Samantha Priestley discovers Yorkshire’s secret beaches in a trusty campervan
WORDS: SAMANTHA PRIESTLEY
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I’ve lived in Yorkshire all my life, but my home county has some secrets even I haven’t discovered, especially along its coastline where quiet secluded bays wait to be explored. The new Route YC has six proposed driving and cycling routes that take you to towns and villages along the Yorkshire coast, so it seemed the perfect way to discover those secret Yorkshire beaches – and what better way to do it than in a campervan?
Me and my partner booked our campervan though Camplify, similar to Airbnb for campervans. We picked it up locally and we were off.
Our first stop was Bridlington, where my childhood memories of days at the beach eating candyfloss and building sandcastles made way for a stately home and a walk to the top of the lighthouse at Flamborough Head.
We ate a delicious lunch at The Nut & Nettle in Bridlington’s old town, a vegan restaurant, with some irresistible cakes for afters, then we went in search of our first beach, North Landing.
Fishing boats were strewn along the slope as we made our way down to the small bay. It’s a quiet spot with some intriguing caves and a traditional fishing cove feel.
We then drove up to Filey where we enjoyed brunch at the Egg & Spoon café, tucking into a hearty full English.
Hunmanby Gap was next on our list of hidden beaches. Hunmanby Gap is a long stretch of sand, accessed by a walk down the hill from the car park. A delightful – if breezy – walk along the beach was just what we needed before we set off up the coast once more.
Scarborough was the next stop, but we headed for the pretty little beach at Hayburn Wyke, then ended our road trip in Whitby where we toured the Abbey, nipped up the coast to the secluded cove Boggle Hole, and finished off with a fish supper at Abbey Wharf.
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Happy Campers
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Launched in Australia in 2015 and expanding to the UK in 2019, Camplify features 1850 campervan owners hiring out their vehicles across the country – simply choose the size and type you want and pick up locally.
The owner will do a handover and provide all the information you need.
Our campervan, Lola, slept four people, with a rock and roll bed and a be