Picture Post: From fishing village to tourist hotspot - the fascinating history of Sandsend

The quaint village consists of fishermen’s cottages which hark back to the days of George Pyman, the shipping magnate born in Sandsend, whose extraordinary life in the 19th Century saw him become the largest steamship owner on the north-east coast, Mayor of Hartlepool and even Vice-Consul for Belgium.

Modern-day Sandsend is particularly popular with visitors during the summer months. Sitting at end of a three-mile-long sandy beach and just along the coast from Whitby, visitors can enjoy fantastic coastal views, rockpools and fine sands.

Throughout the rest of the year, the village is also a popular base for walkers who can explore the woodland along the line of the old coastal railway, which once ran between Whitby and Middlesbrough.

Sandsend’s own railway station helped bring in tourists for decades from the Victorian era until well past the end of World War Two after opening in 1883 and closing in 1958 after the Whitby, Redcar and Middlesbrough Union Railway line was closed when the large costs of structural maintenance required on tunnels and viaducts particularly between Sandsend and Kettleness was worked out on a route that was already losing money at the time.

Visitors can also explore the old alum and mining industries that were once based in Sandsend and have now been reclaimed by nature.

For those with the energy, the Cleveland Way National Trail passes through the village, offering the opportunity of dramatic cliff-top walks.

The village also contains the private Mulgrave Estate, with access to the ruins of an old castle available to the public at weekends and on Wednesdays.

With so much on offer, it is little surprise that Sandsend is a perennial favourite with visitors to North Yorkshire.

Technical details: Nikon 5300 camera on an 55-200mm lens at 62mm, with an exposure of 1/320th sec @f10, ISO of 200.