Scarborough's Haunted Old Town: An Outdoor Day Route

A walkable loop through Scarborough's oldest streets, from the castle headland to the churchyard on the hill, with pub stops and timing notes for a full day out.

Starting at the harbour and the castle headland

Begin on Sandside, the quayside strip where fishing boats still land crabs and whelks below the Castle Cliff. From the harbour you can climb the steps past the old toll house, or take the gentler slope along Castle Road. The headland above holds the remains of Scarborough Castle, a twelfth-century royal fortress wrecked in the Civil War sieges of 1645. Opening hours vary by season; the walk around the outer walls and the grassy bailey is free and open year-round. Allow forty minutes for the climb and the circuit, longer if you stop for photographs over the South Bay.

From the castle, drop down towards the churchyard of St Mary's, where Anne Brontë is buried. The path down through the churchyard is steep and cobbled, so wear proper shoes and avoid it after heavy rain. The headstones here, some leaning at angles and weathered to a pale grey, are the closest thing Scarborough has to a classic ghost-story setting. The poet Edith Sitwell is buried in the same churchyard, and the views from the top of the steps over the harbour are the best free viewpoint in town.

The old town lanes and the steps between them

Below St Mary's, the lanes of the old town twist between Long Greece Steps, Bland's Cliff and the parallel flights down to Sandside. These stepped passages once carried fishermen between the harbour and the houses on the cliff, and several are named after the families who lived along them. Long Greece Steps is the longest and steepest, with a handrail on one side and a landing halfway. Walk them slowly, and take the alternative route via Tuthill or the road bend at the top of the Spa if the steps are wet or you have a pushchair.

The streets on the headland above the harbour, including Princess Street and Queen Street, hold small independent shops and a couple of old pubs that keep their original tiled and wood-panelled interiors. This is a good place to stop for lunch rather than the seafront, where prices climb in July and August. Expect a pub lunch to run in the region of fifteen to twenty-five pounds a head in the old town, with cheaper options at the bakery counters on Huntriss Row and around the market. Book a table in summer; walk-ins are easier in spring and autumn.

The churchyard, the graves and the ghost-story angle

Scarborough's ghost stories cluster around the churchyard and the castle, not the seafront. The most repeated tale involves the headland's smugglers and their lanterns, used to signal boats past the excise men, and later retold as phantom lights moving along the cliff. There is no historical record to confirm any haunting, and the local tour operators who run evening walks in summer tell these stories as folklore rather than fact. Treat them the same way. The walks generally run from around Easter to October, cost about ten pounds per adult, and last between one and two hours; they are a good evening addition rather than the main event.

If you would rather not join a group, the same atmosphere is free at dusk. The churchyard gates are open during daylight hours, and the lane down to the harbour is lit by street lamps after dark. The best months for this route are May, June and September: the steps are drier, the light lasts until late evening, and the town is quieter than in the school holidays. July and August bring crowds on Sandside and long queues for the castle, so start before ten in the morning if you visit in high summer.

Making a full day of it and where to sleep

The route from Sandside to the castle, down through the churchyard and along the old-town lanes covers about two miles and takes three to four hours at an unhurried pace, with stops. Add the South Bay promenade and the Spa at the far end and you have a full day. For families, the steps are the main obstacle; the road route via Castle Road and Tuthill avoids most of them and adds perhaps fifteen minutes. Combine the walk with a morning at the harbour and an afternoon at the Rotunda museum, which is a short walk from the old town and open through the year.

For accommodation, the old town and the streets behind the South Bay give you the shortest walk to all of this. Hotels around the Esplanade, Cromwell Parade and the top of Ramshill Road put you within ten minutes of Sandside and the castle path. Seafront hotels on the Spa side are convenient for the beach but add a twenty-minute climb to reach the headland. For a two-night stay in spring or autumn, I would book a room in the old town or on the Esplanade, and use the town's train station, a ten-minute walk from the harbour, for a car-free visit.

Questions, answered

How long does the old town walk take?

About three to four hours at an easy pace, covering roughly two miles from Sandside to the castle, through St Mary's churchyard and back down the steps. Add an hour if you go inside the castle or stop for lunch in the old town.

Is the route suitable for pushchairs or wheelchairs?

The steps are not, but a road route via Castle Road and Tuthill avoids most of them and reaches the castle headland and churchyard. Some cobbled sections are uneven, so allow extra time and check surfaces before setting out.

When is the best time to visit Scarborough for this walk?

May, June and September give the driest paths, long evening light and fewer crowds. July and August are busiest around Sandside and the castle, so start before ten in the morning to avoid queues and heat on the climb.

Do I need to pay to see the castle?

The walk around the outer walls and the grassy bailey is free, and the views over both bays are open year-round. Entering the castle itself is ticketed, with opening hours that change by season, so check ahead before planning a visit inside.

Are there ghost tours in Scarborough?

Evening walking tours run in summer, generally from around Easter to October, lasting one to two hours and costing in the region of ten pounds per adult. They tell local folklore rather than documented history, so treat them as entertainment rather than fact.

Where should I stay for this route?

Hotels in the old town and along the Esplanade put you within ten minutes of Sandside and the castle path. Seafront hotels near the Spa are better for the beach but add a twenty-minute climb to the headland.

Can I do this without a car?

Yes. Scarborough's train station is a ten-minute walk from the harbour, and the whole route is on foot. Buses run along the seafront and up Ramshill Road, which shortens the return leg if the steps tire you out.

Where is good for lunch on the route?

The pubs and bakeries in the old town, around Princess Street and Huntriss Row, are cheaper than the seafront. A pub lunch typically runs fifteen to twenty-five pounds a head; book in summer, when walk-ins are harder to find.

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