Walk from Whitby to Sandsend

Walking from Whitby to Sandsend is a popular route that rewards you with beautiful beaches and clifftop views. Here's how to walk from Whitby to Sandsend.

We love nothing more than popping on our walking boots and wandering around Whitby and the surrounding area. It's a brilliant way to soak in this coastline. Here's how you can walk from Whitby to Sandsend.

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Sandsend is a pretty fishing village with a great beach perfect for rock pooling and fossil hunting. There are plenty of pretty cottages to admire, and the western side of the village is one of the most expensive areas to buy property on the Yorkshire Coast!

These popular coastal walks take you from Whitby to the nearby village of Sandsend. There are a couple of different ways to get there, both roughly 3 miles long and relatively easy walks. When the tide is out, you can do the walk on the promenade and beach the entire way. Or you can get there along the path and clifftop when the tide is in. This is easily made a circular walk, with many people choosing to walk there via the beach and back via the path route. 

Walking from Whitby to Sandsend via the beach

Start at the Whitby West Cliff Beach Huts and The North Beach Cafe. You will see Sandsend in the distance, with the sea across to your right. Walk along the beach for about two miles passing Upgang Beach. When the tide is out it's a massive beach stretching out to the North Sea so you can walk out quite a bit for great views along the coast. When you get to Sandsend, there are steps down to the beach. Take those up to Sandsend and Sandside Cafe, this is a lovely place to stop and grab a drink or a bite to eat whilst taking in the views.

Walking on soft sand is not always easy so walking via the road and clifftop might be more suitable depending on your abilities. Before attempting to walk to Sandsend via the beach, please always check the tide times prior. You can check them here.

Follow the beach route here.

Walking via the road or clifftop

Depending on your accommodation, you can start your walk from various points in Whitby. An excellent place to begin is from the Captain Cook Monument, as this walk is relatively straight ahead from there.

Starting from Whitby Abbey is perfect if you're visiting for the day and would like to explore Whitby too. The Abbey has an interesting history dating back to the 7th century. This is a very picture-perfect spot and a lovely place to begin walking.

Follow the Cleveland Way west from the Abbey, head past St Mary's Churchyard and down the 199 steps. Cross over the Swing Bridge over the River Esk on the way. Pass the famous Magpie Cafe. Then, head up past the Captain Cook Monument and towards Whitby Pavillion, follow the promenade to Sandsend or take the cycle path/clifftop route.

We prefer to take the beach route there and the road route back. It's a reasonably safe option even for those with children/pushchairs, and it's an excellent way to get a different view of Sandsend and Whitby. You'll be walking along the side of the Golf Course too which is great to see.

As we head back to the town, we often visit The White House across from the Golf Course for a drink or something to eat. The beer garden is beautiful and boasts incredible views. There is lots of room for children to let off some steam. Follow a full route here.

Extend your walk

You can extend your walk by visiting Mulgrave Woods which is right next to Sandsend. Here there are miles of pretty woodland trails to explore that take you to waterfalls and the fascinating ruins of Mulgrave Castle.

You could even carry on along the Cleveland Way and head to Runswick Bay. This is another quaint fishing village with a sandy beach, sheltered bay and picturesque cottages.

Let us know in the comments which way you prefer to walk to Sandsend from Whitby, we love to hear your own experiences.