Edinburgh and Us: The charms of Whitby

The attractive seaside town on the east coast of Yorkshire is an idyllic destination for a break away with plenty to do both during the day and at night.

Whitby is filled with small independent shops and quaint cafes, restaurants and bars which both residents and tourists frequent.

Its location in a deep valley at the mouth of the River Esk facing the North Sea makes it a perfect spot for walks along the coast and trips to the beach.

Historical Landmarks and Museums

The town once functioned as fishing settlement and later developed as a port and centre for whaling and shipbuilding using local oak timber. Its maritime heritage has been commemorated by statues around Whitby.

Some of these can be spotted at the pier including the English explorers Captain James Cook, from the nearby fishing village of Staithes who learned seamanship in Whitby, and William Scoresby who stayed at Pickering near Whitby.

A whalebone arch sits at the top of the West Cliff to commemorate Whitby’s historic link with the whaling industry. In the 18^th century the town was a major whaling port and in its most successful year eight of their ships caught 172 whales. As the market for whale products fell, catches became too small to be economic and by 1831 only one whaling ship, the Phoenix, remained.

To find out more about the Whitby’s history visitors might like to visit the maritime museum in Pannett Park or the RNLI Lifeboat Museum at the pier.

Walking

The harbourside which is sheltered by the East and West piers offers a picturesque walk.

A 23-metre swing bridge, built in 1908, crosses the River Esk and separates the upper and lower harbours.

The 199 steps leads to an abbey ruin at the top of the East Cliff. There are also sweeping views of the harbour and Whitby from the top.

It is the town’s oldest and most prominent landmark and worth a steep walk to the top to see.

The earliest record of a permanent settlement in Whitby was in 656 and King Oswy of Northumbria, founded the first abbey which was destroyed by Viking raiders from Denmark in 867.

Another monastery was founded in 1078 and it is in that period that the town gained its name Whitby from ‘Witebi’ meaning ‘white settlement’ in Old Norse in the 12^th century.

One option that walkers might enjoy is a 5-mile coastal route to Robin Hood’s Bay. For information visit: https://www.robin-hoods-bay.co.uk/ or https://where2walk.co.uk/north_york_moors_coast/robin-hoods-bay-to-whitby/.

Other walks include ‘The Cleveland Way’ Long Distance Footpath follows the coast between Saltburn and Filey running along the developed frontage of Whitby.

The 35-mile stretch of coast passing Whitby is a designated part of the North Yorkshire and Cleveland Heritage Coast known as the ‘Dinosaur Coast’ due to fossils found there. It leads from Staithes in the North to Flamborough in the East Riding of Yorkshire. (If visiting nearby Scarborough, the Rotunda Museum, has a comprehensive collection of fossils from the area.)

Shopping

Cute independent shops are dotted around Whitby which makes it a great place to look for gifts and souvenirs of your stay.

The town is famous for its unique blend of local craft shops, jewellers, and fishmongers selling fresh seafood. For more information about the shops and streets for shopping visit http://www.real-whitby.co.uk/whitby-shops-and-other-businesses/.

There are also other options for shopping in many of the rural towns and villages of the Yorkshire Coast and North York Moors.

Eating

Whitby Harbour is still used for fishing and there are lots of fish and chip shops selling locally caught seafood.

A large portion of fish and chips from The Duke of York on Church Street.

The Magpie Cafe, on Pier Road, was established in 1937, and celebrity chef Rick Stein described 'the place opened my eyes to how good a chip shop could be’.

However, there are plenty of alternatives if you tire of fish and chips options. Some of these include Passage to India and Kam Thai. Here is link to a few others: https://www.thewhitbyguide.co.uk/whitby-restaurants/ and https://www.tripadvisor.co.uk/Restaurants-g186345-Whitby_Scarborough_District_North_Yorkshire_England.html.

Some cafes include Sherlock’s Coffee House at 10 Flowergate close to the mainstream shops. It is great for cakes and scones and is praised for its quirky and stylish period décor. It is also dog-friendly like many pubs and cafes in Whitby.

A couple enjoy their lunch at Sherlock's Coffee House.

The Blitz Cafe also sounds interesting – it is a 40’s cafe by day and tapas bar by night (Link: https://www.theblitzwhitby.co.uk/).

Evening entertainment

There are lots of friendly local pubs. Listen to live music at The Station Inn and The Little Angel and ask around as there are plenty of other venues with live music on set days.

The Fleece was one of our favourites which had pool tables, an open mic night and seating around a fireplace.

Some other popular pubs include The Moon and Sixpence for cocktails, The Angel Hotel (Wetherspoon’s) and the George Hotel which is lively.

Raw Nightclub is around the corner from The George Hotel close to the railway station. It is a very popular choice and has lots of rooms and bars inside. Around the nightclub are other pubs with dancefloors and music on busy weekend nights.

Visit https://www.thewhitbyguide.co.uk/whitby-hen-stag-weekends/ for more tips.

The Pavilion Theatre Complex, built in the 1870’s, in the West Cliff also hosts a range of events in the summer months and live music and concerts throughout the year. The Whitby Pavilion Cimena also shows recent releases.

Other activities

Arcades - The popular marina was started in 1979 and the Whitby Marina Facilities Centre was opened in 2010. There are lots of arcades games, pool and snooker tables, a bowling alley and a time-honoured Dracula Experience ride.

Walking Tours – Dracula and Ghost tours take place to celebrate the town’s strong literary tradition and its ghostly past. Bram Stoker’s novel ‘Dracula’ was set in Whitby and incorporates pieces of local folklore, including the beaching of the Russian ship ‘Dmitri’.

Spas and Fitness - The Raithwaite Estate’s luxury spa which has a pool, jacuzzi, steam room and sauna and gym. Treatments are pricey and must be booked well in advance. Other spas are a distance away. The Crown Spa, Scarborough, as it has a large choice of treatments which includes half price entry to the pool and fitness facilities. For information visit: https://www.crownspahotel.com/.

A display of bath bombs at 'Honeyz' Handmade Bath Products shop on Church Street. Make your hotel your spa...

Sunbathing – Visit between June and September to enjoy as the area generally has warm summers – but conditions vary from day to day.

Water Sports - Wind surfing, sailing and surfing take place off the beaches between Whitby and Sandsend and the area is visited by divers. Boat tours and cruises are available during peak seasons.

Cycling - Cyclists can use the Old Scarborough to Whitby Railway (Cinder Track) to visit Scarborough. It is 20 miles away and a two-hour cycle. This route is also walkable.

Festivals

The Whitby Regatta takes place annually over three days in August. The competition between three rowing clubs forms the backbone of the weekend. The event has expanded to include a fair on the pier, demonstrations, fireworks and military displays – including the spectacle of the Red Arrows aerobatics display team of the Royal Air Force.

For over four decades the town has hosted the Whitby Folk Week, and since 1993 the bi-annual Whitby Goth Weekend for members of the Goth subculture. "Whitby Now" is an annual live music event featuring local bands in the Pavilion which has taken place since 1991.

Attendees of Whitby Goth Weekend in 2017. Photograph Link. Credit Danny Lawson.

Since 2008, the Bram Stoker International Film Festival has taken place in October. The event was set up to celebrate Stokers’ influence on horror cinema and literature. It has since developed into a well-recognised genre festival which brings entertainment including music, dance, drama, talks and film.

Getting to Whitby

From Edinburgh, it is a 4 hour car journey to Whitby. There are also numerous trains every day, however, most have changes in Darlington and Middlesbrough.