Christina Nixon
Inspired by a legend, Robin Hood’s Bay village has a specific fairytale appeal. Located five miles south of Whitby and 15 miles north of Scarborough, the small fishing village is a true gem of the Yorkshire Coastline. It is picturesque, with quaint cottages, cobbled streets, interesting attractions and perfect for a cosy getaway.
Once a thriving fishing port, by the 18th century, it was reported to be the busiest smuggling community on the Yorkshire coast. Awash with boltholes and secret passages, there are tales of bay wives hiding contraband in their petticoats and pouring boiling water over Excise men from bedroom windows, according to coast magazine. Many of the houses were once connected by a network of tunnels — some still are — that enabled smuggled goods to be easily transported from bay to clifftop without ever seeing the light of day.
The coastal scenery is stunning, and the village has become exceptionally popular as a holiday destination. Despite the thousands of holidaymakers that descend upon the village each year, Robin Hoods Bay retains its aura of untroubled peacefulness, in part because visitor vehicles are banned from the harbour area. From the early 19th century the picturesque village began to draw tourists. An 1847 guidebook painted a vivid picture of the village, proclaiming, ‘No place of human abode can be conceived of more wild in its appearance’ (britainexpress.com).
Just stop for a minute to take in the spectacular views – from the pretty cottages and delightful, narrow cobbled streets to the rough cliffs, making the village exceptionally popular as a holiday destination and attraction for photographers.
As you can see, the Robin Hood’s Bay village is extremelly vibrant and stunning, with a wide range of cafes, restaurants and pubs, different shops and interesting places to explore. In fact, Passport Magazine mentioned it among the 25 top beaches in the world and added:
It’s a photographer’s and scenery-gulper’s delight: the centuries – old houses and byways of the village rising behind, the craggy coast filled with Jurassic fossils and rolling grey waters, the beachcombing and strolling.
Walking on the beach here is like stepping into the history and pre-history books, or, more appropriately, the ancient legends combined with some modern-day pirate stories from this isolated smuggler’s cove.
The Northern Life
The Robin Hood’s Bay village is also famous for ancient fossils due to the fact that the coastal rocks date back to the Jurassic period! There are plenty of ammonites, belemnites and footprints from the Cretaceous and Jurassic Periods waiting to be discovered on the sandy beach. .And if you don’t have time to find them on your own, you should know that a selection of fossils is on display in the village museum!
The Victoria Hotel is perfectly located in the village, offering magnificent, panoramic sea views for those looking for some excellent hotel accomodations.
At the time of the visit, there was also a local music band with many visitors gathered to listen to some very original music creations.
Robin Hood’s Bay is an ideal base for exploring surrounding areas. A few miles away from Whitby and not far from Scarborough, there are plenty of places to discover and enjoy if you decide to spend your holiday here. And if you like some live music, you should know that there is a thriving Folk Music Club performing every Friday evening in The Dolphin Inn on King Street. It also plays a big part in the Robin Hood’s Bay Folk Weekend, which takes place in June.
*Please note : this article was created before the COVID-19 lockdown and doesn’t reflect the current situation. Please check online the locations before you travel for booking details and up-to-date information about visiting. Thank you.
