Somewhere nice on the coast 2-3 hrs on the train from Leeds?

[homemadecommunistrussia]

Preferably outside of Yorkshire. I am looking for somewhere semi-quiet nice walks and history would be great.
Pubs with decent vegetarian food needed too.

Alnwick / Alnmouth

North Wales?
Look at the rail links to find what's best for you many coastal places have rail links but Tranquility a short walk away
Llandudno, Barmouth, Criccieth
Some ideas here
www.donthibernate.co.uk

I like North Wales, but the trains are rather awkward and it takes about 6 hours to Criccieth!

I'd just like to get out of the North of England without sitting with a mask on for 4 hrs

I agree that you should head for Alnwick

Takes about 2.5 hr ish to get to Lytham St Anne's from Leeds. Lovely seaside town.

Hmm google maps shows the Alnwick castle as 4 miles from the station, is that right.

Dh has a hatred of Blackpool and I suspect he would see Lytham as an extension of it.

Alnwick doesn’t have a train station (well it does, but it’s a bookshop now!). Nor is it right on the coast. Alnmouth is though - but the train station is a little way from the town itself! It’s lovely, but accommodation is not cheap. Good bus routes though for access to Alnwick, Lindisfarne, Berwick etc. And lots of history..

Whitby. Don't know if they have a station but is lovely to visit

Whitby is in Yorkshire, it's ok when not too busy, but the dripping cooked chips make me sad.

The honest answer OP, is that there isn’t anywhere really if you’re travelling by train and want to be somewhere in under 2.5 hours.

The west coast is slim pickings - Blackpool, Morecambe or Lytham. Your choices on the east coast are Bridlington or Scarborough if you want to arrive by train.

The only other possible is to take the fast train up to Edinburgh from Leeds - lovely coastline that people always forget about and the journey is stunning - particularly after Newcastle.

Yeah Scotland is another option, I do love it, but I always feel better further south and near the coast.
I know you are right though, there just isn't anywhere.

Believe me I know. I live near you, have no car, and have exhausted all good seaside options in a 3 hour train radius.

Also- you know Edinburgh is on the sea don’t you? Has an actual beach- Portobello Beach?

Hope am not patronising you, just not clear from your last post

We have a car, but dh hates driving, the awkward bugger. I may have to stamp my feet.

We've just had a lovely weekend away at Whitley Bay, near Newcastle. We went by train from Sheffield, then metro next to Newcastle station straight there. We stopped off at Newcastle Castle on the way. Whitley Bay was really lovely huge sandy beach, and there were lots of walks along the coast and a nature reserve, and another castle ruin and lovely beach two metro stops along in Tynemouth. I'd really recommend it, felt like a proper escape away. It took 3 hours by train to Newcastle but we got stuck on the slow train, it should be possible in 2 hours from Leeds. Plus 30mins on metro.

Fast train to Newcastle, then change trains to Tynemouth or Whitley Bay.

Saltburn is technically Yorkshire, but only just.
Berwick upon Tweed?

Mutabilis, great minds!

Yeah, we have family in Edinburgh and it is an option although I was thinking of somewhere smaller and quieter.

2 hours and 37 minutes by direct train will get you to Dunbar in East Lothian. Seaside town, plenty of history, lots of walks, nice places to eat (although not all are fully open). Station is central, a minute or two walk to the beach.

Formby? The Crosby/Formby/Southport coast is well served by trains and I would think it’s about 2 - 2.5h from Leeds on the train. It’s not Northumberland/Scotland beautiful, but there are long beach and coast walks with sand dunes and pine trees and nature reserves. You can visit the Gormley statues in the sea at Crosby and the red squirrels at Formby.

I don’t know about pubs and cafes (other than Moose Coffee, which does veggie food) but I’m sure there will be options.

Scarborough is lovely with fantastic coastal and woodland walking.

The west coast within 3 hrs is not just Blackpool, Lytham and Morecambe. There is the delightful Arnside and Silverdale (Cumbria and Lancashire respectively) where there is RSPB Leighton Moss, some very nice places for cream teas and some epic views of the bay.

Just had a look at trains the problem is its at least 4 hours to North Wales I tried Leeds to Llandudno as its central and just outside Snowdonia so a great base. I feel its worth the drive then park up and try the local transport its only just over 2 hours by car, but once on the A55 try this to see some hidden gems
www.donthibernate.co.uk/route-1-llandudno-from-m62-m56/
How far is the East coast?
Now thinking outside of the box
Liverpool?
It has excellent eating
Bold Street in the city, Lark lane just out of the city, good transport and quiet areas also loads of history
www.donthibernate.co.uk/liverpool/
Southport is 45 mins by train
www.donthibernate.co.uk/day-or-evening-trip-to-southport/
The Wirral Peninsular has some very good beaches and walking.
www.visitwirral.com