The Whitby Beaches, a lovely Stretch of Coastline in North Yorkshire

Along the coastline of the North Yorkshire Coast, Whitby is without a doubt the jewel in the crown. This busy seaside destination along with its bustling harbour and wonderful beaches is a magnet for travellers both in this country and abroad.

Over the last century, and almost certainly from the introduction of the Steam Train by George Stephenson and George Hudson in 1832, the seaside town of Whitby has been the place to go for thousands of tourists. In more recent times, however, the emphasis has moved away from the 'normal' two weeks besides the seashore in the summer weeks, to a more peaceful week's holiday, a 'couple of days' away, a weekend break or even day trips through the year.

While there is a fantastic history to the town and a lot to see and do, the beaches of Whitby certainly are a magnet for families and those wanting to either unwind or take bracing walks along the coastline or even to the adjoining coastal village of Sandsend (tides permitting). There are, in fact, two beaches associated with Whitby. The bigger West Cliff Beach and the smaller East side Tate Hill Beach.

Tate Hill beach on the East side of the resort is between the Tate Hill Pier and the East Pier. This small sandy beach is fairly sheltered and is well suited for families with young kids wishing to paddle in the river as it is not tidal and therefore has a degree of calmness. Further along the beach towards the East Pier at low tide there are a several rock pools to explore as well as the discovery of fossils found all along the North East Coast but especially prevalent within the Whitby area!

The West Cliff beach may be accessed from the slipway near the West Pier, and the gold colored sands stretch all the way to Upgang, and then beyond reaching as far as Sandsend. A walk from Whitby to Sandsend should only be undertaken with prior knowledge of the tides! There are more routes of access, primarily the walkways from the West Cliff location that zig-zag down the cliffside, there is the cliff-lift, opened in 1931 and operated during the peak summer months. This consists of a vertical shaft descending through boulder clay to a pedestrian tunnel (certainly an easier descent than the walk down and even easier on the ascent). There is vehicle access via Upgang making the launching of jet skis and speedboats a possibility. This area is also particularly well-liked by surfers.

West Cliff Beach is really popular all year round. In the summer months there is the availability of windbreak and deckchair hire close to the slipway and, of course, the popular donkey rides. From May until the beginning of September there are lifeguards in attendance offering both information, rescue and first aid services. Cafes and toilet facilities are within easy walking distance as are the ever welcome ice-cream vendors!

There are lots of iconic photographs taken from the beaches in Whitby, the stretch of brightly coloured beach huts lined up in a row standing to attention, the optical illusion of the sun setting in the sea but just through the months of June and July (actually it sets further north behind Sunderland), the arms of the piers extending out in the North Sea to greet the ships returning safely into the harbour and a flotilla of yachts with sails displayed dipping in the waves against the backdrop of Sandsend on a Sunday afte
oon.

In the winter season, the beaches are totally open to dog walkers as in summer time there are restrictions at either end of the stretch of beach from Whitby to Sandsend. At numerous times of the year this beach plays host to many activities. At Whitby Regatta in the summer, you will find motorbike gymkhanas and sand races and at the exact same point on Boxing Day there is the charity Boxing Day Dip where hardy folk in all types of fancy dress run into the sea up to their waists in order to raise funds for their particular charitable organisation. No matter the weather conditions Brrrrr!