Whitby

Whitby: a visitor guide to the North Yorkshire coastal town

Whitby is a local information website devoted to the seaside town of Whitby in North Yorkshire. Rather than a single commercial operator, the site works as a directory and guide: it gathers accommodation listings, tourist attractions, an events calendar and a broad register of local businesses, alongside background material on the town itself. The material is organised by theme, with separate sections for places to stay, things to see and do, food and drink, and everyday services.

Where Whitby sits on the Yorkshire Coast

The site places the town on the Yorkshire Coast, with the resorts of Scarborough, Filey and Bridlington to the south, all described as within a short drive, and York as the nearest inland city. Whitby itself is described as a seaside town, port and civil parish in the Borough of Scarborough, in the county of North Yorkshire, facing the North Sea at the mouth of the River Esk. The surrounding landward sides are bounded by the moorland of the North York Moors National Park, and the coastal stretches form part of the North Yorkshire and Cleveland Heritage Coast.

The guide notes that the river has been a bridging point since at least medieval times, and that the current bridge, built in 1908, is a swing bridge with a 75-foot span separating the upper and lower harbours. The wider stretch of coast is presented under the names 'Dinosaur Coast', 'Fossil Coast' and 'Jurassic Coast', running roughly 35 miles from Staithes in the north to Flamborough Head in the East Riding of Yorkshire.

Landmarks and literary connections

From the old town, 199 steps climb to the parish church of St. Mary, whose churchyard on the East Cliff is credited on the site as the inspiration for Bram Stoker's Dracula. The skyline is dominated by the ruins of St. Hilda's Abbey, also on the East Cliff, while below in the old town a maze of alleyways and narrow streets descends to the quayside.

The guide also recalls figures associated with the town: a century explorer and voyager who set sail from the harbour in the Bark Endeavour, the Scoresby father and son known as whaling masters, and the pioneer photographer Frank Meadow Sutcliffe.

Accommodation covered by the directory

Lodging is one of the site's main sections, broken down into apartments, bed and breakfasts, campsites, cottages, dog-friendly options, guest houses, holiday bungalows, hotels, inns and self-catering. Individual entries named in the material include Whitby Cottages, Mews Cottage, Shoreline Cottages, Sandbeck Whitby, The Mallyan Spout Hotel in Goathland, Captains Lodge and Arundel House.

One featured listing, The Seacliffe Hotel at 12 North Promenade, Whitby, North Yorkshire YO21 3JX, was advertised with panoramic sea-view rooms available for August, offered for direct bookings only. The site recorded that notice as updated on 1 November 2018.

Attractions, events and local culture

The attractions section spans fish and chips, Whitby fishing and angling, angling festivals and supplies, fishing trips, ghost walks, Whitby Goths and Whitby Jet. An events calendar complements these pages, and the guide also links out to practical visitor information such as the town's weather, railway station and local newspaper, plus a set of Whitby-themed apps.

A separate page addresses other places named Whitby, listing Ellesmere Port alongside Whitby in New Zealand, Ontario and Canada.

Local businesses and services listed

Beyond tourism, the directory catalogues a wide range of town businesses. Food and drink entries cover bars, cafés, public houses and pubs, florists, bakers, cake shops, fish merchants, kippers, seafood, ice cream, and restaurants grouped as Chinese, English, fish and chips, Italian, Thai and takeaway. Other categories include fossils, hairdressers, chemists, dentists, doctors, gyms and health clubs, opticians and vets, together with jobs, media, news and newsagents.

Recent entries recorded on the site include Yorkshire Bank PLC Whitby, Yorkshire Building Society Whitby, HSBC Bank plc Whitby, NatWest Bank Whitby, Halifax Bank Whitby, Steppingstones Bakery Whitby, Cooplands Bakery Whitby, Harrisons Driving School Whitby and Andy Lowe Driving School Whitby.

Nearby places of interest

The guide points visitors towards other Yorkshire coastal destinations, naming Bridlington, Flamborough Head, Hunmanby, Scarborough and Whitby Abbey as places of interest in the surrounding area.