Things to Do in Whitby
Whitby Whale Bones These 20-foot jaw bones honor a time when the leviathan bones were a sign that whalers survived the hunt.
They are the Gateway to Whitby’s beautiful town.
Whitby Abbey was a 7th-century Christian monastery that later became a Benedictine abbey. The abbey church was situated overlooking the North Sea on the East Cliff above Whitby in North Yorkshire, England, a centre of the medieval Northumbrian kingdom.
The 199 Whitby Abbey steps are one challenge visitors to the town cannot resist. They’re one of our most famous attractions. But, how much do you know about the history of Whitby steps?
The first record of the Whitby Abbey steps comes from 1340, but they’re believed to be even older. The steps were originally made from wood. It was not until 1774 that the original wooden steps were replaced with stone from Sneaton.
Sandsend Beach The tiny, picturesque village of Sandsend lies on Yorkshire’s heritage coastline, between Runswick Bay and Whitby. The clean, sandy beach here, with small rivers running into the sea on either side, is very appealing and makes an excellent destination for a family day out. At low tide a large area of beach is exposed and there are plenty of rockpools for children to explore. Tide times can be found on the side of the shop next door to the Sandsend Café. There a fine views down the coast towards the romantic ruins of Whitby Abbey which is said to be the inspiration for Bram Stoker’s Dracula. It is possible to walk all the way along the beach to Whitby, and this may take up to one and a half hours, depending on how often you stop to admire the views or play in the waves. Sandsend beach is popular with fossil hunters, fishermen and walkers. In summer an area of the beach is zoned off for swimming. A café, gift shop and pub can be found close to the beach.
The North Yorkshire Moors Railway (NYMR) is a heritage railway in North Yorkshire, England that runs through the North York Moors National Park. First opened in 1836 as the Whitby and Pickering Railway, the railway was planned in 1831 by George Stephenson as a means of opening up trade routes inland from the then important seaport of Whitby. The line between Grosmont and Rillington was closed in 1965 and the section between Grosmont and Pickering was reopened in 1973 by the North York Moors Historical Railway Trust Ltd. The preserved line is now a tourist attraction and has been awarded several industry accolades. In 2007, the railway started to run regular services over the 6 miles (9.7 km) section of the Esk Valley Line north of Grosmont to Whitby. In 2014, a second platform was opened at Whitby which allowed the NYMR to run an enhanced service and led to passenger numbers in the same year of nearly 350,000 people.
Staithes with its higgledy-piggledy cottages and winding streets, Staithes has the air of a place lost in time. Once one of the largest fishing ports on the North East coast, this coastal hamlet is now a well-loved base for exploring Yorkshire's cliff top paths and discovering the delights of rock pooling and fossil hunting on the small sandy beach.
Robin Hood's Bay is a picturesque old fishing village on the Heritage Coast of the North York Moors. It is a fantastic place for adults and children alike with a beautiful family (and dog !) friendly sandy beach, as well as rock pools to explore and ancient fossils to discover. Wandering through its narrow, twisting cobbled streets and alleyways, you can easily imagine the sailors and fishermen, smugglers and press gangs that walked these streets hundreds of years ago. Today it is a vibrant village, with a wide range of cafes, pubs, restaurants, small shops and places to explore, as well as many stunning coastal and country walks, cycle-paths and bridleways right on the doorstep.
The North York Moors Picturesque, tranquil, wonderful, the North York Moors are a breath of fresh air. Comprising over 1,400 miles of natural beauty, this enchanting region is home to heather moorland, pine forests, rolling hills and shimmering coastline, not to mention badgers, roe deer and hawks. Look closer and you'll discover historic abbeys, castles and priories, traditional pubs and 'hidden' villages and hamlets.
Runswick Bay With its sweeping, sheltered bay and charming red roofed cottages, its one of the Yorkshire Coast's prettiest destinations. The sandy beach, which once provided anchorage for brightly coloured fishing boats, is now a family favourite for rock pooling, fossil hunting and coastal walks, where you can admire the breathtaking sea views.