you back to a more traditional time a t the seaside but if you decide to stay is a stone’s throw from the bustle of Whitby or Saltburn.