With its higgledy-piggledy cottages and winding streets, Staithes has the air of a place lost in time. Colorful little cottages line the natural harbor and larger houses with multiple levels and varying colors stretch across the stunning clay cliffs overlooking the sea. Once one of the largest fishing ports on the North East coast, this coastal hamlet is now a well-loved base for exploring Yorkshire’s cliff top paths and discovering the delights of rock pooling and fossil hunting on the small sandy beach.The soaring, rugged cliffs make Staithes a great place for walking and exploring. Take the coastal pathways to the nearby Boulby Cliffs, or visit the northern headland of Cowbar Nab with its tiny hamlet snaking down the rock side. Part of the Cleveland Way runs between Staithes and Skinningrove, where you can explore the remnants of the alum mines that once made the village famous. This headland is also an ideal place to bird watch, with plenty of gulls and other seabirds nesting in the cliffs.
