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Whitby has all the essentials of a
traditional seaside resort
however there is so much more to this
unique town that makes it worth a
visit.
With a rich history, gothic architecture
and links to dracula,
you will find plenty of sights and
attractions here to keep you entertained.
Based on our own trip we'll show you 15
examples of things you can see and do in
Whitby
so if you're planning a visit then we
hope you will find this helpful.
First up is climbing the 199 steps. While
they have now been replaced with stone
originally these steps were made from
wood.
Next we're going to climb the 199 steps
up to the abbey.
Traditionally you have to count them so
let's see how far we get before we get
bored.
three four five six seven
If you lose count on the way up then
roman numerals added to the steps will
help you keep track.
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Once you do reach the top you'll be
rewarded with spectacular views over
Whitby. It's a great view from up here
isn't it
yeah it's pretty relaxing with all the
seagulls chirping away in the background.
I'm not sure I'd describe them as chirping
squawking
squawking yeah
Worth 199 steps. There is also a sloped
pathway you can take up to the top if
you don't want to go up the steps.
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After climbing the 199 steps you'll
reach St Mary's church and graveyard.
This parish church is a grade 1 listed
building and was originally founded
around the year 1110.
Pall bearers used to have to carry
coffins all the way up the 199 steps to
the church cemetery which must have been
exhausting.
In the cemetery resides the grave of a
man named Swales which inspired the name
of Dracula's first victim in Bram
Stoker's novel.
You can't come to Whitby without
exploring Whitby Abbey so that's what
we're doing next.
Whitby Abbey is almost 1400 years old
and is one of the oldest abbeys in
England.
It fell into ruin because like many
abbeys in the UK Henry viii
decided to dissolve it so that the land
and the wealth could be transferred to
the crown.
For Non-English Heritage members
admission is 11 pounds for an adult and
6 pound 60 for a child
and the money goes towards the
restoration of the abbey. At the time of
making this video you're required to
book a time slot in advance although we
found that even on the morning of
visiting there was still plenty of
availability.
After walking around the ruins you can
visit the museum to learn more about the
History of the abbey and how it has
inspired artists and writers for
hundreds of years.
Then as with all good historic landmarks
you exit through the gift shop.
Bram Stoker who was the author of
Dracula was in Whitby when he wrote his
novel,
which is why it features so much in the
tale. And here is
the bram stoker memorial seat. The plaque
on the bench says the view from this
spot
inspired Bram Stoker to use Whitby as
the setting of part of his world-famous
novel.
Whitby used to be a major whaling port
and there's still a few reminders of
that around,
such as this whale bone arch.
The archway frames a view of the town so
it's also a great spot for a photo.
Near the whale bone arch you will also
find the bronze statue of Captain James
Cook,
who was a famous British explorer in the
1700s.
You can learn more about him at the
Captain Cook Museum or by visiting the
Endeavor Experience.
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Explore a full-size representation of
the HM Bark Endeavour
which was the first vessel famously
commanded by Captain Cook.
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For five pounds admission you can get a
feel for what life at sea would have
been like for captain cook and his crew
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Interesting and informative we thought
this exhibition was well worth the price.
There's also a restaurant on board if
you fancy dining below deck.
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If you prefer your vessels to be less
stationary then there are several boat
trip options for you around the harbour.
For four pounds you can take a short
trip out to sea - and i do mean
short it's probably only about 20
minutes or so - but it's a great way to
spend some time on the waves and to take
in the beautiful coast from a different
perspective.
When it comes to picking a boat we
couldn't resist the Black Pearl, but if
you don't like Jack Sparrow then there
are plenty of other boat trips to choose
from.
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We've come to whitby beach it's
definitely too cold for us for a swim
today
but it's a nice spot for a walk. The
crashing waves, miles of spotlessly clean
sand
and a long row of colourful beach huts
makes this an ideal place for a break
from the crowds,
even if it isn't a warm day. If you don't
want to walk along the sand itself then
there is also a promenade so you can
still go for a seafront stroll.
We found a caterpillar that looks like a
hb pencil!
Stretch your legs around the lively
harbor which is filled with all sorts of
boats of different types and different
sizes.
It's still a working harbour so you will
see fishing boats bobbing alongside the
tourist day boats.
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Wow so this plaque says that this
ancient timber stock anchor was brought
up in the net of the ocean venture of
Whitby
in 1981. Next we're going to take a walk
along the pier to the lighthouse.
It looks so nice now as the sun's
starting to go down. It's a
lovely golden colour.
You can also walk the length of the east
or west pier where you can get a closer
look at the historic lighthouses and
watch boats enter and leave the harbour.
you hungry? If you're looking for
somewhere to eat in whitby there are
plenty of quality restaurants and cafes
to choose from.
I will quickly show you where we ate
during our trip to give you an idea of a
few places you might want to consider.
Whitby is known for having some
top-notch fish and chips. In fact
a few days before our trip Whitby was
trending on twitter in the UK after
someone tweeted the question
which seaside resort do you think has
the best fish and chips?
We ordered ours from Trenchers, which is
one of several fish and chip shops in
Whitby to have excellent reviews.
We would recommend their lightly
battered skin on haddock which was
absolutely delicious.
Next we tried Rusty Shears Cafe, a
charming vintage tea room serving
delicious homemade food alongside
specialty teas,
coffee, wine, craft beer and over 150
types of gin.
We really enjoyed their charcuterie
board of cured meats, olives,
pickles, salad and crusty bread. Plus
anywhere this encourages you to combine
my favorite drink with my second
favorite drink
is all right by me. One evening we
fancied a seafood restaurant that didn't
require a reservation
so we opted for Fisherman's Wife. They
have a fairly extensive seafood menu and
we can vouch for the mussels
served in a creamy white wine sauce
being excellent.
Overlooking the harbour is the Moon and
Sixpence which is a restaurant and bar
with a relaxing atmosphere and varied
lunch menu.
Aaron ordered oysters while i ordered
pulled rib tacos and we shared some
loaded fries.
We did enjoy the food but thought it was
a little pricey for what we got.
If you're looking for a hearty meal on a
budget then we would recommend Humble
Pie and Mash.
This small 1940s themed cafe serves a
selection of homemade pies with mash
peas and gravy. We both went for the
braised steak pie because it was a
bestseller and we were not disappointed.
Now that you've got some ideas for food
let's talk about beer.
Next to the abbey sits a microbrewery
set in a converted barn.
After climbing the 199 steps grab
yourself a local beer and enjoy the
views of the ruins from Whitby Brewery
Tap Room.
If you would prefer something that
doesn't require the climb then we would
also recommend The Endeavour which is a
cosy traditional pub with friendly staff
and a great selection of gins.
The compact town center of Whitby is
lined with small independent stores
from antiques to sweet treats there are
plenty of interesting shops to stop at.
You'll also find several jewellers here
selling pieces made from the popular
Whitby jet.
this one has a jet spider it's a
dragonfly one
I can't make a point about shopping in
Whitby without mentioning the famous
Fortune's Kippers.
Heading down the cobbled Henrietta
street you will smell it before you can
see it;
this traditional smokehouse was
established in 1872 and you can still
buy yourself smoked skippers here today.
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For any Alice in Wonderland fans there
is a small alice themed space hidden
away on Cliff Street.
The garden was created by Whitby In
Bloom in 2018
and has features like an archway of
playing cards and a planter shaped like
the mad hatter's hat.
At Whitby Museum you can explore a
variety of exhibitions on geology,
natural history, sociology and more.
Admire incredible fossil dinosaurs
and intricately built model ships
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Someone's built a model of the Endeavor
and it took two years and 22,364
matchsticks
that's pretty cool. They even have a
mummified hand which according to legend
was used by burglars to send a whole
household to sleep so that they could
rob them.
If you're looking for a day trip from
Whitby then we would recommend Robin
Hood's Bay.
This beautiful village has a fascinating
history of smuggling and it is a popular
spot for fossil hunting.
It's just six miles from Whitby so you
can either drive, catch a bus
or even walk. If you would like to see
more of Robin Hood's Bay then we do have
a video tour available on our channel.
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Thanks for watching