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World Walkies
Whitby's harbour full of moored boats below the East Cliff, with the ruined abbey and St Mary's Church on the skyline

North Yorkshire

Dog-friendly Whitby

Photo: ianpudsey, CC BY 3.0

Dogs can go on Tate Hill Sands and the beaches at Robin Hood's Bay and Runswick Bay all year, and on most of the West Cliff sands outside the summer ban zone. They travel free on the train into town and can go round the abbey on a lead.

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Where to stay in Whitby with a dog

11 hotels, inns and B&Bs and 5 cottages and holiday lets that take dogs, each with its dog charge and limits.

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Where to stay

Our picks: the places most welcoming to dogs.

  • The Endeavour, a three-storey red-brick pub on Church Street with its name in gold letters over the windows
    Photo: Nicholas Mutton, CC BY-SA 2.0

    Inn · Whitby

    The Endeavour

    Dog charge: No charge

    An East Side pub on Church Street where every room takes dogs, a few minutes from the 199 steps and Tate Hill Sands, which allows dogs all year.

    Check prices
  • A reed-fringed pond in front of The Stables on the edge of Whitby, a long building with a red roof and a glass terrace
    Photo: David Hawgood, CC BY-SA 2.0

    Inn · Whitby

    The Stables

    Dog charge: £15 per night (covers up to two dogs when booked direct)

    An inn on Guisborough Road on the western edge of town, where the dog can join you for dinner in the dog-friendly part of the pub rather than staying in the room.

    Check prices
  • The Horseshoe Hotel at Egton Bridge, a stone inn with picnic tables on the lawn, seen down a lane lined with trees
    Photo: Bill Boaden, CC BY-SA 2.0

    Inn · Egton Bridge

    The Horseshoe Hotel

    Dog charge: No charge

    A country inn by the stepping stones at Egton Bridge in the Esk Valley, inland from Whitby, where dogs stay at no extra cost.

    Check prices

Whitby with a dog

Whitby sits either side of the harbour. The East Side has the cobbled lanes, the 199 steps and the abbey, and most of the dog-friendly pubs and B&Bs. The West Cliff has the long sandy beach, the promenade and the bigger hotels.

From May to September the council bans dogs from the West Cliff beach by the West Pier and from the beach in front of Sandsend village. Dogs can still use the sand beyond both stretches, and Tate Hill, Robin Hood's Bay and Runswick Bay are open to them all year. Dogs must be on a lead on Whitby's promenade and on Church Street, at the foot of the 199 steps, all year round.

For a longer walk, the Cleveland Way cliff path and the Cinder Track, the old railway line, both run south to Robin Hood's Bay away from traffic.

Beaches

All 5 dog-friendly beaches in Whitby

Pubs and cafes

All 18 dog-friendly pubs and cafes in Whitby

Dog walks

  • Cleveland Way: Whitby to Robin Hood's Bay · 6.9 miles one way

    The first day of the National Trail's two-day coast walk starts at Whitby station, crosses to the abbey headland and follows the clifftops past Saltwick Bay to Robin Hood's Bay. The National Trust, which looks after much of this coast, asks for a lead near cliff edges and a short lead around sheep.

  • Robin Hood's Bay and Maw Wyke · 6 miles (9.8km) circular

    A circuit from the Station car park at the top of Robin Hood's Bay: north along the clifftops past Ness Point, then one steep climb up to the flat Cinder Track for the return. The trail's own guide suggests a short lead where the cliff path is unfenced and a lead on the old railway when cyclists or horse riders pass.

  • Robin Hood's Bay to Boggle Hole and back · 1.5 miles (2.25km)

    A short walk from the village car parks down to the shore, along the beach to Boggle Hole and back on the Cleveland Way clifftop, with steep steps at both ends. The beach section is low tide only: avoid it for three hours either side of high tide.

  • Cinder Track from Robin Hood's Bay · 21 miles Scarborough to Whitby in all

    The old Scarborough to Whitby railway line is now a traffic-free bridleway shared with cyclists and horse riders, passing beside the Station car park in Robin Hood's Bay. Head north for Whitby or south for Ravenscar on a flat, firm path, keeping dogs on a lead when bikes or horses come by.

The journey

Getting to Whitby with a dog

The nearest station is Whitby, on the Esk Valley line (Northern).

On National Rail services, including Northern's Esk Valley trains into Whitby, a passenger may take up to two dogs free of charge. Dogs must stay on a lead for the whole journey and on station property, and they are not allowed on seats.

Whitby station sits on Station Square, right beside the harbour and bus stops, and Northern says both platforms are step free.

The North Yorkshire Moors Railway welcomes well-behaved dogs on its standard services for a small daily charge per dog (members' dogs travel free). Dogs must be on a short lead at all times and are not allowed on seats.

Driving in, the council's two biggest Whitby car parks are West Cliff on Pavilion Drive (near the West Cliff beach and promenade) and Abbey Headland on Abbey Lane (beside the abbey). Both are open around the clock, with charges between 9am and 6pm from 1 March to 31 October only.

Map of dog-friendly places in Whitby

S = stay, B = beach, P = pub or cafe, W = walk start. Hover over or tap a pin to see its card.

Every place on the map, as a list

Beaches

Pubs and cafes

Quick answers about Whitby with a dog

Is Whitby dog friendly?
Yes. Dogs can use Tate Hill Sands all year and most of the West Cliff sands outside the summer ban zone, travel free on the train into Whitby, go into the grounds of Whitby Abbey on a lead, and are welcome in pubs such as The Black Horse on Church Street.
Can dogs go into Whitby Abbey?
Yes. English Heritage welcomes dogs on leads at Whitby Abbey, and keeps a water bowl by the shop entrance.
Can dogs go up the 199 steps in Whitby?
Yes. The 199 steps are the direct walking route from the harbour to the abbey, and English Heritage welcomes dogs on leads at the top. Keep your dog on a lead on the way there, because Church Street at the foot of the steps is a dogs-on-lead street all year under the council's dog order.
Are dogs allowed on the train to Whitby?
Yes. On National Rail trains, including Northern's Esk Valley line into Whitby, each passenger can take up to two dogs free. Dogs must be on a lead throughout the journey and on station property, and must stay off the seats.
Can dogs travel on the North Yorkshire Moors Railway?
Yes. Well-behaved dogs are welcome on the railway's standard services for a small charge per dog per day, with members' dogs going free. They must be on a short lead and are not allowed on seats.