Photo of Runswick Bay, a swimming spot near Staithes in the North York Moors, North Yorkshire, northern England.

Runswick BayPhoto David Bell / Pexels

Beaches & swimming in North YorkshireNorth Yorkshire, England

20 beaches and swimming spots in the Albion Guide across North Yorkshire — see the full beaches and swimming spots directory, or everything to explore in North Yorkshire.

Photo of Runswick Bay, a swimming spot near Staithes in the North York Moors, North Yorkshire, northern England.

Runswick Bay

Coastal | Good ★★ near Staithes

Curved sandy bay under red-roofed cottages.

Photo of Whitby, a swimming spot near Sandsend, North Yorkshire, northern England.

Whitby

Coastal | Excellent ★★★ near Sandsend

Harbour town, 199 steps and Dracula lore.

Photo of Boggle Hole, a cove near Robin Hood's Bay in the North York Moors, North Yorkshire, northern England.

Boggle Hole

Cove near Robin Hood's Bay

A rocky fossil-hunting cove just south of Robin Hood's Bay, named for a mischievous local sprite.

Photo of Ingleton Swimming Pool, a lido in North Yorkshire, northern England.

Ingleton Swimming Pool

Lido near Ingleton

A small heated pool in the Yorkshire Dales, dug by Ingleton volunteers in the 1930s and still run by them.

Helmsley Open Air Swimming Pool

Lido near Helmsley

A heated open-air pool of 1969 cut into the hillside at Helmsley, in the North York Moors, run by a village charity.

Photo of Cayton Bay, a swimming spot near Scarborough, North Yorkshire, northern England.

Cayton Bay

Coastal | Excellent ★★★ near Scarborough

A wide sandy beach below crumbling cliffs that keep turning up fossils.

Photo of Robin Hoods Bay, a swimming spot near Robin Hood's Bay in the North York Moors, North Yorkshire, northern England.

Robin Hoods Bay

Coastal | Sufficient ★ near Robin Hood's Bay

A steep old fishing village on a wide North Yorkshire bay, with a smuggling past and rock scars at low tide

Photo of Sandsend Beach, a swimming spot in North Yorkshire, northern England.

Sandsend Beach

Coastal | Excellent ★★★ near Sandsend

A long run of sand and rock pools, walkable to Whitby at low tide.

Photo of Filey, a swimming spot near Scarborough, North Yorkshire, northern England.

Filey

Coastal | Good ★★ near Scarborough

A coastal swimming spot rated good for water quality.

Photo of Marske Sands, a swimming spot near Saltburn-by-the-Sea, North Yorkshire, northern England.

Marske Sands

Coastal | Excellent ★★★ near Saltburn-by-the-Sea

A coastal swimming spot with excellent water quality.

Photo of Nidd at the Lido, Knaresborough, a swimming spot in North Yorkshire, northern England.

Nidd at the Lido, Knaresborough

River | Poor near Knaresborough

A river swimming spot, currently rated poor for water quality.

Photo of Redcar Coatham, a swimming spot near Saltburn-by-the-Sea, North Yorkshire, northern England.

Redcar Coatham

Coastal | Good ★★ near Saltburn-by-the-Sea

A coastal swimming spot rated good for water quality.

Photo of Redcar Granville, a swimming spot near Saltburn-by-the-Sea, North Yorkshire, northern England.

Redcar Granville

Coastal | Excellent ★★★ near Saltburn-by-the-Sea

A coastal swimming spot with excellent water quality.

Photo of Redcar Lifeboat Station, a swimming spot near Saltburn-by-the-Sea, North Yorkshire, northern England.

Redcar Lifeboat Station

Coastal | Excellent ★★★ near Saltburn-by-the-Sea

A coastal swimming spot with excellent water quality.

Photo of Redcar Stray, a swimming spot near Saltburn-by-the-Sea, North Yorkshire, northern England.

Redcar Stray

Coastal | Excellent ★★★ near Saltburn-by-the-Sea

A coastal swimming spot with excellent water quality.

Photo of Reighton, a swimming spot near Filey, North Yorkshire, northern England.

Reighton

Coastal | Good ★★ near Filey

A coastal swimming spot rated good for water quality.

Photo of Saltburn, a swimming spot near Saltburn-by-the-Sea, North Yorkshire, northern England.

Saltburn

Coastal | Good ★★ near Saltburn-by-the-Sea

A coastal swimming spot rated good for water quality.

Photo of Scarborough North Bay, a swimming spot in North Yorkshire, northern England.

Scarborough North Bay

Coastal | Sufficient ★ near Scarborough

A coastal swimming spot with a sufficient water-quality rating.

Photo of Scarborough South Bay, a swimming spot in North Yorkshire, northern England.

Scarborough South Bay

Coastal | Poor near Scarborough

A coastal swimming spot, currently rated poor for water quality.

Photo of Swale above Richmond Falls, a swimming spot in North Yorkshire, northern England.

Swale above Richmond Falls

Beach near Richmond

A river swimming spot in North Yorkshire.