Whitby Walks

Short Whitby walks

You don’t need to book out an entire day to enjoy a walk around the Whitby area. There are plenty of beautiful walks of 4 miles or less that will take little more than a couple of hours.

Goathland Walk

This beautiful moorland village has attracted visitors for over 200 years, and it’s still popular today thanks to its appearance as Aidensfield in the television series Heartbeat. Younger visitors may recognise its heritage North York Moors railway station that played the part of Hogsmeade in the early Harry Potter films.

Starting in the village of Goathland, walk past the village shops and head toward Egton Bridge before following the road around Beck Hole junction. Next, turn right down the side of Mallyan Spout Hotel and descend into the woods. At the junction at the bottom, veer left upstream to Mallyan Spout.

Here, you’ll be able to see the waterfall by following the stream’s edge before returning to the junction and following the boardwalk through the woodland.

Keep to the path as it crosses the fields and climb high above the valley, before descending again.

At Incline Cottage, turn right up the broad incline towards Goathland and continue up the path until you reach the car park.

Esk Valley to Beck Hole

From the Esk Valley parking area, go through the gate along the old railway line, signed to Goathland and Beck Hole until you reach the woods alongside the Murk Esk. You’ll cross the tributary twice before reaching the end, at the hamlet of Beck Hole.

Medium walks around Whitby

For a walk that will take up a good chunk of your day but still leave time for other activities, there are various 5- to 10-mile walks in the Whitby area, heading along the North Sea coast.

Whitby to Robin Hood’s Bay

This walk starts in the centre of town, where your first challenge is the famous 199 steps that lead to St Mary’s Churchyard, immortalised in Bram Stoker’s Dracula, and up to Whitby Abbey. Keep left here and follow the sign for the Cleveland Way.

Before long, you’ll see brilliant views over the town centre and the two lighthouses that look out to sea. Further into the walk, other parts of the coastline will come into view, such as Oakham Beck and Rain Dale.

You’ll know you’re getting closer to Robin Hood’s Bay when the path begins to narrow between the cliff edge and the houses.

North York Moors National Park to Lealholm

The moorland villages of Castleton and Danby are the start and end points for this 7.5 mile linear walk.

The route takes you through the North York Moors National Park, before you climb up the daleside and have the opportunity to take in the fabulous views from Danby Beacon, before descending off the moors to the pretty riverside village of Lealholm.

Circular Whitby Walks

There’s a wide variety of circular walks routes in and around Whitby that will save you from having to organise a return journey.

Whitby to Ruswarp Circular Walk

The Ruswarp circular walk is a picturesque Whitby walk that takes you straight into the natural beauty of Whitby’s neighbouring village, Ruswarp.

Along the way you’ll experience the River Esk tidal sanctuary, the Ancient Monks Trod Path and the North York Moors Railway. At just 2 miles, this short walk takes just over an hour.

Whitby Abbey, Whitby Lighthouse, and Saltwick Bay

This medium-sized circular walk includes a modest uphill route around Whitby itself before the coastal path climbs and heads away from the town to head along to Whitby lighthouse.

The walk along the cliff edge past Saltwick Bay provides wonderful sea and cliff views before circling back into Whitby, via the historic ruins of Whitby Abbey and down the 199 steps into town.