Whitby in October
Whitby is a beautiful seaside town on the east coast of Yorkshire, England. Like most lovely places, it’s become very popular and is much busier than when I first visited. That would have been August school holidays, so I’m going way back! It used to be lively but not over-crowded, but these days the pavements in the town are crammed whatever the time of year.
Fortunately, there’s still loads of space on the beach when the tide is out. We don’t currently have a dog, but enjoyed watching them enjoying a bit of freedom. Where we live, the land is mostly privately owned or common land grazed with sheep. Dogs are not allowed on playing fields, so they tend to be confined to public footpaths. We have a disused railway track that is popular for dog-walking. We also have a scourge of dog owners – mostly posh older ladies – who disregard the on-lead/off-lead etiquette and allow their off-lead dogs to go charging up to dogs that are on their leads.
Only this morning, my attention was drawn by an emphatic, carrying voice, “Oh please don’t do that, Walter. You know how much you hate it when other dogs sniff your bottom!” … whilst the other dog pirouetted on the end of his lead, tail between his legs, trying to keep his bits covered.
Sorry, digressing already! Back to Whitby and the space on the beach …
I stood for a moment gazing at this cliff, reflecting on the floral tributes and love-locks on fences, and trying not to think too hard about the rocks below:
… and of course I took lots of photos of the lighthouses 🙂
We stayed in the same flat as last year, (me and Julz). It’s small, basic and comparatively cheap. We took our own pillows this time, because last year there was a cheesy old dog smell that seemed to be infused in the soft furnishings of the bedroom. Happily, this year the smell had gone (new bedding, I think) and the place was scrupulously clean. The flat is up a few flights of stairs within an old building, and lots of its fixtures are tired and worn and don’t quite work properly. I know how they feel! It was a relief to leave the place without breaking the hot tap, as it had to be turned overly-tight to stop the water trickling out.
But the view from our window was priceless!
Whitby Abbey was a source of inspiration for Bram Stoker’s ‘Dracula’. It’s easy to see why, as it’s very atmospheric. Here’s a closer look:
On the last afternoon, we called in the Elsinore pub for a pint, before retreating back to the cosy flat for the last evening. Scrolling through Facebook posts, I discovered I’d missed my favourite royal, Princess Anne, who had visited the ‘Save the Children’ charity shop, just a few doors down from the pub. What a shame we didn’t stay for another drink!
When it got dark that evening, the abbey came alive as different coloured lights were beamed at it. Presumably, this was a test run for the ‘Illuminated Abbey’ event, which was scheduled to start the next day, so I guess it’s still going on now.
This was my final photo, until next year … all being well 🙂
Word on a Whim 