Whitby - It needs no explanation really, Whitby is an enchanting place to visit. We have been coming here together for years, and Dave actually proposed up the Abbey, so it really is a special place for us. Im sure you will do your own exploring, but we thought it would be useful to provide some suggestions of things we have enjoyed doing, and places we have enjoyed going.
The Abbey ruins are beautiful and were the inspiration for Bram Stoker's Dracula. The cottage is at the foot of the 199 steps leading up to St Mary's Church, and the Abbey. The views from the top of the steps are fantastic and well worth the walk.
Whitby has a long clean beach, which the kids enjoy throughout the year. From the cottage you can walk straight down the steps to the more sheltered quiet beach on the east side of the harbour - keep your eyes out for fossils.
Pannet Park is only a few minutes walk away, and has beautiful gardens, a children’s play park, and gallery, museum, and of course the gruesome “hand of glory”!!!
Buy fresh bait and go crabbing on the west side of the harbour. We have provided some crab lines and buckets in the outhouse. The kids love crabbing, and if we’re honest, we get just as much enjoyment from it.
Use the “Whitby then & now” and “Whitby Yards through time” books that we provide to take a historic journey through Whitby’s past. p34/35 in WT&N shows how Henrietta Street hasn’t changed much through the years. Pop in to Fortune's Kippers which is only a few doors down, and walk to the end of the road down on to the harbour wall for some impressive views. If you look at the 1960’s photo to the left of the fireplace, you can see how the path has changed.
The steam train leaves Whitby on the North York Moors Railway line passing through Goathland (where TV series Heartbeat was filmed) and goes as far as Pickering. This is a really nice day out for the whole family.
We have provided an O/S map and book about walking the moors (including a route that takes in 32 pubs). The cottage is the perfect base to explore the beautiful North Yorkshire moorland.
If you want to explore slightly further afield, try walking to Sandsend, or visiting Robin Hoods Bay. Scarborough’s Sea Life Centre is just over half an hour away and is a big hit with the kids. Day trips to York, Eden Camp, Flamingo Land, and Castle Howard are all within easy reach,
Eating/ Drinking - Whitby is famous for it's fish and chips. The Magpie is the most well known, and we have had lovely meals there. Because of it's popularity there are often long queues to get in, so why not try one of the following - the fish and chips are equally good in our opinion. Quayside has won various awards, and has fantastic views from the top floor restaurant. Trenchers and Hadleys are also great for fish and chips Hadleys is also convenient if you want to bring take away to eat back at the cottage. If you fancy other seafood options The Fisherman's Wife has brilliant sea views, an interesting menu, and is always child friendly. If you want a lighter bite to eat during the day, we love going to Sanders Yard. It has a great menu with lots of vegetarian options, they have a chest of toys and books to keep the children happy and an amazing selection of cakes. Monk’s Haven is also just down the church street cobbles from the cottage and does a great full english breakfast. For something different why not try Humble Pie and Mash - great food with a 40’s theme, you can take your own alcohol as well from the pub across the road!
Just outside of Whitby, visit the Cross Butts Stables. The food is fantastic, and the gardens have beautiful views. For the kids there are cows and horses as well as a Gruffalo cave.
If you want to stay in, but don’t fancy cooking, we have really enjoyed takeaways from Passage to India (menu), Kam Thai (menu), and Mings Palace Chinese. They are all nice restaurants for eating in as well. In the cottage we provide a selection of takeaway menus.
There are many great places to drink in Whitby. We find it hard to walk past The Duke of York in the evening, it has harbour views and does a great pint of Black Sheep. Abbey Wharf also has great views and has a good selection of real ales in a large open drinking and dining area. The Station Inn also has a variety of ales, and we have enjoyed their live music. The Whitby Brewery now has micro pub up at the Abbey which is well worth the walk up the 199 steps. For something a bit different try The Quirky Den a great micropub with Ales, lots of Gins and Prosecco.
If you find anywhere else that we should be recommending to our guests - please let us know. We would love to hear from you.
