Yorkshire
Landslides regularly reshape this coast — your route back may not look like the map. Check your return route on the way out.
Today at Port Mulgrave
FairBig tide today (spring tide) — more beach exposed, but it comes back in fast.
A big 0.6 m low tide falls at lunchtime.
Safe window: 9:24am – 12:24pm
Leave the beach by 12:24pm — the tide will cut off your route back.
Big tide today (spring tide) — more beach exposed, but it comes back in fast.
A big 0.6 m low tide falls at lunchtime.
Low tide: 11:24am (0.6 m), 11:44pm (1.1 m) · Wind up to 13 km/h · Waves 0.9 m
Safe window: 10:12am – 1:12pm
Leave the beach by 1:12pm — the tide will cut off your route back.
Big tide today (spring tide) — more beach exposed, but it comes back in fast.
A big 0.4 m low tide falls at lunchtime.
Low tide: 12:12pm (0.4 m) · Wind up to 12 km/h · Waves 0.6 m
Safe window: 10:58am – 1:58pm
Leave the beach by 1:58pm — the tide will cut off your route back.
Big tide today (spring tide) — more beach exposed, but it comes back in fast.
A big 0.4 m low tide falls at lunchtime.
Low tide: 12:27am (1.1 m), 12:58pm (0.4 m) · Wind up to 25 km/h · Waves 1.3 m
Safe window: 11:42am – 2:42pm
Leave the beach by 2:42pm — the tide will cut off your route back.
Big tide today (spring tide) — more beach exposed, but it comes back in fast.
A big 0.6 m low tide falls at lunchtime.
Low tide: 1:09am (1.2 m), 1:42pm (0.6 m) · Wind up to 28 km/h · Waves 2.0 m
Safe window: 12:26pm – 3:26pm
Leave the beach by 3:26pm — the tide will cut off your route back.
Recent heavy seas should have washed fresh material onto the beach. Low tide falls mid-afternoon, though it is not an especially big one.
Low tide: 1:51am (1.4 m), 2:26pm (0.8 m) · Wind up to 27 km/h · Waves 2.1 m
Safe window: 1:11pm – 4:11pm
Leave the beach by 4:11pm — the tide will cut off your route back.
Recent heavy seas should have washed fresh material onto the beach. Low tide falls mid-afternoon, though it is not an especially big one.
Low tide: 2:33am (1.6 m), 3:11pm (1.2 m) · Wind up to 24 km/h · Waves 1.8 m
Safe window: 1:59pm – 4:59pm
Leave the beach by 4:59pm — the tide will cut off your route back.
Recent heavy seas should have washed fresh material onto the beach. Low tide falls mid-afternoon, though it is not an especially big one.
Low tide: 3:20am (1.8 m), 3:59pm (1.5 m) · Wind up to 20 km/h · Waves 1.0 m
The boulder and nodule beds north of the old harbour are the classic hunting ground — work the freshly turned rocks near the falling waterline. Ammonite nodules, belemnites and occasional reptile bone all come to those who turn stones patiently.
Ammonites hide inside rounded grey nodules — a coiled edge showing at the rim is the giveaway (take nodules home to split carefully; never hammer at the cliff). Jet is matt black, feather-light and warm to the touch; sea coal looks similar but heavier and dirtier. Belemnites are amber bullet-shaped rods. Free identification: Whitby Museum welcomes photo enquiries.
This coast is a protected site (SSSI). What does that mean?
Allowed: Collecting loose fossils from the beach is long-established and accepted here.
Never allowed: No digging into the cliffs or hammering in-place rock on this SSSI coast; leave the jet seams alone — commercial jet digging has damaged this coast.
Important finds: Report significant finds to Whitby Museum.
Rules can change — check locally before you collect.
Detailed location guide at UK Fossils →
Roadside parking in Hinderwell/Port Mulgrave hamlet.
None at all — no toilets, no phone signal in places, no shelter.
Long, steep and eroding cliff path down to the old harbour; hard going back up with a heavy bag.
People are trapped here by the tide every year: the beach has no exits once the sea reaches the cliff. Only visit on a falling tide, leave well before low water turns, and tell someone your plan.