A Date With Dracula in Whitby, North Yorkshire (Part One)

Well dear Readers, where do I start?  Don't you hate that with a new blog post?  Trying to get the right words to start off the journey.  Let me just say this is going to be a long post this week so I think it best that you get yourself a lovely bottle of wine, some nibbles and a necklace of garlic before I begin - Dracula may be lurking in the shadows!  So, following on from Wednesday's post, where did those steps lead?  Here's your answer...

The beautiful North Yorkshire coastal town of Whitby with its Abbey ruins on the hill, its layers upon layers of buildings and the fishing port is simply stunning.

The port was busy with fishermen preparing their boats for the next catch of the sea's precious bounty.  The nets were all primed and ready...

... and the lobster pots were set...

I was in a very happy place here, with the tactile materials that had been skillfully woven to stand the roughness of the sea and its hopeful inhabitants.  Just capturing the moment was enough for me.

Both me and Mumsy had taken another coach trip so it had taken a little time to get here, but to see Yorkshire's rolling hills and stone walls from the coach was incredibly satisfying.

Then, coming into Whitby, it became apparent that after last year's Tour de France, they were having their own Tour de Yorkshire!

Our first stop was of course to Magpies for their fish and chips.  I took a photo believe me of this fantastic lunch but it was so blurry due to these little wotsits who were determined to divebomb and snatch as much food as possible.  The seagulls are a menace  here and very, very cocky!  We saw one walk into a fish and chip shop to terrorise the staff!  A word to the wise, if you are here cover your food and then head to the bandstand to eat - less chance of being divebombed!  I mean, even this one was dribbling!!

We then grabbed a ride on an open top bus to head up the hill to the Abbey.  We could have climbed the 199 steps, but not today!

Instead, a nice leisurely climb on the bus through the town until we got to the top.

And listening to the brave and breathless coming up the stairs, all counting, and all saying that the sign was wrong!

The view from here was breathtaking in itself.   Windows and buildings all in view of the Abbey...

The harbour ferrying people to show the Abbey from the sea...

Let's get closer...

Yes, Pirate Teddy is off too...

The cliff tops and sea were beautifully married against the steely grey sky.

No wonder that Bram Stoker was inspired by staring up at this place and wrote Dracula!

The wind whips up an icy blast from the North Sea and howls through these ruins and amongst the graves of people departed from life centuries ago.

The waves crash against the shores below the cliffs, giving a real feel of anxiousness.

And no wonder, look who was crawling down the abbey ruins next to me...

Dracula did make me shudder, but he was part of a play that was being acted out around the ruins.  The actors were extremely entertaining and I thoroughly recommend following them as they tell the story of Bram Stoker's Dracula.

What an amazing stage to work from!

Of course I took hundreds of photos of the beautiful aged stonework which I am still working through and will share some with you next week (you know what I am like with architecture!!).  Until then, after my date with Dracula, I will return to my slumber and join you once again as I take you around the ruins with the howls of dogs and icy winds singing through the voids of the Abbey.

Keep eating the garlic!!