A Gentle Stroll on Filey Beach
A beautiful sandy beach with special memories in North Yorkshire, England
Sometimes nothing beats a brisk walk on a sandy beach with a salty breeze in your face, seagulls calling and the sound of waves breaking on the shore.
In North Yorkshire a great place for such a walk is the little seaside resort of Filey.
My partner Matt and I like to visit Filey on days when we know the tide will be going out. This way we can make the most of the lovely sandy beach that stretches for miles.
We park behind Glen Gardens, from where it is a steep descent down to the promenade. We get our first glimpse of the beach through the trees on the way down.
The view southwards over the shore confirms that the tide is indeed going out - perfect for our walk.
When we reach the promenade we can also see northwards along the beach, with Filey’s seafront on our left.
The long spit of land seen beyond the town in the above photo is Filey Brigg. This is also a good place for a walk with lots of wildflowers, birdwatching opportunities, interesting geology and great views over the coast. Care is needed though, with its eroding cliffs and slippery seaweed-covered rocks at its base.
Today however our walk takes us southwards.
At first the beach is busy with families and dog walkers, but as we get further from the town it becomes quieter. In the low winter sunlight the beach takes on a lovely warm glow.
When Matt and I first met, one of our first outings together was to Filey beach. We came on a cold but sunny November afternoon, and walked for miles on the lovely sandy shore. We bravely took off our shoes and paddled in the gentle but freezing waves.
These days we are happy to watch the waves from the shore - especially in winter.
Today we are not the only ones enjoying the waves. We watch these riders and their horses making the most of this beautiful afternoon.
We reach our furthest point and turn to head back. The beach is quiet now, and the view of Filey soft and inviting in the low winter light.
On that first outing together Matt and I finished our walk by sharing fish and chips in a shelter on the promenade. Then we held hands and watched the sunlight fade.
We end this walk the same way.
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Beautiful!
Absolutely nothing better than beach strolls ❤️🙏
A wonderful piece and great images too. Thanks for sharing. Last time I was down that way was nearly two years ago when we finished the Cleveland Way.