Saltburn Tourist Information

Saltburn Surfing Beaches & Attractions

Beautiful Saltburn-by-the-Sea to the south of Redcar sits close to the boundary of the North Yorkshire Moors National Park and the Cleveland Heritage Coast. Saltburn holidays afford easy access into both the North York Moors and Whitby and Tees Valley attractions at Middlesbrough, Hartlepool, Redcar and historic Guisborough. The Saltburn coast, like the Cleveland Heritage Coast, has the distinctive stunning cliffs and beach bays.

Surfing in Saltburn is incredibly popular around the Seaside Award Winning Saltburn sand and shingle beach either side of Saltburn Pier. The BSA Accredited Saltburn Surf School for surfing lessons is located in this popular seaside resort and you can also hire surfboards, wetsuits and other surfing equipment from them.

Specialist shops, art galleries and craft shops in Saltburn are numerous and include the Saltburn Gallery on Marske Road which has regular art exhibitions, workshops and activities and you can buy art here. Antique shops, surf clothing shops and second hand bookshops can also be found around Saltburn centre.

Further south along the coast from Saltburn at Skinningrove sits the Cleveland Ironstone Mining Museum. Ironstone mining in this area was prevalent through the Victorian and Edwardian eras and the museum includes a trip underground to view the workings of the Loftus ironstone mine. Photography and exhibits on local miners also feature in the museum gallery.

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Saltburn History

Saltburn spa town and seaside resort boomed during the Victorian era and was founded by the Victorian entrepreneur Henry Pease. The Stockton & Darlington Railway company extended the railway from Redcar to Saltburn and following Pease's idea built the mighty Zetland Railway Hotel in 1861, parts of which including the converted Stables still survive today.

One of the most attractive features in Saltburn is the survival in mint condition of numerous Victorian seaside features and attractions including the Victorian water-balanced Saltburn Cliff Lift first opened in 1884, the Victorian iron Saltburn Pier built in 1869 and beautiful Saltburn Italian Gardens layed out in 1860. The Saltburn Cliff Lift is Britain's oldest water-balanced operating cliff lift and first opened in 1884. The Saltburn Miniature Railway, dating later from 1947, is a classic 15 inch gauge railway and another popular seaside attraction in Saltburn which departs from the bottom of Saltburn Bank near the lower promenade area and heads on to Valley Gardens and the Woodland Centre.

The Old Saltburn hamlet below Cat Nab and Huntcliff pre-dates the building of the Victorian seaside resort. The Old Saltburn area has an 18th century smuggling heritage like many of the small villages situated along the Cleveland Coast. The Ship Inn in Old Saltburn situated on the Huntcliff side of Skelton Beck facing the beach dates from the late 1500s and retains many of its original timbers. The Ship Inn serves fine homemade pub food including traditional Sunday Roast dinners and boasts an adjacent car park and beer garden.

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Things to See in Guisborough & Gisborough Priory

The stunning historic market town of Guisborough with its cobbled streets is located just inland from Saltburn and contains the historic ruins of Gisborough Priory. Traditional markets in Guisborough still take place, twice weekly on Thursdays and Saturdays and the town is a real hub on the Tees Valley and North Yorkshire borders for fine local produce and specialist shops. Around Guisborough sits the spectacular woodland of Guisborough Forest. The Forestry Commission's Walkway Guisborough Forest Visitor Centre is located just west of Guisborough at the junction of the A173 and A171. The visitor centre is a good starting point from which to explore Guisborough Forest and offer a wide selection of leaflets and guides. Guisborough forest is home to a wide variety of habitats and birds and contains roe deer.

Gisborough Priory, cared for by English Heritage, was founded in 1119 by Robert de Brus soon after he founded the market town. Gisborough Priory was home to one of the first Augustinian orders in England. The striking original Norman gatehouse survives today and was originally situated at the western end of Gisborough Priory. At the time of Henry VIII's dissolution of the monasteries in 1540, Gisborough Priory was one of the wealthiest monasteries in the Yorkshire area.

The famous uniquely shaped hill of Roseberry Topping sits just south west of Guisborough near Newton-under-Roseberry. Walking to the top of Roseberry Topping is well worth the effort for spectacular views of both the Yorkshire Dales and Teesside. This moorland area is also a popular birdwatching spot.

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