The Yorkshire Coast has some of the best coastal walks in the country with stunning views, sandy beaches, sea caves, an abundance of wildlife and huge chalk cliffs. This 12km walk from North Landing starts at the rocky bay, where hidden in the chalk cliffs are historical smuggler's caves. These,and the ones in the neighbouring Thornwick Bay, can only be accessed at low tide. The walk then continues north along the cliff edge with beautiful sea views until you reach Bempton Cliffs. This is home to over half a million sea birds during breeding season and you can watch them perched on the cliff edge.

Check out the full guide below!

The route at a glance

Difficulty: moderate - rough ground in some sections of the coastal path. Watch out for slippery rocks if you choose to explore the caves at North Landing and Thornwick Bay

Distance: 11.8km

Total Ascent: 191m

Est Time: 4 hours walking not including rest stops

Starting location: North Landing Car Park (YO15 1BJ)

Dog friendly: Yes just watch them near the cliff edges!

Where do you park for the coastal walk to Bempton Cliffs?

The best place to start is from North Landing car park. This is a large car park with 60 spaces and costs £5 for the day (correct July 2024). Be aware that this car park is controlled by ANPR cameras that will pick up your registration plate on entry. Even if you don’t stay and drive straight back out again, you’ll still have to pay for a ticket to avoid a fine. 

Is there public transport to North Landing?

Buses from Bridglington serve North Landing and Bridlington train station can be reached via many train routes in the UK. 

How long is the Bempton Cliffs coastal walk?

The walk is just under 6km each way from North Landing to Bempton Cliffs. You’ll retrace your steps from Bempton Cliffs back to North Landing for this walk. Remember to factor in another few hours if you want to explore the sea caves at low tide and for any bird watching at Bempton. 

Is the Bempton Cliffs coastal walk family friendly? 

Absolutely! Little legs will have a great time on the sandy bay at Thornwick, exploring the sea caves and rock pools and wandering along the chalk cliffs.  

Are there facilities on the Bempton Cliffs coastal walk?

North Landing has public toilets, a large cafe selling hot and cold food as well as an ice cream van that is often there in summer. 

Can you swim in or paddleboard at North Landing and Thornwick Bay? 

Yes - and many people do! It’s likely that if you’re there on a nice day you’ll see many people swimming, on paddleboards or in kayaks. The sea caves are incredible to explore this way and there’s often friendly seals in the bay too. Just be aware of the changing tide and current if you are doing this. 

Bempton Cliffs coastal walk route and map

Download the Ordnance Survey route and map here.

1. Start point at the car park in North Landing

From the car park, it’s definitely worth heading down to the bay first. The track down is very steep and there’s a little shop that’s open during the peak season selling snacks, drinks and things like spades, buckets and inflatables. The beach here is rocky and to the left is a large cave to explore. It’s a great place to swim and launch your paddleboard or kayak from too. 

2. The smuggler’s sea caves at North Landing and Thornwick Bay

At high tide, you’ll see the cave entrances dotted around the cliffs but won’t be able to reach them by foot until low tide. Back in the 18th century, these caves were used by smugglers to bring in items like spirits, clothes, grain and other food which weren’t readily available in the area.

From North Landing beach, follow the rocks that appear at low tide around to the right. There’s several larger caves and some smaller ones as well as one slightly higher on the cliff which you can reach via a little scramble. If you're exploring this area then I'd recommend investing in a stretchy pair of leggings like the Trailblazer printed ones to help you move easily. 

To the left of North Landing Bay, there is a large sea arch you can walk under at low tide and this will take you to a series of further caves with incredibly noisy seabirds flying above your head! 

Unfortunately, unless the tide is incredibly low, you’ll be stopped by the sea at some point and will need to head back up to the main coastal path that runs just in front of the car park. This path will take you down into Thornwick Bay, the next beach across. 

Thornwick Bay is much sandier, and often a little quieter. Access down to the beach is via a steep slope and a set of stairs. This is where you’ll find more caves to explore on both sides of the bay. 

Once you’ve finished exploring the caves, head back up to the coastal path.

3. Following the coastal path north towards Bempton Cliffs

The footpath here is incredibly well maintained and the views out to sea are stunning and vast. Keep an eye out for wooden signposts signalling Bempton Cliffs but you can’t really go wrong as long as you stay on the main path. 

4. View points along the Bempton Cliff coastal walk

Along the route, it’s worth stopping to look back and see the view. The chalk cliffs rise out of the sea and you really get a sense of just how many caves are hidden within them. Sometimes, you’ll see a little path that takes you closer to the cliff edge; be careful of these because the cliffs can give way and collapse without warning. 

5. Bempton Cliffs

Eventually, you’ll reach Bempton Cliffs; a nature reserve managed by the RSPB. This is where you’ll find the largest mainland seabird colony in the UK. During breeding season, half a million seabirds set up home here and the area becomes popular with bird watchers. 

As you near the RSPB centre, you’ll come across observation decks overlooking the nesting birds which make great places to stop and try to spot a few birds. Keep an eye out for puffins, gannets, kittiwakes and guillemots as well as dolphins in the sea!

Often, RSPB staff will be around and it’s worth chatting with them; they’re incredibly knowledgeable and are more than happy to spend some time telling you about the area and their work. 

Once you’ve had your fill, just retrace your steps back to North Landing. 

Komoot App route for Bempton Cliffs coastal walk

Have you ever tried Komoot? Komoot allows you to access routes planned by others or plan your own which you can then download to your phone to follow while you are out. Komoot is free to join and access and you can find the route for his walk here.

I want to explore the sea caves at North Landing - how do I find the tide times?

The smuggler’s caves at North Landing and Thornwick Bay can only be accessed on foot during low tide. The best time to see the caves is around 1.5 hours before low tide and for 1.5 hours after low tide. The tide comes in very quickly at sea and people have been caught out here, needing to be rescued, so be sure to keep an eye on the tide at all times.

To find the tide times for North Landing, you can check out this website which will show you the high and low tide times for each day. 

*Note; tide times change daily, so always check the website before visiting.

What else can I do around North Landing?

Just down the coast from North Landing is the beautiful headland of Flamborough,which is also a popular spot for walking. 

If you fancy a proper British beach day then why not check out Bridlington to the south or Filey to the north for a beach day and some fish n chips! 

The RSPB offer seabird cruises where you can enjoy a three hour cruise along the bottom of the chalk cliffs to see the bird up close. You can find all the details on the RSPB Bempton events page via their website. 

I hope you enjoyed this blog and if you visit the area please do let us know!

For additional UK outdoor adventures, wild swimming, hiking routes and more, check my other blog posts here on MY URBAN TRAIL and follow me @Wild_0utdoors on Instagram.

Happy adventuring! 

Izzy