Things to do in Scarborough Yorkshire – it’s a tale of two bays

Scarborough’s South bay is your typical British seaside resort. If it’s a day filled with crabbing, arcades, and a whizz on a waltzer you’re after, the South bay is the side for you.

From Scarborough spa and cliff tram at the bottom, to Luna Park’s funfair at the top, the promenade is awash with chippies, shops selling 'I heart Scarborough' mugs and personalised fudge, and alive with the sound of shrieking kids and slot machines. Here you can take a pleasure cruise on a pirate ship, ride the big wheel, and top it all off with a pint in an old fashioned Yorkshire boozer. Visit when the weather is right and you can join swathes of families, and donkeys, down on the beach.

Walk a matter of metres round the corner from Luna Park, and the landscape changes. Suddenly the promenade is wider, quieter, with views out to sea from a wall peppered with historical plaques gently educating the visitor of Scarborough’s long history of warfare, discovery and its proud heritage as a fishing town.

The North bay’s long golden beach is still busy, but with a calmer feel, a row of brightly coloured chalets sitting at the top of the beach amongst fewer shops and cafes.

High above the promenade stands a number of incredibly grand hotels, some of which now have sadly had their heydays, but impressive nonetheless. They give you a sense of what the town would have been like at the end of the 19th century, once the arrival of the railway had firmly placed Scarborough on the map as a highly popular Victorian seaside retreat.

Not without its excitement, North Bay is home to a number of attractions, including the beautiful Peasholm Park, the Scarborough North Bay Railway, and the Sealife Centre. You can also throw in a game of mini golf for good measure.

Inevitably, this being a British seaside holiday, we had a rainy day, and sought shelter at the fantastic Sealife Centre. At this point my Dad and partner had joined us, and the five of us had an entertaining and educational couple of hours at the centre. The staff delivering the “feed and talks” were knowledgeable and approachable, and we left having learnt a lot - as well as staying dry! The added attraction of being able to touch a sea anemone had our little boy in raptures – and feeling very brave indeed. An excellent family day out, not just a port in a storm.

And let’s not forget the jam in the sponge, right there in the middle of the resort keeping a watchful eye are the ruins of Scarborough Castle, preserved and open to the public, high up overlooking both bays. Free to English Heritage members, between £16-26 for families who are not, but you can have a lovely (steep) stroll up to the castle walls even if you don’t fancy forking out to go inside.

We started our trip on the North Bay, heading first on the railway for a little trip up to Scalby and back in the miniature carriages. It is a 40 minute return journey, or you can stop at Scalby and walk back, or get a drink and a later train. The views out to the coast and up to the castle were impressive on a sunny day, and it was the perfect amount of time when with a young child – still long enough to give you value for money.

It being Easter, there was plenty going on around the station; they even had an Easter word-hunt trail you could do from the train which bagged us an Easter goody bag. A great start to the day! From there it was a hop, skip and a jump to mini golf, and for just a few pounds I could demonstrate my competitiveness for this typical seaside game – followed up with tea and cake at the lovely Peaches and Cream – a North Bay favourite I’m told. They had a huge variety of ice cream too, a great spot for a refreshment break mid-exploring.

Peasholm Park is a far Eastern metropolis just off the front, with waterfalls, miniature bridges and even a pagoda on the island. It’s incredibly colourful and unusual, with dragon boats and pedalos available on the lake that houses the island, and a decent walking trail round the whole park. There are a number of events on throughout the year, so no matter when you’re visiting it needs to be at the top of the itinerary.

Round the corner from the park is the finest chippy I’ve been to in as long as I can remember. I’d read that people queue to get in, and that they do – the ordering process is like a military operation – the staff know what they’re doing. North Bay Fisheries is a Scarborough essential, chunky, meaty fish, chips cooked to just the right level, they even had cans of cloudy lemonade. Heaven!

We hit the South bay the following day, losing more money than I want to think about to the fool’s folly that is the grabber machines in the arcades. There are a number of arcades to choose from – no trip is complete without them!

Our recommendation for food on the South side is Winking Willies, a fish and chip takeaway and restaurant with a really friendly bunch of young staff, and a great view out over the bay where we sat upstairs.

Slightly further afield and perhaps the prettiest bay of all, is Scarborough’s neighbour, Cayton Bay. A climb down from the car park, the walk down to the bay is incredibly picturesque as the bay opens up ahead of you. Clear waters, a long stretch of sandy beach and encircled by rugged headlands, you feel a world away from the resort even though it’s only a few miles.

We opted to stay in West Ayton, just under five miles out from Scarborough and on the way back into the national park. As caravanners we missed the dramatic scenery that marks the main route to the East Coast (did someone say Sutton Bank?!), but if you’re looking to make Scarborough part of a longer trip, not far away you’ll find routes into forest parks, the moors and to the nearby market town of Pickering.

We were very well accommodated at a Caravan and Motorhome Club site, which won our prize for best surroundings of a caravan park in some time. Footpaths leading from the site take you right into the Forge Valley Woods nature reserve, and down to the old ruins of Ayton Castle – a truly spectacular route to go for a walk or a jog.

Whatever you choose to do in Scarborough and its surrounds, you will find something that suits your tastes. Have a jam packed itinerary, or just enjoy one of life’s simplest pleasures – a stroll down a beautiful promenade with the sun in your eyes, the wind in your hair, and an ice cream in your hand. It doesn’t get much better than that, does it?

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by Amy Blackburn