A little town on the east coast has a huge beach that’s beloved by visitors. Filey is a seaside town in North Yorkshire, located on Filey Bay between Scarborough and Bridlington. 

The fishing village became a popular seaside resort in the Victorian era, with a historic promenade and Edwardian architecture. It has a traditional seaside atmosphere, with amusement arcades, fish and chip shops, and ice cream parlours. Filey has a range of independent shops, selling everything from gifts and souvenirs to local produce and crafts, and restaurants, cafes and pubs.

One reviewer said: “Filey is a wonderful little seaside town. Not even slightly commercialised. Very low key with little more than a sandy beach and a few eateries slightly inland. The promenade has no tacky shops or arcades ruining its image, a good old-fashioned day at the sea.”

Filey’s five-mile beach is made up of golden sands, ideal for walks, picnics, and rockpooling. It is known for its colourful beach huts and traditional bathing machines. It is also a popular destination for surfing and other water sports, with several surf schools and equipment rental shops.

Another visitor said: “This is a lovely, long, beautiful beach. It was mild and sunny when we walked along the beach from the resort that we were staying at to the centre of Filey. We had lots of fun finding stones and shells and lobster tails and exploring the ruins and shelters.”

Next to the town is the Filey Bird Observatory and Nature Reserve, which is a popular destination for birdwatchers. Bempton Cliffs is home to puffins, gannets and kittiwakes, and Filey Dams offers sightings of curlews, oystercatchers and lapwings.

The town is part of the North York Moors National Park, and the surrounding countryside offers plenty of opportunities for hiking and cycling. Filey is at the eastern end of the Cleveland Way, a long-distance footpath; it starts at Helmsley and skirts the North York Moors. It is also at the northern end of the Yorkshire Wolds Way National Trail which starts at Hessle and crosses the Yorkshire Wolds.

There are a number of places to stay in Filey, including hotels, B&Bs and holiday lets. There are train services from Doncaster, York and Hull.