High Hawsker

High Hawsker sits on the coastal shoulder of the North York Moors, a few miles south of Whitby, where the moorland gives way to farmland and then, quite suddenly, to cliffs and sea. It is a small, unshowy village of stone cottages and working farms, strung along the old Whitby-to-Scarborough road, but its position is its fortune: the Cleveland Way passes within a few hundred yards of the village centre, and the coast path down to Robin Hood's Bay is one of the loveliest short stretches of clifftop walking anywhere on the Yorkshire coast.

The village grew up around agriculture rather than fishing, unlike its more famous neighbour, and it retains that inland, workaday character even though the sea is never far away. The old Scarborough to Whitby railway line, closed in the 1960s, ran directly through Hawsker, and its trackbed now forms the Cinder Track, a long-distance walking and cycling route that has become one of the area's quiet attractions. Hawsker's former station building still stands, now home to a cycle hire business, and it is easy to pick up the trail here in either direction, towards Whitby or south towards Robin Hood's Bay and beyond.

Top things to do in High Hawsker

Hawsker is a base for exploring rather than a destination crammed with sights of its own, but that is exactly its appeal. Within a short walk or drive there is a genuinely excellent spread of coast, moor and heritage to get through.

• Cleveland Way to Robin Hood's Bay — a clifftop walk of around six miles that leads through fields and along dramatic sea cliffs down into the huddled, smugglers' village of Robin Hood's Bay, with its steep cobbled streets and tidal shoreline.
• The Cinder Track — the disused Whitby to Scarborough railway line, now a flat, traffic-free path for walking and cycling that runs right past the village, taking in old station buildings and viaducts along its 21-mile length.
• Whitby — just a few miles north, with its abbey ruins, working harbour, Captain Cook connections and the winding streets that inspired Bram Stoker's Dracula.
• Robin Hood's Bay rock pools and shoreline — at low tide the wide, flat scars below the village expose rock pools rich in fossils and marine life, a favourite with families and geology enthusiasts alike.
• North York Moors National Park — inland from the village, open heather moorland rolls away towards Goathland and Grosmont, with waymarked walks, red grouse and, in late summer, purple moorland in full bloom.
• North Yorkshire Moors Railway — a short drive inland, this heritage steam railway runs between Whitby, Grosmont, Goathland and Pickering, a favourite day out for families and rail enthusiasts.
• Maw Wyke Hole and Ravenscar — further south along the coast path, this stretch of coastline offers some of the most spectacular views on the whole route, with the old Peak Alum Works nearby telling the story of the area's industrial past.

Getting to High Hawsker

High Hawsker lies just off the A171 Whitby to Scarborough road, around three miles south of Whitby, making it an easy drive from the A171 or the A169 that connects to Pickering and the A64. There is no railway station in the village itself since the Whitby to Scarborough line closed in 1965, but Whitby station, on the Esk Valley line from Middlesbrough, is the nearest mainline connection, with regular local bus services running along the coast road between Whitby, Hawsker and Robin Hood's Bay. For those without a car, the Cinder Track itself offers a pleasant on-foot or cycle route in from Whitby.

Best time to visit High Hawsker

Summer, from June to August, brings the longest days and the best chance of settled weather for walking the coast path and exploring Robin Hood's Bay, though it is also when the village and its neighbours are busiest. Spring and early autumn are quieter and often just as rewarding, with the moors turning purple with heather from late July into September. Winter has its own appeal for those who like a wild, empty coastline and a roaring pub fire, though some seasonal businesses reduce their hours outside the main season.

Where to stay in High Hawsker

Hawsker has a handful of caravan and camping parks that make the most of its clifftop position, including Grouse Hill Caravan Park, set on tiered terraces with views out towards the coast, and other touring and camping sites scattered around the village that put visitors within easy reach of both the moors and the sea. Nearby Robin Hood's Bay adds well-regarded campsites of its own, along with cottages and guesthouses in the village itself, while Whitby offers a fuller range of hotels and self-catering options for those who want to be closer to the town's restaurants and shops.

Food and drink in High Hawsker

The Hare & Hounds sits at the heart of the village on Main Street, a traditional pub with a beer garden that makes a natural stopping point for walkers and cyclists coming off the Cinder Track, serving pub food and local ales through the week. For a wider choice, Whitby is only a few minutes away by car and offers everything from classic fish and chip shops down by the harbour to more contemporary seafood restaurants, while Robin Hood's Bay has its own smattering of pubs and cafes tucked into the steep streets running down to the sea.