North Landing, Flamborough
North Landing, Flamborough
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North Landing, Flamborough
North Landing, Flamborough – A Little Yorkshire Bay With a Big History
There are some places along our Yorkshire coast that don’t need amusement arcades, fairground rides or huge stretches of golden sand to make them special. North Landing at Flamborough is one of them.
Tucked beneath the towering chalk cliffs of Flamborough Head, the area is a small bay with a character all of its own. Fishing boats, steep cliffs, seabirds and the constantly changing North Sea give it the sort of atmosphere that reminds you just how old and rugged this coastline really is.
For visitors staying at Lucky Paws Holiday Home at Thornwick Bay, it’s also practically on the doorstep.
You don’t need to plan a great expedition. The area is one of those places where you can simply decide after breakfast that you’ll have a wander down and see what the sea is doing.
And believe me, the North Sea is rarely doing exactly the same thing twice!
A Proper Yorkshire Fishing Bay
Long before visitors arrived with cameras and walking boots, the area was associated with the sea and fishing.
The natural inlet provided somewhere for local fishermen to launch and recover their boats, although anyone looking at the steep cliffs surrounding the bay will realise that working from here can’t always have been easy.
Generations of Flamborough families made their living from the sea.
Fishing was hard, dangerous work, particularly before modern engines, navigation equipment and reliable weather forecasting. Small boats headed out into waters that could change remarkably quickly.
That fishing heritage is still part of what makes the area so appealing today.
Seeing boats pulled up around the bay against the backdrop of the chalk cliffs gives the place a traditional feel that’s becoming increasingly difficult to find around Britain’s coastline.
Flamborough’s Magnificent Chalk Cliffs
Of course, you can’t write about the area without mentioning the cliffs.
Flamborough Head is one of Yorkshire’s most recognisable stretches of coastline. Its great white chalk cliffs have been shaped over thousands of years by the North Sea.
The cliffs around the area form a wonderfully sheltered-looking bay, although the sea itself can be anything but sheltered when the weather changes.
Caves, arches and other formations have gradually been carved into the chalk by waves, frost and erosion.
This constant erosion is one reason visitors should always respect signs and keep safely back from cliff edges. Chalk might look solid enough, but sections can become unstable.
From a safe viewpoint, though, the scenery is magnificent.
On a bright Yorkshire day, when the sun catches the white chalk and the North Sea turns blue-green below, you could almost convince yourself you were somewhere considerably farther south.
Then the Yorkshire wind gets up and reminds you exactly where you are!
A Wonderful Place for Wildlife
The area is also surrounded by some of the best wildlife country in Yorkshire.
The cliffs of Flamborough Head provide nesting places for huge numbers of seabirds. Depending on the season, visitors may see birds including guillemots, razorbills, kittiwakes and fulmars.
And, of course, this part of the Yorkshire coast is famous for puffins.
The great seabird spectacle at nearby Bempton Cliffs attracts visitors from all over Britain, but birds don’t recognise the boundaries of nature reserves. The whole Flamborough headland can produce some wonderful wildlife encounters.
Autumn can be particularly exciting for birdwatchers because migrating birds sometimes arrive on the headland after crossing the North Sea.
You never quite know what might turn up.
For somebody like me who enjoys wildlife, that’s a large part of the attraction of this area. You don’t need everything organised for you. Sometimes you just need a pair of binoculars and a bit of patience.
Walking Around North Landing
If you enjoy walking, the area makes a cracking starting point or stopping place.
The Yorkshire coastal paths around Flamborough offer spectacular views across the cliffs and sea.
You can walk towards Flamborough Head and the lighthouse or head in the opposite direction towards Thornwick Bay and eventually Bempton.
There’s something particularly refreshing about walking along this coastline.
The sea air certainly clears the cobwebs!
Naturally, the paths can become muddy or slippery after rain, and some sections run close to high cliffs. Sensible footwear is always a good idea, as is keeping dogs under close control.
This isn’t somewhere I’d recommend tackling in your best white trainers after three days of Yorkshire rain.
Caves, Rock Pools and Exploring the Shore
When conditions and tides allow, the shore itself provides plenty to investigate.
Children – and plenty of adults – can spend ages looking amongst the rocks and pools for small creatures left behind by the retreating tide.
The chalk coastline has also created caves and unusual formations around Flamborough.
But this is somewhere where the tide deserves respect.
The sea can cut areas off, conditions can change and cliffs can shed pieces of chalk without warning. Visitors should always pay attention to local signs and tide conditions rather than wandering somewhere simply because somebody else appears to have done it.
The North Sea has been shaping Flamborough for thousands of years.
It’s best not to argue with it!
From Fishing Boats to Holiday Visitors
Tourism gradually became another important part of Flamborough’s story.
Visitors discovered what local people had always known – that this corner of Yorkshire was something rather special.
Bridlington developed into one of Yorkshire’s great traditional seaside resorts, while Flamborough retained a rather different character.
That’s still true today.
You can spend a lively day in Bridlington with its harbour, beaches, shops and attractions and then return to Flamborough for something completely different.
The area isn’t about flashing lights or entertainment.
The landscape is the entertainment.
Sit for a while and watch the boats, birds and waves and you’ll understand why people keep returning.
North Landing and the Flamborough Lifeboats
The sea around Flamborough has also seen tragedy over the centuries.
Shipwrecks were once an ever-present danger along this exposed coastline, and Flamborough developed a proud lifesaving tradition.
The area was associated with Flamborough’s lifeboat history, with generations of local volunteers prepared to put to sea in terrible conditions when other people’s lives were in danger.
It’s easy to admire an old photograph of a lifeboat crew.
It’s rather different when you stand in the area on a rough winter’s day and imagine launching a small open boat into those seas.
It gives you enormous respect for the people who did it.
North Landing Through the Seasons
Summer naturally brings the greatest number of visitors, but I think places such as the area have something to offer throughout the year.
Spring brings returning seabirds and fresh growth along the cliffs.
Summer gives us long evenings and, occasionally, some surprisingly warm Yorkshire sunshine.
Autumn brings migrating birds and dramatic skies.
And winter transforms the bay again.
You might not fancy sitting on the beach with an ice cream in January, but watching waves roll into the area on a crisp winter’s day can be spectacular.
That’s one reason we always say the Yorkshire coast isn’t just a summer destination.
A Great Place for Dog Walkers
For guests staying at Lucky Paws with their dogs, the Flamborough area provides some superb walks.
The area can easily form part of a longer walk around the headland, and there are plenty of smells and adventures to keep four-legged visitors interested.
As always, dogs need to be kept under sensible control, particularly near livestock, nesting birds and cliff edges.
Remember that seasonal restrictions can apply to beaches, so it’s worth checking the local signs when you arrive.
But for simply getting outside with the dog and enjoying the fresh Yorkshire air, you’re spoilt for choice around here.
Lucky Paws and North Landing
One of the things we love about Lucky Paws Holiday Home at Thornwick Bay is its location.
You aren’t having to drive for an hour every morning before your holiday begins.
North Landing, Flamborough village, the lighthouse and the headland are all close by. Bempton Cliffs isn’t far away, and Bridlington is within easy reach when you fancy a traditional seaside day out.
That means you can spend more time enjoying yourself and less time sitting in the car.
The area is exactly the sort of place that makes this part of Yorkshire special.
It’s not enormous.
It isn’t flashy.
And nobody has tried to turn it into something it isn’t.
It’s simply a little Yorkshire bay surrounded by magnificent cliffs, wildlife and centuries of history.
Sometimes that’s more than enough.
