Bempton Cliffs can be found on the east coast of Yorkshire just outside the small village of Bempton, which is off the Bridlington to Flamborough road. This whole area is now a nature reserve that is owned and managed by the Royal Society for the Protection of Birds (RSPB).
There can be few people that have been here that can deny that Bempton Cliffs are a spectacular sight. They are characterised by their chalk-white appearance and they rise vertically from the sea to the cliff tops. They are just as impressive from the top of the cliffs looking downwards as they are from below looking upwards.
These limestone sea cliffs stretch for over 3 miles (5 kilometres) and have an average height of 86 metres above sea level. They are the highest sea cliffs in England and they are home to one of the largest sea bird colonies in the British Isles.
I have been coming to Bempton Cliffs since I was a young child and I usually manage to visit here at least once every year. Even now as an adult I am still in awe at the natural
wonder of this place. Access to the shoreline here is difficult so if you are wanting to view these cliffs from below then it is necessary to book one of the regular boat trips from Bridlington.
On the top of the cliff there is the small village of Bempton, which seems to edge perilously closer to this rapidly eroding coast each time that I come here and there is also a small railway station. About 200 metres away from the railway station in the direction of the sea there is a car park and visitors centre.
This visitor centre is owned by the RSPB and this is where non members have to pay their entrance fee to visit the reserve. Entry for RSPB members is free but for others the current charges are £3.50 per car.
The visitor centre is open daily throughout the year, except during Christmas week when it is closed. Between March and October it is open from 10am until 5pm. Between November and February it is open from 9.30am until 4pm.
There is a footpath that leads from the visitor centre along the top of the cliffs and all along this path there are specially created viewpoints where you can stop and view the birds and be sheltered from the elements at the same time. It has to be said that one of the downsides of this place is that it is somewhat exposed and is therefore much better fun when the weather is good.
There are a total of five different view points along the cliff top and each of these has a name. The first viewpoint is called Grandstand and is approximately 200 metres from the visitor centre. The second is called Bartlett Nab (400m) and the third Jubilee Corner (900m). From here the path continues but the other two viewing points are located in the opposite direction of the visitor centre so most visitors turn around here and walk back to the visitor centre. The first of these view points in the other direction is called New Roll (500m from the visitor centre) and the other one is called Staple Newk (900m).
Bempton Cliffs contain one of the largest breeding seabird colonies in the British isles. The best time to visit is between April and August as during this period the birds are crammed tightly onto the rock faces. There are tens of thousands of pairs of Guillemots, Razorbills, Kittiwakes and Fulmars and smaller numbers of Puffins. It is the Puffins that many of the visitors come to see and they are quite a comical sight. With there thick, multi-coloured bills they are sometimes called Sea Parrots. Unlike the majority of the other breeding seabirds here the Puffins do not nest on the vertical cliff faces. Instead they nest in burrows (often disused rabbit holes) at the top of the cliffs and they are often not fearful of people enabling the visitors to get almost within touching distance of them.
The other star breeding bird here is the Gannet, this huge white gull-like bird can be seen plunging vertically into the sea and emerging with fish.
In addition to the seabirds at Bempton there are other interesting birds here and its location makes it a favourable place for scarce migrants to turn up. There is a list of all of the bird species that have been seen here in the visitor centre. There are also some other interesting wildlife here too and I have seen Foxes, Weasels and Stoats quite regularly on the cliff tops and Dolphins, Basking Sharks and Porpoises in the water.
I recall once seeing a Weasel here climb down the cliffs to try and get to the birds eggs on the ledges but the Guillemots and Razorbills successfully fought it off. Looking at some of the places where these birds lay there eggs I often wondered why the eggs didn't fall off the narrow ledges. It was in the visitor's centre here that I learned the reason why - Guillemots and Razorbills lay square eggs!
After a good stroll along the cliff top the visitor centre is an excellent place to learn about the wildlife of this area. It is packed full of useful information and the staff are always on hand to answer any questions that you might have. This visitor centre is fully accessible by disabled visitors and there are toilets here which are equipped for disabled visitors too.
The visitor centre also doubles up as a viewing hide and there are binoculars and telescopes here which can be used to look at the closer in closer detail. This is perfect for visitors in wheelchairs as the path along the cliff top is not really suitable for wheelchair users, although the first viewing point can be reached with a wheelchair. The visitor centre also has a book shop and a gift shop and a small café that provides refreshments.
In summary I think that Bempton Cliffs are a fantastic place and makes for a wonderful day out.
RSPB Bempton Cliffs Nature Reserve Cliff Lane Bempton Bridlington East Yorkshire YO15 1JD
We visit Bridlington and flamborough a lot when we fancy a day at the coast, but never knew about this place, will make a point of going next time we are out that way.
greenierexyboy 31.10.2007 09:44
Very minor quibble; Bempton most definitely aren't the highest sea cliffs in England. Although I doubt that'd be of much consolation if you fell over them! Mick Fowler the climbing taxman has done a couple of routes here; it's as loose as it looks, so basically he's mad.
Excellent review regardless.
exceptional by (4%):
very helpful by (96%):
