Whitby is a seaside town in Yorkshire, split by the River Esk. On the East Cliff, overlooking the North Sea, the ruined gothic Whitby Abbey was Bram Stoker’s inspiration for “Dracula”. Nearby is Whitby Abbey and the Church of St Mary, reached by 199 steps. To the west is West Cliff Beach, lined with colourful beach huts.

Many of you will probably know the town well, but suggestions might include:

Whitby Abbey If you’re an English Heritage member, don’t forget your membership card if you want to pop into the Abbey.  If you’re not a member you might want to book online in advance for a discount.

Whitby Abbey Steps The first record of the steps dates back to 1340, but they’re believed to be even older. They were originally made from wood and not replaced until 1774 with stone from Sneaton. It is thought the 199 steps were used as a test of Christian faith – climbing the steps would prove that you were faithful.

Captain Cook Museum Cook’s training as a seaman began in Whitby. He was introduced to the Walker family who had ships known as ‘cats’, sailing to London and across the North Sea. Cook’s first voyage was on Freelove in February 1747, carrying a cargo of coal to London. Walker lodged Cook when he was not at sea, in the house in Grape Lane which is now the Museum. See the website for more of his story and details of entry fees.

Whitby Museum An independent museum, founded in 1823 yet highly relevant to the world today. You can learn about the history of the whaling industry and think about what whaling means in the 21^st century. Learn about the painstaking work that went into creating their model ships – and the real ones. Whitby is famous for its jet gemstones, examples of which can be found in the museum as well as throughout the town. And, of course, Captain Cook is featured too.

Short boat trips are available at your own risk from various companies, for example: Whitby Boat Trips. NB: Do not risk missing the coach departure time!

Open-Top Bus Sightseeing Tours The fully-guided Whitby tour takes approximately one hour but tickets last all day and you can get on and off the sightseeing tour as many times as you wish. Hear Yorkshire tales of bygone days and find out about the Whitby man who had 21 children twice or the man who was the only survivor of the lifeboat disaster of 1861, both immortalised by the camera of Frank Meadow Sutcliffe.

Whitby is famous for its fish and chip shops. We’re not going to make any recommendations, you tell us about your favourite findings when you get back.

Cost: £20.00.

Booking: Starts at the DDu3a Monthly Meeting on Wednesday 13th May 2026. Places must be booked and paid for in advance.

Departure and return times: Coach will leave from outside Dronfield Sports Centre at 09:00 prompt and we will leave the destination at 17:00 unless advised otherwise.

Before booking, please see our Booking Arrangements and Terms and Conditions.

This trip is open primarily to DDu3a members – spare tickets will be offered to friends of DDu3a members (who must be u3a members somewhere in the UK).