Guisborough Voyage Tips and guide

Guisborough is a town in North Yorkshire, England. It's a market town and commuter district for Middlesbrough and Redcar, with a population of 18,100 in 2021.

The elaborate Guisborough Helmet, now in the British Museum, indicates Roman settlement, but the town grew up in the Middle Ages around the Priory, which is now the main visitor attraction. Guisborough is also on the edge of the North York Moors, a sharp edge indeed, with cliffs rising just south of town.

From 1974 to 1996 it was part of a new county, Cleveland, which was then abolished and Guisborough was re-assigned to North Yorkshire. The difference is nominal since it's part of Redcar & Cleveland unitary authority and not governed by a County Council.

54°32′42″N 1°3′18″W

Map of Guisborough

For long-distance routes, see Middlesbrough, which is on the London - Newcastle - Edinburgh main railway line. Guisborough doesn't have a railway.

Arriva Bus X93 runs hourly from Middlesbrough to Guisborough, 40 min, and continues south to Whitby and Scarborough. Bus 5 / 5A also runs every 30 min, and Bus 5 continues to Easington. Don't take Bus X4 from Middlesbrough towards Whitby, as this follows the coast through Redcar and doesn't run via Guisborough.

By road from the south, leave A1(M) for A19 then take A172 onto A171.

Two hours free parking is available on the high street, though you need to buy a parking disc from local shops. There is ample street parking, as well as a coach and car park on Rectory Lane.

Town is compact and walkable, but you need wheels to explore the moors. Bus 81 runs hourly between Guisborough and Redcar, for the races.

Taxi firms are Frontline Taxis (+44 1287 626260) and Guisborough Cabs (+44 1287 649005).

• 54.5357-1.0541 Guisborough Museum, 36 Westgate TS14 6BA, ☏ +44 1287 203617. Apr-Oct Th & Sa 10AM-4PM. A small volunteer-run museum of local history. Free. (updated Nov 2025)
• 54.5359-1.04592 Gisborough Priory, Church St, Guisborough TS14 6HG, ☏ +44 370 333 1181. Mar-Oct W-Su 10AM-4PM. An Augustinian priory founded in 1119, and built in Romanesque style. The Augustinians weren't cooped up as hermits, but acted as priests to the surrounding community. The priory burnt down in 1289 (careless workmen) and was rebuilt in Gothic. After the Dissolution much of the stone was raided for other buildings, but the great east window arch was preserved as a picturesque ruin. Free. (updated Nov 2025)
• St Nicholas Church next to the priory is the Anglican parish church. It was built around 1500 but most of what you see is from a re-build in 1903-08.
• 54.5866-1.08513 Kirkleatham Museum, Kirkleatham TS10 5NW, ☏ +44 1642 479500. Tu-Su 10AM-4:30PM. Museum housed in a mansion of 1709, originally a boys' school. Adult £2, child £1.50. (updated Nov 2025)

• 54.5-1.021 Guisborough Moor is part of the North York Moors. It rises sharply south of town, in a line of cliffs and bluffs such as Highcliffe Nab. The scarp is forested, with walking trails including the Cleveland Way, and the moor top is a plateau of heath and bog. In World War II the moor was a "starfish" site: during German bombing raids, fuel tanks were set ablaze up here to look like industrial Middlesbrough and misdirect the bombers.
• 54.5289-1.09822 Guisborough Forest Visitor Centre is the start of trails into the forest and moors that don't involve shinning up cliffs.
• The Cleveland Way starts in Helmsley and heads west to Sutton Bank above Thirsk. It then turns north along the edge of the moors through Osmotherley, Guisborough, Saltburn, Whitby, Scarborough and Filey. The whole trail is 110 miles.

• Farmers Market is on the second Saturday of each month. Regular market days are Thursday and Saturday.
• The retail strip is on Rectory Lane, one block south of Westgate. There's Lidl, Aldi, Sainsbury's and other big stores.

• Odd Socks is a cafe and laundrette at 63 Church St. It's open M-Sa 8:30AM-5PM, Su 9AM-3PM.
• Badger's Bar is a bistro at 55 Church St, open Su, Tu-Th 9AM-4PM, F Sa 9AM-10:30PM.
• Greedy Ted's is a pizzeria at 5 Church St, open W-F, Su 5-9PM, Sa noon-10PM.
• Shurovi is an Indian restaurant at 6 Market Place, open Su-Th 5-10:30PM, F Sa 5-11:30PM.
• Sergio's is cheap and cheerful Italian at 12 Chaloner St, open Tu-Sa 5-9PM.
• Cookfella's, 63 Church St TS14 6HG, ☏ +44 1287 658700. Tu-Sa noon-11PM. Tapas and Med-themed place gets consistently good reviews. (updated Nov 2025)
• Tockett's Mill is a working water mill, but primarily a restaurant attached to a caravan park. It's on Skelton Road A173, two miles northeast of town towards Saltburn, and open daily 8:30AM-11PM.

• The pubs are mostly along main drag Westgate. East to west find Twisted Peel cocktail bar, The Monk wine bar, The Sitting Room, Gigr, Brass Monkey, Fox Inn (has rooms, see Sleep), Mermaid Inn, The Three Fiddles, The Courtyard, The King's Head, Olive or Twist, The Ironstone Miner (JD Wetherspoon), and The Ship Inn.

• Fox Inn, Bow St, Guisborough TS14 6BP (by Priory), ☏ +44 1287 349503. Pub with 12 clean comfy rooms. The bar has TV sports, food and live music Saturday nights. Double (room only) £80. (updated Nov 2025)
• 54.5382-1.03641 Gisborough Hall Hotel, Whitby Road, Guisborough TS14 6PT, ☏ +44 1287 611500. A mansion hall in Jacobean style, built in 1856 and now a hotel. Swanky surroundings for a mid-range price. B&B double £160. (updated Nov 2025)
• 54.5339-1.00892 Fox & Hound Hotel, Slapewath TS14 6PX (on A171 three miles east of town), ☏ +44 1287 635280. A simple hotel, clean and welcoming. Double (room only) £70. (updated Nov 2025)

As of Oct 2022, Guisborough and its approach roads have 4G from Vodafone, and 5G from EE, O2 and Three.

• Middlesbrough: don't just rush through holding your nose. It's industrial but has lots to see and do. Best of all, you get to eat authentic Parmo.
• The coast is industrial from Middlesbrough through Redcar then improves at Saltburn-by-the-Sea. The best stretch is from Whitby to Scarborough.
• The North York Moors rise south of Guisborough. Helmsley and Pickering are the best bases within the moors.