Whitby, A Seaside Gem In North Yorkshire

Whitby Abbey - Abandoned splendor

The Abbey is a logical place to start, as it is technically outside of the town center and quite a hike from the town. The Abbey dominates the landscape from wherever you are. The ruins are so impressive; your mind will easily create an image of what it looked like in its glory days. If you take the audio guide offered by English Heritage, you will hear tales of the building and the family who supported the Abbey. In order to hear about the spookier and “underground” history, you need to take a ghost tour, or Whitby Walk (which will tell you about the nun who fell in love with a knight and was buried alive amongst the brick somewhere in the Whitby Abbey grounds and other eerie tales). I also recommend seeing the Abbey twice, once during the day and once at night. For those wanting a truly immersive experience, the YHA Whitby is located on the Abbey grounds.

Whitby, does not lack for things to do. If you are up for a bit of walking, I would recommend a guided nature walk around the parishes. Guiding you through Robin’s Hood Bay and the surrounding areas, many walks cover mythologies, murders, and intrigue and will lead you through some of the most breathtaking scenery in the United Kingdom. The other excellent walk is the Falling Foss Tea Garden and Trail off the Maybeck Trail.

Town center delights

If hiking about the steep hills is not appealing (and there are plenty of steep hills), head to the town center. Once in the town center, you have several options while waiting for the sun to begin to set. Enjoy fish and chips at one of the nation’s highest rated fish and chip shops (the Magpie Café), shop for Whitby Jet (I would recommend Ebor Jetworks which guarantees local collection; and W Hammond if your tastes are more classic), wander to St. Hilda’s Church and St. Mary’s Church to see the other “haunted sights of Whitby”. Take a boat to the lighthouse, Trinity House. Enjoy the Captain Cook Museum.

The Marine Parade

Once the sun begins to set, head to the Marine Parade. This is the historic seafront. It is full of British charm with stalls selling saltwater taffy, toffee, and other assorted seaside sweets. Pubs offer sea views of the Abbey, which now looks like a something out of a ghost story. A little way down the pier is the Dracula Experience. If you’re into being scared and haunted and like things on the cheesy side, do it. It’s about 3 GBP (approximately 5 USD) don’t expect much. Interestingly, one of the original owners of the building was Sir Isaac Newton.