Filey

In 2021, Filey Beach was named as one of Europes top 20 beaches and in 2018 Filey won The Sunday Times’ ‘Beach of the Year’. Both came as no surprise to us. With its long stretch of golden sand and picturesque views, it’s the perfect place for friends and family to enjoy a seaside holiday. Close-by to the north, Filey Brigg has some impressive rock pools to explore, where you may even find the odd fossil or two, and also marks the start/end of the Cleveland WayTrail.

Filey is a vibrant town with lots of shops, cafes, a museum, active RNLI station and a concert hall. There’s plenty to do in and around Filey if you’re looking for a relaxing way to pass the day, or if you need to escape from the rain! Housed in a converted historic farmhouse, Filey Museum is only a short walk from the town centre and is ‘Probably the Best Small Museum in the World!’

With its special mix of friendly animals, birds, gardens and wildlife habitats, Filey Bird Garden and Animal Park is perfect for visitors of all ages, while Playdale Farm Park in Scarborough is great fun for small kids with its farm animals as well as indoor and outdoor play areas.

For older kids, Bondville Model Village in Bridlington and Scarborough Castle are both exciting, interesting, and unique attractions for the whole family, and the Spirit of Yorkshire Distillery in Filey offers tours and tastings for the grown-ups! 

What’s On – Filey

Each summer, Filey Sailing Club hosts the Filey Regatta which sees dozens of boats from across the country competing in a series of races over two days, held this year on 13-14 July. 

Filey Food Festival returns for the summer on 10-11 August at the Evron Centre and Crescent Gardens with a smorgasbord of producers and exhibitors serving up tasty treats form Yorkshire and around the globe.

Whitby (40 minutes by car)

Famous for its connections to Bram Stoker’s Dracula, Whitby has always embraced its association with Gothic culture which is reflected in the town’s quirky streets, shops and Abbey ruins, and of course the annual celebration of the culture – The Whitby Goth Weekend.

When you visit you can explore ornate cobbled paths, locally-owned shops and quirky cafes that give Whitby its intriguing yet welcoming atmosphere, making it a great place to visit. Being by the sea you’ll also get to enjoy classic seaside fun and food with locally caught crab & lobster as well as sandcastle building and walks along the pier! Whitby is also a place for explorers, with connection to the famous voyager Captain James Cook. The great man is immortalised in a monument up on West Cliff, where he can be seen looking out to his favourite place – the sea. You can also learn more about his life and journeys in Whitby at the Captain Cook Memorial Museum. Finally whilst shopping you can find lots of shops selling locally found and jewelled Whitby jet. You can also hop on the North York Moors Railway – home to a Harry Potter scene – which you can learn about on our Things to See and Do Page.

Whats On – Whitby

Each summer, Filey Sailing Club hosts the Filey Regatta which sees dozens of boats from across the country competing in a series of races over two days, held this year on 13-14 July. 

Filey Food Festival returns for the summer on 10-11 August at the Evron Centre and Crescent Gardens with a smorgasbord of producers and exhibitors serving up tasty treats form Yorkshire and around the globe.

Bridlington (6 miles)

If you’re looking for a leisurely day out, how about visiting the elegant promenades of bright and breezy Bridlington? With its sandy beaches, award-winning promenades and historic harbour, this is a hidden seaside gem awash with kitsch traditional entertainment.

Visit the leisure centre, John Bulls Candy Kingdom, Spa, Theatre, Funfair, amusements and donkey rides on the beach for a traditional British day out with seaside in spades!

Also, whilst you’re in this neck of the woods, why not go and explore Bridlington’s wonderful Old Town or visit Sewerby Hall, garden and zoo

There’s also Bridlington Priory which was founded in 1113 and is now a Grade 1 listed building, Sewerby Hall and Gardens, Flamborough Lighthouse visitor centre, and the Stained Glass Centre in Scarborough, all of which offer interesting insights into the unique history of Filey and the local area.

Bempton Cliffs (a walk or drive away)

Bempton Cliffs (a walk or short drive away), is home to one of the UK’s top wildlife spectacles. Around half a million seabirds gather here between March and August to raise a family on the towering chalk cliffs that overlook the North Sea.

The huge white chalk cliffs at Bempton are impressive at any time of year. But visit between April and July, and you’ll find them transformed into England’s largest seabird city. Here Puffins, Gannets, Kittiwakes and Guillemots live life on the edge. There are more Gannets acrobatically diving into the deep here than anywhere else on mainland England.

But it’s not all about the cliffs. In spring and summer Corn Buntings, Skylarks and Linnets breed in the grassland and scrub where land meets the sea, while Kestrel and Barn Owls hunt under wide open skies, often joined in winter by Short-eared Owls.

RSPB Bempton is part of the headland at Flamborough and inside the recording area of Flamborough Bird Observatory (FBO) which covers most of the headland. FBO update their sightings page every day. If you go here you can find out what has been seen at Bempton Cliffs and nearby. If you explore the site you can discover more about the FBO and other local areas that are good for birds.