North Yorkshire is home to four of Britain’s best beaches for 2024, including one within a coastal town that “has it all”, according to The Times - but can you guess where they are?

The publisher’s latest best-named beach roundup also includes a seaside hotspot in the county with an “impressive stretch of immaculate sands”.

The Times travel reporter Chris Haslam commented on the guide: “The 2024 tour of inspection took place in two parts: short trips on the south and east English coasts, totalling 12 days in early spring, and a 36-day tour from May 18, travelling anticlockwise from Norfolk to Dorset via northern England, Scotland, Northern Ireland, Wales and the southwest.

“My Jack Russell, Dave T Dog, and I have travelled 5,583 miles and visited a total of 543 beaches, ignoring any beach that took more than an hour to get to and from on foot. Of those we saw, 261 made it onto a longlist for the final 50.”

Rules for Taking Your Dogs to the Beach 

Chris added: “Notwithstanding the most miserable weather I’ve experienced in 16 years of inspecting the coast, I’m still in awe of the beauty of the UK. From Kynance to Caithness and Brancaster to Benone, the beaches of Great Britain and Northern Ireland are the most magnificent on earth.

“Our 11-point checklist covers everything from cafés to car parking, loos to dog-friendliness. Most importantly our guide only features beaches where the bathing water quality is rated Excellent.”

See all of The Times’ 50 best beaches for 2024 here.

Where are the best beaches in North Yorkshire?

Cayton Bay

Cayton Bay was highlighted for “being home” to the Yorkshire surf scene.

Have you seen Cayton Bay from this clifftop view?Have you seen Cayton Bay from this clifftop view? (Image: Michael B Shannon/Getty)

Christ explained: “Scarborough is just a couple of miles north but the crowds are absent from this rural beach where Philip Larkin holidayed as a kid.

“These days Cayton Bay ― aka K10 Bay ― is home to the Yorkshire surf scene (two-hour lesson £80pp; scarboroughsurfschool.co.uk).

“There’s a pop-up sauna on the old bunker at the north end (from £13; whitbywellbeing.com), and if you climb the path from there you’ll reach the Salty Dog café, which is very proud of its £6 smash burgers.

“Loos, café, dog-friendly, lifeguard. Water quality: excellent.”

Boggle Hole

Visiting Robin Hood’s Bay and looking for another beach nearby to discover?

“Boggle Hole lies half an hour on foot, or 12 minutes by car, south of busy Robin Hood’s Bay,” wrote Chris.

@the.yorkshireman This is genuinely one of the best beaches we’ve visited in Yorkshire - ever! ☀️🙌 The perfect place for swimming and exploring with the family 🌊 Boggle Hole 📍 #bogglehole #northyorkshire #yorkshire #yorkshirecoast #thingstodoinyorkshire ♬ Tadow (ACÚSTICO) - Nahz

“A short descent from the tiny car park brings you to the wooded mouth of the Mill Beck, running wide and shallow across a beach paved with Yorkshire mudstone.

“They used to believe hobgoblins live in the caves here, but you’ve more chance of spotting an ammonite. Time your visit for the falling tide, and try the cake in the YHA tearoom.

“Loos, café, dog-friendly. Water quality: not rated.”

Whitby

It wouldn’t be a best-named beach guide without Whitby getting a mention, would it?

Chris said: “A seaside town that has it all: fab fish and chips, a fascinating working harbour, a problem with vampires and, in West Cliff, a world-class beach.

“The old cliff lift has been out of order since 2022 and there’s little chance of any change this summer, but the town council will be operating a bus service to ferry passengers between the clifftop lawns and the sands, where beach huts are available for £22 a day (northyorks.gov.uk) and surf lessons cost from £35 (whitbysurf.co.uk).

“Loos, café, lifeguards, accessible. Water quality: excellent.”

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Redcar

Last but certainly not least to be praised among the county’s finest beaches was Redcar.

Chris revealed: “Redcar is not only a town with history, soul and public art — look out for the colony of penguins waddling down the prom — but also an impressive stretch of immaculate sands running eight miles from Teesmouth, past the ruins of the steelworks and on via Marske to Saltburn.

“Furthermore, there’s nowhere else on earth to try the Redcar Lemon Top: a tub of vanilla with a scoop of lemon sorbet. Get it from Pacitto (£3; 15 The Esplanade).

“Loos, café, dog-friendly, lifeguards, accessible. Water quality: excellent.”