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Most of the things to do in Filey depend on its unique position and the resulting beautiful sandy bay. It lies between the Brig to the North and Flamborough Head to the South. These 2 headlands protect the bay from many of the rough seas and have allowed a very long sandy beach to build up. Filey started out as a fishing village and grew during the Edwardian period as a seaside resort. It has much less development along the seafront than the other Yorkshire coast resorts so has a calmer more genteel feel. There is a lot of really interesting information on the Filey Bay site
Filey beach is one of the safest beaches in the country. The beach slopes gently and there are no deeper parts to catch you out of your depth. It also has a life guard in the summer. One of the most popular things to do in Filey for children is to spend hours messing on the beach and in the sea. The sand is also excellent for building sand castles and is regularly washed by the tide. There are also donkeys in the summer which are very popular. In winter just walking on the beach is very popular and children can still have fun.
There are a few children’s rides, cafes and shops on the seafront and only one seafront amusement arcade on the coble landing so is relatively unspoilt. The coble landing is also where the fishing boats and the lifeboat launch. You can see where the lifeboat launches from Hope Cottages. You can find more about Filey lifeboat station here. There is also a crazy golf course with a giant lobster close to the coble landing. Crescent gardens at the cliff top have views across Filey bay and have a fisherman sculpture. At the south end of the clifftop there is a small boating lake and some free children’s swings and slides in Glen Gardens.
Is it Brig or is it Brigg. Depends where you see it written. Filey owes its existence to the Brigg, a rocky promontory sticking out into the North sea. It has created this beautiful beach and bay by protecting them from the Northerly gales. For many, walking out onto the Brigg is a must “thing to do in Filey”. It is important to be aware of the tides. You can get cut off at various places so be aware of the three hours before high water as the tide comes in . There is a deep water at the back of the Brigg which can occasionally allow large swells to crash onto the rocks. You can check on the magicseaweed website to see a swell forecast for the day and tidal information. The swell can build up quickly near highwater so take care. There are rock pools and good fishing here. You can find the tides for the week at the tidetimes website
There is a Filey Brigg ladder that goes down the vertical cliff to the back of the Brigg. It is used as a way for getting on and off the rocks at the back of Filey Brigg. If it was not there people could be trapped at high water as there is no way back into the bay side of the Brigg at high water. It is not for those who are clumsy, weak or of a nervous disposition . It is a near enough vertical ladder and there is not a proper path down the clay part of the cliff to the top of the ladders.
Bird watching around Filey is popular and the Brigg is one of the best places along with Filey Dams. Another popular thing to do is to visit nearby Bempton cliffs. They rise over 300ft vertically out of the sea and the bird life is magnificent. The Brigg is also a good lookout place for marine mammals such as seals porpoises dolphins and even whales. This is because there is fairly deep water and strong tides close to the Brigg which attracts fish of all sizes making the Brigg a mecca for anglers and nature lovers. Filey is also very popular with all sorts of walkers and is where two long distance walks meet: the Cleveland Way and the Wolds Way. The country park provides close and easy parking for walks on the Brigg and cliff top.
Another thing that is unique about Filey is its shopping. It is not quite big enough to attract many of the big chains. This allows many of the smaller local traders to flourish. There are butchers, bakers, greengrocers, newsagents, grocers and some small supermarkets as well as a Tesco. There is also a large independent store Dixons selling everything from clothes, shoes, diy, electrical goods to household goods. You can even hire mobility scooters. There are of course cafes, coffee shops, pubs and fish and chip shops. The shopping area is quite concentrated and within easy walking distance of Hope Cottages holiday accommodation.
