A wide sweep of golden, sandy beach has been attracting holidaymakers to the traditional British seaside resort of Filey for generations, from its Edwardian heyday, through the Butlins era of mass tourism and still today Filey’s popularity endures. The golden crescent of sand; the wide, shallow bay and the promenade, with its lush gardens, traditional bandstand and Sculpture Trail are perfect ingredients for a family cottage holiday by the sea.

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A picturesque English seaside resort at the mouth of the river Esk, Whitby is the jewel of the North Yorks coastline; an ancient and pretty town refreshingly unspoilt by the types of development frequently associated with British coastal resorts. Whitby successfully retains a sense of its long and rich history in its ancient inns, churches, the market place and the clusters of elegant houses clinging to the cliffs; an enduring legacy of the wealthy ship owners who made the port their home during the town’s maritime heyday. Whitby’s proximity to both the quaint and charming fishing villages and larger resorts of the stunning North Yorks coast and to the tranquil and unspoilt beauty of the North Yorks Moor National Park make it a consistently popular choice for a Yorkshire coast holiday cottage stay.

One of Whitby’s most famous landmarks stands high on the cliff top dominating the town; here, in the churchyard of St. Mary’s Abbey, Bram Stoker found the inspiration on which to base his famous novel, Dracula. The Dracula Experience, with life-like models and recreations, special effects, and memorabilia from the Dracula films is popular with holidaymakers. A visit here can be followed up with a guided walking tour of the darker corners of the town, following the Whitby Dracula trail. But the best-selling story of this most well known of vampires is far from the town’s only claim to fame. Captain James Cook was a local seaman who set sail from the port of Whitby to change the course of history, and his extraordinary journeys, as well as his life and times, are well chronicled in two of the town’s best museums, the Whitby Museum and, more extensively, at the Captain Cook Memorial Museum, the latter set in the explorer’s former home in Grape Lane. On an altogether different theme, another popular place to visit is The Whitby Wizard on the town’s West Cliff; an innovative and quirky interactive science exhibition quite unlike any other, which will keep both younger and older visitors intrigued and entertained far beyond the duration their visit.

Picturesque Grosmont is a small rural community set amongst the rolling farmland of the Esk valley, within the North York Moors National Park. Many visitors on a cottage holiday discover Grosmont whilst enjoying a steam train trip on the famous North Yorkshire Steam Railway, which stops here en-route from Pickering. The station is a loving recreation of the 1950’s era in rail travel, complete with a fifties-themed tea room for refreshments.

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A small market town between Pickering and Helsmley, Kirkbymoorside is often described as the gateway to the North Yorks Moors. Literally, ‘settlement with a church by the moor’ this is a predominantly rural community with a good golf club and a brass band which has achieved national acclaim. For those staying in a holiday cottage in the North Yorks area, it provides local services and amenities, including a busy weekly market. The surrounding countryside is breathtaking and varied; mile upon mile of heather moor land contrast with the pretty valleys of Farndale and Rosedale.

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A traditional market town in the heart of agricultural land well situated between the city of York, the North York Moors, and the seaside resorts of Filey and Scarborough, Malton has been a busy thoroughfare between coast and country for generations. Malton today still forms the heart of the surrounding farming community and is an important livestock centre, and visitors will find a lively Saturday market, regular Farmer’s markets and, around the lovely ancient market square dominated by St. Michael’s church, there is a wide choice of shops, restaurants, cafes and tearooms. Spend a pleasant hour following the town’s historic trail available from the tourist office, visiting the Malton Museum and the town’s own brewery. (more…)