Sandsend

Where it is, and getting there

Sandsend sits at the foot of Lythe Bank on the A174, three miles north of Whitby, inside the North York Moors National Park. Coast buses run along the seafront every hour or so in season; drivers should note that Lythe Bank above the village is steep and sharp, and that the seafront road is the only way through.

The beach and the walk to Whitby

The sand here is broad, firm and almost unbroken all the way to Whitby's West Cliff, one of the best flat walks in the park, with the abbey growing on the headland ahead of you the whole way. It takes around an hour at an easy pace.

Time it with the tide. At high water the sea comes up to the sea wall and the walk simply is not there; two hours either side of low water it is a boulevard. Check a Whitby tide table, set off on a falling tide, and take the bus or the cliff path back rather than racing the water.

Surf, swim and safety

Sandsend is a genuine surf beach by Yorkshire standards, best on a north-easterly swell, with schools and hire operating in season. Swimmers get a gently shelving beach and, at the Ness end, rock ledges and pools at low tide. There are no permanent lifeguards, the water is cold enough for a wetsuit in every month of the year, and rips run near the rocks, swim near other people and stay off the ledges on a rising tide.

Mulgrave Woods and the alum coast

Behind the village, Mulgrave Woods. Part of the Mulgrave Estate, run inland along the becks past two ruined castles. Access is by the estate's permitted open days rather than a right of way, so check locally before setting off; when they are open it is one of the finest woodland walks on the coast.

North of the village, the path around Sandsend Ness follows the trackbed of the old Whitby–Loftus railway through the remains of the alum works, the 17th- and 18th-century industry that stripped whole hillsides along this shore to make the mordant that fixed dye in cloth. The scars and tramways are still obvious, and the shale they exposed is why fossils turn up so readily here.

Eating, and dogs

The village punches well above its size for food, beach cafes, a bakery, an ice-cream counter and the pub on the seafront, and it is a serious contender for the best fish and chips within reach of Whitby without the queue. Dogs are welcome on the beach outside the summer restriction on the main bathing stretch and in most of the cafes with outdoor tables; see our dog-friendly guide for the rest of the coast.

Walks from Sandsend

Whitby along the sand (about 3 miles one way). Flat, spectacular and tide-dependent. Bus back, or return on the cliff path past the golf course.

Sandsend Ness and the alum works (about 2 miles). Out along the old railway to the quarries and back on the shore at low tide. Short, and the most interesting industrial archaeology on this coast.

Lythe and East Barnby (about 5 miles). Up the bank to St Oswald's church at Lythe for the view down the whole coast, then field paths inland. More routes in our walks section.

Sandsend FAQs

Where do you park at Sandsend?

There is pay-and-display parking along the seafront at both ends of the village, the East Row end nearest Whitby and the car park below the Ness. Both fill by mid-morning on warm weekends. Whitby's West Cliff is a level three-mile beach walk away if you would rather park once.

Can you walk from Sandsend to Whitby along the beach?

Yes, roughly three miles of flat sand, one of the best easy walks on the coast. It only works either side of low tide; the sea reaches the sea wall at high water and the promenade route is interrupted. Check a Whitby tide table, walk out on a falling tide, and use the bus or the cliff-top path back.

Is Sandsend good for surfing?

It is one of the more reliable surf breaks on the Yorkshire coast, working best on a north-easterly swell, and there are surf schools and hire operating along this stretch in season. The water is cold year-round, a wetsuit is not optional. And there are no lifeguards outside organised sessions.

What is there to do at Sandsend besides the beach?

Walk into Mulgrave Woods on the permitted open days, follow the old railway trackbed and alum works around Sandsend Ness, eat well at the handful of cafes and the pub, or use it as the quiet end of a Whitby day. It is also a good dog beach outside the summer restriction on the main stretch.

How far is Sandsend from Whitby?

Three miles north on the A174, five minutes by car, ten by bus, or about an hour on foot along the sand at low tide. Runswick Bay is a further five miles north and Staithes ten.