Robin Hood’s Bay: Yorkshire Coast fishing and farming village featured in Bram Stoker’s 1897 book Dracula and used to shoot scenes in 2008 film Wild Child named one of the best getaways in the UK by travel experts

Even though these destinations are fascinating, there is a wealth of gems and off-the-beaten-path locations across the UK that offer a unique summer experience.

Travel company Trainsplit has rounded up seven of its best summer getaway destinations and third on the list is Robin Hood’s Bay.

The list includes secluded beaches, charming villages, and tranquil nature reserves that guarantee an escape from day-to-day life where you can forge unforgettable memories.

Nestled on the Yorkshire Coast and easily accessible by train to Scarborough followed by a short bus ride, Robin Hood’s Bay is a beautiful fishing village that excludes timeless appeal.

With its cobblestone streets, charming cottages, and dramatic landscapes, it is the perfect location for a getaway in any season, particularly in the summer.

Many people with a variety of interests including artists, nature enthusiasts and history pundits are drawn to the coastal village where you can explore rock pools, seek out fossils, and embrace the serene atmosphere.

Trainsplit has included a section in its blog post about how to get there: Take a train to Scarborough, then from Scarborough Railway Station you can hop on a bus to Robin Hood’s Bay.

It is unknown where the name came from and contrary to popular belief, it is unlikely that Robin Hood ever lived in the village.

In 1544, the village was named ‘Robyn Hoodis Baye’ and the English ballad The Noble Fisherman follows the journey of Robin Hood visiting Scarborough, taking a job as a fisherman, conquering French pirates with his archery skills, and using half the looted treasure to build a home for the poor. However, the ballad is only attested to in the 17th century at the earliest.

The neighbouring hamlet of Raw and the village of Thorpe (Fylingthorpe) in Fylingdales had been settled by Norwegians and Danes by around the year 1000. Following the Norman conquest in 1069, most of the land in Northern England, including Fylingdales, was laid waste. William the Conqueror gave Fylingdales to Tancred the Fleming who later sold it to the Abbot of Whitby.

There was an early reference to Robin Hood’s Bay in the period between 1324 and 1346; Louis I, Count of Flanders, wrote a letter to King Edward III where he complained that Flemish fishermen together with their boats and catches were taken by force to Robyn Oeds Bay.

By the 16th century, the village had flourished into an important port, even more important than Whitby. Fishing and farming were the original occupations and many of the houses were built between 1650 and 1750, with families involved in the fishing industry. Fishing reached its peak in the mid-19th century.

The village later attracted the attention of authors and film crew as the 1897 novel Dracula by Bram Stoker has scenes set in Robin Hood’s Bay; Abraham visited the area recreating the steep steps and the sightings of the red eyes, the ship that ran along with the dog.

It was also the setting for the Bramblewick novels by Leo Walmsley: Three Fevers, Phantom Lobster, Foreigners, Sally Lunn, Master Mariner and Sound of the Sea. Leo was educated in the schoolroom of the old Wesleyan Chapel in the lower village.

The 2008 film Wild Child starring Emma Roberts, Natasha Richardson, Shirley Henderson and Alex Pettyfer, was filmed at Robin Hood’s Bay as well as the 2017 horror film Phantom Thread starring Daniel Day-Lewis, which features a number of locations in the village including the interior of the Victoria Hotel and the clifftops above the village.

List of best getaways in the UK includes Robin Hood’s Bay

1 - Studland Bay, Dorset

2 - Portmeirion, Wales

3 - Robin Hood’s Bay, North Yorkshire

4 - Isle of Arran, Scotland

5 - St. Nectan’s Glen, Cornwall

6 - Loch Awe, Scotland

7 - Rye, East Sussex