Yorkshire Coast Guide

Whitby

Whitby is a great place for fossil hunters as many interesting fossils have been found in the area including entire skeletons of pterodactyls. Whitby is known for its well preserved ammonite fossils including 'Whitby Jet' which can be found on the seashore or purchased from stalls or shops in the town. Over the centuries, the town spread both inland and onto the West Cliff, whilst the East Cliff remains dominated by the ruins of Whitby Abbey and St Mary's Church. The way into the interesting ruined Abbey is through the historic Banqueting House alongside.

The Abbey is owned by English Heritage, which restored the Banqueting House to contain exhibitions and museum displays about the Abbey and Whitby and opened it in 2002. The East Cliff is quite a distance by road, the alternative being to climb the famed 199 steps. Many who make the climb can be heard counting on the way up. 2005 saw the completion of the first major restoration of the 199 steps since the 19th century.

Whitby has a fish market on the quayside which operates as need and opportunity arise. The ready supply of fresh fish has resulted in an abundance of "chippies" in the town, including the Magpie Cafe which Rick Stein has described as the best fish and chip shop in Britain. The town was awarded "Best Seaside Resort 2006", by Which? Holiday magazine. Whitbys' West Cliff has its own landmarks including a statue of Captain James Cook who sailed from the town, and a whalebone arch commemorating the once large whaling industry. The whalebone arch is the second to stand on this spot; the original (a larger version) is now preserved in Whitby Archives Heritage Centre. There is also 'Whitby Wizard', a new science museum. By the inner harbour, next to the tourist information office, there is also a statue commemorating William Scoresby who was the inventor of the crows nest.

Whitby Regatta occurs once a year for three days in August. Originally a local rowing competition, over the years it has expanded to include events such as a large fair stretching along the pier, police demonstrations, fireworks and military displays - including the spectacle of theRed Arrows provided that the weather is good. Rowing still forms a major part of the weekend and races take place over three days between three old rival clubs - Whitby Friendship ARC, Whitby Fishermen's ARC and Scarborough ARC. For at least the last two decades the town has hosted the Whitby Folk Week, which currently includes around 600 different events in various venues. Whitby also hosts the bi-annual Whitby Gothic Weekend, a festival for members of the Gothic culture. The Cheeky Girls regularly attend the event in order to keep in touch with their Transylvanian roots.