Hinderwell

Hinderwell has no hotels of its own, but it makes a peaceful base for exploring the Heritage Coast, with bed and breakfasts, farmhouse rooms and self-catering cottages dotted through the village and the surrounding farmland. Its position on the A174 puts Staithes, Runswick Bay and Whitby all within a short drive, so guests can settle into a quiet village room by night and be walking the harbour steps or the Cleveland Way within minutes each morning. Expect traditional stone cottages with sea glimpses, working farms offering bed and breakfast, and a scattering of holiday lets converted from old fishermen's and farm buildings. Many rooms look out over open farmland towards the coast rather than the sea itself, which keeps prices more reasonable than in Staithes or Whitby while still leaving the water in easy reach. Because Hinderwell is small, accommodation is limited and books up quickly in summer and around the Scarecrow Festival, so early planning pays off, particularly for anyone wanting to base a longer North York Moors and coast itinerary here rather than in a busier resort town.

Hinderwell is a small village, but its setting between two celebrated fishing communities and the open coast means there is plenty to fill a stay.

• St Hilda's Church and Well — The parish church, rebuilt in 1773 with a tower added in 1817, stands beside the holy well said to have been blessed by St Hilda; the well itself was restored in 1912 and remains a quiet corner of the churchyard.
• Runswick Bay — A mile or so from the village, this huddle of red-roofed cottages tumbles down a steep hillside to a wide, sandy beach popular with families, rockpoolers and sea swimmers.
• Staithes — A few miles north along the coast road, Staithes is one of the best-preserved fishing villages in England, with a working harbour, narrow cobbled lanes and a long association with Captain Cook, who worked here as a young shop apprentice.
• The Cleveland Way National Trail — This 109-mile coastal and moorland path runs close to Hinderwell, offering dramatic clifftop walking towards Staithes or Sandsend without needing a car.
• Hinderwell Scarecrow Festival — Held annually, this village tradition sees homemade scarecrows appear in gardens and on verges throughout Hinderwell, drawing visitors to follow the trail and vote for their favourites.
• Runswick Bay rockpooling and coastal walks — At low tide the beach at Runswick Bay opens up rockpools and fossil-bearing shale typical of this stretch of the Jurassic-influenced Yorkshire coast.
• Whitby — A short drive south, Whitby's abbey ruins, harbour and Captain Cook Memorial Museum make an easy day trip from Hinderwell.

Hinderwell punches above its weight for a village of its size, with two well-regarded pubs on the High Street: the Badger Hounds and the Brown Cow, the latter known for its open fire, resident village cat and Sunday evening quiz. A fish and chip shop and a tearoom serve simpler daytime fare, while the village butcher and general store cater for anyone self-catering. For a wider choice, Staithes and Runswick Bay both have harbourside cafes and seafood pubs a short drive or walk away, and Whitby's well-known fish and chip restaurants are within easy reach for a bigger night out.

England's coastline offers no right to wild camping, so anyone hoping to pitch a tent near Hinderwell needs a proper campsite or a landowner's explicit permission rather than a quiet spot on the clifftop. Fortunately the village and its surrounding parishes sit within one of the best-served corners of the North York Moors coast for camping, with grassy touring sites overlooking the sea around Staithes and Runswick Bay and further options inland towards Egton and Goathland. The terrain here is dramatic rather than gentle: exposed clifftop fields, steep coastal paths down to the bay, and weather that can turn quickly even in high summer, so a sturdy tent and warm layers are worth packing whatever the forecast promises. Most sites open from Easter through to October, with the settled spells of late May, June and September generally the most comfortable for pitching up, since school-holiday weeks in late July and August bring the busiest bookings and the most changeable coastal weather. Facilities vary from simple fields with basic amenity blocks to larger family-run parks with heated shower blocks, laundry rooms and small shops, and several sites welcome campervans and touring caravans alongside tents. For those who would rather skip the guy ropes altogether, glamping has taken hold along this stretch of coast in the form of shepherd's huts, safari tents and static pods, many with wood-burners and decking that make the most of the sea views without sacrificing a proper bed and a hot shower. Booking ahead is strongly advised for anything within walking distance of Runswick Bay or Staithes, since pitch numbers are modest and demand is high whenever the sun is out. Whichever way you camp, respecting the coastal footpaths, farmland and fragile cliff edges around Hinderwell matters, since much of this land is either farmed or environmentally protected, and access depends on visitors treating it carefully.