Staithes, North York Moors National Park, North Yorkshire

Happy Yorkshire Day!. Yorkshire Day

It’s Yorkshire Day, and to celebrate we’re in the picturesque seaside village of Staithes in the North York Moors National Park. Its name comes from the Old English for “landing place” and it was once one of the largest fishing ports on England’s north-east coast.

These days, it is tourists who land here, attracted by those quaint winding stairways and alleys. This little hamlet, dotted with fishermen’s cottages and cosy B&Bs, also boasts clifftop paths with views over the shoreline. And there are plenty of opportunities for fossil hunting here on North Yorkshire's Dinosaur Coast.

Staithes was home to famous explorer Captain James Cook who, as a teenager in the 1740s, worked as a grocer’s apprentice here before heading to nearby Whitby to join the Royal Navy. He’s said to have first felt the pull of the ocean while staring out of the shop window and various references to him remain, including the Captain Cook and Staithes Heritage Centre, full of books, engravings, medals and letters. By the 19th century, Staithes was home to a famous community of artists, the Staithes Group, who painted local scenes. Artists still head here to soak up the atmosphere and to be inspired by this seaside hideaway.