Filey

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However, if it's low tide and you don't wander too far, then the Brigg can be a great place to explore. It is covered in rock pools, which are filled with all sorts of interesting creatures. Unfortunately, as well as maintaining life, the Brigg has also been the cause of some terrible accidents. Some of the rocks lie below the water's surface, and can be hard to spot. These dangerous reefs have caused many shipwrecks over the years.

Filey Brigg
Photo colinpoe

On the positive side, Filey Brigg acts as a breakwater, protecting the beach from strong currents. This helped the town become a productive fishing area. The calm waters also helped later on, during the Victorian era, when Filey became a fashionable tourist destination. Since then, thousands of visitors have enjoyed the beautiful beach. Its clean sands stretch south for around 7 kilometres, ensuring that - even in summer - there's always enough space for everybody. There shore is lined with interesting sights, from abandoned World War II defences, to the "Sculpture Trail", a series of art pieces inspired by the town's natural heritage. You'll also find beach huts, and paddling pools.

The beach at Filey
Photo James Disley

Overlooking the sand is a long curved street called The Crescent, lined with tall white houses. These were built in the mid-19th-century, and they contributed considerably to Filey's transformation into a fashionable tourist town. In front of these are the Crescent Gardens, an area of flowers and greenery with a traditional, formal bandstand. This was often used by Victorian and Edwardian musicians, and still hosts performances on Sundays during the summer.

A little further back from the shore, you can find a quaint, whitewashed house that's even older than The Crescent. It was built in 1696 and is now used as the town's museum. The rooms within are set up to represent different areas of Filey's history and heritage. This includes displays of Victorian life, rural crafts, local geology, and old photographs.

To the south of the town, the beach eventually builds up into the Bempton Cliffs, which reach up to over 100 metres in height! They're run as a nature reserve, due to their population of seabirds. The cliffs are well set up with paths and observation points, so it shouldn't be too tricky to get good views of the puffins, guillemots, and other creatures.

Bempton Cliffs
Photo Thomas Tolkien

Even further on, you'll find the town of Bridlington, and the chalk headland of Flamborough Head. To the north, Scarborough is easily reachable by car, bus, or train. On the other hand, if you prefer to travel using your own two feet, then there's plenty of trails to follow. In fact, Filey's position, tucked away in an eastern corner of Yorkshire, makes it the perfect ending point for many of the country's most well known long-distance walking routes. One example is the Yorkshire Wolds Way, which leads to the town of Hessle, 127 kilometres away. Another is the Cleveland Way and is even longer at 177 kilometres, so bear in mind it'll probably take more than an afternoon! Even if you only walk a small section of the path, you'll still be treated to some of Yorkshire's very best scenery.

Walking on the Yorkshire Wolds Way
Photo Keith Laverack

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