When I lived in Yorkshire- the White Rose county is a gorgeous place for those prepared to seek out its many charms-one of my most popular excursions was to take my wife and then young daughter across the Moors and on to Whitby.
What a delightful little town Whitby is. As you approach it from the moors the first dramatic sight is that of the 11 th century Whitby Abbey, sacked during the days of King Henry VIII th. Now this building is under the auspices of English Heritage and to get to it from the town, you have to climb no less than 199 steps. Entrance is one pound, seventy pence.
Whitby is forever associated with Count Dracula. The author, Bram Stoker, lived in the town.You can follow the Dacula trail if you are so inclined.
This lovely little town also has a monument to Captain James Cook-this Yorkshireman was a wonderful sailor, who charted the oceans, pioneered developments in Australia, and insisted on his sailors taking lime to prevent scurvy. Being a full blooded Yorkshireman who spoke his mind, he often fell foul of the very stuffy English ’’Establishment’’..He was never knighted although arguably he was the greatest maritime navigator Britain ever produced.
The little resort in North Yorkshire is a fishing port and historically played a prominent role in the whaling trade. You will see the Whalebone Arch in the town. Today the fishing fleet still unloads its catch and gives a nice nautical feel to the place. Twice a week there is a street market and Whitby is a bustling, busy, little enclave of commerce.
Whitby, archirecturally is stunning, with its winding cobbled streets and its highly attractive houses and cottages. It could be described as quaint in the best possible sense of the word. You can eat well in Whitby and the fish n’chips here are delightful, and, as ever in Yorkshire, you get value for money. This much visited town also has several good hotels, friendly guest houses and bed and breakfast places.
A great place. Whitby, in my view, is one of the loveliest coastal towns of its type anywhere in England and no wonder more and more discerning foreign visitors are discovering its charms.
Despite its growing popularity I dont somehow think it will lose ts character.The local people are far too canny and practical to allow that possibility to arise.History, horror, culture, fishing, a ruined abbey, you will find it all in this lovely little town in North Yorkshire.