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"So I said the seaside was a very disagreeable place, and I wished I hadn't come"

Robin Hood's Bay

North Yorkshire, England


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Robin Hood's Bay, situated on the picturesque Yorkshire coast, is a charming destination that offers a unique blend of natural beauty, rich history, and exciting activities.

Robin Hood's Bay is a large, picturesque bay with some sandy areas and extensive rock reefs exposed at low tide. The bay is approximately 200 metres in length and is enclosed by rugged rocks which become exposed at low tide. Behind the beach is the village of Robin Hood's Bay, with cottages and houses packed tightly on the surrounding steep cliffs.

The beach at Robin Hood's Bay has a powerful, natural beauty, making it a great destination for amateur photographers. With its backdrop of craggy cliffs and sweeping views round the bay, this is a popular destination for day trippers and dog walkers. At high tide the beach is largely submerged by water, but when the tide is out, an attractive, small, sandy beach with rocks and rock pools is revealed.

The rocky shoreline and bracingly cold water make this generally an unsuitable area for swimming. However, at low tide, the cliffs and rocks around the beach are popular with fossil hunters, who can find ammonites, belemnites, and footprints from the Cretaceous and Jurassic Periods. Visitors can also explore the local museum and the National Trust's visitor centre in the Old Coastguard Station on the beachfront.

In more recent history, the bay was known to have been used by smugglers, and there are reputed to be underground passages underneath some of the old houses in the village which lead down to the beach.

Visitors need to take care when walking around the cliff and beach area as some areas of the cliffs might be prone to rock falls and some dog walkers and fossil hunters have been caught out by the incoming tides, which come in surprisingly quickly. It is recommended to check tide times before visiting.

There is no parking area by the sea front. Visitors may park in one of the two public car parks in the village. The car park at the top of the bay has disabled facilities. From the car park at the top of the village, there is then a steep climb down through the narrow streets of the old, picturesque village with its choice of pubs and delightful tea shops.

The beach and surrounding area is very dog-friendly and there are no restrictions at any time of the year.

Robin Hood's Bay has a number of good local pubs and restaurants close by. Walkers can take the Cleveland Way to Whitby about 7 miles north along the cliff top or all the way to Scarborough about 15 miles south. For horse riders, the Farsyde Riding Centre offers horse riding on Robin Hood's Bay Beach.

Robin Hood's Bay is on the North Yorkshire & Cleveland Heritage Coast.

Sand Rock

Weather and tides for Sunday 20 July

Tonight
Chance of rain 4%
Min temp. 14°C
(feels like 15°C)
Wind 4mph
Tomorrow (Monday)
Chance of rain 52%
Max temp. 20°C
(feels like 18°C)
Wind 9mph
Max UV Index

The tide at Robin Hood's Bay is currently rising. High tide will be at approximately 1:06 AM tomorrow, and the next low tide will be at approximately 7:21 AM tomorrow.

Today's air pollution levels are forecast to be Low

Approximate sea surface temperature:   15.4°C  

Detailed weather and tides »
  • Facilities

    Campsite Food available Toilets
  • Popular Activities

    Sunbathing Surfing Walking Water sports
  • Features

    Museum
  • Parking

    There are two car parks overlooking the bay.

  • Dogs

    Dogs are allowed.

  • Lifeguard

    No lifeguard cover at this beach

  • Awards

    Keep Britain Tidy Seaside Award

  • Water Quality

    Excellent water quality

    Excellent water quality

Recommended holiday cottages near Robin Hood's Bay

Things to do and see in the area

The Robin Hood's Bay Ghost Walk (0.1 miles)
Robin Hood's Bay and Fylingdales Museum (0.1 miles)
Coastguard Station (0.1 miles)
199 Steps (0.9 miles)
Hidden Horizons (2.9 miles)
The Regal Lady (3 miles)
Falling Foss Tea Garden and Waterfall (4.1 miles)
Ruswarp Pleasure Boats (4.8 miles)
St Mary's Church (5 miles)

All distances are approximate

Other beaches nearby

Location: Robin Hood's Bay

Location type: Village

OS Grid: NZ953049

County: North Yorkshire

Country: England

Local Authority: Scarborough

Parish: Fylingdales

Nearest postcode: YO22 4SQ

(for sat-nav purposes only, a beach does not have a postal address!)

Important! Beach information is compiled from a variety of different sources and is correct to the best of our knowledge at the time of compilation. However, information may be incorrectly supplied by our sources or go out of date after publication. BritishBeaches.uk makes no warranty as to the accuracy of any information on this page.

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Visitor information for Robin Hood's Bay, North Yorkshire, England. Weather, tides, visitor comments, beach facilities, photos, nearest postcode, beach information and nearby accommodation.

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18.97.14.83 Sun, 20 Jul 2025 19:38:57 +0100