Town of Voyages and Vampires

(3rd day)

The weather was so fine that we just couldn't wait to jump out from the car as sooner as possible. Slightly over 12.30 pm, we arrived at Whitby town.

Whitby is a beautiful fishing town that lies along the edge at the mouth of the River Esk. The river splits the town into east and west as it slides into the North Sea. This town is famous for Captain Cook was trained here, and Bram Stoker was inspired by the church yard and abbey in Whitby to write his novel, 'Dracula'.

As quoted in a travel guide book : If there's one essential stop on the North Yorkshire coast it's Whitby, whose historical associations, atmospheric ruins, fishing harbor and intrinsic charm make it many people's favorite northern resort.

Although English people are generally not some early birds, they sure knew where to go for fun when the sun shines high above the head. Everywhere in Whitby was full of people on that day, but car park seems so limited. We had spent about 30 min to wait for a vacant in the car park that is near to the town center.

We felt so relieved after we got our car parked. Then we walked along the river side. The first thing that sure would capture everyone's attention is the stunning Whitby Abbey ruins that high up on a ridge overlooking the coast. This remarkable landmark is still used as a navigation marker by shipping.

If not because of the crowds, I would say the scenery right before us look just surreal, like we have entered a twilight zone, something like that...

Both the abbey and its neighbour, St. Mary's Church, are fascinating religious sights. The red roofs of the houses that overlook the harbor and the North Sea are enchanting too.

Before we went anywhere, the urgent thing we got to do first was to fill up the groaning tummy.

Whitby is very well known for freshly caught fish. So "Fish and chips"are very special over there. In fact, many reviews had regarded its fish and chips are the best had anywhere in England.

KS said the best restaurant for fish and chips is "Trenchers", and "The Magpie's". The location of the former is more prominent to us, so we walked in the restaurant with full expectation.

We were so hungry by then. Unlike in HK, where waiter will approach you as soon as you sit in, and foods will normally arrive within 10 min time after the orders was taken. Over here, you just got to wait more patiently for the waiter and foods to come.

We ordered 2 regular set of "Haddock" fish and chips. After 30 min waiting, finally our fish and chips came. The portion is quite big. We were so hungry that the boys gobbled the chips, and KS and I gobbled the fish like hungry wolves.

No doubt this was the best fish and chips I've ever eat in England. Unlike most fried fish that come with a thick layer of flour, it's thin and crunchy over here. And the taste of the fish is very fresh instead of tasteless. Of course, good things won't come cheap. End up, we paid £25 (2 sets) at the cashier. If compared to ordinary fish and chips, the price is about £6-£8 per set. Well, as long as the food is good, we have no complaints then.

By the time we left the restaurant, we saw a long queue was formed outside the restaurant. Luckily, we walked in a bit earlier than them.

One of Whitby's most famous sons is Captain James Cook. He was the 18th-century English explorer, navigator and cartographer who first mapped Newfoundland prior to making 3 voyages to the Pacific Ocean. He was the first European who made contact with the eastern coastline of Australia and the Hawaiian Islands, as well as the first recorded circumnavigation of New Zealand.

There are truly too many details about Whitby Town. Although I'm not good in drawing, but I think it's not easy to draw this town, beat me if I'm wrong.

There are many boat rides along the Whitby Harbour. Not many people took the offers, so we didn't too.





The River Esk that cut the town into east and west.




Perhaps due to the booming development of tourism industry, this place has became rather commercialize. At the far end near the junction of the river and sea, they built a big amusement park over there.

At the near end, there is a noisy and crowded market that sell toys, balloons and what else? Anyway, that doesn't attract tourists like us thought. In fact, in order to avoid hard time with the boys, we tend not to walk near to those places.

Anyway, we certainly would appreciate any kind of street performances. For example, we stopped for a while to watch a puppet show this time. It's nothing too special, but the boys were very happy with it. That's enough for us to put some $$ in his box.

The time was not early by then. We got to carefully select for the places to go. The most favorite place is of course Whitby Abbey. Instead of climbing up the famous 199 steps to the Abbey, we drove up by car. Around 3 pm, we were there.

The car park was full of all sorts of vehicles. Luckily, we still could park our car at the very far end without waiting. Looking at the clouds, I just felt that they were smiling to me.

If one doesn't want to pay to go inside, I believe the best they can see is no any better than the above picture shown.

The admission fee is not too expensive, £5 (adults) and £2.5 (children age above 3).

After staying England for 3 days, I've sort of gradually get use of the living standard here. I figured out if things cost £5 or below, it's very cheap and we can go for it without much consideration. If things cost £5-£10, that's average price. When above £10, that's slightly expensive. Only when £15 or above, then worth the justification. Simple rules to follow, right?

Soon after we paid for the tickets at the counter, the boys ran straight to the abbey in thrill. We were totally impressed when we saw the beautiful view right in front of us. Green field, blue sky, stunning ruins...such a distinctive contrast!

The distance from the entrance to the ruins is about 1km. We have to walk through this large greenery field to go there. Half way, they took a break.

This boy just wanted to feel the soft grass. He said he felt good sleeping on it.

Situated high on the cliff east of Whitby town centre, the ruins of Whitby Abbey are the town's iconic emblem. In fact, some regard it as England's most striking abbey ruins. Although the first Abbey recorded here was in 657 AD, the ruins we see today date from around 1220 AD. Throughout the Middle Ages, this abbey hosted an important council and was very powerful.


The abbey was destroyed by Vikings, but rebuilt in 1077. WE can see echoes of the medieval gothic style in today's ruins. Nevertheless, Whitby Abbey saw less destruction than others during Henry VIII's dissolution, although the structure was later plundered by the Cholmley family who built a mansion adjacent to the abbey. This mansion now serves as visitor centre.


Always a concern is the erosion of the coastal cliffs in the area and that the site is shifting closer to the sea!

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In view of so many cars were parked outside the abbey, it's surprised that not many people was seen inside the abbey compound. Wonder where did they go actually? Anyway, this is a good thing to us.

Without too many people hanging around, we could relax and admire the abbey as long as we wanted. The children likes to climb up the ruins though. I hope it won't collapse after some time. Touch wood.

Funny, there isn't any prohibitive signboard, like : No climbing, No smoking, Caution, etc. Quite different compare to HK where we can see those signboards almost everywhere we go.

They climbed, I climbed too. It's so beautiful to take pictures here.

Without the pressure from anyone, it's so relax that we set our camera in auto mode to take a nice family picture.

The abbey looks gorgeous at every different angles. Sometimes, beauty can last forever.

The other side of the Abbey.

Even the modern age man couldn't behave himself. This place is actually quite high from the ground. Like ancient man, moden man like to conquer, conquer, conquer....

Like father, like son. They also climbed that high.

There is nothing much to see inside the abbey, but we can use our imagination to visualize this place before it was destroyed.

The boys like this place very much cause they can run as wild as they want, and nobody cares.

Facing the sea, this is just one of the perfect places for picnic. In fact, some people did bring some snacks here for picnic.

The amusement park was built right there, can see the ferries wheels etc.

From here, we can almost capture the whole view of Whitby town.

Next to the abbey is an interactive center, where the visitors can get some information about the abbey.

There also provide some simple games for the children, like making some medieval stamps, patterns by crayons and chops, etc.

There is a big square outside the interactive center, covered with stones, serves as another playground for the kids.

Whitby proved to be the perfect setting for Bram Stoker to derive some of the more intriguing details for his famous novel, "Dracula". He was so impressed by the surrealistic, menacing aspects of the immense stone abbey and St Mary’s Cathedral looming over the small town, that he used Whitby in his novel Dracula as the place where the seductive Count meets and kills Lucy.

While in Whitby, Stoker stayed at a small inn on the river. Every evening at dusk the local pigeons would sit on the window ledge and tap mindlessly at their reflections in the glass. Stoker incorporated this sound into his novel as Dracula tapping with long, sharp nails on Lucy’s window, demanding entrance. The bats residing in the stable behind the inn lent another aspect to Stoker’s main character: his ability to shape-shift into not only bats, but also black dogs and mist.

Stoker visited Whitby several more times over the next few years. The novel Dracula was completed and published in 1897 to little acclaim. The book did not become widely popular until Hollywood began filming versions of the work in the early 1900s, a few years after Stoker’s death in 1912.

In Stoker's novel, after the shipwreck of The Demeter, Dracula runs up the famous 199 steps to the graveyard in St Mary's church in the shape of a black dog. An examination of the ship's log shows that the crew members had been gradually disappearing since she left Varna in Russia. But it is the ship's cargo which gives readers a clue about how Dracula managed to travel so far without being noticed - it is full of coffins.


Count Dracula may have his roots firmly in Eastern Europe, but in Stoker's story he visits a small seaside resort on England's north-east coast in search of British blood. After all, even vampires need a holiday. Cool !

All of the doors were seal-locked. I've proven this by myself.

Under the blue sky and direct sunlight, the grave yard that surrounds the Dracula's Mansion doesn't look crepty at all.

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On the contrary, I think it looks so unique and beautiful.

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This tomb stone was age over hundred years, but we can still see the content quite clearly.

Before we left the abby, we saw those ducks walked leisurely on the grass. They are like alien to this place. Only later that night, we get to know that they are the famous Whitby duck. Wow, sorry sorry.

We took another road for exit that passed by a pond. This time, there was a warning signboard : Deep water, caution! Ha, I pointed it and warned the boys to stay out from there.

One last look at the beautiful Whitby Abbey. I wish you a long life.

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The time was around 5 pm by then, and we just got to leave cause we need to drive for 1.5 hr to New Castle that night. The only regret I have was not able to see the town in night time. I think it will look so spooky and horrifying, as described in Stoker's novel, Dracula. Well, nothing is perfect.