Whitby, Yorkshire. The birthplace of Dracula and home to the UK’s no. 1 beach
This small, quirky and old fashioned town is set on steep incline just above a wide and busy river. The town has its roots in sea faring and fishing and is full of character, legends and great beaches!
There are a lot of crooked cottages and red roofed houses scattered all over the hill creating narrow back lanes and alleys and dotted with ‘yards’ giving it that unique and quirky architectural look. There are great shopping streets in Whitby as well with really unusual, independent shops which is perfect for holiday browsing!
Whitby Abbey dominates the cliff top lending a brooding and – under greying skies – can appear quite dramatic.
The abbey is a stunning example of Gothic architecture and apparently influenced Bram Stoker’s “Dracula”! Whitby is the port where Dracula disembarked from his ship after his voyage to England to seek out Mina.
Now Whitby has become a veritable mecca of gothic influence and even offers a Goth Hotel and bi-annual Goth weekends!!
The town itself is split in half by the river which creates interesting shorelines and a perfect harbour. The Captain Book Museum is very popular and charts Captain Cook’s sailing career and has a replica of the ‘Bark Endeavour’.
Walking through the town is an interesting amble alongside the beach, piers the harbour and the river. The beach is really soft sand and stretches all the way up to Sandsend. All the beaches in this area are unspoilt and really lovely to spend the day with the family.
The town gets rather busy in the Summer but is known for its relaxed atmosphere and friendly faces!
Whitby is close to Scarborough and Bridlington with all its wonderful beaches and attractions making it a perfect holiday spot for all the family.