Whitby is famous as the place where Bram Stoker’s Dracula came ashore all those years ago and there are plenty of museums dedicated to the neck-biting vampire, but Whitby has so much more to offer.
If you’re a fan of Heartbeat, as I am, you’ll probably recognise a lot of the places in Whitby as they quite often film part of the programme here.
The town itself is a former whaling port built at the mouth of the river Esk and rises steeply from the river on both banks. On one side are the majority of the guesthouses and hotels together with the main shops, banks, post office etc.
As most of the guesthouses are set high up on the cliffs you can sometimes get a room at the top of the house with a view right over the river across to the Abbey ruins.
The shopping here is quite good considering that it is only a small town. The main stores are well represented and there’s a wealth of lovely gift shops. One of the gifts traditionally sold here is items of jewellery made from the famous Whitby jet.
The Cook Museum recalls the life and times of Captain Cook, the explorer who lived here from 1746 to 1749. The Dracula Experience is also here on the harbourside.
There is a walk along the side of the river with cafes and restaurants selling some of the fish that are landed there each day. There are a few slot machine arcades, but nothing too tacky. The end of this walkway opens out onto the jetty, which curves out to sea to protect the harbour from the elements. On the top of the cliffs there is the famous Whitby landmark of two whalebones made into an arch.
A swing bridge provides the link to the other side of the river and which is where the pretty gift shops are set in narrow streets. If you’re lucky a large boat will be passing and you’ll see the swing bridge open which is quite an impressive sight and it does happen regularly.
There are more cafes and guesthouses over here but the main attraction is the ruins of Whitby Abbey high up on the cliffs reached by climbing 199 steps. The Abbey, already in ruins, was heavily bombed during the war.
The church of St Mary is next to the Abbey and houses an 18th century wooden interior carved by shipbuilders. The ‘family’ pews in here a well worth a look.
When I went in August on year there was a mediaeval pageant on up at the Abbey ruins, with old crafts, games and sports with everyone dressed in period costume.
In the summer there is an open top bus tour of Whitby which gives a magnificent view of the town from the bridge over the River Esk which is slightly further inland. One of the stops on the tour is next to the Abbey ruins to save you having to climb the aforementioned steps. The guide on the bus gives an interesting insight into the old town of Whitby with stories of smuggling and tales of the high seas.
There are boat trips round the adjacent coastline during the summer, one of which is taken in the old Whitby lifeboat. The current lifeboat is moored proudly in the harbour.
A lovely walk if the weather is kind and the tide is out, is along the sands heading north to Sandsend. There’s a café there for a cup of tea and a rest, before you walk back, or, if you’re idle like me there’s a regular bus service back to Whitby!
You can also walk in the other direction over the cliffs to Saltwick Bay and on to Robin Hood’s Bay if you’re feeling REALLY energetic!
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