Staithes

Ahhhhh the little village of Staithes, so impossibly picturesque! It's hard to believe I was here beside the sea only five days ago, it was the last place we visited before coming home on Friday. Staithes is a true gem of a place on the north east coast of Yorkshire, roughly between Whitby and Saltburn. It's one of those places that kind of tiptoes into your soul and takes root, leaves a lasting impression and a strong desire to return.

On Friday I was trying to recall the last time we were here :: we stayed here a couple of times when the Little People were teenytiny, renting a teenytiny little fisherman's cottage right down by the sea. I remember that it was my Birthday (so October then) and Little Lady was still teenytiny enough to be sleeping in a moses basket and carried around in a sling (so ooo mmm errrrr about 5.5yrs ago then)...and I have so so so wanted to return ever since.

It's a very quiet, quaint and quirky place, similar in many ways to Robins Hood Bay. You can't go rushing around when you visit Staithes, no no, you have to slow right down and take it easy. Park your car at the top of the hill and descend on foot. Take your time, enjoy a little bit of light meandering and pootling and pottering and pondering. Slowly slowly, down we go, down through the higgledy piggeldy jumble of houses and rooftops.

Ahhhhhh these beautiful, charming little houses and rooftops are hugely inspiring and heart-expanding for the likes of me. Aren't they just delightful?? I mean, you do know how very very much I just adore little houses, don't you? So you can imagine me in Staithes can't you, feeling like my heart is about to grow so big and wide with pleasure and happiness that it'll p:o:p. I am soooo delighted with being here that I involuntarily start to skip (yes truly) and luckily I am holding Little Lady's hand at the time so we end up skipping together. Yiippppeeeee, such fun!!

Descending down through the steep narrow street there are little glimpses of the sea here and there, it is indescribably beautiful, especially on such a glorious morning. These pictures were taken at about 9.30am ish so it was still quite early in the day. We peeked down little side streets, oohed and ahhed at the beauty of it all.

This is the main street in Staithes, the High Street. There are only a handful of shops on the High Street and at this early hour it's wonderfully peaceful.

It really is the cutest little place.

We are almost at the bottom of the hill now and to the right is this pretty little side street :: heart-skippy stuff for sure. Down a little bit further, around the corner beside the weatherbeaten old Crab and Lobster pub and there it is....................

..............the sun dappled sea, the dinky little beach, just exactly as I remember it from before. Nothing has changed, all is good. Breathe it all in mmmm-mmmm.

We stroll a little along the seafront and the Little Peeps run down onto the beach below to do what Little Peeps do best next to the sea :: messin around in the sand. Soon be time for Seadrift Cafe to open, it's almost ten o'clock. There are tables and chairs all set out ready on the pavement in front of the cafe and I am dreaming of a large cup of Very Good Coffee with something sweet to the side. My dream does indeed come true, and I get my v.g. coffee and cake with sea views, and enjoy it enormously.

Ahhhhhhhh I've gone all dreamy and seasidey now after writing this post! As you have no doubt gathered we enjoyed an amazing time at the coast last week and it makes me so happy to sit and write about it. Thank you as always for sharing my memories with me, I appreciate your company more than I am able to say xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Comments

[Sheila Ashcroft]

Hi Lucy, I am so glad I came across your lovely website as we are visiting Staithes tomorrow from Lancashire (16th April) for a 5-day break and now I cannot wait! I have booked a little cottage on the cliff top at Cowbar and your gorgeous photos and colourful descriptions really have confirmed my choice!
Thank you again
x

[Dave Massheder]

My 8th great grandfather a Verrill, lived in Staithes and on a recent visit spoke to locals and upon hearing I was related to the Verrill's from the 1600's said, "Oh your'e a local then". I now live in Australia so to be accepted as a local made me feel as though I was home again.

[Gayle]

HEY! I visited there about five years ago! It's a long, long way from my home in Utah USA!

[suitcasesue]

We stayed in Staithes in 2008 (Me, Hubby, 4 kids in tow) on our 6 month European adventure. You are quite right about the feeling of wanting to return. It's an absolutely gorgeous place.

[mimi poud'de riz]

It is always a pleasure to trail round me at home, of attractive things and attractive photos even if I speak only about some words of English!

[andrea]

I soooooo want to go!! Love the little houses esp the one with the red front door! Love red doors!

[carotweenie]

Waouh! what a lovely place....
Hello from Paris.
Carole.

[Fiona]

Lovely, lovely, lovely! I love reading your descriptions of your trips because your happiness almost jumps out of my computer screen. I reckon it must be about 30 odd years since I was last in Staithes. I could barely remember it. It looks utterly beautiful. You were so lucky with the weather too. The North Sea is looking almost like the Med! Thanks for sharing with us. x

[Becky]

Thank you Lucy for sharing these pictures. I love seeing other places on this lovely earth! I can't imagine living on the sea.

[Lisa]

Oh, my! I am planning on visiting this area in August and HAVE to visit Staithes now. It looks dreamy... Thank you for telling us about it.

[Nettie]

Beautiful! Your photos have made me realise how much I'm longing to see the sea!

[AnnieElf]

What a dreamscape. I hope you are able to return again soon.

[Maggie]

Oh I want to go, it looks so pretty.

[Annie]

Lovely, lovely....wish I were there!

: )

[cybele]

Pretty place. Reminds me a lot of Lyme Regis. I go there every year for a week with my dad and my two children - become traditional now. This year we discovered a seafront cafe with v.g. coffee and cakes too - only we were there in February and you have to sit there wrapped up in winter coats/scarves and gloves... you appreciate the sunshine even more then!

[SueW]

I love your photos of Staithes and having Googled I now know where it is and must do the seaside towns in Yorkshire. I've only been to Scarborough and to Flamborough Head so far in the 18 months I've lived in Yorkshire. I do miss the coast. Pleased that you and yours had a lovely time with the caravan.

[Carol]

How lovely England is! I would love to visit....maybe someday. Lucy, I was recently rambling 'round the web and came upon www.redheart.com and discovered a crocheted throw pattern that reminded me instantly of YOU....it's called "Pokey Dots Throw", number WR2107...wonderful colorful circles within circles. Hope you like it as much as I do.....
Sincerely, Carol

[Cattoo]

Staithes is a place I want to visit again, my husband proposed to me there about 5.5 yrs ago!

[savvy stitch]

What a dream vacation!!!!

[Sally]

Simply beautiful!

[Danielle]

I need, I want and I must have a holiday there! How picturesque. The material dreams are made of. I've been mesmerised by part 2! :)

[Cayt]

It looks lovely! My mum followed a link from my sidebar to here and said that she thinks your blog is lovely - she would have commented herself but couldn't make the comments section work.

[Erica K]

I just can't get enough of the old quaintness of your country. There are so many 'new' places here, and they just plain lack the charm of an old place...

[cathleen]

What a charming place to stay. How delightful to have breakfast by the sea.
It is just so sweet of you to share your lovely Connievan vacation with us.

[Colleen]

Thank you so much for taking me along on these wonderful trips to such beautiful places I'll probably never see :)