Whitby: a beautiful haven

Dear reader,-

You must visit Whitby soon...

I thought it wise to include some information about why I, Jonathan Harker, decided to return to this seaside town. You may feel this a rather strange thing to do after my experience here (but we will not talk about him here!). However, the historic town of Whitby is a magical town in North Yorkshire (on the North-East coast of England) and I feel at home here.

Why do I like it?

Well, personally, I relish walking around the old town, absorbing the ancient history. The town is a maze of narrow streets and 'yards' (where fishermen used to live, repairing their nets in preparation for another trip out to sea). In fact, there are two halves to the town: the East and the West, divided by the River Esk.

From the West Cliff (where my beloved Mina and Lucy had rooms) there is a fine view across the harbour to the East Cliff, with its crown of St.Mary's Church and the imposing Abbey.

The town has attracted holiday-makers for hundreds of years and, despite its small size, for a few years, it was the second-largest shipbuilding port in Britain during the late eighteenth century (only London was larger).

Tourists are also attracted to the fine sea-views, sandy beaches and bathing. Strangely, because of the shape of the coastline at this point (the town faces more North than East), sun-lovers can watch the sun rise AND set over the sea in mid-Summer. Perfect for a lazy day doing absolutely nothing!

If you feel more energetic, have a look at the Calendar to find out what's going on in the area.

Listen to 'Whitby' (Music by Alan J Moore)

Children are entertained by:

• Traditional amusement arcades

• The Dracula Experience (unforgivable!)

• Proper English "chippies" (fish & chip shops)

• And, the first science museum in Yorkshire, the Whitby Wizard (modelled on the world famous Exploratorium in San Francisco).

Or, why not make your way to the fantastic Whitby Museum and discover amazing collections from all the seven seas, brought back to the museum by ships' captains of the past.

For adults, there are fine restaurants and pubs, together with many events and festivals:

• The Musicport Festival: an annual world music festival.
• The Whitby Gothic Weekend: a festival for the goth subculture.
• Whitby Regatta: boats, fairs, fireworks, police dog demonstrations and military displays, including the RAF's Red Arrows flight display team.
• Whitby Folk Week: around 600 different events.
• The Penny Hedge ceremony: an ancient ritual performed on the eve of Ascension Day.

The famous 199 steps lead up the East cliff (sometimes called the Haggerlythe) to St.Mary's Church and the ruins of the Abbey.

Before you ask, yes, I have counted them all!

In the nineteenth century, these stone steps were originally wooden "stairs."

The views from the top are stupendous! From here, you have fine views over the town and across the harbour to the West Cliff. Turn right, and you look almost due North, straight out to sea.

This is the perfect place for a picnic on a hot Summer's day: a bottle of chilled wine and cucumber sandwiches!

I forget how poor Lucy succumbed to Dracula on this very spot. Please forgive me, dear reader, for being so thoughtless. It seems such a long time ago!

Across the River Esk, on the West Cliff, there are even more landmarks:

• A statue of Captain James Cook who sailed from the town.

• A huge whalebone arch which commemorates the town's whaling industry.

• The Whitby Wizard science museum.

• Lower down the cliff, by the inner harbour, is a statue of Captain Scoresby, the man who invented the crow's nest.

You will also find some of the finest scenery in the countryside around Whitby, both coastal walks and more adventurous excursions inland on the Yorkshire Moors National Park (so picturesque that you can often see a TV crew filming their latest programme in Goathland or some equally beautiful village).

Please follow the links on this page to find out more about this wonderful part of Britain.

Here are the current weather conditions to help you plan your visit.

Need suitable accommodation?

If you want a guide to the area, you need 'Things To See and Do in Whitby Before You Die' only available from Dracula in Whitby.

If you have any comments about this page, or are planning a visit to the area, I'd be delighted to hear from you (visit the Ask Dracula page for details).

What are YOUR Top 3 Hidden Gems in Whitby and why?
Maybe you have a favourite pub hidden away down one of the many Yards.
Have you found a better fish and chip shop than the Magpie?
Which Whitby bands should we all be listening to?
What do you know that others don't?
Tell the world about your Top 3 Hidden Gems. Go one - spread the word!