Whitby

Whitby is a picturesque town on the coast of North Yorkshire in England. It was the home of Captain Cook, but is more famous as the place where Bram Stoker's Dracula landed in England. It had a population of 13,000 in 2011; on fine summer weekends it's thronged with visitors, and on moonlit nights during the Goth Festivals it hosts an unknown number of the Undead.
 * Visitor information from the Whitby Guide

By train
Four Northern Rail trains wind through the moors daily from Middlesbrough, taking 90 min via Nunthorpe, Great Ayton, Castleton Moor and Grosmont to. One or two of these start from Newcastle.

North Yorkshire Moors Railway run summer steam trains from Pickering via Levisham, Newtondale, Goathland and Grosmont. Most terminate at Grosmont, a couple per day continue into Whitby.

By bus
Coastliner 840 runs twice a day from Malton via Pickering and Goathland to Whitby. This bus no longer starts from Leeds: you first have to take the 843 which runs via York and Malton towards Scarborough.

Arriva Bus X93 runs hourly along the coast from Scarborough, taking one hour to Whitby and continuing inland via Guisborough to Middlesbrough. This service runs more frequently during the summer months, with some services numbered X94 taking a slightly different route on the outskirts of Scarborough.

Arriva Bus X4 runs every 30 min from Middlesbrough along the coast via Redcar, Saltburn-by-the-Sea, Loftus, Staithes, Runswick Bay and Sandsend to Whitby, two hours. It doesn't go through Guisborough.

Whitby bus station is next to the railway station.

By road
From Scarborough and East Yorkshire, follow A171 along the coast. From Teesside and the North East, either take A171 or the slower coastal A174.

The roads to Whitby across the moors are scenic, but have sharp bends and steep gradients. In winter they are treacherous and may be closed. One popular route from the south is A64 past York to Malton then A169 north through Pickering and over the North York Moors. There's a 25% (1 in 4) plummet down into the village of Sleights just before reaching Whitby.

In summer all the routes are congested, and parking in town is difficult. Day-trippers should use the on Guisborough Road. This is open Apr-Oct daily from 8AM to around dusk. Your bus ticket covers the parking fee: single £1.70, return £2.50, family (2+2) £5.

For traffic and travel reports listen to Yorkshire Coast Radio (103.1FM).

Get around
Whitby is a very compact town, and despite the hills is easy and rewarding to walk around. You can reach the Abbey via Green Lane if you don't care for the steps.

Buses (see "Get in") ply along the main road, which is a mile or so inland from the coast for the most part. So buses can get you to and from Sandsend and Robin Hoods Bay, but there's limited coast access otherwise.

See

 * The 199 Steps lead from the head of Church Street, with views over the harbour rooftops, to emerge onto the plateau by St Mary's Church and the Abbey.
 * St Mary's Church is the Anglican church at the head of the steps. The oldest parts are 12th century, but most of what you see is late 18th. The cliff edge is becoming so eroded that the church is at risk, and (in a suitably gothic touch) human remains from the graveyard are tumbling onto the properties below.
 * St Mary's Church is the Anglican church at the head of the steps. The oldest parts are 12th century, but most of what you see is late 18th. The cliff edge is becoming so eroded that the church is at risk, and (in a suitably gothic touch) human remains from the graveyard are tumbling onto the properties below.
 * The two lighthouses on east and west pier are really just harbour lights. The proper "Whitby High Lighthouse" is on the clifftop two miles east beyond Saltwick Bay and nowadays a private dwelling. This used to be the south light, which when lined up with the north light (now demolished) would show you the position of the hazardous Whitby Rock.
 * Whitby Beach is mostly west of the river. It's sand and shingle, and stretches for a couple of miles to the aptly named Sandsend, where the cliffs resume and the highway leaves the coast. The busiest sections are at each end, where dogs are prohibited May-Sep; they may always use the middle section known as Upgang Whitby, and the Tate Hill beach east of the river. There's sometimes surf. Swim if you can brave the cold, but watch out for the brisk shoreline current. There are donkey rides in summer near town when the tide is out, but when it's in, the beach is covered.
 * has three incarnations. The ancient castle may go back to 6th century AD, then it was replaced by the Norman old castle, demolished in 1647 after the Civil War. The third is a mansion of circa 1700; it's private property but you're permitted to stroll the woodlands.
 * Whitby Beach is mostly west of the river. It's sand and shingle, and stretches for a couple of miles to the aptly named Sandsend, where the cliffs resume and the highway leaves the coast. The busiest sections are at each end, where dogs are prohibited May-Sep; they may always use the middle section known as Upgang Whitby, and the Tate Hill beach east of the river. There's sometimes surf. Swim if you can brave the cold, but watch out for the brisk shoreline current. There are donkey rides in summer near town when the tide is out, but when it's in, the beach is covered.
 * has three incarnations. The ancient castle may go back to 6th century AD, then it was replaced by the Norman old castle, demolished in 1647 after the Civil War. The third is a mansion of circa 1700; it's private property but you're permitted to stroll the woodlands.
 * is the junction between the Middlesbrough - Whitby line and the North Yorkshire Moors Railway. The NYMR steam trains from Pickering usually terminate here, with only one or two a day continuing into Whitby. You can see the trains and old station free without buying a ticket.
 * is a scenic little fishing village five miles south of Whitby. Park at the edge of the village, don't take a vehicle down the narrow 1-in-3 lane to the harbour. There's a small museum open daily noon-4PM in summer, plus cafes and a bistro.
 * is the resort that never was. Just north of it is the remains of a factory for alum, KAl(SO4)2·12H2O, used as a mordant or fixative for fabric dyes. The factory closed in 1871 when synthetic dyes and fixatives were developed. But never say dye, they decided to turn the area into a beach resort: roads, sewers, and railway station all appeared. Plus a few houses and amenities, while it slowly dawned on the developers that the lack of a beach was a bit of a handicap: it's quite a trek to a rocky shore, and there's no stretch of sand. So Ravenscar is mostly unbuilt, though Raven Hall Hotel is still open, see Sleep. Just south is a World War II radar station, preserved by the National Trust; you're free to explore the site, which may be muddy.

Do



 * Ghost walks start from the whalebone arch opposite the Royal Oak at 7:30PM, adult £5, child £3, no large black dogs permitted.
 * Dracula Experience is a guided walk with street theatre and storytelling.
 * Mary Ann Hepworth was the local lifeboat, in service 1938-74 and saving 201 lives. After retirement around the Broads and River Trent she was restored in 1989 and returned to Whitby. The boat sails from the bridge Apr-Oct daily 10AM to dusk on 30-min trips round the bay, £3.
 * HM Bark Endeavour is a 40%-sized replica of the Endeavour used by Cook on his first expedition of 1768-71. In summer they potter round the bay for 30 min.
 * Whale-watching trips sail in late summer when whales follow the mackerel and herring along the coast. Trips are 4-8 hours, no children under 12 or dogs.
 * Yorkshire Moors Railway run steam trains from Pickering to Grosmont and Whitby, see Get in for details.
 * Walk: The Cleveland Way follows a loop from Helmsley round the rim of the North York Moors through Osmotherley, Guisborough, Saltburn-by-the-Sea, Whitby, Scarborough and Filey. So the sections near Whitby all follow the clifftops and are obvious: northeast via Sandsend, Runswick Bay, Staithes and Loftus into Saltburn, southwest via Robin Hood's Bay, Ravenscar and Scalby into Scarborough. The whole trail is 110 miles.
 * The Cinder Track is the old railway between Whitby and Scarborough. It's suitable for walking, cycling and horse-riding. It winds along the contours a mile or two inland so it has limited sea views but is level going.
 * Whitby Golf Club is a mile northeast, overlooking the Upgang beach. The yellow tee course is 6106 yards, par 71.
 * Whitby Goth Weekend is a music festival with much black lipstick held on Halloween and late April each year.
 * Traction Engine Rally is held at the end of July by the Abbey.

Buy



 * Coop Food by the railway station is open M-Sa 7AM-10PM, Su 10AM-4PM.
 * The main retail park is south edge of town on A171. There's an Aldi, and a Sainsbury's with a filling station.

Eat

 * The main strip is west bank of the river (Pier Road / Haggersgate), with half-a-dozen fish and chip shops.


 * There's another strip east bank of the river towards the pier.
 * There's another strip east bank of the river towards the pier.
 * There's another strip east bank of the river towards the pier.


 * Whitby is famous for its kippers. You can see the smokery at Fortune's, along past the abbey steps on Henrietta Street.
 * A third cluster is round the railway and bus stations: Star Inn, Pizza Figaro, Passage to India.
 * Whitby is famous for its kippers. You can see the smokery at Fortune's, along past the abbey steps on Henrietta Street.
 * A third cluster is round the railway and bus stations: Star Inn, Pizza Figaro, Passage to India.


 * Sandside Cafe is northwest near the end of the beach. They do good light bites, open daily 9AM-5:30PM.
 * Fish Cottage is 100 yards further on. Dogs welcome in the outdoor area. It's open daily noon-9PM.

Drink

 * The main strip of pubs (many with rooms) is on the west river bank: The Angel (JD Wetherspoon), Black Swan, Golden Lion, Jolly Sailors, Star Inn, Ship Inn and Pier Inn.
 * A short block back from the river is another strip, with The Granby, Arch and Abbey, Elsinore, Little Angel, and Whitby Way.
 * Those east bank of the river are Middle Earth Tavern, The Endeavour, Dolphin Hotel, Black Horse Inn and Abbey Wharf.

Sleep

 * on Green Lane is open Mar-Oct. Tents £15-20, hook-ups £25. This is the only campsite near town: there are half a dozen other caravan sites but they have no camping.
 * YHA Whitby is in a splendid mansion next to the Abbey, with dorms and private rooms.
 * B&Bs are mostly along the street south from Pannett Park. They include Autumn Leaves, Rylstone Mere, Dillons, The Willows, Arundel House, Overdale, Hill Crest, Manor View and Heathfield.
 * is a Marston's Inn with rooms on A171 on the south edge of town by the retail park.
 * Self-catering is the main accommodation in and around Whitby. The many offerings include Berry Banks Cottage (one double, one twin and one bunk bedroom), Rowan Cottage in Sleights (sleeps six); Shoreline Cottages and River Esk Apartments manage a portfolio.

Connect
Whitby and its approach roads have a good mobile and 4G signal from all UK carriers. As of July 2022, 5G has not reached this area.

Go next

 * Inland are the North York Moors. Take the steam train to Pickering for a well-preserved Norman castle, and medieval church wall paintings that scandalised the vicar.
 * North the moors reach the coast as cliffs up to Saltburn-by-the-Sea, then the terrain becomes low-lying and industrial around Redcar.
 * South the cliffs stretch to Scarborough. The last great headland is Flamborough Head between Filey and Bridlington.