Fylingdales

Fylingdales makes a memorable base for exploring one of Yorkshire's most striking stretches of coast and moor, with accommodation ranging from cosy cottages in Robin Hood's Bay to farmhouse bed and breakfasts scattered across the surrounding countryside. Many properties in and around Fylingthorpe and Robin Hood's Bay make the most of sea views or open moorland outlooks, and the tightly packed, characterful cottages of Robin Hood's Bay itself are especially popular with visitors wanting to stay right in the heart of the village, close to its pubs, galleries and cobbled slipway down to the beach.

Further inland, guest houses and B&Bs dotted across the high ground towards RAF Fylingdales and the wider North York Moors suit walkers keen to head straight out onto the moorland trails, including sections of the Cleveland Way and routes towards Robin Hood's Bay's old railway line, now a popular walking and cycling path. Whitby, just a few miles north, adds a wider choice of hotels and guest houses for those wanting a larger town as their base while still being close enough for day trips into the Fylingdales area. Booking ahead is strongly advised in summer, particularly for anything in Robin Hood's Bay itself, where parking and accommodation are both limited and demand is high through the warmer months.

Fylingdales parish sits at the meeting point of moor and sea, giving visitors an unusual choice of landscapes within a short walk or drive.

• Robin Hood's Bay — the picturesque smugglers' village of tightly packed cottages and cobbled slipways lies within the parish, a short walk from Fylingthorpe and one of the most photographed spots on the Yorkshire coast.
• North York Moors National Park — Fylingdales' high ground forms part of this vast national park, with heather moorland, ancient trackways and long-distance views inland towards Goathland and beyond.
• RAF Fylingdales — the striking pyramid-shaped radar station, operational since 1963 as part of the UK's ballistic missile early warning system, is a landmark visible for miles across the moor (the site itself is not open to visitors, but occasional public tours have been run in recent years).
• Whitby coastline — the historic port of Whitby, with its abbey ruins and working harbour, is a few miles up the coast and easily combined with a day exploring Fylingdales.
• Cleveland Way — this National Trail runs along the clifftops through the parish, offering some of the finest coastal walking in Yorkshire between Robin Hood's Bay and Ravenscar.

Robin Hood's Bay has a good spread of pubs and cafes serving fresh fish, crab and seasonal Yorkshire produce, many tucked into the village's narrow, winding streets. Fylingthorpe has a village shop and local pub serving the wider community, while Whitby nearby offers a wider choice, including its renowned fish and chip restaurants.

The heather moorland and coastal cliffs of Fylingdales parish offer some genuinely wild-feeling scenery, but as with everywhere else in England, wild camping remains illegal without the explicit permission of the landowner. The high ground here is largely farmed or managed grouse moor, and the dramatic coastline around Robin Hood's Bay and Ravenscar is protected, so pitching a tent without permission is not an option, however tempting the views. Fortunately, the wider North York Moors area has a good number of official campsites, from simple farm fields to more developed touring parks, many within easy reach of both the coast path and the open moor.

The terrain across Fylingdales is a genuine mix: exposed heather moorland rising towards RAF Fylingdales, gentler farmland around Fylingthorpe, and dramatic clifftop walking along the Cleveland Way towards Robin Hood's Bay and beyond. This variety makes it a rewarding base for walkers and cyclists, though the moor itself can be bleak and windswept, so it pays to choose a sheltered pitch, particularly outside the summer months.

Late spring through to early autumn is the best window for camping here, with July and August bringing the heather into full purple bloom across the high moor, and settled weather making the most of the coastal scenery. Midsummer evenings are long and the coastal light is superb for photography, though this is also when campsites and the village of Robin Hood's Bay are at their busiest. For those wanting a bit more comfort, glamping options in the wider area, including shepherd's huts and pods with moor or sea views, offer a way to enjoy the landscape without needing your own tent, and tend to book up well in advance for peak weeks.