Beautiful Saltburn is Yorkshire’s most northerly resort. Saltburn Yorkshire – with its pier, dog-friendly sandy beach, cliff lift, fish and chips, surfing, pubs, restaurants, surf school, paddle boards, rock pooling and miniature railway, is a great place to visit for all ages.
Saltburn is a real gem, a quaint Victorian seaside resort with a bohemian feel, plenty of affordable accommodation, 8 miles of golden beaches, rock pools, dramatic cliffs, and a promenade full of eateries – so plan to head to Saltburn to enjoy a great time at the Yorkshire seaside.
Contents
Saltburn Beach Lift
Officially called the Saltburn Cliff Tramway, Saltburn Beach Lift is the oldest water-driven Funicular Railway in the world built in 1884 linking Saltburn Beach and Promenade with the old Victorian town – operated by knowledgeable folk, in Victorian-style clothes of course!
As you travel up or down, enjoy the panoramic views of Saltburn Beach and learn about the fascinating Victorian engineering of Saltburn Beach Lift which is operated by water and gravity.
The two red and old-English white carriages have been refurbished with elegant stained glass windows and their intercom feature allows the driver to speak to the passengers as you ride.
All this makes Saltburn Beach Lift an experience to be enjoyed by all the family including the dog, rather than just a journey!
Is Saltburn Beach Lift Wheelchair Friendly?
Yes, Saltburn Beach Lift can take most wheelchairs and mobility scooters. There are also plans by ex-coastguard Paul Waugh to raise funds for several beach-friendly wheelchairs and a lock-up so users can fully enjoy Saltburn beach.
Saltburn Beach Lift Prices
| Ticket Type | Cost |
| Adult | £1.50 |
| Child | £1.00 |
| Family (2 Adults and 3 children or 1 adult and 4 children) | £4.50 |
Saltburn Pier
Opened in 1869, Saltburn Pier was the first iron pier to be built on the Yorkshire coast. Saltburn Pier is the most northerly surviving British pier and the only remaining pleasure pier on the North East coast of England.
Gaining £1.2 million in National Lottery Grant funding, Saltburn Pier underwent a major restoration programme designed to return it to its former glory in 2001, with traditional hardwood timber to reflect the pier’s original appearance.
The success of the pier restoration has been widely acknowledged and in October 2005, the pier was greatly enhanced by the installation of underdeck lighting which illuminates at night, and then in 2009, the National Piers Society awarded it pier of the year.
The 681 ft long Saltburn Pier, along with the Victorian Saltburn Beach lift, won a top placing in the Queen’s Golden Jubilee Heritage Awards.
Is Saltburn Pier Wheelchair Friendly?
Yes, it is. Access to Saltburn Pier was improved during the restoration with an inclined path providing step-free access.
Is Saltburn Pier Free to Enter?
Yes, Saltburn Pier is free to enter and it is open every day.
Saltburn Beach Huts
There is a colourful stretch of huts along Saltburn Lower Promenade and they can be booked on a daily basis up to six months in advance.
In peak season, Saltburn Beach Huts cost from £40 a day and the rental includes two deckchairs, a windbreaker, a kettle, tea, coffee, mugs, cutlery with a bottle opener and a bottle of water. Microwave ovens, toasters and mini-fridges can also be hired.
Dogs are also allowed in Saltburn Beach Huts – although owners are also urged to be aware of the restrictions when it comes to allowing their dogs on the beach in front of the huts. Dogs are not allowed directly to the front of the huts from May 1st – Sept 30th Inclusive.
How to Rent a Saltburn Beach Hut
Saltburn Beach Huts are privately owned by Marshalls and they are available for rent through Marshalls’ Booking Line Tel:07714793855
Saltburn Beach Hut Gift Vouchers
A great birthday or another celebration present, Saltburn Beach Hut gift vouchers are available in values of £20 £25 £30 £40 and £50 and are valid for 12 months from the purchase date. Tel:07714793855
Saltburn Beach Chalets
In addition to the colourful Marshall beach huts, there are also a number of Grade II brick built, council owned beach chalets located at the bottom of Saltburn Bank. The chalets were built in 1920 and the two rows have survived totally unaltered since then.
However, the council-owned chalets at Saltburn are not available for short term bookings, but are leased on an annual basis and are in extremely high demand with an extremely long waiting list for the council owned chalets- some of which have been in the same family since the 1930s.
Saltburn Yorkshire – A Great Place for Rock Pooling
At low tide on the beach rock pools are accessible so adults and children alike are able to find a wealth of wildlife including crabs, periwinkles, starfish and sea anemones.
Saltburn Yorkshire – Surfing
Although the southwest of England may be the most popular destination, with Newquay as its capital, the best surfing town in the UK according to a 2021 poll in a quality national broadsheet newspaper is… Saltburn, Yorkshire.
Perfect for all abilities, they found Saltburn’s waves to be clearly defined, with areas surrounding Saltburn Pier being the most popular places to surf – and they liked the constant stream of rideable surf.
Saltburn beach picks up the biggest swell on this stretch of coast, so if waves are small everywhere else up or down the coast, they are a foot or so bigger at Saltburn.
To the south of Saltburn Pier, there is a sand and cobblestone break called Penny’s Hole with some exciting surfing left-handers and right-handers – and further down by the cliff is Saltburn Point with fast reeling right-handers.
Saltburn Yorkshire – where to learn, hire surfboards and paddle boards
Saltburn Surf School, established in 1983 provides equipment and lessons for all abilities: beginners, improvers and advanced surfers.
Saltburn Surf School is fully accredited by Surfing England and the International Surfing Association and they have a wide range of equipment to hire and Saltburn Surf Shop also sell a range of new & second-hand adult and children’s surf equipment. Call Gary on Tel:07794932859
Saltburn’s Lower Promenade has post-beach showers, foot washes, plus drinking water for your dog! In the indoor shower cubicles, surfboards and the changing of wetsuits are not allowed – use the outdoor changing room to take your wetsuits off.
Saltburn Yorkshire – Where to go for the Best Saltburn Fish and Chips
Seaview Restaurant Saltburn
Here you can get takeaway fish and chips to eat on the promenade – or dine in style including trying their famous Crab Brioche, as eaten by Fred Sirieix and Nadiya Hussain when the Seaview Restaurant was featured on BBC’s Remarkable Places To Eat.
Upstairs, the Seaview Restaurant has floor-to-ceiling windows looking out to Saltburn Pier and the sea. The Seaview Restaurant has a remarkable atmosphere with an outdoor, open-air terrace with chic furnishings – with superb panoramic views across the dramatic coastline where you can watch in style the surfers, promenaders and pier-goers.
The Seaview Restaurant Saltburn lunch and dinner openings are from 11:30am to 10:30pm. The Seaview Restaurant Saltburn only accepts walk-ins from 11.30am to 4pm (last sitting for walk-ins). To book a table at The Seaview Restaurant Saltburn Tel:01287236015
The Seaview Restaurant Saltburn is also open from 8:00am to 11:00am for all your favourite breakfasts and brunch dishes
To book a table at The Seaview Restaurant Saltburn Tel:01287236015
Saltburn Yorkshire – Seaview Fish and Chip Shop
On the ground floor, is Seaview’s state-of-the-art fish and chip shop, where you order top-quality fish and chips and enjoy them on Saltburn Pier, promenade or beach.
Saltburn Yorkshire – families enjoying Seaview Restaurant’s takeaway fish and chips on Saltburn beach
Saltburn Seaview Fish and Chip Takeaway Opening Times:
Open from 11:30 daily and closes at 8pm Monday to Saturday and 7pm Sunday.
Saltburn Yorkshire -Oscar’s Fish and Chips
Oscar’s is ideally located on Saltburn Lower Promenade (next to Saltburn MiniGolf) so you can enjoy traditional fish and chips by the seaside on the beach or on the promenade bench.
Saltburn MiniGolf and Cafe
Saltburn MiniGolf is open every day from 10-6pm.
Hollywood actor and Peaky Blinders star Tom Hardy wowed seaside visitors when he made a trip to Saltburn MiniGolf on Wednesday 29 December 2021. Tom Hardy brilliantly portrays gang boss Alfie Solomons in Peaky Blinders. Tom Hardy is married to Stockton actress Charlotte Riley and has previously also been seen out in fashionable Yarm. Tom Hardy’s wife Charlotte Riley was also in Peaky blinders, playing May Fitz Carleton in series 2 and 4.
Saltburn Yorkshire – The Cleveland Way, Part of the England Coastal Path
Running through Saltburn, the Cleveland Way is a 68 miles (110Km) stretch of the England Coast Path (ECP) that takes you along the dramatic cliffs of the North Yorkshire coast, through Scarborough, magnificent Whitby, Saltburn and Redcar into the heart of Middlesbrough.
Part of this stretch of the England Coastal Path includes the coastal part of the existing Cleveland Way, so you will find the path is waymarked as the Cleveland Way, and also the England Coast Path.
Saltburn Yorkshire – Metal Detecting
Anybody wishing to carry out metal detecting on the Crown Estate Foreshore may do so without formal consent from The Crown Estate. (Foreshore is defined as the land between mean high water and mean low water).
You can view and download The Crown Estate Terms and Conditions of Foreshore Metal Detecting pdf here
Saltburn Minature Railway
Established in 1947, Saltburn Miniature Railway is a 15-inch gauge (the width between the two rails) railway run by volunteers and is based in Saltburn Valley Gardens. The line runs south by the beach and Cat Nab car park from Cat Nab Station for about half a mile inland to Forest Halt, where there is a woodland walk and gardens.
Saltburn Miniature Railway is enjoyable for all ages and during the holiday season, it is open from 12 noon to 4pm 7 days a week.
Saltburn Yorkshire – Defibrillator Location
There is a public use defibrillator located at Saltburn Lower Promenade – on the wall of the Surf’s Up Diner and Ice Cream Parlour SatNav TS12 1HQ
Saltburn Parking
Free Parking Saltburn
On-road free parking is available on Marine Drive, Saltburn-by-the-Sea
Saltburn Pier Parking
Use the Saltburn seafront car park which is immediately next to Saltburn Pier, Saltburn Promenade and Saltburn Foreshore Buildings, SatNav TS12 1HH. The entrance is directly opposite the Tomahawk Steakhouse, Saltburn.
Saltburn Cat Nab Car Park
This car park at Saltburn Bank SatNav TS12 1HH to the south of the town and pier, is nearest for accessing Saltburn attractions such as Saltburn Miniature Railway, The Ship Inn and for Cat Nab Fish and Chips.
How near is Whitby to Saltburn?
Saltburn is 23 miles away from Whitby, about 35 minutes by car.
How near is Scarborough to Saltburn?
Saltburn is 41 miles away from Scarborough, about 65 minutes by car.
How near is Bridlington to Saltburn?
Saltburn is 57 miles away from Bridlington, about 95 minutes by car.
Saltburn Yorkshire -Saltburn Pier History Fact List
- The Saltburn Pier Company was formed in 1867, with John Anderson as the designer
- Opened in May 1869, Saltburn Pier was the first iron pier to be built on England’s northeast coast and its history is closely tied with Saltburn’s development and identity
- The original length was 1500 ft (457m). Saltburn Pier is now 681 ft (208 m) long
- Saltburn Pier was an immediate success in 1869 with more than 50,000 visitors during its first 6 months. Visitors flocked to enjoy the ice cream kiosk, theatre, dancing and concert shows
- Saltburn pier-head landing stage and the end of the pier were destroyed by a storm in October 1875. The pier re-opened in 1877 at a reduced length of 1250 ft (381m)
- In 1885, a bandstand was added
- Access to Saltburn Pier is via the famous funicular Saltburn Cliff lift, with a height of 120 ft (37 m) and a track length of 207 ft (63 m). Today, Saltburn remains the world’s oldest water-balanced cliff railway
- Saltburn Pier was crashed into by the iron ship Ovenbeg during 7 and 8 of May 1924, leaving a 210 ft (64m) gap
- Saltburn Pier has been owned by the local council since 1938 and is currently owned by Redcar & Cleveland Borough Council
- Saltburn Pier was requisitioned by the army in 1940, and sectioned for defence purposes. It was then rebuilt in 1947 at a cost of £20,000 and it re-opened to the public in 1952
- A foundation pile was lost in the autumn of 1971 and an underwater survey in January 1973 showed that the pier was only safe in calm weather
- Saltburn pier closed semi-permanently in December 1973 after the loss of an east side foundation pile in November.
- in January 1974 three more piles were lost and an interim emergency repair plan was drawn up
- A storm on 29th October 1974 washed away Saltburn pier-head and badly damaged the rest of Saltburn Pier. In 1975, the council requested permission to demolish the pier
- Saltburn Pier was subject to a public enquiry that concluded in April 1976 that only the last thirteen trestles at the end of the pier should be removed. The restoration of the remaining 681 feet cost £52,500
- Saltburn Pier re-opened on 29th June 1978 and cafe -restaurant opened in the entrance buildings in 1979
- Saltburn Pier’s entrance building roof was restored in 1993 to its early 20th-century condition using Welsh and Westmorland slate
- By 1996, Saltburn Pier it was again in danger of collapse but it was saved in the year 2000 by a £1. 2 million National Lottery award. The refurbished pier opened in 2001. Other examples of National Lottery-funded projects in Yorkshire include the majestic Georgian Piece Hall in Halifax
- Saltburn Pier was Pier of the Year in 2009
- In November 2010, the two water-balanced cliff lift carriages were taken out of service for a major refit and remained out of service until April 2011
- Yarn Bombers’ often target Saltburn Pier to display their knitted creations on the pier’s rails for significant events such as the Olympics, royal occasions and to show their love of Yorkshire. For instance, in March 2012 a 164ft (50m) metre-long Olympic-themed knitted woolly scarf suddenly appeared on the handrails of Saltburn Pier. In June 2012, the scarf mysteriously disappeared. To everyone’s relief, the scarf and figures reappeared bigger and brighter than ever in July 2012!
- Saltburn Pier is the most northerly pier in the UK and the only remaining pier on the northeast coast. Those remaining or partially remaining in Scotland are not recognised as seaside piers by most authorities. For instance, Dunoon Pier was built in 1889 as a working pier rather than a pleasure pier and others as ferry terminals.
- Saltburn Pier was used as a setting for the Bollywood film ‘Shaandaar’ in September 2014, with visitors used as extras
- A Lego model of Saltburn Pier was built and displayed at the Kirkleatham Museum in Redcar
- Talented artist Nicky Thompson, visiting lecturer at the University of Chester and owner of Lemondrop Creative created the vintage-style Saltburn Pier artwork for The National Pier Society, Registered Charity No.1111251, to celebrate the Year of the Pier in 2023. This museum-quality fine art archival Giclee print can be bought on Nicky Thompson’s website.
