We are blessed to live in Yorkshire, West Yorkshire to be precise, famous for its rich industrial heritage, cultural landmarks, literary history, Haworth and the Bronte sisters, plus vibrant metropolitan cities and mill towns.
However, we also love spending time in neighbouring North Yorkshire; with its stunning national parks, historic Whitby Abbey, and traditional seaside towns and villages steeped in smuggling history and folklore, walking trails and the famous North Yorkshire Railway.
To be honest, you’re spoilt for choice, especially when visiting North Yorkshire. There is so much to see and do and it’s difficult to do it all in one day, so book yourself for a stay and take your time exploring this fabulous county.
Recently, we stayed at the Hotel Victoria in Robin Hood’s Bay, it proved to be the perfect base for our trip to nearby Whitby, a seaside town we adore, and on this occasion we had tickets to Whitby Abbey which we were looking forward to seeing up close for the first time. We wanted to give ourselves plenty of time to explore, and as Whitby is very popular, we decided to leave the car at the hotel and catch the bus, which is a direct route from Robin Hood’s Bay. It took all the hassle out of driving, parking and allowed us much more free time.
Whitby Abbey
From the bus station in Whitby, walked through the old town’s narrow streets full of amazing little shops full of wonderful things, and a busker dressed as a sailor singing sea shanties, eventually reaching the famous 199 stone steps leading up to the abbey. Yes, there are 199 stone steps to climb, but take your time, there are rails to hold and benches along the way for a rest. Or you can follow the Donkey Path which runs alongside the steps, although it is cobbled and steep, it does offer an alternative route to the steps.
But for us, the steps were part of the adventure. At the top, you find historic St Mary’s Church, with its ancient churchyard setting the scene for the clifftop ruins of the abbey, now clearly in view.
What a fabulous sight. What was once a 7th-century Christian monastery which later became a Benedictine abbey, stood proud and defiant, famously linked to Bram Stoker’s 1897 gothic novel Dracula, and it was easy to see why. As daylight falls away to night, the abbey turns from impressive to imposing and very spooky!
Whitby Abbey is now managed under the guardianship of English Heritage, and once you have your entrance tickets, you can wander around the abbey at leisure, following in the footsteps of many influential, creative people. Over the centuries, the abbey’s haunting ruins have inspired religious leaders, artists, writers and poets. Today it’s the perfect Instagram backdrop!
Your tickets also give you access to the Visitor Centre and Museum, which is housed in a 17th century mansion. Inside you’ll find a museum that tells the 3,000-year-long story of the abbey with the help of objects like Anglo-Saxon crosses, medieval manuscripts and even a rare, signed copy of Bram Stoker’s novel ‘Dracula’.
There’s lots to explore, and of course, you must make time for a mooch around Whitby itself, you will love it. We recommend allowing half a day to a full day for this experience.
North Yorkshire Moors Railway
Whether you’re a train fan or not, a trip on North Yorkshire Moors Railway will be time well spent and loved by every member of the family, no matter what age.
We had never been to anything like this, and didn’t really know what to expect, but we were lucky enough to be visiting the area when the Annual Steam Gala was taking place, and quickly realised how popular these trains are, it was heaving with people of all ages, and the atmosphere was full of excitement and anticipation. We found ourselves totally caught up in the fabulousness of this event.
From Robin Hood’s Bay we drove to the lovely market town of Pickering to start our adventure at Pickering Station, a must-see 1930s themed station that transported us back in time perfectly to the steam era, totally fitting to the theme of the event.
Knowing very little about the trains and engines being celebrated, we found ourselves in awe of their beauty, the different whistles and all that steam! Oh how we wished we had dressed to fit the era, we can see the appeal of getting completely immersed in such events.
Featured visiting engines included the legendary No. 60007 Sir Nigel Gresley, No. 4079 Pendennis Castle, and the newly restored LSWR T3 Class No. 563.
We were lucky enough to ride the legendary No. 60007 Sir Nigel Gresley from Pickering, getting off at Goathland, famous as Aidensfield in the TV series Heartbeat and as Hogsmeade Station in the first Harry Potter film.
It was a beautiful late summers day, and we wandered around looking at the sets in the village which were previously used during filming, we also called into the Aidensfield Arms for a coffee and a sandwich. This was turning into a day full of firsts and amazing memories.
The trains travelled continuously throughout the day, across 24 miles of beautiful Yorkshire scenery, alongside a beer festival at Grosmont station and trade stalls at Levisham and Pickering. We recommend a full day for this.
The railway celebrated it as one of their best steam galas in recent years, drawing more than 5,500 passengers over the four-day event.
We enjoyed ourselves so much, we’re looking at membership and have booked a trip on the Autumn North Yorkshire Pullman for Sunday Lunch.
I can honestly say, we have been converted!
For more information on NYMR events visit www.nymr.co.uk
Review and images by Angela Riches and Dave Riches
Feature image supplied
