Cayton Bay

There are no hotels directly in Cayton Bay itself, so most visitors looking for a hotel or guesthouse base themselves in Scarborough or Filey, both just a few minutes away by car or bus. Scarborough offers the widest choice, from traditional seafront hotels overlooking the South Bay to smaller B&Bs tucked into the streets above the harbour, along with self-catering apartments close to the town centre and Scarborough Castle. Filey, a quieter option to the south, has a handful of well-regarded guesthouses and hotels near its own long sandy beach, making it an easy base for exploring both Filey Brigg and Cayton Bay along the Cleveland Way.

Whichever town you choose, staying inland of the bay means a short hop by the Coaster bus service or a five-to-ten minute drive to reach the beach itself, so you are never far from the sand, the surf or the cliff-top walks. Booking ahead is worth doing in summer, when both Scarborough and Filey get busy with holidaymakers drawn to this stretch of the Yorkshire coast, and rooms with sea views go quickly.

Cayton Bay is a small place, but there is plenty to fill a day, whether you are on the beach, in the water or up on the cliffs.

• Surf at Cayton Bay — the bay is widely regarded as the best surf beach in Yorkshire, with reliable beach-break waves for beginners and improvers; Scarborough Surf School, the region's longest-running surf shop, runs lessons and hires boards and wetsuits here.
• Fossil hunting — the crumbling cliffs are made up of Jurassic rock and regularly reveal ammonites and other fossils, especially after winter storms; guided fossil safaris are run in the bay from time to time for anyone who wants an expert eye.
• Walk the Cleveland Way — this stretch of the National Trail runs along the clifftop above the bay, with sweeping views out to sea; it is possible to follow it south towards Filey Brigg or north into Scarborough, roughly a three-and-a-half mile walk each way.
• Look for wildlife — the cliffs and rock pools attract nesting seabirds such as kittiwakes, while seals are regularly spotted hauled out on the sand or bobbing offshore.
• Explore the wartime remains — concrete pillboxes and other coastal defences from the Second World War are still dotted along the clifftop, a reminder of the bay's role in watching the North Sea.
• Rock pooling and beachcombing — at low tide the exposed rock ledges are good for rock pools, and the tideline regularly turns up sea glass and driftwood alongside the odd fossil.
• Day trip to Scarborough — the bay is only a short bus or drive from Scarborough's harbour, castle and seafront, making it easy to combine a quiet beach day with a livelier town.

Options right on the bay are limited but welcome after a cold surf or a blustery clifftop walk — a beachfront takeaway near the car park serves coffee, home-baked cakes and simple hot food with a view over the sand, and The Tow Bar on Mill Lane serves pub food and drinks close to the village. The holiday parks around the bay have their own cafés, bars and restaurants for guests and visitors. For a wider choice of pubs, cafés and restaurants, Scarborough and Filey are both close by and easily reached by bus or car.

Cayton Bay does not have camping directly on the beach, and as with anywhere in England, pitching a tent on open land without the landowner's permission is not allowed — the closest legal camping is at established sites a short distance from the bay itself. Cayton Village, just inland from the beach, has a caravan and camping park with pitches for tents, touring caravans and motorhomes, along with glamping pods and cabins for those who would rather not bring their own kit; it makes a convenient base within easy walking distance of the cliff path down to the sand.

A little further south towards Filey, larger holiday parks offer a bigger range of caravan and lodge accommodation along with their own on-site bars, restaurants and entertainment, useful if you are travelling with family and want more facilities on the doorstep. Both areas sit on the same stretch of coast, so wherever you pitch up you are within a short drive or bus ride of Cayton Bay's surf, fossils and clifftop walking.

The North Yorkshire coast is exposed to North Sea weather, so this is not a spot for a flimsy tent — sturdy kit and good pegs matter, especially on cliff-top sites that catch the wind. Summer is the easiest season for camping here, with the longest days and warmest evenings, though the shoulder seasons of spring and early autumn often bring quieter sites and better surf, if you do not mind packing extra layers. For anyone who would rather skip the tent-pitching altogether, the glamping pods and cabins around Cayton Village offer a warmer, more sheltered alternative while keeping you just as close to the beach.