Beautiful little seaside village in Yorkshire named one of UK's best

By Grace Piercy, News Reporter

Runswick Bay is one of the UK's best seaside villages (Image: Getty)

A beautiful little seaside village in Yorkshire has been named second best in the UK.

Runswick Bay is a fishing village on the coast of North Yorkshire. It is a popular tourist attraction due to its picturesque buildings and beach.

It has been named among the UK’s best seaside towns by the Telegraph. The Telegraph said: “Against stiff competition, Runswick steals the cutest in Yorkshire crown. Rebuilt in its current, cliff-clinging spot after a landslide in 1682, it’s a tumble of old fishermen’s cottages.

“Many are holiday lets now, but there’s still a small, close-knit community, the same old Royal Hotel pub, and a few traditional coble boats moored up. 

“And still the same gob-smacking swathe of sand, dotted with rock pools and backed by Jurassic cliffs where benevolent goblins allegedly lurk.”

The village is dotted with red-roofed cottages (Image: Getty)

The Whitby Guide, a local tourist website, describes Runswick Bay as "undoubtedly one of the Yorkshire Coast’s most scenic destinations" with red-roofed cottages on densely packed winding streets with steep steps.

The village has just three pubs, a cafe, and a tearoom. Its closest shops are a small village shop in Hinderwell (about 25 minutes walk), or a medium-sized Co-op in Staithes (a seven-minute drive).

It has also been included on both the Independent’s and Time Out’s list of Britain’s best “secret beaches”. The wide stretch of unspoiled sandy beach has it all - being on the Jurassic coast, it has great rock pools and fossil hunting.

The beach is great for fossil-hunting (Image: Getty)

It’s also great for crabbing, fishing, and wildlife spotting with seals, dolphins, and whales all being spotted in the waters.

The Cleveland Way National Trail to Saltburn offers a stunning walking route, itself a historic area of North Yorkshire, running 110 miles between Helmsley and the Brigg at Filey.

Visitors should note Runswick’s narrow streets “aren’t for cars” and it's recommended people come by bus or on foot via the Cleveland Way National Trail. There are a handful of places to stay with a hotel and some holiday lets in the village.