Ron Freethy's England: Scarborough

A FEW weeks ago I wrote a series called Freethy's Wakes, during which I described the North West seaside resorts.

Several readers put pen to paper and wrote telling me of their memories of holidays in other parts of England, including North Yorkshire and North Wales.

One of Britain's most important and beautiful seaside resorts is Scarborough, which is much more than a glorified fairground as it has wonderful museums, glorious scenery, a venerable old castle and was once one of the main spa towns in Europe.

The word Spa comes from the name of a town in Belgium which was actually called Spa and during the 18th century was famous for its waters.

In the 18th and 19th centuries, Scarborough attracted many rich visitors and it was during this period the town was developed. The splendid hotels were a feature of this period and Scarborough still dominates the tourist trade, which ensures that prices are competitive. There is so much to see that it is difficult to know where to start but on my day trip the weather was so good that I began by lazing around on the beach. The sands are magnificent and beyond the donkeys on the sand I could see the harbour dominated by the lighthouse. The latter is not used to warn shipping out at sea these days but merely lights up when there is sufficient water in the harbour to enable the fishing and pleasure vessels to operate.

Above the harbour and set high on a cliff is Scarborough Castle, built in Norman times close to a Roman signal station.

Near the harbour is the Millennium, a splendid working museum showing the history of Scarborough by using sound, light and even smell. These attractions are developing in many places but Scarborough's is one of the very best.

The same accolade applies to the Sea-Life Centre, which sensibly specialises in the life found in and around the North Sea.

Scarborough's museums are all impressive but my favourite is the Rotunda, which is acknowledged as the best Georgian Museum in Britain and which was once featured by Lucinda Lambton in a TV programme. The circular building is the perfect place to study the history of the town from the days of prehistoric burials to the time when it was a thriving Victorian Spa.

Apart from the beach and historic sites, Scarborough is a thriving shopping centre and this area can be reached via the Cliff Railway.

For those with the wind to climb steps, the chance should not be missed to stroll over the lovely bridge leading to the Spa buildings.

Just for once, forget the foreign resorts and enjoy a few days in Scarborough. There is plenty to do whatever the weather and whatever your age.

Converted for the new archive on 14 July 2000. Some images and formatting may have been lost in the conversion.