Things to see and do on the Yorkshire Coast

Ravenscar

Ravenscar can be found high on the cliffs of the North Yorkshire coast between Scarborough and Whitby. The coastal countryside and industrial heritage found here are products of thousands of years of natural history, and hundreds of years of industrial and agricultural activity.

The well-preserved remains of Peak Alum Works and a Second World War radar station offer a glimpse into the past. Nature lovers can meander through a bluebell wood or pause at the pond to spot aquatic life and colourful dragonflies. 

Ravenscar Visitor Centre

Head to the visitor centre to dip into the fascinating story of Ravenscar, known as ‘The Town That Never Was’. You’ll also find information about the local area, including walking and cycling routes, events, plus activities such as geocaching and wildlife watching. While you're at the visitor centre, why not refuel with a hot or cold drink and a snack.

Robin Hood’s Bay

The Old Coastguard Station, our visitor centre on the edge of the sea in Robin Hood’s Bay village, will help you discover what makes this part of the Yorkshire Coast so special.

Learn about the area’s distinctive geology, the impact of the elements and climate change on the coast, local history - including smuggling, and the work that National Trust rangers are doing in the area. You can enjoy a drink or a snack from the ground floor café, too.

Hayburn Wyke

A lovely place for a walk, Hayburn Wyke is accessed either from the Cleveland Way or via footpaths north or south of the Hayburn Wyke Inn at Cloughton.

Winding paths through woodland lead to a rocky bay where a beck meets the beach in a double waterfall. Oaks twisted by sea breezes create mystical shapes, while flat rocks above the waterfall provide the perfect spot for a picnic.

We advise that dogs and young children are kept under close control as there are some hidden steep drops, particularly where the woods meet the cliff slopes.

Runswick Bay

Our field at Runswick Bay contains two reservoirs built to feed an ironworks' blast furnace in the mid-19th-century, the remains of which can be found at the base of the slumped sea cliffs. Today, they're managed as wildlife ponds. The deeper of the two provides a breeding habitat for all three of our native species of newt, including the rare great crested variety.

Port Mulgrave

Lying nine miles north-west of Whitby, the village of Port Mulgrave owes its existence to the ironstone mining industry of the mid-19th-century. The old mine entrance can still be seen 50 feet above the high-water mark. After the mine ceased production, the tunnel was extended to join the Grinkle Park mine and used to transport stone to the harbour by narrow gauge railway.

Tree sparrows at Port Mulgrave

Large parts of the National Trust’s land at Port Mulgrave are covered in blackthorn, the spiny thickets of which make an ideal home for small birds such as dunnocks, yellowhammers and chaffinches.

Tree sparrows can often be heard chirping from the bushes. These attractive little birds – which look like house sparrows but have a chestnut-coloured cap and a black cheek patch – have suffered a severe population decline over recent years, so we’ve installed nest boxes to help them breed and thrive.

Birdwatching at Cowbar Nab

There's nothing quite like visiting a seabird colony in spring. Cowbar Nab is a great place to see a range of different birds that come here to breed every spring. Enjoy the sights, sounds and, oh yes, the smells.

Good views can be had from the cliff tops to the north, as well as from the harbour wall below Cowbar Nab. Bring along a pair of binoculars for the best birdwatching experience.

Among the species that pay a visit to the area are herring gulls, kittiwakes, fulmars and razorbills. They’re also joined by housemartins – not a bird you might expect to see in a seabird colony, but one that returns to breed every year.

Loftus Alum Quarries

Step away from the daily grind and enjoy peaceful clifftop views of the coast from these old quarries, which were a centre of industrial activity between 1656 and 1863.

Warsett Hill

Warsett Hill is the highest point on the stretch of coast between Saltburn and Skinningrove. It's well worth climbing to enjoy the superb panoramic view of the coast and surrounding area.

The hill was the site of a Roman signal station, built to defend the area against Anglo-Saxon attack, but most of the archaeological interest here is a little more modern.

Old Saltburn

Old Saltburn may only be a small piece of land, but it's interesting for its nature conservation value.

The slumped boulder clay cliff slopes that rise from the beach support plants such as hemp-agrimony, fragrant orchid, bird’s foot trefoil and betony.

The steep-sided valley that cuts through the centre of the property is known as Little Dale, and is a Site of Nature Conservation Importance. Salad burnet, wild thyme, harebell and common century can all be found growing here.