CHRISTMAS SPECIAL: MY FAVOURITE SEASIDE PUBS

Going to the pub is one of the pleasures of a visit to the British seaside, and at Christmas the pub comes into its own. Whether you have been for a bracing walk along the seafront with a fierce souwesterly hurling seaspray across your path, or whether you have spent a pleasant interlude pottering around a harbourside, dodging the waves crashing over the harbour wall, there is only one place to head for to warm up: a cosy pub with a roaring fire, the heady aroma of hearty pub food and mulled wine, a clutch of local characters of varying degrees of eccentricity putting the world to rights and a jolly array of Christmas decorations and lights. The following is a list of my personal favourites, but it is by no means exhaustive. I would be delighted to hear about other people's beloved seaside pubs, so feel free to add yours to the list via the comments.

Penzance, Cornwall: The Turks Head

I had to start with my home town, and of all the pubs there it had to be the Turks Head. The oldest pub in Penzance, and situated in its most historic street, the pub is entered via a small door in its white facade, and is on two levels, with the bar on the ground floor and extra tables for eating downstairs. The good pub fare on offer includes a range of excellent fish and seafood options. The pub dates from the 13th century and has seen its fair share of action over the years, including part of the building being burnt down during the Spanish invasion of the 16th century, and the activities of smugglers making use of the tunnel leading from the pub directly to the harbour.

Polperro, Cornwall: The Blue Peter

Wandering through the impossibly picturesque streets of this Cornish fishing town you pass a series of increasingly inviting restaurants, cafes and pubs. Then, just when you think you've seen them all you come to the Blue Peter, right at the bottom corner of the village, overlooking the harbour. As well as a range of ales, ciders and wines, including mulled wine at Christmas, the pub offers meals and frequent live music, which has always been excellent when we have been there. Be careful on the way out: the only exit from the pub is not through the door at the front, but via a substantial flight of stone steps to the side. I shudder to think of the accidents that must have taken place on those steps.

Dartmouth, Devon: The Cherub

The Cherub is equally appealing outside and in, with its quaint black-and-white exterior and rickety interior with a roaring fire in winter. The building, the oldest in Dartmouth, dates from the 14th century and is thought to have been a Merchant's House originally, however it was in relatively recent times that it became a pub. Upstairs, the restaurant does a nice line in fine dining, while lighter bar snacks are also available.

Seatown, Dorset: The Anchor Inn

Whether you've spent the morning huffing and puffing up and down the roller coaster clifftop paths on this part of the Dorset coast, or whether you've been wandering along the palaeontologist's dream of a beach, head down, fossicking for fossils, relief is close at hand in the form of the Anchor Inn, marvellously situated overlooking the beach, near the cliff's edge. In summer there are outside tables to enjoy the view from, but in winter it's all about wood-burning stoves and good value, warming pub food.

Lymington, Hampshire: The Kings Head

We stayed in Lymington a couple of years ago in the month of October, a time of year when I start to yearn for hearty, warming comfort food, ideally served in cosy candlelit surroundings with a lively, convivial atmosphere, and the Kings Head delivered on all counts. Occupying the top end of a quaint little street leading down to the harbour and marina, this pub also satisfied on the drinks front, serving my husband's favourite ale (London Pride) and my favourite cider (Aspalls).

Whitstable, Kent: The Old Neptune

I have to be honest. The beach at Whitstable is not going to win any beauty contests, but the sunsets just might. And the best place to view one of them is on a bench outside the Old Neptune or Neppy to its regulars, which occupies a prime position right on the beach. In fact, given its precarious location it is a miracle that there is still a pub there. The original building is long since gone, washed away by a storm in 1897, the second time that century that it had taken a lashing. However, like a phoenix rising from the ashes, the pub was rebuilt, although it still retains a somewhat fragile appearance. The interior of the pub has a pleasingly lived-in look, and attracts an eclectic clientele. The walls are covered with an array of interesting artwork and photographs of celebrities such as Iggy Pop. Continuing the celebrity theme, scenes from the film Venus starring Peter O'Toole were shot in the Old Neptune bar. Live music is a regular feature at weekends, which always makes for a good atmosphere.

(Sorry, bit of a crap picture!)

Aldeburgh, Suffolk: Ye Olde Cross Keys

In a town full of quaint buildings, Ye Olde Cross Keys is one of the quaintest. Set slightly back from the seafront, the pub is perfectly placed to be dived into after a bracing walk along Aldeburgh's beach. Cosy and inviting inside, with a roaring log fire, the pub serves locally caught seafood washed down with Adnams ale. One evening during our stay in Aldeburgh we found ourselves sharing the bar with a large group of young musicians, not surprising in this town, which is famous for its musical connections, most notably its association with Benjamin Britten.

Whitby, North Yorkshire: The Duke of York

Ideally situated as a bolt hole after descending the steps from Whitby Abbey, the Duke of York has a history stretching back 1,000 years to the days when the monks landed their produce from the sea at this spot before taking it up to the monastery. You can satisfy the inevitable hunger and thirst produced from walking up and down all those steps courtesy of the pub's decent standard pub fare and local ales, while enjoying fabulous views of the harbour.

Seahouses, Northumberland: The Olde Ship Inn

I fell in love with the Olde Ship during two self-catering weeks in Seahouses, especially the main bar, which is stuffed full of nautical photographs and artefacts. Unfortunately, the pub's popularity proved to be its downfall on weekend nights, when the main bar could get uncomfortably crowded. During the summer, relief is at hand in the form of a small garden out the back. I have not experienced the pub during the winter, but I'm sure it would be the perfect place to head for after pottering around the harbour or going for a long walk along the fabulous beach between Seahouses and Bamburgh. The Olde Ship also offers accommodation and serves meals in a separate restaurant area.

Inverary, Argyll and Bute: The George Hotel

The George Hotel is a historic coaching inn. We were so taken with it on a visit to Scotland a few years ago that we drove all the way over from Loch Awe to have an evening meal there, something my husband does not do lightly. As the pub's website suggests, it owes its existence to the architects Adam and Milne, who were responsible for Scotland's first planned town.

Caernarvon, Gwynedd: The Black Boy

Although just a minute's walk from Caernarvon's famous castle, the Black Boy is tucked away in a narrow side street, so it may take some unearthing. However, it is worth the effort, as the main bar provides a welcome respite from Caernarvon's lively weekend atmosphere, and the restaurant is a popular feeding post for those in search of decent British pub food.

Porthgain, Pembrokeshire: The Sloop Inn

I have only visited the Sloop during the springtime, but I can well imagine diving into it after an invigorating winter walk on the Pembrokeshire coast path, which passes through here. Porthgain has an interesting past as a quarry port, offloading slate from the surrounding areas. The interior of the Sloop has bags of character, and the food is pretty good too.

Lynmouth, Devon: The Rising Sun

The Rising Sun ticks all the boxes for a traditional harbourside inn, although it is also an upmarket hotel, occupying a whole row of cottages in this prime location by the side of Lynmouth harbour. We once spent a lovely New Years Eve at the Rising Sun, culminating in a 60s singalong to the live musician in the main bar. Every time I hear You've Lost That Loving Feeling by the Righteous Brothers it reminds me of that night!

St Ives, Cornwall: The Sloop Inn

The Sloop Inn in St Ives occupies a superb harbourfront location, nestling among the bars, restaurants, gift shops and amusement arcades. At Christmas it is ablaze with lights and decorations, and there is a range of delicious seafood specials on offer as well as mulled cider, a welcome change from the usual mulled wine.

REDCAR

On the way to Redcar, we reach Maersk-by-the-sea, where Captain Cook’s father was buried prior to the news of his son’s murder in Hawaii reaching England. On reaching The Teesside resort of Redcar, film buffs might find the beachfront slightly familiar. This is because the seafront in Redcar was used in the film of the Ian McEwan novel Atonement for harrowing scenes depicting wartime Dunkirk, with local people brought in to play the soldiers. The town’s use in the film caused much local excitement, prompting one local to comment “I wish we could put a price on what this is worth to the town”. Visitor numbers jumped by some 70% during the making of the film. Today’s Redcar is a seaside resort whose attractions include a popular racecourse. Redcar had a pier, but like the one at Saltburn it suffered a series of mishaps. Discussions are currently under way about the possibility of a 21st century “vertical” pier with a viewing platform, a studio, galleries and a cafe. It was reported just a few days ago that plans for the pier had been approved. Before tourism reached the town the main industries were steelworks, although Redcar keeps its fishing trade going with a fishing fleet catching lobster, crab and fish as well as offering day trips to tourists. The Zetland Lifeboat Museum on the esplanade houses the world’s oldest surviving lifeboat, built in 1802.

Live streaming webcam view of the Esplanade.   

Map of the area.

Redcar MMB 09. Photo by mattbuck, via Wikimedia Commons.

SALTBURN-BY-THE-SEA

This stretch of the north-east coast of England was once a hive of smuggling activity, and Saltburn-By-The-Sea became a particular focal point for smuggling largely courtesy of a Scotsman called John Andrew who moved to Saltburn in the 18th century and became landlord of the Ship Inn in 1780, which he turned into a ‘command centre’ for the area’s smuggling trade in partnership with a local brewer. He must have made an impression on his granddaughter, because it was she who christened him “King of the Smugglers”. So devious was he that he managed to infiltrate the local militia who were occasionally roped in to help catch the smugglers at the same time as carrying on his illicit activities!

Saltburn-By-The-Sea, like so many other resorts, made the transition from fishing village to resort thanks to the coming of the railway. The town’s website has some fascinating old images of its early days as a resort. Among the attractions built in Saltburn for the benefit of visitors is Britain’s oldest hydraulic cliff lift, built in 1844. The lift continues to operate today, as does the pier, opened in May 1869. The pier managed to attract 50,000 paying visitors during the first six months after its opening. The nation’s seaside piers have always proved vulnerable to the vagaries of the weather and other disasters, and Saltburn’s pier is no exception. In October 1875 300 feet of the pier was washed away during a savage storm and the missing section was never replaced. However, this calamity does not seem to have done the pier too much harm: in 2009 it was the recipient of the National Piers Society’s Pier of the Year award. Another attraction is the Saltburn Miniature Railway, and on the same side of town is the Hunt Cliff nature reserve, with fulmar, cormorant and kittiwake among the birds frequenting it.

For a list of events in the town, see here.

Map of the area.

Saltburn Pier April 2011. Photo by Norms360, via Wikimedia Commons.

BOULBY CLIFFS AND SKINNINGROVE

Much of the east coast of England is characterised by low-lying land and gently rising shores and cliffs, but by the time we reach North Yorkshire the coastline starts to take on a more dramatic character. This reaches a climax at Boulby Cliffs which, at 666 feet high, are the highest point on the east coast of England. The footpath at the highest point offers an amazing view of the surrounding coastline. The cliffs attract nesting birds in spring such as kittiwakes, fulmars and house martins. Boulby used to be a source of alum, jet and ironstone, while today potash is mined inland from here, with workings extending for up to 2 miles under the seabed. Ironstone was also mined at nearby Skinningrove following its discovery in 1848, leading to the existing fishing activities being supplemented by iron and steel-making. There is a mining museum here which tells the story of the Cleveland mining industry, while nearby there is still a steelmaking works making specialised products which include sculptures which can be found on the Cleveland Way footpath. The legacy of the now closed ironstone pits lives on in the form of the rust colouring in the small stream running through the village.

Map of the area.

Skinningrove. Photo (uncredited) via Wikimedia Commons.

STAITHES

James Cook got to spend his formative years in all the best places. Two years before he started his apprenticeship in Whitby, he spent some time in the charming little fishing village of Staithes, where he worked in a shop. In fact, his birthplace was only 25 miles south of Staithes, in Marton. Like Whitby, Staithes makes the most of its connection with the great Captain in the form of the Staithes Heritage Centre and Captain Cook Museum, housed in a building in the main street leading down through the village. The museum is a must for anyone who, like me, loves old photographs as it contains a veritable treasure trove of images of Staithes’ past, especially with regard to its fishing activities. The town even lent its name to a type of headgear called the Staithes Bonnet, worn by women who had to carry baskets of mussels and other loads on their heads. Not surprisingly, given the picturesque nature of this small town, Staithes has long been a magnet for artists, and like Newlyn in Cornwall, it gave its name to a group of artists: the “Staithes Group of Artists” some 25 in number, who came together around the year 1900. As with so many things, it was the arrival of the now disappeared railway which led to the initial trickle of artists turning into a flood, since before the railway was built Staithes was remote, with overland travel proving so difficult that many preferred to access it from the sea. The Staithes Group was best known for being at the forefront of British Impressionist painting. Two of the artists, Laura Knight and her husband Harold, used a tiny cottage in Staithes as a studio, and this cottage, one of the oldest in the town, is now available for rent as a holiday cottage.

Map of the area.

Staithes. Photo by Rob Bendall, via Wikimedia Commons.

RUNSWICK BAY

Would-be fossil hunters visiting the North Yorkshire coast should head for Runswick Bay, where finds to look out for include ammonites and ichthyosaurs. It has been said that the entire dinosaur era is represented on this stretch of coast. Even if fossils don’t float your boat, a few years ago this location was voted the best place in Britain for beachcombing, as fossils aside there are also shells and rare stones to look out for. As for the picturesque village itself, it clings precariously to the cliffs with the perils of the sea never far away. Many of the village’s cottages have been lost to the sea over the years due to erosion, and it was also the fragile state of this coast which contributed to the closure of the railway which used to run through here. On the plus side, it is the erosion which has led to the abundance of the aforementioned fossils. Runswick Bay used to have its own lifeboat, but now the nearest lifeboat station is at Staithes up the coast. In March 1901 the lifeboat men of the village were caught out at sea in their fishing cobles – open fishing boats typical of the North East – when a storm was moving in, and the womenfolk found themselves in the position of having to launch the lifeboat to rescue their other halves.

Map of the area.

Runswick Bay MMB 10. Photo by mattbuck, via Wikimedia Commons.

SANDSEND AND KETTLENESS

In my Whitby post I mentioned the mineral jet, which is found for sale in many of the town’s shops. Sandsend was one of the places on the North Yorkshire coast where jet was mined. The cliffs at Sandsend Ness to the north of the village also reveal some of the oldest alum workings in the area, dating from 1607. The sandy beach stretches all the way to Whitby, and there are pools for the kids to go crabbing in. There used to be a station here when Sandsend was served by the Loftus to Whitby railway line, but this has now been turned into a private house. The line, however, can be partially followed by walking the Cleveland Way walking trail. There used to be viaducts crossing two streams here, Mickleby Beck and East Row Beck, but all that remains of them now are the foundation pillars. Just outside the village are Mulgrave Woods, where the ruins of the 13th century Mulgrave Castle can be found. Kettleness was another stop along the railway, and the former railway station is now a Scouts’ activity centre. The original village of Kettleness was literally washed away into the sea on the night of 17 December 1829 after torrential rain caused the cliff to subside. The alum works also succumbed to the deluge, but fortunately there was an alum ship called Little Henry just offshore which managed to rescue the villagers. Near the former station is a half-ruined chapel, and in nearby Goldsborough is the site of a Roman military post. Excavations in 1919 revealed the skeletons of three men and a dog, along with Roman coins.

Map of the area.

Sandsend03. Photo by Immanuel Giel, via Wikimedia Commons.

WHITBY

When James Cook landed in Botany Bay in April 1770, dodging angry aborigines and lethal funnelweb spiders, he must have thought wistfully back to the picturesque town of Whitby, with its friendly natives and non-threatening wildlife. He must have ached for the romantic sight of Whitby Abbey, hovering spookily over the old harbourside, with its narrow ginnels separating sturdy old houses with their jumble of pan-tiled roofs tumbling down towards the water. For it was in Whitby that the young James began his seaman’s training. The house where he lodged during his apprenticeship is now a fascinating museum.

The first time we visited Whitby we were bemused by the number of people wandering around the town in strange clothing. It was the month of April, and unbeknownst to us Whitby was hosting one of two annual Goth festivals. Thanks to its association with Dracula, whose story was set in the town, Whitby has developed into a major draw for people who style themselves as “Goths”. The bigger of the two Goth weekends takes place around the time of Halloween in October, but the event in April is also very well attended. During the weekend we were treated to some memorable sights, including a pair of dogs dressed in matching black cloaks. In spite of their often scary appearance, the Goths are actually really nice people, and our visit to Whitby on this occasion was made all the more enjoyable by this event.  Dracula enthusiasts should also head for the Dracula Experience.

Whitby is famous for the quality of its fish and chips, and the most famous fish and chip restaurant in the town is The Magpie, although it has become something of a victim of its own success, with queues often stretching out into the street. Those who don’t like having to queue, however, have plenty of other alternatives to choose from, as there are several other exceptionally good fish and chip venues in the town. Best to ask a local for advice on where to go, although you’ll probably get as many different answers as people you ask. Apart from the aforementioned Abbey and Captain Cook Memorial Museum, another activity not to be missed is to take one of boat trips which leave from the harbour, including sailings on a replica of Captain Cook’s HMS Endeavour. One of the commercial activities which used to take place out of Whitby was whaling, and there is a relic of that time in the form of the whale jaw bone arch on the West Cliff. Another product of the area is jet, a lustrous black mineral formed from the fossilized remains of trees from the Jurassic period, which can be found for sale in many of the shops mainly as jewellery.

For a list of events in Whitby, see here.

Live streaming webcam view of the Quayside.

Map of the area.

Whitby and the River Esk (2011.10.19). Photo by Geir Hval, via Wikimedia Commons.

ROBIN HOOD'S BAY

Robin Hood’s Bay is more than just a bay, it is a charming red-roofed village which tumbles down a very steep incline to a small beach and fishing harbour, overlooked by the Bay Hotel. The village calls to mind the North Devon village of Clovelly, although unlike Clovelly, there is no turnstile at the enrance to the village demanding payment from visitors! The last time we went there we walked along the cliff tops from Whitby, and settled into the Bay Hotel for a well-earned lunch. Then we realised that we would have to haul ourselves up to the top of the village to catch the bus back to Whitby, which was no small undertaking given the gradient involved. There is a bar in the Bay Hotel called the Wainwright Bar after the much loved walking enthusiast Alfred Wainwright, who came up with the Coast To Coast long-distance walking route, which starts in St Bees and ends right here in Robin Hood’s Bay. It is customary for people doing the walk to take a pebble from the starting point and cast it into the sea on arrival at Robin Hood’s Bay.

There is plenty to divert visitors to the village, from paying a visit to one of the pubs and tea rooms to pottering in the little shops lining the steep hill. The Old Coastguard Station is run by the National Trust, and contains a museum explaining the natural history of the area. The Robin Hood’s Bay Museum has displays about the local geology, history, fishing and shipping.

Live streaming Webcam view of the bay.

Map of the area.

Robin Hood's Bay - geograph.org.uk - 1040087. Photo by Peter Church, via Wikimedia Commons.

RAVENSCAR

Raven Hall Hotel at Ravenscar has an interesting history. The hotel was built in 1774 as a private house by the owner of the Alum Works at Ravenscar Captain Childs, whose daughter Ann Willis took ownership on his death. The family made a fortune from providing medical treatment to assorted sickly royals from around Europe, one of whom was George III, who visited the property during his bouts of ill health. One particularly eccentric member of the Willis family used the proceeds of this medical venture to construct a series of hanging terraced gardens and battlements by blowing them out of the cliff face.

Later on, in the 1890s, the owner of the hotel hatched a grand plan to turn the village of Ravenscar into a fashionable seaside resort, to which end the estate was sold to the Peak Estate Company. Raven Hall became a hotel during this time, and a golf links was opened. As for the resort itself, although the planners got as far as laying out a street plan, houses were built and sewers laid, the resort never got off the ground, largely due to its elevation necessitating a long trek down to the beach, plus the unstable geology of the cliffs around there.

As for the Alum Works, or Peak Alum Works to give them their full name, they now lie abandoned, but there is a path leading to the site from the National Trust Coastal Centre for those wanting to view what remains of the works. Going much further back in time, there was a 4th century Roman signal station here, part of a chain of signal stations along the Yorkshire coast.


Map of the area.

Ravenscar - geograph.org.uk - 401270. Photo by Ian Davison, via Wikimedia Commons.

SCARBOROUGH

Scarborough is the premier resort on the Yorkshire coast, consisting of two bays, North Bay and South Bay, divided by the Castle Headland. Its future as a holiday resort was probably secured in 1845 with the opening of the railway station, but its history goes way back to the Bronze Age; relics of Bronze Age man have been found in the locality. Later on, Romans, Vikings and successive English Kings all left their mark. One of the most impressive relics of this history is Scarborough Castle, which was first built in 1136. Scarborough was an important trading centre in the late Middle Ages, and there was an annual Fair, immortalised by Simon and Garfunkel in their song Scarborough Fair, which was 45 days long and was held each year from mid-August. The Fair attracted merchants from all over Northern Europe and from the Byzantine Empire. Moving forward in time, Scarborough became a target of the Germans during World War I when victims of attacks by German warships included both cargo ships and smaller fishing vessels.

Not surprisingly, a town with such a long history has its share of ghosts, and the many attractions on offer to visitors include guided ghost walks. Other attractions include the miniature North Bay Railway, the Sea Life Centre and the Open Air Theatre, which is the largest in Europe. One of the most unusual activities to be found in the resort is at Peasholm Park, where naval battles are reenacted, enlivened by special effects which include bombs, gunfire and wire-guided aircraft. As a prelude to this surreal experience, an organist does a turn on a floating pagoda. As is to be expected in a seaside town, especially in Yorkshire, fish and chips loom large in the resort’s gastronomic delights. In fact there is one type of fish, which I have tried and can recommend, which takes one of its names from the town: Scarborough woof. Bizarrely, in spite of its doggy name, it is actually a type of catfish.

For a list of events in Scarborough, follow this link.

Webcam view of North Bay.

Map of the area.

Scarborough (2011.10.19). Photo by Geir Hval, via Wikimedia Commons.

FILEY

The novelist Margaret Drabble recently wrote an affectionate piece about Filey in the Sunday Times, recalling her childhood holidays there. In the piece, she admitted that Filey is the inspiration for her novel The Sea Lady, although the place in the novel is called something else. Filey is a traditional seaside resort, with all the usual features such as amusements and so forth. The beach is 6 miles long and sandy, fringed by a long promenade with a sculpture trail, and there are beach chalets for rent. This is overlooked by Victorian terraces and gardens. The British Pathe website has some footage from 1923 showing horse racing taking place on the beach at Filey watched by large crowds.

The history of the town goes much further back than Victorian times, as seen in St Oswald’s Church, which has Norman features. One intriguing sight in the church is that of a stone effigy believed to be that of a Boy Bishop who died while in office. Filey has until recently enjoyed a thriving fishing trade, and the history of this time is told in the Filey Museum, which also pays tribute to the lifeboat service. For amateur fishermen, the mile-long promontory of Filey Brigg is popular with anglers, although care should be taken, because this spot is notoriously dangerous, and the advice is to go there with someone who has fished there before and knows the risks. Filey Brigg also marks the end points of two long-distance paths: the Cleveland Way and the Yorkshire Wolds Way. For the birdwatchers, Filey Dams Nature Reserve offers the chance to view birds such as greenshanks, pochards and ruffs.

For a list of events in Filey, follow this link.

Webcam view of Filey Bay

Map of the area.

Filey seaside south 061515. Photo by Wilson44691, via Wikimedia Commons.