ENGLAND IN SUMMERTIME: WHITBY

Apparently the weather has been poor throughout summer so far and most people anticipated a poor summer like the one we have had since 2007, with constant rain, cool air and flooding. So it is delightful to note that the weather since I returned has been glorious! England is at its best in summertime and I’m able to enjoy the things I love best about it; the green and gently rolling landscape, the old village pubs and beers, the  sunshine and the wildlife.

Sarah and I visit Whitby where we have been many times before and we both feel delight at the first sight of the sea, something we haven’t seen for over a year. We set off at 6.30 and arrive at about 10 am, following a steady drive with breakfast on the way, and following this  we tend to have a ritual of walking onto the harbour to eat fresh crab and prawns from the market. We both love the food, so spend a fair amount of time eating fish and chips, crab and prawns: only once do we change this when we have an Indian meal on the second night.

 I visit the headland where the statue of James Cook looks out over the harbour with plaques from Canada, Australia and New Zealand on the plinth. It revives my interest in history.

Near the statue is the jawbone of a blue whale from the old days of whaling. At the time of whaling everything that came from the whale had a use, the skin for making coats, the flesh for  food and  oil. The whaling industry, fortunately, was eventually abandoned as artificial products were  developed.

Whitby is a maze of  cobbled streets and small fishing cottages situated around the harbour. It is  deeply endowed with history and legend as the inspiration for Stoker’s “Dracula”, and through association with Captain James Cook whose ships Endeavour and Resolution were built in Whitby.

No visit to Whitby seems complete without a trip to Robin Hood’s Bay: this is steeped in old history and atmosphere redolent of  smugglers’ and seafarers’ tales. There is a supernatural air about the place and I’d love to visit at night or stay over one time.

“Ye Dolphin” does a pretty good menu but as we have had a hearty meal the night before, we have a light lunch of  smoked salmon and garlic prawns. It also sells many cask ales! 

The “Laurel”, a beautiful old Robin Hood’s Bay pub has a fascinating interior and you can eat crab from the fisheries there!

Although you can walk to Robin Hood’s Bay from Whitby (we did it last year) it is an arduous trek and we decide to go by bus this time!

Skippers Cafe, near the harbour does a very good breakfast menu where I have poached eggs while Sarah has a lie-in. It also serves up enormous “challenge” breakfasts which are so huge only a gargantuan stomach could digest it all. (see below)

http://www.skipperscafe.co.uk/challenges

Needless to say I don’t attempt it!

Whitby does get extremely busy at lunch times and it’s a challenge finding somewhere to eat! In future visits I feel it’s best to self-cater at this time, while a quieter time can be had in the early evening and it’s easier to find a seat with a little planning!

The old churchyard as mentioned in “Dracula”.

Sarah goes for a walk in the sea while I watch the ships. There are still a few trawlers going out from the harbour but largely the local industry seems more about tourism. Most of the houses by the harbour are holiday cottages.

There is a bridge across the harbour which allows you to walk to the other side of the town: however  it is a swing bridge and at high tide it is opened to let boats into and out of  the harbour. On this occasion it stayed open for 20 minutes while Sarah was on the other side...I was worried there was a fault until it closed again!