Although Staithes is a destination in its own right, the North Yorkshire and Teesside coastline and the North York Moors National Park offer a diverse environment to explore.

In Staithes, there are breakwaters either side of the harbour, although the eastern one can get cut off at high tide (access is over the beach) and at low tide, the harbour will completely empty making it a constantly changing environment. There a large and noisy kittiwake colony on the Nab (the big cliff in the picture below) which provides good entertainment in the summer and at other times of the year, auks and divers use the shelter of the harbour with turnstones and purple sandpipers running about in winter. August to October is the best time to see dolphins and pilot wales off-shore and seal can turn up any time.

Tourist information is found on https://www.discoveryorkshirecoast.com/

We have our own favourite trips out, whether walking, using the excellent local bus service or driving inland to explore the Moors. It is highly recommended using the half-hourly coastal bus service and doing a one-way walk.

The weather on the coast can be very different to inland; a sunny day on the coast can be matched by a wet day inland, or (and we have to be honest) a cold sea breeze or sea-fret can make a spring day cold by the sea, but hot sunshine a few kilometres inland.

The south-facing garden of cliff Cottage can be warm when there is a cold North wind blowing from the sea, so you may need to wrap up warm in winter to go on a cliff-top walk even if not cold in the garden.