Tag: Dracula

Whitby Revisited

We had guests over for the weekend from the south and thought it would be a good idea to take them to Whitby. Whitby Abbey is a great land mark. While we usually think of the iconic Whitby Abbey falling into ruin due to King Henry VIII or centuries of brutal North Sea weather, it actually survived a direct naval attack. On December 16, 1914, the German Navy launched a surprise raid on the Yorkshire coast. Whitby was hit by over a dozen shells in a matter of minutes. The coastguard station was targeted, and several shells struck the beautiful sandstone walls of the abbey itself.

Gillian had made a lovely picnic, and so my fish and chips plan was thwarted. When I last picnicked out in the wilds, a seagull had appeared from nowhere. This time I felt the edge of a graveyard would be safe, and the feathered beggars were nowhere to be seen. Of course once the food is laid out it’s kinda inevitable.

The small church has a sign that says: “Please don’t ask staff where Dracula’s grave is. There isn’t one!” 😂 After my post last year you’re all familiar with the fact that Dracula came ashore at Whitby disguised as a dog, so I won’t repeat myself, but he’s still here in the Dracula museum, after all these years.

Of course the Goths have made it their Jerusalem (might be a bit dramatic there, but I am supposed to be a writer😂) Walking through the streets this past Saturday, I couldn’t help but think about how this town transforms into a sea of spectacular outfits every Spring and Autumn for the Whitby Goth Weekend.

Whatever the weather, whatever your situation is, Whitby is always a great place to visit. Our guests loved it!

Happy Trails, Folks x

Whitby Wanderings

I was supposed to be running a 74k Race on Saturday 5th July, but missed the deadline for entry. It was at that point my wife asked what we were doing for our wedding anniversary? Ooops. I quickly booked a hotel Dunsley Hall just outside the seaside resort of Whitby. I thought a few hikes (which means I get to think about my own book), some good food and maybe a glass of wine or two, would get me some brownie points.

You may not have heard of Whitby, but you will have heard of Dracula. Whitby is most famous for, apparently, Count Dracula, Captain James Cook, and Jet Jewellery. Personally I think the stunning scenery, the Abbey, the fab hikes, and the Fish and Chips outweigh the other three.

What about Dracula, or should I say Bram Stoker? Good old Bram stayed in Whitby in 1890 and I guess he was rather struck by the Abbey and the graveyard. He’d read about Vlad The Impaler and six years later his book was finished. In the book there is a ship wreck and Count Dracula comes ashore at Whitby disguised as a dog, well you would wouldn’t you? The rest is history.

There isn’t much to say about the other two, unless you are a Captain James Cook fan or a lover of black jewellery. Capt., Cook went to Whitby to sign on to a boat when he was 17 and Jet is a black gem stone. So, moving onto the hikes. I love running, but you know that. I also quite like a hike. So this is what trundling around in the Whitby countryside looks like 😉

Happy Trails, folks x