My favourite things to do in Whitby

Hidden away on the east coast of Yorkshire, lies a little seaside town named Whitby. Overlooking the North Sea, this town stands out from the rest for so many reasons.
From the beautifully Gothic Whitby Abbey perched atop the east cliff, to the whimsical little cobbled streets, snickets and alleyways, there are so many things to do here, and so many magical things to see.

Back in March of 2014, for a very brief period of time I was lucky enough to live there.
(I'm not even gonna go into why I only lived there for 12 weeks, let's just say we had an incredibly inconsiderate landlord). For me, the decision to move to Whitby was a no-brainer. Who wouldn't want to live by the beach, surrounded by history, stunning Victorian buildings and the best fish and chips shops ever? (Magpie Cafe & Trenchers anyone?) I mean, just look at this view. Why wouldn't anyone want to wake up to this every morning? 😍

My photo of Whitby harbour, April 2015

So, here is a list of my absolute favourite things to do whilst in Whitby.

Humble Pie & Mash 

Firstly, let's start off with one of the best places to go for some food. If you're wanting to whet your appetite with some classic English grub like pie mash and gravy, then this is the place you wanna go.
Their menu consists of a variety of pies, from traditional Mince and Onion, to Roast veg and Goat's cheese, to creamy Chicken and Cider, to Haggis and Neep! If you're not in the mood for a pie, instead you can have Yorkshire sausage, mash peas and gravy which is what I chose on my first visit. 🍴

For pudding you're spoilt for choice with Jam Roly poly and custard, warm chocolate fudge cake or vanilla ice cream with Belgian chocolate pouring sauce (drool).
They even serve Yorkshire tea, which (obviously) is what I had with my dish of Yorkshire sausage. The mash was creamy and fresh, the sausages were tender and cooked to perfection and my brew was spot on 👌 it's safe to say I was absolutely stuffed when I left, and all for under a tenner it was definitely worth it!

Not only is the food in this place a treat to the taste buds, but the building itself is brimming with history. According to their website,

"The building was in existence a good while before 1638, the back of the property is timber framed and some parts are believed to be medieval. The fireplaces had been modernised in the Georgian era, and the 'inglenook' would have been open all the way up through the building originally."

I remember when I first visited here. I was in awe at all the little trinkets dotted around the shop which were centuries old. If you're a history lover like me, you'll love this place!

Saltwick bay and the sunken shipwreck

I'd already visited Whitby several times before I stumbled upon a sunken shipwreck hiding away on Saltwick bay. One warm and windy day in April, my boyfriend and I managed to get down there, and followed the sand all the way around the cliffs. When we saw it, our jaws dropped. There wasn't much left of it, but it was still so eerie to see. We couldn't get too close to it either, as it was surrounded by deep turrets of water and rocks and I had no intention of ruining my gold Dr. Marten's 😏 Once I got home, I researched into the history of it.

Here is a quote from www.hidden-teeside.co.uk:

"The Admiral Van Tromp was a Scarborough trawler that ran aground on the 30th of September, 1976. The exact circumstance of the accident remains a mystery as the boat was on the wrong course, and a senior nautical surveyor at the inquest stated it appeared it was driven onto the rocks deliberately. No-one will ever know the real reasons as the man at the wheel John ‘Scotch Jack’ Addison was killed, along with one other crew member."

If you type in the Saltwick bay shipwreck into google, you can find more details about the tragic event. None the less, this place is stunning, and if you're planning on staying in Whitby for a few days, I would highly recommend going for a stroll down this gorgeous beach.

Church street 

On the other side of the harbour lies the well preserved and wonderfully Victorian church street. This is arguably the main shopping street of Whitby, lined with all sorts of wonderful little shops, pubs and cafes. From Whitby Jet jewellery shops, to book shops, to art galleries, to ice cream parlours to pubs to sweet shops, there's so much to see on this gorgeous street. It's also home to a couple of my favourite places to wander into, like Monk Haven's cafe (they do amazing Welsh rarebit), and Honeyz bath products. 

If you've read my previous post about my time in York, you'll know that I have a love for bath products, so I would definitely recommend having a look in this cute little shop. Their products are full of natural ingredients, with fresh batches made daily on the premises, and all products are vegetarian friendly, and do not test on animals. What's not to love? 💁 You can find their website here → http://www.honeyzbathproducts.co.uk/

Whitby Abbey and the 199 Steps

On the East cliff stands the ruins of the Gothic Whitby abbey, the building that was the inspiration for Bram Stoker's Dracula. This place is incredibly atmospheric, no matter what time of day you go to visit. I've been here during the day, and the nighttime and both times have been in awe of this beautiful ruined landmark. Astonishingly, this place has been standing since 657AD, and was subsequently disestablished in 1538 under King Henry VIII's reign. 

On your way back down from the abbey towards the beaches, are the 199 steps. Back in 2005, the public of Whitby raised funds to help restore them. Although there isn't anything particularly 'special' about these steps, the view from the top is breathtaking, and is a perfect spot to capture a sunset. 😍

So there we have it. A little list of my favourite spots in Whitby. I would also just like to say, that living in Whitby was a very magical and memorable time in my life. It's a wonderful place to live, and the people there make it even more special. Thank you for taking the time to read, and I hope I have encouraged you to take a trip to this unique and beautiful seaside town. Whitby, I Love you!

Other great places I recommend are:

Trenchers fish and chips

Green's Restaurant

Magpie cafe

Pleasureland Arcades

Whitby Lighthouse

Sands-end 

Robin Hood's Bay.