A Weekend in Scarborough

Scarborough is a quintessentially British seaside resort nestled in the North Yorkshire moors. The resort became one the first popular seaside villages in the UK and now attracts a wealth of people from all over the world. If you're looking for a quirky seaside fishing village with plentiful attractions, arcades and a castle within a short distance to the Yorkshire moors, Scarborough should be on your bucket list this summer.

If you're from the North of England and haven't been to Scarborough, you're definitely in the minority. With a fifteen minute ride to Whitby and less than two hours from many big cities such as Leeds, York and an extra half an hour from Manchester, Scarborough is a convenient place to visit for a day at the beach. When I found out that my husband had never been to Scarborough despite living in the UK for more than 10 years, I knew this was something I had to change. Last weekend I packed our bags and organised a romantic weekend away to beach and set on showing him the sights that I fondly remember from being a young girl living in Yorkshire.

When we arrived the weather was overcast and blustery, but this did not deter our enjoyment. We walked along the promenade visiting the infamous 2p machines, ate chips on the seafront and called at the harbour for a 15 minute sail on a 'pirate ship'.

Scarborough is a family friendly resort and many of the attractions are catered towards children. One of the popular attractions is the pirate ship based on the Scarborough harbour offering fifteen minute trips across the bay in a replicated tall ship with skull and cross bones. This little excursion costs a mere £3 per adult and is a great way to view the bay from a distance.

After our short trip around the bay, my husband and I set off to find Scarborough castle. Like most castles, Scarborough castle is based upon a giant hill overlooking the coastline and I must advise that if you're visiting with someone who has a disability, it would be easier to catch a bus up to the castle or ring in advance for disabled parking rather than attempt to walk up the hill like my husband and I decided to do. There are smooth tracks and steps, but both are rather steep and require a tremendous effort. Once we reached the top the panoramic views of the bay was worth the effort and the tea room situated on the castle grounds provided much needed refreshment. 

Scarborough castle features a Roman signal station, an Anglo-Scandinavian settlement, a chapel and a 12th-century castle. Scarborough castle was created by Henry II and King John in the 12th Century and the has survived through some of England's most prolific battles. Like most castles in the UK these days, most it now lies in ruins, but there are still the towers which you can walk up and the view from the castle grounds makes the visit even more worthwhile.

Although Scarborough remains a holiday hotspot for people in the UK, their tourism industry has declined over the years due to people now favouring to go abroad. Visiting Scarborough for the first time as an adult has reminded me that you don't always have to go further afield for a holiday, in the UK we have plenty of beautiful, hidden gems and Scarborough is just one of many. These are the places my parents, my grandparents and even great grandparents would have enjoyed before there was a chance of travelling abroad and visiting and admiring the coastline helps keep those memories alive for many families and where new memories can be made.

Have you ever been to Scarborough?