Staithes, Yorkshire

The Town

If you’re a property buyer drawn to the North York Moors National Park, ask your real estate buyers agent about the picturesque, photogenic cobbled streets of Staithes (often pronounced as “Steers” locally).  A staithe is a landing place in Old English, which may be how the town got its name.

Staithes lies on either side of a small creek known as the Beck. Our property buying agent can show you where it cuts through a gap in the craggy landscape before emerging into the sea in between the cliffs.

Our buyers agents can tell you the High Street in Old Staithes is the place for Georgian townhouses and pretty cottages, many with attractive red-tiled rooftops. Our Recoco buying agent can also show you locations like Wesley Square or the north side of the Cowbar which are a little away from the main roads. Cliff Road or Staithes Lane often have good sea views. Ask our property search company about more modern homes at the top of the bank - more likely to incorporate parking spaces or gardens.

Transport

Whitby and Saltburn are the nearest railway stations, or ask our Recoco property finder about bus services between Whitby and Middlesbrough, stopping at Staithes. Starting a property search by road from Whitby or Scarborough? Staithes is just over 20 minutes from Whitby by road. Our real estate buyers agent will suggest the A171; turn off at Scaling.  Our property buying agent can also confirm the nearest airports are Leeds or Newcastle.

History

Now very much a tourist destination and popular location for second homes, Staithes has a long fishing heritage. Our Recoco buying agent can point out some particularly attractive buildings. Our Lady Star of the Sea, the Roman Catholic church, was built in 1885.

Early in the 1990s, a rockfall between Port Mulgrave and Staithes uncovered a rare fossil belonging to a seagoing dinosaur. Geologists are drawn here to study the strata in the cliffs, particularly the Jurassic (Lias).

Education

Local primary Seton Community School has been rated Outstanding by Ofsted; state secondaries are in Whitby or Saltburn. Our property search company can confirm local independents include Fyling Hall School, Teesside High School, and Terrington Hall Preparatory School.

Leisure and Events

Rock pooling is popular; our Recoco property finder will confirm seals are occasionally spotted. Little nuggets of “fools’ gold” sometimes turn up too – iron pyrite which sparkles like the real thing (if you don’t look too closely). Ask our real estate buyers agent about organised trips to hunt for fossils.

There’s always something new to see on a meander through the cobbled streets, ginnels, and alleys. Every one has a characterful name – our buyers agents can give you examples.

If you’re a property buyer who enjoys longer-distance walks, you might enjoy the 109 miles of the Cleveland Way, a horseshoe-shaped hike between Helmsley and Filey along the western, northern, and eastern edges of the North York Moors. Ask our Recoco buying agent which parts are cycle-friendly; and for those with canine companions, the Cleveland Way is very dog-friendly, as our buyers agents will happily confirm.

Take a break from your property search at the Staithes Art Gallery, offering paintings by local artists. Or visit hidden gem Staithes Heritage Museum to discover the history of the town’s most famous son, Captain Cook.

Local beach Seaton Garth is pleasant, and just two miles along the Dinosaur Coast lies one of the most attractive beaches in Yorkshire, Runswick Bay. Our Recoco property finder will tell you it’s excellent for sailing and paddle boarding. Our property search company can also point you towards the beautiful, rural Esk Valley, or to Saltburn-by-the-Sea, a slightly retro seaside resort, popular with surfers.

Celebrity Connections

James Cook – alias Captain Cook – is the most famous person associated with Staithes; he was apprenticed to a grocer before he joined the navy. The village also hosted the “Staithes Group” or “Northern Impressionists”, a group of twenty or thirty artists. The most famous member was Dame Laura Knight, who had a studio with her husband Harold, a fellow painter.  

Foodies’ Corner

There is one supermarket, the Co-op. Or try a hearty meal at the Cod and Lobster pub in Staithes itself. Our property buying agent might also recommend the Seadrift Café and the Endeavor B&B’s pop-up restaurant. Or visit the Captain Cook Inn, overlooking the sea, for a property search “pit stop”.

Fun Fact

‘Dog Loup Alley‘ is the narrowest alley in the UK – just eighteen inches wide. (That’s seven inches less than the thinnest point of the narrowest street, Parliament Street in Exeter.)