Yorkshire Coast
There is so much to see and do on the Yorkshire Coast and in Whitby, Robins Hood Bay, Staithes, Runswick Bay, Scarborough and Filey and so close to Low Penhowe, Bed and Breakfast Yorkshire.
Whitby
With its quaint cobbled streets and picturesque houses standing on the steep slopes of the River Esk, Whitby is dominated by its cliff top Abbey. Situated along one of Britain’s finest stretches of coastline, with cliffs, lovely bays, safe sandy beaches and attractive villages, Whitby has been a port for more than 1,000 years and is still a seafarers’ town today.
Whitby Abbey
High on a cliff above the Yorkshire seaside town of Whitby are the gaunt, imposing remains of Whitby Abbey. Founded in 657 by St Hilda, Whitby Abbey has over the years been a bustling settlement, a kings’ burial place, the setting for a historic meeting between Celtic and Roman clerics, the home of saints including the poet Caedmon, and inspiration for Bram Stoker, author of Dracula.
www.english-heritage.org.uk/server/show/nav.17360/chosenImageId/8
Whitby Museum
Whitby Museum is an independent Museum founded in 1823 and run by Whitby Literary & Philosophical Society. The main hall retains the atmosphere of a Victorian/Edwardian Museum and has sometimes been called a ‘Museum within a Museum’. It is also remarkable for the variety of its collections.
Captain Cook Memorial Museum, Whitby
This handsome 17thC harbourside house is where the great explorer, James Cook, came to serve his apprenticeship in Whitby in the year 1746. It belonged to Cook’s master, the Quaker ship owner, Captain John Walker. When the young Cook was not at sea, he lodged here in the attic with Walker’s ‘other family’ of apprentices. The house is now a museum. It houses a superb collection of original exhibits about Yorkshire’s most famous son.
St Mary’s Church
St Mary’s Church high up on the cliff edge above Whitby harbour. It is overlooking the town and near the ancient abbey. The church is mostly Norman and Early English with Georgian additions and alterations.
www.docbrown.info/docspics/whitby/wspage13.htm
Staithes
Staithes means “landing place” and this village was once a thriving fishing port bustling with activity. In the early 1800s, Staithes was one of the largest fishing ports in England. Local people depended on the sea for their livelihoods as fishermen, boat builders, sail makers and fish merchants. Cod, crab and lobsters are still caught today.
Runswick Bay
This picturesque bay, fringed with golden sand, provided safe anchorage for fishing boats for more than 600 years and when the industry began to decline, its unique setting attracted first artists and then holidaymakers. For years, the inhabitants retained their insularity – the only link with the outside world being the precipitous winding road. Some of the men worked in the alum quarries at Kettleness and later at the Grinkle Ironstone mines but it was not until the coming of the railway that the village began to change. New houses were built at the top of the bank and slowly the villagers moved away.
Robins Hood Bay
Robin Hood’s Bay is one of the most charming and popular villages in the North York Moors National Park. Situated on the beautiful Heritage Coast, the village has always been
connected with the sea. It is first mentioned in 1538 as a “fisher townlet of twenty boats” and fishing was the main livelihood here until the end of the 19th century. You can still see fishing boats and fishermen at work in the harbour today.
Scarborough
Britain’s first holiday resort, Scarborough has been welcoming visitors for over 360 years. Today it is a delightful bustling seaside town catering for the whole fa mily. The safe, sandy beaches of the North and South Bays are broken by a rocky headland on which stands a reminder of the past – Scarborough’s medieval castle. At its foot is the harbour where the boats still land their catch.
www.discoveryorkshirecoast.com/scarborough-welcome-new.asp
Scarborough Castle
Perched high on a headland above the North Sea, Scarborough Castle occupies one of the most dramatic castle sites in the country and boasts over 2,500 years of turbulent history. Before the castle was built, this natural fortress was favoured by prehistoric settlers before serving as a Roman signal station and Viking haven.
www.english-heritage.org.uk/server.php?show=nav.17269
Filey
An elegant English seaside town at its traditional, friendly best, Filey is an unspoilt haven in a busy world. Its magnificent five mile stretch of golden sand, protected by the rocky grandeur of Filey Brigg, is the perfect place for people wanting an active holiday or for those who prefer to relax.