Carol Rogers - North Yorkshire Coast: Staithes & Whitby

Staithes

In August 2025, we spent five days in the coastal village of Staithes, in North Yorkshire. Situated on the North Sea, Staithes used to be a thriving fishing town. The village is now primarily supported by tourism, although local fishermen continue to supply the local restaurants and pubs. We stayed in a small cottage on the north bank of the Staithes Beck, a tidal stream that runs into the North Sea.

Staithes is a spectacularly photogenic town and I had great fun capturing it's charm and beauty.

Local claim to fame: Captain James Cook, lived in Staithes for about 18 months in a failed attempt to learn the grocery business. His employer eventually sent him to work in Whitby where he learned the sailing trade.

Rainbow over Staithes.

Staithes cottages.

High Street

Staithes from the harbor

Sea gull.

Staithes

Fishing boats at low tide

Fishing boats at high tide

Staithes at night

Staithes at sunrise

Sunrise over the sea wall

Staithes at sunrise

The Staithes Beck flowing out into the North Sea.

Staithes at sunrise

Staithes is nestled between two "nabs," or headlands which offer dramatic views of the sea. We took a long cliffwalk along the southern cliffs, enjoying dramatic views of the village, the North Sea, and local farms.

Local pony

Local pony and farm

Cliffwalk

Staithes from the south nab

Sheep

Staithes from the south nab

Footpaths

North Yorkshire coastline

Coastal farm

Sheep

Whitby

South of Staithes is the small town of Whitby, home to Whitby Abbey.

Established in the 11th Century the abbey was an important religious center until the Dissolution under Henry VIII. Built on the site of a 7th Century monastery, where the Synod of Whitby was held in 644 to establish the correct calculation for Easter. The Celtic Christians had one method, the Roman Christians another. The Romans won, effectively establishing superiority of the Roman traditions over the Celtic.

Whitby Abbey was also Bram Stoker's inspiration for Dracula.