Scarborough is a beautiful place to make your base for a seaside holiday. However, if you fancy venturing out and exploring more of the local area, here is a selection of places to see and visit near Scarborough.
There are plenty of places to visit near Scarborough. This article is perfect for you if you are staying in Scarborough and want to adventure outside the town. There is so much to explore; here is a selection of places to see and visit around Scarborough.
Learn about the Peak Alum Works, Ravenscar
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It’s not just the sea and tides that have shaped the North Yorkshire coastline to what it is today; human history has also played a considerable part. If you are interested in the history of North Yorkshire’s coastline, you can visit peak alum works near Scarborough to learn more.
Alum was extracted from quarried shale and then put through a complicated process where significant piles of shale had to be burnt for nine months. It was then transferred to leaching pits to extract an aluminium sulphate liquor before being sent along channels to the alum works, where finally, human urine was added.
Alum was an essential part of the textile industry and was used as a fixative for dyes in the 16th century. Initially, the Alum was imported from Italy, but soon, alum works were set up in Guisborough. You can see the remnants and impact of many former works along the stretch of coastline here.
Some of the best remains you can see of this industry are located at Ravenscar, just a 30 minute drive from Scarborough. You can learn more here.
Explore Robin Hood’s Bay
There is a beautiful fishing village just a 35-minute drive from Scarborough called Robin Hood’s Bay, but nobody truly knows why it got its name. It’s a place that oozes myths, legends, smuggling history and ghost stories.
The village is full of twisted cobbled streets and tiny alleyways. It’s not hard to imagine the sailors, fishermen and smugglers that walked these streets centuries ago. Today there are plenty of cafes, pubs and restaurants to enjoy in the town. The coastline here is just incredible, and there is a lovely sandy beach here and plenty of spots to rock pool or fossil hunt. Whatever the weather, this is a magical place to explore and a place we have made many happy memories. Here’s how you can spend a whole week in Robin Hood’s Bay.
Discover Beggar’s Bridge, Glaisdale
Today this bridge is a popular tourist attraction less than a mile from Glaisdale. Beggars Bridge is a packhorse bridge that was built over the River Esk by Thomas Ferris in 1619. He was the son of a local moorland sheep farmer.
According to legend, Thomas would secretly wade across the river to meet Agnes Richardson, his love. Agnes’s father would not allow his daughter to marry Thomas because he was not wealthy enough. To win over his potential father in laws approval, Thomas decided to find his fortune at sea. However, the night before his departure, the river flooded, and he could not cross it to say goodbye to Agnes. Instead, he swore one day to build a bridge in that spot. True to his word, he returned rich, married Agnes and built Beggar’s Bridge.
You can read a more detailed version of this landmark’s romantic history here. Beggar’s Bridge is great to visit and incorporate into a walk around this beautiful area.
Try delicious food in Malton
This one is for the foodies! Malton is around 40 minutes from Scarborough. It is a pretty town worth visiting if you’re staying in Scarborough. Malton is known as Yorkshire’s food capital and is a total food hotspot just 15 minutes from Pickering (another great location to explore while you are nearby). It has been made famous by its markets and artisan producers. You will often see it featured on television programmes where chefs come to taste the culinary genius on offer here.
This location is just bursting with independent shops and great places to eat and drink. The Talbot Yard Food Court is a great place to start; here, you can sample pastries from the Bluebird Bakery, try macaroons and desserts at Florian Poirot, the UK Pastry Champion, and devour ice cream at Groovy Moo Gelato. Now we are hungry!
Visit Pickering and take a ride on the North Yorkshire Moors Railway
Pickering is just 30 – 40 minutes from Scarborough and is a great place to visit. Riding on an NYMR steam train has to be one of our favourite things to do in Pickering. North Yorkshire Moors Railway is a preserved line that has become a popular tourist attraction. Since 2007 it has run regular services over the six-mile stretch of North of Grosmont to Whitby through the Esk Valley. Special events, such as Halloween-themed trains and Christmas specials, also occur throughout the year and are great to visit with family.
You can visit Lewisham, Grosmont, Dale Halt, Whitby, Goathland (which is the home of TV’s Heartbeat and Harry Potter’s Hogsmeade station) along the North Yorkshire Moors Railway, and of course, Pickering. You can find more information here.
Fly through the treetops at Dalby Forest
Located in the heart of the North York Moors National Park and just half an hour from Scarborough, Dalby Forest is a fantastic place to enjoy walking or cycling routes. For the adventurous, Dalby Activity Centre is a place to get your adrenaline pumping. Go Ape is situated here, too, if you fancy swinging through the treetops!
Home to an abundance of wildlife and 8,000 acres of breathtaking views, you just have to discover Dalby Forest when staying in Scarborough. There is a Gruffalo orienteering course and a Superworm trail for the kids.
This area is a designated Dark Sky Discovery Site, where you can experience the magic of seeing the Milky Way with the naked eye. You can find more information about Dalby Forest here.
Play at Piglets Adventure Farm, York
Piglets adventure farm is just under an hour away from Scarborough. We love to visit for their Halloween events and pumpkin picking; they hold different events throughout the year you can get involved with. In addition, they feature various shows throughout the seasons.
There is a beach area where children can play and splash, including rock pools and a cliffside slide. An indoor play area where kids can take a tractor and trailer ride, enjoy drop slides, dig for victory on JCB diggers and take a ride on pedal tractors too.
Outdoors there’s a maize maze to explore, bouncing pillows, a barrel train ride, crazy golf and a fairy trail through enchanted woodland. Follow the Farmyard Trail if it’s cute animals you want to see. Here you can make friends with Guinea Pigs, Rabbits, Tortoises and more.
This is all included with your entry price, so it is excellent value for money and a perfect way to entertain the family for the day. You can find more information here.
Have fun at Flamingo Land, Malton
Only 40 minutes from Scarborough is Flamingo Land, a fun family day out set in 375 acres of picturesque North Yorkshire countryside. Flamingo land is an excellent option because it has a theme park’s thrills and a zoo’s awe and wonders. They offer animal encounters, thrilling rides, inspiring shows, and many photo opportunities.
We like to make this a day out when staying in Scarborough. We pack for the day, including everything for a picnic to devour on their beautiful grounds. You can pre-book online to save money on ticket prices, and they often hold special events here. Make sure to check out their website if you fancy celebrating with them. You can buy tickets and find more information here.
Please let us know your favourite places to visit near Scarborough in the comments.
