York to Whitby

Weather still holding despite some rain forecast. Was a fabulous day.

I knew I had to get going early to maximise time in York before leaving in the bus for Whitby.
After a huge breakfast, it was good to have a long walk. I went up on the ramparts surrounding this very attractive medieval city centre. It was fantastic - quiet apart from the birds, lush,and giving a  marvelous insight into the properties around the city walls.

This property in front of the Cathedral must be a hotel , I guess, but I loved the gardens and marvelled at how green everything is. The British do a great job with gardens and I imagine Mother Nature with her rain helps things look so healthy and lush.

My destination was Jorvik Museum, but I really enjoyed the streets I passed on the way. The name shields above shops and bars are fabulous. This was somewhat macabre for the pub, The Fleece!

The Jorvik museum has recently been refurbished and provides entertainment and education for all ages. The best part is undoubtedly a ride through life during the Viking Era here in York. It was incredibly well done and the figures they used look so real and were occasionally real! Bit eerie to suddenly have a real person talking to you!

It was superb.
Outside, the decorations are already up for the Event on Saturday. The wedding!
No need for umbrellas today! They looked fabulous though.

I wandered on to a gorgeous wee street called The Shambles. It has some very old original buildings there. No wonder fire and disease spread quickly in the Middle Ages.

I loved the names of pubs and alleyways and the lovely paintings on the walls. The dogs at the window looked quite real from afar.

I was pleased to have fitted in a lot without any rush at all. York is really a magnificent city with its architecture, history, museums, parks and the ariver Ouse which flows past the ramparts. I think it would be a goos place to live.
Its situation is also great, being so close to national parks and the coast.
We crossed The Yorkshire Moors to get to Whitby. It was a pleasant drive but in August it would be spectacular when the heather is out and it would be a sea of purple.

Whitby, the most popular holiday spot in the area, and fortunately for us, only just getting busy. I really enjoyed  our two hours there, managing a delicious lunch of scampi and chips ( child portion) and a brilliant walk uphill to the abbey  and churchyard. The scampi was amazing - so fresh and tasty and as a takeaway perfect to be able to choose the view. This photo below! Gorgeous.

Whitby has some very pretty, narrow, cobbled streets so there is plenty to see there. Interesting names again!
They even have a Captain Cook Museum here. I believe it was really interesting but with limited time and perfect weather, I wasn't keen to be inside! I am sure, as a New Zealander, it would have been fascinating to learn about his voyage 'as far it is possible for man to go!'

When Andy our driver told us about the 199 steps up to the Abbey, I was sure I would not go up, but as I got there, I couldn't resist , and the steps were gentle and I was quickly at the top. What a breathtaking view over town and coast


We could easily have spent a day here.

The churchyard was very interesting too, though I must admit that the views distracted me!

Our next stop wasn't far from Whitby, Robin Hood's Bay. Actually it has nothing to do with this fictitious figure but was really a superb place to visit. I am so grateful that my knees are good now, as I did a lot of steps today! It was a 30 percent slope down to the little hamlet by the sea. 

It was very picturesque and the views to the cliffs on both sides were fantastic. It would have been nice to have much more time, but we made the most of it.
 
The final stop was a tiny village which had been used for the filming of a series, which ran 18 years, Heartbeat . I don't know it, but the 2 Aussies with me on the bus did. Apparently this police car featured in it. Cool car!


Now I am in a cody little pub, Hole in the wall, listening to music. Perfect end to the day.








Comments