Review by @plumbobmummy on Instagram.
Picture this – It’s the last day of the year, the children are up early, full of excitement and midnight seems a long, long, long time away. So a day out was definitely what we all needed! I’m Alice and I live with my husband and our two sons on the North Yorkshire coast. We love our family time together, which is usually a Sunday, and enjoy playing board games and going on walks. My boys love animals and nature so we spend a lot of time out exploring zoos, farms and parks.
We decided an ideal trip out would be to the beach in Robin Hoods Bay, just a little way up the coast from where we live. Fresh sea air and a long walk felt like what we needed after a few days stuck indoors. After a quick deliberation we settled on Robin Hoods Bay as it is already one of our favourite beach locations and we know what a beautiful little place it is to visit.
Arriving At Robin Hoods Bay
As soon as we arrived I noticed how busy it was. The car park was already filling up and a constant stream of people were making their way down the slope towards the beach. It is no surprise though as the village is stunning. From the top, where the car park is, is a beautiful view down to the sea. The village itself is picturesque, it makes me think of an old fashioned Victorian town with its cobbled streets and tea rooms.
We went straight down the long hill so we could start with a beach walk. It is quite a long way down. There are steps to one side and a cobbled slope in the middle. It is steep, a lot easier going down than coming back up! Although you wouldn’t navigate the steps it is possible to push a pram or wheelchair down the slope. Many people take this option as there are very few cars around. The slope has direct access down to the sand. The children were immediately excited to be there. The tide was fully out leaving lots of rock pools to explore. They wanted to start by exploring the rocks, sifting through looking for fossils. As we slowly made our way along, searching we didn’t even realise how far we had walked. When we had gone as far along as the tide would allow we made our way back this time wading through the rock pools. We had all put our wellies on so we could splash through the pools and crunch over the seaweed. I think us adults were having just as much fun as the kids if i’m honest, laughing when a piece of seaweed went pop under our feet.
What To Bring With You…
If you have never been to Robin Hoods Bay before then do make sure you bring boots or beach shoes of some sort. The beach there is rocky and wet. Absolutely great for exploring but not the sort of sandy beach to sit and build sandcastles on. There are plenty of other gorgeous beaches along our Yorkshire coast for that though!
After we left the beach that long hill back up felt a bit daunting but the kids revelled in pulling Mum and Dad by the hand, dragging us to the top. If you want to slowly make your way back up to the top there are lovely little shops and cafes all the way up. Robin Hoods Bay is very small but there are still lots of choices with cafes, pubs and fish and chip shops. We particularly love a tiny free museum on the walk up which has fossils and dinosaur skeletons on show and sells a few gems and shells too. The boys always want to stop off and look.
If you are struggling to get the kids to walk back up the hill, there is a great incentive of the playground at the top. As well as the usual swings and slide, the park has a huge wooden ship to play on. My eldest at almost 11 often scoffs at the suggestion of playing at a park now but even he can’t resist a game of hide and seek or tag around the pirate ship. There are plenty of benches too for the adults to rest or to eat at.
Back at the car we tucked into our well deserved picnic before heading home. Our clothes were muddy and sandy, our faces were flushed pink from the cold and we were all smiling. So to me that means the day was a success. We set off and had a very quiet, peaceful drive. Two kids (and two parents!) worn out ready for a Sunday afternoon family film time.
Is Robin Hoods Bay Worth Visiting? Plus, Three Top Tips For Visiting Robin Hoods Bay
• Check the tide times and weather before arrival
•Plan to visit early
•Wear comfortable shoes
Rating: We give it a 10/10!
So, now you know everything amazing about Robin Hood’s Bay, get ready to hit the beach!
Looking for more things to do? Head to our recommendations page for all reviews on fab family attractions! From Fonmon Castle, Hobbledown and Stockeld Park to the National Space Centre in Leicester and the Knights Village at Warwick Castle!