Haven Crest Guest House

Whitby is a historic town in North Yorkshire on the north-east coast of England.
Nowadays, it is a fishing port and tourist destination. It is situated 47 miles from York, at 54 deg. 29 min. 24 sec. north latitude, and 35 min. 59 sec. west longitude, at the mouth of the River Esk and spreads up the steep sides of the narrow valley carved out by the river's course. At this point the coast curves round, so the town faces more north than east. Many interesting fossils have been found in the Whitby area including entire skeletons of pterodactyls.

From Haven Crest it’s an easy 2 minute walk down to the wonderful stretch of beach sweeping in both directions. Take a stroll along the promenade or the cliff top path towards town. Marvel at the 2 Whitby piers leading into the River Esk.
 
The much photographed whalebones were donated to Whitby in 2002 by Anchorage, Alaska, the sister town, as a replacement for the original bones donated in 1963 as a tribute to Whitby whaling history. Walk under the huge jaw bones, down the steps and follow the Khyber Pass to the bottom and drop into the RNLI Whitby Museum housing an interesting collection of artefacts and photos from wrecks to lifeboat crew of bygone days. 

Keep on walking to view the beautiful harbour and swing bridge erected in 1909 to connect the East side of Whitby to the West side. As crowds of people and cars wait patiently for the bridge to be closed manually, the bridge to swing open and the boats to pass then the bridge to swing closed and the man opens the gates to allow life to continue, this can only reflect the slow pace of Whitby life amid the hordes of tourists who come to take a step back in time.

Cross the bridge and take a look at the old cobbled streets and snickleways housing quaint shops, restaurants and tiny atmospheric pubs. In Market Square stands the Old Town Hall erected in 1798. Market stalls fill the square on Tuesdays and Saturdays, Sundays in summer and the Farmers market held on Thursdays.

Call in at the Whitby Jet Heritage Centre at the base of the 199 steps to see the Victorian jet workshop before tramping up the steps and taking in the fine views of the coastline.

Reach the ancient St Marys Church founded in 1110 AD and surrounded by salt worn gravestones that inspired Bram Stoker to use the graveyard as a setting in his Dracula novel. The church is well worth a visit. Lit beautifully at night.
Head for the Whitby Abbey founded in 657 AD and lose yourself in the hand held audio tour and finish in the Visitor Centre and café.

Hop on the open top bus to take you back to town giving you a different take on the town.

Drop into the Captain Cook Memorial Museum on Grape Lane where James Cook lodged as an apprentice and became one of our great explorers. His life is explained in this informative museum.

Walk over the swing bridge, turn left and up the hill to the pretty gardens of Pannett Park where an amazing collection of fossils and antiquities are held in the Whitby Museum. Hours can be spent in here musing over the history of Whitby.

Spend the afternoon on a boat up the River Esk or out to sea viewing Whitby from a spectacular angle.

Have a meal in one of the many restaurants, pubs and cafes then head to Whitby Pavilion to see a film, a show or one of the many events held throughout the year.

From Haven Crest turning left along the beach for a mile brings you to Sandsend, a pretty village where a walk into Mulgrave Woods can be enjoyed on the working Mulgrave Estate. Open Wednesday, Saturday and Sunday. Closed in May for pheasant rearing. Another option for the fitter walker is to climb to the disused railway track, walk along a moonscape of rock and sand formation, part of the Cleveland Way. Climb the ups and downs of the cliff path to reach beautiful Runswick Bay or Staithes, a total of 11 miles from Whitby. Walk into the old town, wander the streets to the protected harbour. Enjoy an icecream then hop on the Middlesborough, Whitby bound bus back to town.

Walk from Whitby on the Cleveland Way to pretty Robin Hoods Bay. For Cyclists, the Whitby to Scarborough Trailway cycle trail, a 21 mile track. Bikes can be hired from Trailways Hawsker tel:01947 820207
Take the steam train from Whitby to Pickering on the North Yorkshire Moors Railways. Relive the age of the steam train.

Drive over the wild and wonderful North Yorkshire Moors, covered in heather and at its most colourful in July and August. Enjoy the changing seasons. Visit the villages of Goathland still much loved for its ‘long finished’Heartbeat series and Grosmont the home of Hogsmeade Station where the first Harry Potter film was set.