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One-time whaling port on the North East coast where the River Esk meets the sea. Measured in relatively modern historical terms, it is the Captain James Cook connection that sets Whitby apart from the string of seaports that populate the North Sea coast. It was from here that the 18th/19th century explorer found his sea legs before sailing into the deeper waters of the Pacific and around Australasia. The Captain Cook story is fiercely preserved both in Whitby and inland at Great Ayton and Middlesbrough where the great man grew up. Still, Whitby was a force to be reckoned with for 1100 years before the redoubtable captain first took to the oceans. The aloof, bleak ruins on the cliff tops above the town are evidence of that. For this is what remains of the abbey settlement that was established in the dash for enlightenment in the 7th century. What stands today are the remnants of a 14th century rebuild. It is believed the stark cliff-top ruin contributed to the wildly imaginative creation of Dracula by Bram Stoker when he penned the novel in the town in the late 1800s.
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| Visitor information |
Contact information for Whitby's official visitor services. |
| Travel details |
Services provided by local and national transport companies. |
| Accommodation |
Where to stay in Whitby including visitor ratings and feedback. |
| The Whitby story |
Feature stories on Whitby and the surrounding area. |
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