Staithes tourist information & FAQ
- Village, area and travel first- Then FAQ about the cottage
- Then more photos
What and where is Staithes?
Staithes is a village in North Yorkshire, a natural harbour where Roxby Beck meets the sea, surrounded by breathtaking coastal scenery. It's on the Cleveland Way with delightful walks both along the clifftops and inland. There's a sandy beach, a stony shore and piers for fishing.
A visit Staithes is like stepping back in time. Picturesque, higgledy-piggledy cottages with red pantiled and grey slate roofs are grouped around tiny yards, up steps, down winding cobbled streets or through a maze of alleyways - all steeped in history.
Staithes is perfect for an unforgettable family holiday or a romantic getaway for a couple.
What is there to do in Staithes?
Exploring Staithes is an adventure, with it's nooks and crannies, the beach, mysterious paths, stepping stones over the Beck, rural walks, a mindbogglingly narrow street, quirky shops, fishing, the museum, unexpected views and timeless appeal.
(I'll put my health and safety hat on now). If you go crabbing on the rocks at Staithes, have fun but take care - the tide comes in twice a day and the sea completely covers the rocks, so be aware of the changing cycle of the tide, don't go alone, make sure someone knows where you are and when to expect you back, keep away from the cliffs and don't stray too far up or down the coast from the village.
What is around Staithes?
Staithes is a great base to explore the North Yorkshire Coast and the North Yorkshire Moors National Park. There's lots to do, such as:
The Cleveland Way passes through Staithes, so take the steep walk to Boulby to the North, or the more leisurely clifftop walk to Port Mulgrave and Runswick Bay to the south.
For railway enthusiasts, visit Goathland Station (a.k.a. Hogsmeade Station from the first Harry Potter movie) from where you can take a steam train to Whitby and climb the 199 steps to Whitby Abbey to see where Dracula got up to his shenanigans and have fish 'n' chips at the legendary Magpie Cafe or coffee and cake at Sherlock's.
To the north of Staithes, the charming market town Saltburn-by-the-Sea has a 15 inch gauge railway as well as funicular down the cliff to the pier and you can hire a wetsuit and learn to surf! (Staithes itself is good for experienced surfers too).
Sandsend has a really long beach, as well as sandy part near the bridge that fills with sea water when the tide comes in and becomes a paddling pool for little kids when the tide goes out againt.
For a longer day out, Scarborough is a 45 minute drive (see swimming pools section if you like water parks) and Robin Hood's Bay is fun. If you don't know Yorkshire, the magnificent city of York, a one-and-a-half hour drive away across the spectacular landscape of the moors should not be missed.
For another longer day out, remember Staithes is at the intersection of Yorkshire and the North East, so head out with the kids for the unforgettable experience of Beamish, for which you'll need the entire day as it's huge and fun. For adults, the small university city of Durham, with its snaking river, castle and cathedral has a distinctive relaxed vibe.
And much much more!
Are there any pubs in Staithes?
Yes - three - and all do great food. The George on the High Street, The Cod & Lobster overlooking the beach and the Captain Cook at the top of the village.
Where else can we eat out locally?
There are cafes and a bistro in Staithes village as well as plenty of good pubs and restaurants in nearby villages and towns. The Fox and Hounds (TS13 5DT) at Dalehouse is a short walk from Staithes but take care as there is no footpath on the narrow road. Hinderwell and Runswick Bay are less than 3 miles away. The Ellerby Inn is 4 miles from Staithes (TS13 5LP) to the south. Going further afield, there are plenty of eating options in the Victorian market towns of Saltburn to the north and Whitby to the south.
Where is the fish 'n' chip shop?
Excelsior, 4 Staithes Lane - up up up the hill (not Cowbar Bank - the other hill) and keep going - it's on your left.
Where are the nearest shops and supermarkets?
The Co-op general store on Whitby Road at the top of Staithes village, open until 10pm. Further afield, down the coast there are two large supermarkets in Whitby, about 12 miles from Staithes - a Co-op by the railway station (YO21 1YW) and a Sainsburys Superstore on the outskirts of town (YO22 4NL.) The large Asda at Skelton (TS12 2ZL) is next to a large Aldi, 9 miles from Staithes. A small Co-op (TS13 4HA) may be found at Loftus, 4 miles from Staithes and there's a Sainburys by the railway station in Saltburn (TS12 1DG) which is 9 miles up the coast. And if you can't do without your Marksies trifles, it's 15 miles to M&S at Guisborough (TS14 7DL)
Staithes also has a scattering of small independent shops to explore in the old village itself. Art galleries, crafts, boutiques, a delicatessen, a sweet shop and even a museum. Everything from logs for the wood-burning stove to a bucket-and-spade for the kids to take to the beach is around. And please buy something from the Lifeboats shop, to support the RNLI.
Are there swimming pools around Staithes?
Loftus Leisure Centre, Deepdale Road, TS13 4RS - 9am-9pm 01287 642020
Scarborough Alpamare Water Park - 28 Burniston Rd, YO12 6PH – a great day out!
Whitby Leisure Centre, West Cliff, YO21 3HT - 7am-4pm, evenings 4pm-9pm. 01947 604640
Check that these programmes are up-to-date before you set off.
Where are the closest petrol stations to Staithes?Hinderwell Service Station, 152 High St., 3 miles, petrol & breakdown service 01947 840341
Whitby - Esso 6 Upgang Lane YO21 3DS, 11 miles down coast - as you enter Whitby on the A174
Also see Shops above - Asda at Skelton (24 hours) 8 miles, Sainsburys at Whitby 13 miles.
Why can't I get a phone signal? Staithes is surrounded by cliffs, so services are patchy in parts of the village. Some networks are better than others.
Walk up the hill for a decent signal...
... or call with your favourite app. (Skype, WhatsApp etc). Most cottages, cafes and pubs have wi-fi.
How do we get to Staithes?
What emergency services serve Staithes?
Tourist and general information tends to change over time so you are encouraged to email us with interesting updates or corrections.
The rest of the FAQs are specific to Sea Haven cottage, 3 Cowbar Bank, Staithes
How do we get to Sea Haven?If you're coming by car, set your GPS to TS13 5BZ. Turn off the A174 onto Cowbar Lane (signposted Cowbar), don't worry about the permit holders only sign (as our permit will be waiting for you in the cottage), follow the road to the end and drop down the hill. Sea Haven is half-way down the hill and has a white bay window. You must display the parking permit on your dashboard, and please don't forget about it and drive off with it when you leave!
See above for general FAQs about how to get to Staithes by train and bus. From Staithes Lane End bus stop, walk all the way along Staithes Lane to the (other) end, down the hill, straight ahead and turn left to go down onto the footbridge over the beck. From the bridge, you will see Sea Haven to your left on Cowbar Bank.
What is included in the rental price and what do we have to bring with us?
The rental price includes clean bedding and towels (the beds will be made up and ready for you) and lots of useful stuff like smart TVs, DVD, a hair dryer, a bluetooth music player (look on the bottom to see how to connect it to your phone) iron, washer-dryer etc.
Electricity for normal use is included in the rental price, but if you are planning to bring an electric vehicle you must inform us in advance and we will jointly estimate the additional electricity cost and add it to your rental price. We welcome and encourage EV use but you must pay your own travel costs. You should provide your own EV charger and extension cable (about 6 metres should be enough). The power supply is standard household single-phase.
If you would like to use the Aga wood-burning stove at Sea Haven, bring logs (max. 25 cm), kindling and firelighters.
The cottage is let on a fully 'self-catering' basis which means we don't provide a welcome package or stuff, other than a couple of bare essentials like a toilet roll, dishcloth, hand cleanser. Your first stop should be to Staithes Co-op!
Staithes is a village in North Yorkshire, a natural harbour where Roxby Beck meets the sea, surrounded by breathtaking coastal scenery. It's on the Cleveland Way with delightful walks both along the clifftops and inland. There's a sandy beach, a stony shore and piers for fishing.
A visit Staithes is like stepping back in time. Picturesque, higgledy-piggledy cottages with red pantiled and grey slate roofs are grouped around tiny yards, up steps, down winding cobbled streets or through a maze of alleyways - all steeped in history.
Staithes is perfect for an unforgettable family holiday or a romantic getaway for a couple.
What is there to do in Staithes?
Exploring Staithes is an adventure, with it's nooks and crannies, the beach, mysterious paths, stepping stones over the Beck, rural walks, a mindbogglingly narrow street, quirky shops, fishing, the museum, unexpected views and timeless appeal.
(I'll put my health and safety hat on now). If you go crabbing on the rocks at Staithes, have fun but take care - the tide comes in twice a day and the sea completely covers the rocks, so be aware of the changing cycle of the tide, don't go alone, make sure someone knows where you are and when to expect you back, keep away from the cliffs and don't stray too far up or down the coast from the village.
Staithes is a great base to explore the North Yorkshire Coast and the North Yorkshire Moors National Park. There's lots to do, such as:
Are there any pubs in Staithes?
Yes - three - and all do great food. The George on the High Street, The Cod & Lobster overlooking the beach and the Captain Cook at the top of the village.
Where else can we eat out locally?
There are cafes and a bistro in Staithes village as well as plenty of good pubs and restaurants in nearby villages and towns. The Fox and Hounds (TS13 5DT) at Dalehouse is a short walk from Staithes but take care as there is no footpath on the narrow road. Hinderwell and Runswick Bay are less than 3 miles away. The Ellerby Inn is 4 miles from Staithes (TS13 5LP) to the south. Going further afield, there are plenty of eating options in the Victorian market towns of Saltburn to the north and Whitby to the south.
Where is the fish 'n' chip shop?
Excelsior, 4 Staithes Lane - up up up the hill (not Cowbar Bank - the other hill) and keep going - it's on your left.
Where are the nearest shops and supermarkets?
The Co-op general store on Whitby Road at the top of Staithes village, open until 10pm. Further afield, down the coast there are two large supermarkets in Whitby, about 12 miles from Staithes - a Co-op by the railway station (YO21 1YW) and a Sainsburys Superstore on the outskirts of town (YO22 4NL.) The large Asda at Skelton (TS12 2ZL) is next to a large Aldi, 9 miles from Staithes. A small Co-op (TS13 4HA) may be found at Loftus, 4 miles from Staithes and there's a Sainburys by the railway station in Saltburn (TS12 1DG) which is 9 miles up the coast. And if you can't do without your Marksies trifles, it's 15 miles to M&S at Guisborough (TS14 7DL)
Staithes also has a scattering of small independent shops to explore in the old village itself. Art galleries, crafts, boutiques, a delicatessen, a sweet shop and even a museum. Everything from logs for the wood-burning stove to a bucket-and-spade for the kids to take to the beach is around. And please buy something from the Lifeboats shop, to support the RNLI.
Are there swimming pools around Staithes?
Where are the closest petrol stations to Staithes?
Why can't I get a phone signal?
How do we get to Staithes?
- If you are coming by car to Sea Haven, you don't need to worry about parking. We have a (free) parking space for you, right next to the cottage.
- If you are coming by car to Staithes but staying somewhere other than Sea Haven, check whether a parking solution is provided. Finding parking can be very difficult in Staithes during the summer, so think about pre-arranging somewhere to park. There are pay car parks at the top of the south side of the village, which currently cost from £6/day and £to up to 15 per day for a pre-reserved space for a large car. During winter (Nov - Feb), Bank Top long-stay car park is free.
- If you're coming by train, Saltburn (9 miles up the coast from Staithes) and Whitby (12 miles down the coast from Staithes) are the closest mainline stations.
- From Saltburn railway station, take a taxi or bus X4 or X4a (route Middlesbrough - Saltburn - Staithes - Whitby).
- From Whitby railway station, take a taxi or the X56 bus (route Whitby - Staithes - Guisborough - Middlesbrough) or the X4 or X4a bus (Whitby - Staithes - Saltburn - Middlesbrough).
- If you arrive by bus, get off at Staithes Lane End bus stop, walk along Staithes Lane and down the hill into the old village.
What emergency services serve Staithes?
- Coastguard 999 Police 999 Ambulance 999 Fire 999.
- 24 hour Accident and Emergency (22 miles from Staithes) - James Cook University Hospital, Marton Road, Middlesbrough, TS4 3BW, 01642 850 85024
- Whitby Hospital - 01947 899 200, Spring Hill, Whitby YO21 1DP, 8am-8pm, minor injuries unit
- 111 is NHS telephone service for medical help fast but not for life-threatening situations
- Staithes Surgery - 01947 840 480,- Mon-Fri 9am-6pm, welcomes non-residents, has a dispensary, Seaton Crescent in the upper village (TS13 5AY)
- Chemist / pharmacy - Lloyds, 26 High Street, Loftus (TS13 4HA) 01287 640 301 and - 4 miles from Staithes
- Chemist / pharmacy - late night to 10.30pm or 10pm Sat. 4pm Sun - Tesco Superstore, W Dyke Rd, Redcar (TS10 2AA) - 16 miles from Staithes
- Power cut - fuse box is behind front door (Sea Haven only); if whole street phone 105
- Water / flood - stop-cock is in the kitchen cupboard opposite the cooker (Sea Haven only).
- The Beck Veterinary Practice - 01947 82033 High Stakesby YO21 1HL, 10 miles from Staithes
Tourist and general information tends to change over time so you are encouraged to email us with interesting updates or corrections.
How do we get to Sea Haven?
What is included in the rental price and what do we have to bring with us?
Does Sea Haven have a smoking policy?
Smoking inside the cottage is strictly forbidden.
You may choose to smoke outdoors, for example sitting on the terrace overlooking the sea.
Do you accept dogs?
Yes - one small dog is permitted (and there is no charge) but guest must agree to some very, very strict conditions:
Friday morning (early). Please leave the bin at the bottom of the steps.
We pay the local council extra so that the bin is emptied weekly, not fortnightly.
Please make sure that everthing in the bin is bagged. This is important as the bin lorry is too big to get down the hill so they use an ordinary van. Anything that isn't bagged cannot be taken away.
If possible, get rid of as much rubbish as you can (get it ready Thursday evening) rather than leaving it all until your last day as a courtesy to the next guests who won't arrive to find a full bin!
Make sure you parked tightly so that there will be room for the bin van to get past.
How can we connect to wi-fi broadband?
The password is posted around the cottage as well as on the router in the main bedroom (behind the TV).
If the wifi goes down, you will find guidelines with what to do in the cottage.
What if we bring a second car?
We provide only one parking permit, so...
... if you bring a second car see the general section of these FAQs, above, for parking solutions.
Do you offer Short Breaks and discounts for couples or single guests at Sea Haven?
Short breaks of minimum 3 nights, except during July/August for which we book full weeks only, Thursday-Thursday.
20% discounts are available for couples or single travellers who do not need the second and third bedrooms on the top floor.
See our Book page for the latest availability and pricing details.
Is Sea Haven one of the cottages known as "The Fishermen's Cottages"?
Yes. For about two decades, yorkshireholiday.com used the title "The "Fishermen's Cottages" as the online presence of Sea Haven (3 Cowbar Bank) and a pair of neighbouring cottages who didn't have their own website, including Old Jack's cottage from the kid's TV series Old Jack's Boat.
The neighbours have now built a website, also adopting the title "The Fishermen's Cottages", so we now use only the cottage name "Sea Haven".
Are there two cottages called Sea Haven at Staithes?
Kind of - another cottage on the other side of the village has a remarkably similar name.
We are Sea Haven on Cowbar Bank
The other cottage was always marketed as Seahaven - a single word, but...
... they have started to use a booking agent who spells it Sea Haven!
Staithes is a quirky kind of place - multiple cottages with the same name is not unusual
How is Sea Haven heated?
Electric heating and a woodburner
The electric heating includes night storage heaters, wall heaters, infra-red panel heaters, an electric towel rail, an electric stove. Winters can be cold on the Yorkshire coast so we provide plenty of heating. The storage heaters warm up overnight and release heat during the day. The other heaters have energy-saving rollback timers, so you can switch them on whenever you need them and they will turn themselves off again up to 6 hours later. If it's still cold just switch them on again. If you've gone out for the day, you won't be heating empty space.
The Aga wood-burning stove in the living room is great for cosy fireside evenings. We do not provide logs / kindling / firelighters/matches, which you can find for sale in the village (max. log length 25cm). We encourage you to support local businesses, but in the case of logs we feel it's only right to point out that if you buy them in the village you have to lug them over the bridge and up the hill, so if you come by car you might want to pick up some logs on the way!
We keep a steel fireguard behind one of the armchairs, which isn't strictly necessary for a stove but it's a good idea if you have kids around as the stove gets HOT. Look out for a blue laminated instruction sheet which shows how to use the stove.
More photos of Sea Haven and Staithes? Of course!
This picture postcard view is what you see from Sea Haven
Staithes Beck from above
Staithes from far above
Branding is as branding does
Staithes harbour and beach
A woodland walk at Staithes.
Sea Haven cottage, Staithes - view from Roxby Beck
View from Sea Haven
Minions invade Staithes
Plastic duck race - an annual village event on Staithes Lifeboat Weekend
to raise funds for the Lifeboats (Royal National Lifeboat Institution)
Staithes harbour from below... in the sixties
There are also many other lovely holiday cottages in and around Staithes. We recommend:
... and finally...
Do you accept dogs?
Yes - one small dog is permitted (and there is no charge) but guest must agree to some very, very strict conditions:
- Downstairs only: Guests with a pet must agree not to permit him/her upstairs, so the staircase door must be kept closed.
- Zero pet hair: Guest with a pet must agree to thoroughly remove any pet hair, leaving no trace that a dog/cat has been present.
- Zero pet damage: Guests must agree to promptly repair or replace furniture, carpets or soft furnishings damaged or stained by pets.
- Never alone. Guests must agree never to leave a pet in the cottage when you go out. All three pubs welcome well-behaved dogs so there is no reason to leave a dog alone in the cottage.
How can we connect to wi-fi broadband?
What if we bring a second car?
Do you offer Short Breaks and discounts for couples or single guests at Sea Haven?
Is Sea Haven one of the cottages known as "The Fishermen's Cottages"?
Are there two cottages called Sea Haven at Staithes?
How is Sea Haven heated?
More photos of Sea Haven and Staithes?
This picture postcard view is what you see from Sea Haven
Staithes Beck from above
Staithes from far above
Branding is as branding does
Staithes harbour and beach
A woodland walk at Staithes.
Sea Haven cottage, Staithes - view from Roxby Beck
View from Sea Haven
Minions invade Staithes
Plastic duck race - an annual village event on Staithes Lifeboat Weekend
to raise funds for the Lifeboats (Royal National Lifeboat Institution)
Staithes harbour from below... in the sixties
There are also many other lovely holiday cottages in and around Staithes. We recommend:
- Staithes Old Chapel - a large, stylish house on Staithes High Street which sleeps 8/9 and is owned by the little boy at the front of the picture immediately above!
- Staithes View at nearby Grinkle, which has two bedrooms and overlooks rolling fields and the sea.
- Staithes.net a community site that links only to Staithes accommodation owners' own websites.
... and finally...
- A visit to Staithes is a great opportunity to support the Lifeboats by donating, or by buying Lifeboats merchandise at the RNLI shop at the bottom of the bank (by the lifeboat station).