Walking the King Charles III England Coast Path at Flamborough

If you enjoy walking, there are few better ways to discover the Yorkshire coast than on foot.

The King Charles III England Coast Path follows the shoreline around England, taking walkers through some of the country's most dramatic coastal landscapes. Here at Flamborough, the route passes towering chalk cliffs, secluded bays, lighthouses and one of Britain's most important seabird colonies – and some of the best sections can be reached easily from Cherry Tree Cottage.

Whether you fancy an hour beside the sea or want to spend the whole day walking the headland, it's a wonderful way to experience this part of the coast.

The King Charles III England Coast Path

The King Charles III England Coast Path is a National Trail following the English coastline. When fully established around England it will extend for thousands of miles, creating what is expected to be the world's longest managed coastal walking route.

Our local section forms part of the route between Bridlington and Filey Brigg. This 21-mile stretch opened in 2023 and takes in some spectacular Yorkshire scenery along the way, including Flamborough Head and Bempton Cliffs.

For visitors staying in Flamborough, however, you certainly don't have to walk all 21 miles.

The beauty of the trail is that you can simply join it for a short stretch and turn back when you've had enough, create a circular walk through the village or use local transport to make a longer linear walk.

Walking around Flamborough Head

Flamborough sits almost in the middle of this remarkable stretch of coastline.

Heading around the headland, the Coast Path takes you through a landscape of white chalk cliffs, sea stacks and small bays carved into the rock. This is the most northerly chalk coastline in Britain, and the views can be extraordinary.

South Landing is one of our favourite places to join the trail. From here you can follow the clifftop north around Flamborough Head, passing some of the headland's most recognisable landmarks before continuing towards North Landing, Thornwick Bay and eventually Bempton.

There are plenty of opportunities to stop along the way, whether that's to explore a beach, sit and watch the sea or simply take in the view.

And because the path passes so close to Flamborough village, it's easy to create shorter circular walks rather than committing to a long day's hike.

Head north towards Bempton Cliffs

For wildlife lovers, heading north is particularly special.

Beyond Flamborough Head the path continues towards the spectacular cliffs at Bempton, home to the UK's largest mainland seabird colony.

During spring and early summer the cliffs become incredibly busy with nesting birds. Gannets, guillemots, razorbills and kittiwakes can all be seen here, along with the bird most visitors hope to spot – the puffin.

Even outside the main nesting season, this is a beautiful walk. The landscape feels wonderfully open, with huge skies and uninterrupted views across the North Sea.

The route eventually continues onwards towards Speeton and Filey Brigg.

Or head south towards Bridlington

Walk in the opposite direction and the scenery gradually changes.

From South Landing the trail continues towards Danes Dyke, where the path passes through woodland before returning to the coast.

From here you can continue towards Sewerby and eventually Bridlington, where the dramatic chalk headland gives way to long sandy beaches and a more traditional seaside landscape.

It's a lovely option if you prefer a gentler coastal walk, and there are plenty of places along the way to stop for coffee or lunch.

A coastline that changes with the seasons

One of the things we love most about walking around Flamborough is that the coastline never really looks the same twice.

Spring brings wildflowers and the return of thousands of nesting seabirds to the cliffs. Summer offers long evenings and the chance to explore the bays and rock pools below.

Autumn often brings beautifully clear light and quieter paths, while winter can be wonderfully dramatic, with enormous skies, crashing waves and miles of coastline almost to yourself.

It's worth bringing binoculars at any time of year. Alongside the seabirds, seals are regularly seen around the headland and dolphins and porpoises occasionally pass offshore too.

Walking from Cherry Tree Cottage

One of the reasons we love the location of Cherry Tree Cottage is that you don't necessarily need to get in the car to enjoy the coast.

The King Charles III England Coast Path can be reached from the cottage on foot, making it easy to head out for a morning walk, spend a full day exploring or simply wander down to the cliffs before returning to the village.

Cherry Tree Cottage is also listed by National Trails as accommodation for walkers exploring this section of the King Charles III England Coast Path.

For us, being able to leave the cottage and be walking beside the sea shortly afterwards is one of the great pleasures of staying in Flamborough.

A few things to know before setting off

Although many stretches of the Coast Path around Flamborough are straightforward, this is an exposed clifftop landscape and conditions can change quickly.

Good walking shoes are worthwhile, particularly after wet weather, and we'd always recommend taking an extra layer even on apparently sunny days.

Some sections run close to high cliffs, so dogs should be kept under close control and walkers should stay well back from cliff edges. Please also follow any temporary diversions or signs – coastal erosion means routes occasionally need to change.

For longer walks, carry water and check your route before setting out.

You don't have to walk far

Perhaps the nicest thing about the Coast Path is that there is no particular way you have to experience it.

You can walk twenty miles.

You can walk two.

Or you can simply follow the path until you find somewhere beautiful, sit for a while and watch the sea.

For us, that's what walking around Flamborough is really about.

It isn't necessarily about reaching somewhere. It's about the chalk cliffs, the birds wheeling overhead, the sound of the sea below and that feeling of space you only really get on the coast.

And from Cherry Tree Cottage, it's all practically on the doorstep.