Staithes

Staithes

Staithes, known locally as “Steers”, meaning “landing place”, has a very dramatic setting on the rugged stretch of coast north of Whitby. Many of the white painted cottages are haphazardly perched on any available space and the place oozes charm and history. The sheltered harbour is reached from the cobbled main street, at the bottom of the steep hill that winds down from the busy A174 Whitby to Loftus road. Staithes is still a working port, moored in the harbour are the fishermen’s distinctive boats (cobles) which catch crabs and lobsters.

Nearby is a small sandy beach popular with families, and a rocky shoreline pitted with thousands of rock pools hiding starfish and anemones.

The rocks here are rich in fossils and also ingots of “fools Gold”.

The little port is proud of its associations with Captain James Cook. The Captain Cook and Staithes Heritage Centre , includes a life size street scene from 1745, along with Sanderson’s shop where young James Cook was an assistant, and a scale model of his ship Endeavour.