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Original poster

Tell me about Whitby

162 replies

twolilacs · 29/03/2023 21:36

DH and I are going there for a few days' break in early July. We'd love some suggestions of places, museums & shops to visit, and we are staying at a B&B so would also like recommendations of good restaurants/pubs in the evenings. Happy to do plenty of walks too. Can you really find pieces of jet on the beach?

OP posts:
Meceme · 31/03/2023 08:39

There's a circular tour bus in Whitby. You can buy a 24 hour ticket and hop on and off as you please. One stop is right outside the Abbey if you don't fancy the 199 steps!
The Abbey is free for English Heritage members, you might find a years membership useful as, within an hours drive, you can also visit Helmsley Castle (lovely market town, great cafes) Rievaulx Abbey, Pickering Castle (on the NY Moors railway), Scarborough Castle, Clifford's Tower at York (great shopping, shambles, minster), York Cold War bunker and many more.
Each member can take 6 children with them for free. Useful if the weather's dodgy which it can be on the North East Coast.

Hopedun · 31/03/2023 08:47

BarbaraofSeville · 31/03/2023 08:19

Thanks for that, I'm planning to go there over the summer, so will take my binoculars.

Ravenscar is an interesting place as there was the beginnings of development as a coastal resort late in the 19th Century, but it was never finished, but there are a couple of information boards up about what it could have become.

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Yes we read those boards, weird how it was never developed in the end. There was a bit about it in the NT place at the top. We keep meaning to stay at the hotel there.

SerafinasGoose · 31/03/2023 09:22

Michaelschenkersguitar · 31/03/2023 07:54

Where’s heartbeat

Goathland.

I used to camp there as a teenager. It's a tiny place but absolutely beautiful. We were woken each morning by the hooting of the stream train running in the valley, downhill from our campsite.

Original poster
twolilacs · 31/03/2023 14:18

SchoolTripDrama · 31/03/2023 00:34

@twolilacs Like I said, I wouldn't recommend it as anything other than a half-day trip. It's just so small.
I would however, recommend Saltburn if you have small kids as there's a miniature railway, play frames, a lovely beach etc etc. Scarborough for ages 6+ as there's TONNES to do there. A huuuuge seafront promenade with rides, lovely beach and even a big waterpark not far from the centre. Peasholm Park is fab.

If you have no kids however, then Robin Hoods Bay & Staithes are beautiful, although there's not a lot to do there. Very very pretty places to relax though.

Thank you @SchoolTripDrama it is just me and DH, no kids to entertain. We like museums, ruins, walks, views, gift shops (well I do, DH doesn't!!) and stuff like that.

OP posts:
CremeEggQueen · 31/03/2023 14:43

SerafinasGoose · 31/03/2023 09:22

Goathland.

I used to camp there as a teenager. It's a tiny place but absolutely beautiful. We were woken each morning by the hooting of the stream train running in the valley, downhill from our campsite.

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Goathland train station is also Hogsmead station in the Harry Potter films for anyone who loves HP 🙂

ClaraThePigeon · 31/03/2023 14:48

If you go to Goathland be prepared for the racist window display in one of the shop windows. It's full of "Gollies".

ClaraThePigeon · 31/03/2023 14:48

Unless they've been removed in the past few years.

CremeEggQueen · 31/03/2023 14:52

ClaraThePigeon · 31/03/2023 14:48

If you go to Goathland be prepared for the racist window display in one of the shop windows. It's full of "Gollies".

Was in Whitby itself a few months ago and there was a golly.in an antique shop, was surprised to see one

Leftoverssandwich · 31/03/2023 15:06

Don’t miss the church on your way to the abbey. Fabulous box pews.

The Star Inn is closing soon I think but the Star group does fab food so do try it if still open when you visit.

Alpamare in Scarborough is worth a visit if you like water parks and you have hot weather.

Mistymoonsinastarrysky · 31/03/2023 17:04

We went a few years ago and it was a Goth weekend, really eye-opening! Thoroughly enjoyed it and would love to go back sometime.

Itsaloadofbollocks · 31/03/2023 17:26

WhatWouldHopperDo · 30/03/2023 13:02

Someone has already mentioned Botham's. I am seconding that and saying you MUST get a chocolate jap.
Chocolate Japonaise Japs (Box Of 4) (botham.co.uk)

OMG Japs, love them.
Also Sherlocks, The Rusty Spoon and The Lucky Duck shop is are must visits. Don't forget to get a Trillo's ice cream from near the Bandstand, but whatever else you do move away from the bandstand to eat as the seagulls will dive bomb you.

Alighttouchonthetiller · 31/03/2023 17:45

Somanycats · 29/03/2023 22:18

I didn't really like it. Given we were there on a summer weekend, but it was full of really aggressive drunken stag parties, together with brawls vomiting and lying in the street unconscious.
I could see it was a lovely place to look at, but the atmosphere was really hostile.

This was my experience, too. Presumed it would be a family friendly sort of place but the place was rammed with drunken oafs bellowing and swearing aggressively at each other at full volume. My ten year old was frightened and I didn't much care for being physically jostled about by roaring drunks and screeching hen parties, either.

Essexexile · 31/03/2023 18:03

Leftoverssandwich · 31/03/2023 15:06

Don’t miss the church on your way to the abbey. Fabulous box pews.

The Star Inn is closing soon I think but the Star group does fab food so do try it if still open when you visit.

Alpamare in Scarborough is worth a visit if you like water parks and you have hot weather.

If you mean The Star Inn at the Harbour, it closed last November, which is a real shame as we are there on our last visit and thought it was great.

Original poster
twolilacs · 31/03/2023 18:24

Alighttouchonthetiller · 31/03/2023 17:45

This was my experience, too. Presumed it would be a family friendly sort of place but the place was rammed with drunken oafs bellowing and swearing aggressively at each other at full volume. My ten year old was frightened and I didn't much care for being physically jostled about by roaring drunks and screeching hen parties, either.

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Oh well, we are going during the week, so I wouldn't have thought there will be that sort of thing happening on a Wednesday morning. If it is... well I have pointy elbows and a parade-ground voice. 😂

OP posts:
SerafinasGoose · 01/04/2023 09:01

Essexexile · 31/03/2023 18:03

If you mean The Star Inn at the Harbour, it closed last November, which is a real shame as we are there on our last visit and thought it was great.

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What a shame. It was excellent, whereas its York counterpart isn't (IME) and is still open.

CuriousMama · 01/04/2023 09:06

twolilacs · 31/03/2023 18:24

Oh well, we are going during the week, so I wouldn't have thought there will be that sort of thing happening on a Wednesday morning. If it is... well I have pointy elbows and a parade-ground voice. 😂

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Good attitude. Honestly I've been loads and never experienced anything like that. Or maybe it's because I'm a loud northerner? 🤣
If you get a chance to go to staithes the pubs do good food. We love the captain Cook Inn.

rookiemere · 01/04/2023 09:16

I found Whitby very much a town of two halves broken by the water in the middle. So the Cathedral side has a more gentrified air with cute little shops and coffee houses, and the other side being more Spoons and amusement arcades.

I actually like that variety on holiday so it worked well for us.

QueueEtwo · 01/04/2023 10:23

The Fisherman's Wife Restaurant is fab! Overlooking the sea, we went twice and were only there for about 4 days!
thefishermanswife.co.uk/

They do a prawn cocktail main course, basically a large prawn cocktail with chips! It was amazing!

Wisterical · 01/04/2023 10:50

You're highly unlikely to find jet on Whitby beach, it's possible at Sandsend but the best jet hunting beach (that is safe for you - commercial jetters go to the more inaccessible beaches) is Saltwick. Walk up the steps to the Abbey then south along the lovely cliff path for a mile until you get to the caravan park. There are lots of very steep but well maintained steps down to beautiful Saltwick Bay. I've found some good sized chunks of jet there. Most of the black stuff you'll see will be sea coal so look online before you go so you know how to tell the difference! There are also a multitude of fossils on the beach. Stay away from the cliffs and check the tides, it's easy to get cut off there. Happy hunting!

girlmeetsboy · 01/04/2023 11:19

My husband has a tin of pieces of Jet he found as a child with his Grandad at Runswick Bay where they lived, apparently you have to rub it on a rock, if it leaves a brown streak its Jet and if it is black it is coal! We had our wedding rings made in the jewellers in Sandgate (which sadly isn't there anymore) with some of the Jet in a band of white gold.

SeraphinaDombegh · 01/04/2023 11:25

Just wanting to add my voice to those saying that there's plenty of good fish and chips beyond the Magpie - we went on a weekend break a few years ago and had some very excellent fish and chips at Royal Fisheries on Baxtergate. The staff were really friendly and helpful, too.

Original poster
twolilacs · 01/04/2023 12:37

@girlmeetsboy What a lovely story.😍

OP posts:
girlmeetsboy · 01/04/2023 12:46

twolilacs · 01/04/2023 12:37

@girlmeetsboy What a lovely story.😍

Thank you - I actually don't like the ring, its very masculine but I've never told him as it obviously means a lot to him!

SchoolTripDrama · 01/04/2023 13:48

ClaraThePigeon · 31/03/2023 14:48

If you go to Goathland be prepared for the racist window display in one of the shop windows. It's full of "Gollies".

🙄

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