Reader: I was wrong.
We ended up heading up that way because my aunt has recently finished renovating a (now) beautiful house in Scarborough and we went to see family and have a week by the sea. We had such a good time that we stayed an extra night.
Sure, Scarborough does have bits that are exactly like I imagined. There’s a whole section of loud arcades, cheap donuts and donkey beach rides (and none of this in a cute ‘vintage’ way in my opinion) but if this isn’t your cup of tea, it can easily be avoided and instead you can find yourself walking along spectacular wild coastline, looking around a church decorated by William Morris, visiting Anne Brontë’s grave and eating in cute brunch spots.
A little down the road is Robin Hood’s Bay, a gorgeous smuggler’s village, set in the hill with a beautiful bay and photogenic little alleys. If you weren’t accompanied by a 9 month old, you could easily spend a lovely, slow day (or week) here, hopping between the sprawling, rocky bay, seaside pub, cute gift and chocolate shops and cosy little restaurants. As a tourist destination, there's not a lot to do but if you wanted to hide away from the world a while, it would be a great place to do so.
And then just a little more down the coastline is Whitby, perhaps the place that surprised me the most. With the gothic abbey on top of the cliff, sweeping beach, cobbled streets and stunning views at every turn, it was a million miles away from the unloved seaside town I'd been made to believe it could be.
My recommendations:
Scarborough - head to The Hideout for tasty brunch and quirky decor and to The Clock Cafe for cheap food and the best views of Scarborough.
Robin Hood's Bay - find the ice cream van on the beach, check out The Higgledy Pig for craft beer, local gin and eco-friendly candles that smell delightful.
Whitby - oh too many! Check out my blog post here for all my Whitby recommendations.
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