Visiting Loftus and the surrounds

We hope to be another reason to come to lovely Loftus. So many just drive through. It is a walker’s paradise. Scroll to the bottom for photographic inspiration,

Did you know there are 3 free car parks in this small town, woods with waterfalls, coastal path walks with stunning views, a little known gem of a wide sandy beach close by with The Land of Iron Museum en route and that the North York Moors National Park (which we are part of is littered with steam railway relics, quaint fishing and moorland bound villages) is Britain’s Capital of Cake? Loftus also has the award winning Willow Cake Shop located near the bookshop - crowned the champion out of 32!

If you fancy some company there are 3 guided wellbeing walks every week. Free leaflets with over a dozen walks from Loftus are available in swish new award winning library and the shop. There will be social events at ours too.

Betwixt Saltburn & Staithes

We are ideally located between the gems of Staithes and Saltburn by the Sea. If further away you might even make a holiday of your visit as we can also boast Saltburn Pier and Whitby Abbey plus Redcar home to the original lemon top ice cream. As well as great fish n chip options, lots of literary connections from Whitby inspiring the tale of Dracula to Goathland train station being used as a Harry Potter filming location. We will also have self catering holiday accomodation - sometimes by room for ladies travelling solo and sometimes a bookshop holiday for a week.

See our holiday page and contact us for details.

Marta’s Top Ten To See - Some Ideas for You

These are all doable by public transport and walking

Walk in woods along cascades in the beck starting with South Loftus explained above (under an hour)
Coastal Path and back past Saxon Princess (2.5 hours)
Cattersty Beach at Skinningrove and get coffee n cake from Bloom Coffee Box in the car park (take path to it from left of Loftus Leisure Centre)
Land of Iron Museum also Skinningrove - do the guided tour and eat at KasKane (not open Sundays)
Fish n chips at Cod n Lobster and/or tea n cake at Dotty’s Vintage Tearoom in Staithes with a walk about (see below for help with the walk. The iconic photo of Stathes from above is taken from Cowbar Cottages. Museum is worth a look with local craft shops there too)
Photograph the iconic Saltburn Pier from the top before walking through Saltburn Valley Gardens down past Italian Gardens and Tea Rooms to just beyond the viaduct. Then reward yourself with a drink at Brockley Hall Hotel and take a gander at their amazing decor.
Whitby for the Abbey Ruins, walking up the steps the dog ran up which was Dracula shape shifting, laugh at tourists asking where Dracula’s grave is, do Dr Crank’s (evening) and/or Madame Peculiar’s (day) tours, see the Hand of Glory at Whitby Museum, enjoy the plethora of independent shops in the lanes and chippies but for something unique eat at the ‘Humble Pie n Mash’.
Famous lemon top ice cream at Pacittos in Redcar carefully timed to also see a film at The Regent Cinema. The weird tall building is a vertical pier!
Runswick Bay is a gorgeous fishing village with a great beach for fossil hunting. Get your mountain goat on and explore it far and wide.
Port Mulgrave Harbour is the land that time forgot with fisherman’s huts that look like something from the Mad Max film. Once only accessible by rope, there are now steps. The jetty was bombed to stop the Nazis landing there. Stunning scenery. Please don’t share this one on social media to retain some privacy for the owners of the huts whose isolated spot is now easy to get to if you don’t mind a lot but a lot of steps. Last time I was there the last few metres was still only a rope.

So many more places to visit and walk. You could stay a month and do a different place every day.

With Staithes visit we suggest you watch this before your walk to help you plan it https://youtu.be/xgChP-M9EsY?si=oQ8MJ8b4J0qhHqY-

To search for it it is called Welcome to Staithes - a walking tour with Bill Hinchley

BUSES

Bus stops are right outside our shop in the High Street

Bus service 1- Stonehouse side

Jolly Sailor pub to eat on A171
Moorsholm for walks in their woods
Skelton Asda to shop
Saltburn for sightseeing

Bus service 2 - Stonehouse side

Skinningrove for Cattersty Beach and Land of Iron
Skelton Asda to shop
Saltburn for sightseeing

Bus service 5 - Stonehouse side

Guisborough Priory ruins

Bus service X4/X4A - Stonehouse side

Saltburn for sightseeing
Marske for clifftop walk from beach below Cliff Terrace to St Germain’s Churchyard and down other side of that to beach and then to Saltburn or back around
Redcar for lemon top ice cream from Pacittos or Regent Cinema outdoor balcony cafe

Bus service X4/X4A - Coop side