Olivers Mount

Olivers Mount dominates the southern skyline of Scarborough, standing over 550ft high the vantage point from the Cenotaph down over the town is spectacular. It is also a country park and motor racing circuit, described as being mainland Britain's only natural 'roads' circuit! Like Monaco, the public roads become a racing track for the weekend meetings that take place between May and September and the hillside provides natural grandstands for Spectators and plenty of room with a record 63,000 watching the 50th Anniversary racing in 1996. Olivers Mount Cafe Restaurant offers great views over the town and the gently sloping top of the Mount is home to a series of football picthes used for local weekend leagues. There is a picnic area and car park close to the cenotaph and viewpoint (right).

 St. Mary's Church & Anne Bronte's Grave

St. Mary's is the parish curch of Scarborough and dats back from 1170. Originally the church had 2 imposing towers but these were removed in the 14th century.The central tower and the chancel were destroyed during the civil war when Parliamentarians used the church as a base from which to attack the Royalists in Scarborough Castle. Anne Bronte is buried in the graveyard on the castle side.

Scarborough's Cliff Lifts

Scarborough once had 5 cliff lifts; 3 in South Bay and 2 in North Bay. Now, only the 3 in South Bay remain, but still prove popular and a very useful way of connecting the town centre with the seafront. The largest of the lifts is the South Cliff Lift which was Britain's first opening in 1875. It has a length (or height) of over 280ft and takes passengers between the elogant Esplanade and The Spa Complex. The lift used to be run using sea water as a counterweight, nowadays it's run electricy. The other 2 lifts are situated either side of The Grand Hotel.

Grand Hotel

When opened in 1867 The Grand Hotel was the largest hotel in Europe and one of the largest in the world. The building is designed around the theme of time: four towers to represent the seasons, 12 floors for the months of the year, 52 chimneys symbolise the weeks, and originally there were 365 bedrooms, one for each day of the year.The hotel was designed by Hull Architect Cuthbert Brodrick and the famous yellow brick was locally sourced in Hunmanby.There are 3 plaques on the side of the building, one celebrating it's opening in 1867 as being Europe's largest Hotel, one to commemorate Anne Bronte who dies on the site and one acknowledging the RAF's time spent there.

 Scarborough Lighthouse

Scarborough lighthouse has been guiding boats into the harbour since around 1800, but was re-built after being destroyed by shells from German Warships on the morning of December 16th 1914. When rebuilt in the 1930's a foghorn was added and this doubled up as an air raid siren in World War II. 

To visit you'll need to walk along Vincent Pier, built in the 1700's and named after engineer William Vincent. The pier is the central of 3 piers and separates the traditional commercial harbour and the yatching harbour.

Cayton Bay

Cayton Bay is Scarborough's 3rd tourist beach. Just 3 miles from the town centre it is easily accesible from the A165 Scarborough to Filey Road. The famous bay is shaped to the north by Knipe Point and the the south by Redcliffe. Cayton Bay is a mecca for surfers with surf schools regularly teaching beginners the art of surfing. 

One of the attractions of Cayton Bay is it's secluded location. The main road is nearby but behind the cliff top. The beach is accessed only on foot. And the lush woodland towards Knip Point are popular with walkers. Just beyond Redcliffe to the south is a small colony of seals.

 Marine Drive

Completed 100 years ago, Marine Drive was a real feat of engineering and Scarborough just wouldn't be the same without it. The road and promenade connects South Bay with North Bay as it curves its way around the castle headland. In the last decade, Marine Drive has had new rock armour placed in front of the sea wall, hopefully protecting it and the Castle Headland for many years to come.

 Castle Headland

Scarborough's mighty Castle Headland stands proudly above the harbour and separates South Bay with North Bay. On it's triangular-shaped flat top stands Scarborough Castle. The castle walls line it's southern edge whilst the dramatic cliffs are home to thousands of seabirds. There's far more to the headland than just the Castle. There are  paths which meander their way down to Marine Drive on the North side and the views from those along the outside of the castle walls on the south side are truly breathtaking and suprisingly peaceful, even on the nicest of summer days.

 Scalby Mills

 Holbeck Landslip

In June 1993 a major landslip made headlines around the world. Scarborough's 4 Star Hotel 'The Holbeck Hall' slipped into the sea following days of landslips. The major landslide carried 250,000 tonnes of clay a quarter of a mile into the North Sea overnight. The hotel had been around 100ft from the cliff edge and instantly it was hanging over it. The facts that the event happened over several days enabled the world's media to arrive and capture the destruction on film. The area has been landscaped and rock armour lines the landslip.

 Scarborough Harbour

Scarborough Harbour dates back to at least 1256 when a small pier was built. The Harbour is naturally sheltered from the northerly storms by the Castle Headland. Today, 3 piers create an inner harbour and outer harbour. The older inner harbour is home to the fishing fleet and commercial craft whilst the outer harbour is home to a flatilla of yachts. Recently, new pontoons were added to the inner harbour creating a 'marina feel' to Scarborough Harbour along with a wider, pedestrian-friendly promenade.

 Old Town

Scarborough's Old Town is one of the resort's hidden gems. Nestling beneath Scarborough Castle and tumbling down to Scarborough Harbour, welcome to a world of narrow streets and hundreds of years of history and tales. From smugglers to haunted pubs to kings and seiges, this little part of town has it all. Highlights include an ancient stone cross near Eastborough, St. Mary's Church and The Bolts behind the harbour.

 Indoor Market & Market Vaults

Scarborough's Indoor Market and Vaults was built as a permanent replacement to the various stalls and markets scattered across Scarborough's Old Town.  Traditional Market sellers take up the Main Floor whilst below is a labirynth of stalls in the Market Vaults with speciality and quirky shops selling everything from Antiques to Paintings.

 Stephen Joseph Theatre

The Stephen Joseph Theatre moved to its present home in the 1990's. The original theatre was founded in 1955 by Stephen Joseph who created a 'theatre-in-the-round' at the library. In 1976 the theatre moved to a tempory home on the ground floor of the former Scarborough Boys High School. It wasn't until 1988 when the Odean Cinema closed that a suitable location was found. The new theatre has 2 auditoria. The 'Round' has 404 seats and continues the 'theatre-in-the-round' tradition. The McCarthy is a 165 end stage/ cinema. Internationally acclaimed playright Sirt Alan Ayckbourn premiers his latest plays here, attracting visitors from all over the UK and beyond.

 Rock Pools

 Scarborough's rock pools are an attraction in themselves and have been delighting families for centuries. At low tide there are acres of rock pools to explore at the southern end of South Bay and the northern end of North Bay. See crabs, star fish and a wealth of marine life and fish. Just make sure you know the tide times and be careful walking on the sometimes slippery seaweed.

 Cornelian Bay

Scarborough's Cornelian Bay is a secret waiting to be discovered. Access onto the sand is not easy, so if you do manage to make it down, you're almost guaranteed a sandy bay all to yourself. The Cleveland Way footpath takes you past it and a track off Cornelian Drive / Filey Road takes you down a narrow valley to within yards of the beach and from there it's a case of negotiating some uneven steps down to the shore. At low tide explore the tidal rivers and rock pools or enjoy a peacuful bbq. Make sure you know the tide times and be careful on uneven surfaces but Cornelian Bay is well worth a vist.