Whitby

城市概覽

The Anglo-Saxons called this place Streoneshalh, meaning "Streon's nook of land", and made it a major religious centre, with a monastery for men and women founded in 657 AD. That was destroyed by Vikings towards 870 and the area abandoned except for one Norse farmer called Hvíta, so Hvítabýr it became. The Normans re-established the town and monastery, and from Tudor times Whitby had a herring fishing fleet. In early modern times this expanded into whaling, ship-building, and export of alum and coal. A Victorian side-line was jewellery made from jet, as this was black and could adorn mourning outfits. By the late 19th century cargo vessels had outgrown the harbour, but fishing continues from small craft and there's a leisure marina. Tourist information is based at Langborne Rd, on the west river bank near the station. It's open daily 9AM-4PM. Whitby Town Council post info on local services.

如何抵達

By train Five trains wind through the moors daily from Middlesbrough, taking 90 min via Nunthorpe, Great Ayton, Castleton Moor and Grosmont. Some start from Newcastle or Carlisle. 1 Whitby railway station is central in town. There's a staffed ticket office and machines; no toilets or waiting room. There is step-free access to both platforms. North Yorkshire Moors Railway run summer steam trains from Pickering via Levisham, Newtondale and Goathland to Grosmont, where most terminate; a couple per day continue into Whitby. These may be shown on the National Rail website but that info is not definitive, check with NYMR.

By bus Coastliner 840 runs twice a day from Malton, taking 80 min via Pickering and Goathland. From Leeds or York take the hourly 843 heading for Scarborough, and change at Malton. Arriva Bus X93 / X94 runs every 30 min along the coast from Scarborough, taking one hour to Whitby. The X94 continues inland via Guisborough to Middlesbrough. Arriva Bus X4 runs every 30 min from Middlesbrough along the coast via Redcar, Saltburn-by-the-Sea, Loftus, Staithes, Runswick Bay and Sandsend to Whitby, taking two hours. Whitby bus station is next to the railway station.

By road From Scarborough and East Yorkshire, follow A171 along the coast. From Teesside and the North East, either take A171 or the slower coastal A174. The roads to Whitby across the moors are scenic, but have sharp bends and steep gradients. In winter they are treacherous and may be closed. One popular route from the south is A64 past York to Malton then A169 north through Pickering and over the North York Moors. There's a 25% (1 in 4) plummet down into the village of Sleights just before reaching Whitby. In summer all routes are congested and parking in town is impossible. Day-trippers should use the 2 Park and Ride on Guisborough Road. This is open Apr-Oct daily from 8AM to dusk. Your bus ticket covers the parking fee. For traffic and travel reports listen to This is the Coast on 21

當地交通

Whitby is compact, and despite the hills is easy and rewarding to walk around. You can reach the Abbey via Green Lane if you don't care for the steps. Buses (above) follow the main road, which is a mile or so inland from the coast for the most part. So they can get you to Sandsend and Robin Hood's Bay, but there's limited coast access otherwise. Over a dozen taxi firms serve the town.

必看景點

1 Whitby Museum, Pannett Park YO21 1RE, ☏ +44 1947 602908. Feb-mid Dec Tu-Su 10AM-4:30PM. Museum of mostly Victorian curios: natural history, local shipping and so on. It incorporates an art gallery. Adult £9, child free. (updated Sep 2025)

The 199 Steps lead from the head of Church Street, with views over the harbour rooftops, to emerge onto the plateau by St Mary's Church and the Abbey. St Mary's Church is the Anglican church at the head of the steps. The oldest parts are 12th century, but most of what you see is late 18th. The cliff edge is becoming so eroded that the church is at risk, and (in a suitably gothic touch) human remains from the graveyard are tumbling onto the properties below. 2 Whitby Abbey, Abbey Lane YO22 4JT, ☏ +44 370 333 1181. Daily 10AM-5PM. The first abbey was founded in 657 AD, one of its monks being Caedmon, England's earliest known poet. In 664 the Synod of Whitby codified many religious practices such as the date of Easter, bringing Celtic Christianity in line with Rome. The abbey was wrecked by Viking raids but revived and rebuilt from the 13th century, becoming a great Benedictine centre. It fell again in the Dissolution under Henry VIII; the ruin became government-owned in 1920. It's still an imposing shell, visited by Dracula (according to Bram Stoker) in the guise of a large black dog. In 1914 it was further damaged by shelling from two German battlecruisers. Adult £13 child £8, conc £11.50. (updated Sep 2025)

St Ninian's at 21 Baxtergate was built from 1776 as a "Chapel of Ease" meaning people could attend here rather than lumping up all those steps to St Marys. In 1994 it fell out with the Anglican church over the ordination of women clergy; but its repairs were unaffordable as a splinter church and it closed in 2019. It's occasionally opened by volunteers. 3 Captain Cook Museum, Grape Lane YO22 4BA, ☏ +44 1947 601900. Daily Feb Mar 10:30AM-3PM, Apr-Oct 10AM-5PM. Captain James Cook was born in 1728 at Marton, now part of Middles

體驗活動

Ghost walks start from the whalebone arch opposite the Royal Oak at 7:30PM, adult £7, child £4, no large black dogs permitted. Dracula Experience is a guided walk with street theatre and storytelling. HM Bark Endeavour is a 40%-sized replica of the Endeavour used by Cook on his first expedition of 1768-71. In summer they potter round the bay for 30 min. Whale-watching trips sail in late summer when whales follow the mackerel and herring along the coast. Trips are 4-8 hours, no children under 12 or dogs. North Yorkshire Moors Railway run steam trains from Pickering to Grosmont and Whitby, see Get in. Walk: The Cleveland Way follows a loop from Helmsley round the rim of the North York Moors through Osmotherley, Guisborough, Saltburn-by-the-Sea, Whitby, Scarborough and Filey. So the sections near Whitby all follow the clifftops and are obvious: northeast via Sandsend, Runswick Bay, Staithes and Loftus into Saltburn, southwest via Robin Hood's Bay, Ravenscar and Scalby into Scarborough. The whole trail is 110 miles. The Cinder Track is the old railway between Whitby and Scarborough. It's suitable for walking, cycling and horse-riding. It winds along the contours a mile or two inland so it has limited sea views but is level going. Whitby Golf Club is a mile northeast, overlooking the Upgang beach. The yellow tee course is 6106 yards, par 71. Whitby Goth Weekend is a music festival with much black lipstick held on Halloween and late April each year. Robin Hoods Bay Folk Weekend is in June, and the Victorian Weekend is early December. Whitby Traction Engine Rally is probably next held 31 July - 2 Aug 2026, tbc.

購物

Coop Food by the railway station is open M-Sa 7AM-10PM, Su 11AM-5PM. The main