1st September 2020

Sunset Spotting North Yorkshire and Lake District

Mother Nature constantly amazes with her spectacular displays of beauty, but you’d be hard pushed to spot anything more spectacular than a sunset.

At our cottages on the edge of the North Yorkshire Moors and Coast and nestled in the heart of the Lake District, you’re in the best location for spotting a stunning sunset while surrounded by some of the regions’ most breath-taking locations, so make sure to spend at least one evening watching an astonishing solar performance.

Obviously, you’ll need a clear spell (although a few wispy clouds can be perfect) but it needn’t be summer, either – when you’ll have to stay up later to witness the rays of the setting sun. Spring and particularly autumn offer excellent opportunities for sunset spotting across the North Yorkshire Coast and Lake District and chances are the light will be clear and crisp.

But where to go?

For us, Whitby is one of the most dramatic locations and one of only two places on the East Coast where the sun is known to both rise and set into The North Sea. The waning clifftop abbey with its majestic monastic ruins makes for an epic setting to watch the colours of the surrounding scenery deepen.

If you want a sunset with a bit of culture, head to Scarborough Spa, the famed Victorian outdoor theatre set in the rocks overlooking the South Bay. During the summer months, many plays and shows are performed here to the beautiful backdrop of the setting sun illuminating the sky and painting the clouds a fiery red as it sinks into the horizon.

Another stunning spot is slightly further up the coast – the breath-taking Cleveland Way overlooking higgledy-piggledy Staithes. Clinging to the cliffs, the glow of the red roofed fisherman’s cottages reaches out to sea, making this the perfect setting for sunset watching.

But it’s not just about the North Yorkshire coast. Another wonderful spot is the shores of Windermere Lake. Here, you can catch some majestic displays reflecting on the still waters. A popular spot, there’s few people around later in the day and the dramatically brooding Langdale Fells rise darkly against the blushing evening sky – beautiful and very romantic. The perfect spot for an evening picnic for two.

Alternatively, head to the mountains of Helvellyn and High Seat and you’ll discover Castlerigg – perhaps the most atmospheric and dramatically sited of all British stone circles and the perfect spot for a sunset stroll.

Those are just a few of our favourite locations. But truth be told if you simply take to the North Yorkshire Moors and Coast or Cumbrian countryside on a clear evening, you’ll witness something spectacular.

Feeling inspired to join us for a stay? Browse our collection of self-catering cottages dotted across the North Yorkshire Coast and Moors and Lake District.