About Runswick Bay

Runswick Bay Cottages is located in the quiet former fishing village of Runswick Bay on the North Yorkshire coast. Just 8 miles North of Whitby and just 2 miles South of Staithes, the village is perfectly located for exploring this fantastic Jurassic coastline, for walkers discovering the Cleveland Way or those seeking a quiet retreat.

History of Runswick Bay
With just 90 cottages, the village is a quiet retreat with many properties used as second homes and very few holiday rentals. If you're lucky enough to stay here, you will soon learn that the village is full of history. The traditional fishing cobles can be seen departing early each morning, bringing back their daily catch during the Summer months, either lobsters and crabs or the bounty provided by their nets and rods. Lights can be see dotted around the waters edge in the evening as fisherman cast their lines from the beach at night.

Artists & Photographers have always flocked to Runswick Bay. Descendents of Mark Senior, a founding member of the "Staithes Group of Artists" still own the house his wife built in 1919 plus a number of other cottages are owned by their relatives. Many families who first came here in the 1950's purchased houses as holiday homes, when little fishing cottages weren't really a desirable investment. When cottages rarely appear on the market, they are often snapped up within weeks, that's even if they make it on the market!

Community Spirit in Runswick Bay
There is a huge sense of community in Runswick Bay. Many of the residents know each other and have grown up together. Generations of the same families can be found in the village with many strands of connections in each family either by birth or marriage (or both!)
When the ravages of the sea were acknowledged to be taking hold of erosion of the seafront at Runswick in 2016, the residents applied for grant funding from Defra for a £2.2m coastal defence project. However, the criteria for funding by Defra, meant an amount of contribution was needed to bring the project higher up the priority chain. The residents raised over £100,000 in just 3 months to initiate it. Over 9,500 tonnes of high density granite armour stone was strategically placed along the front and was completed in 2018, ensuring the village is safe for many years to come. The scheme at Runswick was the first major coastal defence project to receive financial support from a local community and has won many awards for its innovation. Runswick Bay Coastal Defence Scheme

Throughout the year, there are many traditional village events involving a few laughs, a few drinks and some fundraising along the way. If you see any of the events happening, you're encouraged to get involved - you'll always be made to feel welcome.

Things to See & Do
There is so much to see and do in and around Runswick Bay. Take a look at our Things to See and Do page!
Runswick Bay doesn't pretend to be a cosmopolitan holiday destination. You will find that the locals are friendly, the beach and sea are clean (year on year we receive our Seaside Award (www.theseasideaward.org) and pass our clean water tests), we have one cafe (Tides, Runswick Bay) and one cosy pub (The Royal Hotel), terrible mobile phone reception and for most, that's the idea of absolute bliss.