Sunday 19 August 2018

Four go to Whitby

Hello Again Lovelies,
 I'm back with another catch up post from another Yorkshire trip. 

This time I was with Hubby and our eldest two boys. Youngest had gone on a school trip to France and we (I) decided the rest of us should have a short break too. It was right at the end of June, when the heatwave was really taking hold. It seemed everybody and their Aunt had taken to the road in search of a cool sea breezes and the A64 around York was stationary.
We decided to head across countryside so we could get moving. The air conditioning on our 13 year old car had given up the ghost and it was so hot in the car.
Thankfully quiet back roads brought us to bustling Helmsley. What a lovely spot for a cooling ice cream before the last leg of our journey.


When we stepped out of the car at our holiday home the air was noticeably cooler and for that we were grateful.

I loved the setting of our base for the next 3 nights, by the river Esk, and below an old railway viaduct which is now a footpath into town. Perfect.


After tea we climbed the steep hill out of our secluded holiday village and went under one of  the arcs of viaduct.


To join the Cinder Track


The long evening shadows cast by the viaduct were striking.


and standing up high gave a great vantage point



After about 15 minutes walk we were in the centre of Whitby, admiring all the boats and the ruied abbey on the hill.


Ooooh, those beautiful reflections.



Presently we arrived at the pier. Somewhere I had been before HERE on a trip with Mum. It was great to be here with most of the family this time and for them to see it in such perfect weather too.


The sun glinted off windows and really lit up the scene as pleasure craft headed out for an evening cruise.



I like the solid bit of the pier, not this bit where you can see the water through the cracks. I know it's safe, but I still feel the need to shuffle along, avoiding the gaps 😊


We watched the sunset.



then walked back past the tourist shops. These mugs made me smile.

Daft Apeth has got to be my favourite 😊


It was almost dark by the time we got back.


I slept really well in a cool bedroom and woke early to sunshine. How I love being first up and indulging in some holiday craft with a quiet cup of tea. I loved these mugs too.


Gosh this has got to be the first cross stitch I have done for about 30 years ( sadly I'm not even joking!)

I was inspired ...as always... by Lucy. I changed the colour of my Daisy as I only had cream fabric in my stash.


Eventually we were all ready to head out for the day and Runswick Bay seemed a good option for a beach day.


While the rest of the UK  sweltered and youngest told us it was 32 degrees Celsius in northern France, it was what you might call bracing here. And the North Sea was....8 degrees, according to the Lifeguards notice board. It felt more like 2 degrees to my toes.


Still, we had a windbreak and beautiful views.




Runswick Bay is such a pretty tumble of cottages and I have almost forgotten about my accidental fall here 3 years ago. My root canal work is a fading memory too...thankfully!


I can never resist exploring, though I did watch my step 😊




Eldest and I climbed up to get a birds eye view of the bay.


Then wandered back down to the beach.










Where middle son had found a fossil!


My boys love being in the sea but today we all stayed dry.


It was very pleasant exploring, non-the-less.



In the evening we did a little more exploring and headed to a place that was new to all of us. The famous Robin Hoods Bay


It's steep walk down from the car park.




and the sun was almost setting


Ahhh, the bay hotel. The finishing point for the Coast to Coast walk. Maybe one day.


This is the iconic view of this place which I have seen  so often, in art and photographs. It was brilliant to be there on a beautiful summer evening when the setting sun was lighting up the distant cliffs.


How I loved  the line of washing too.


We climbed steadily and I kept gazing backwards.


There's even a pub with a lovely garden here, so we enjoyed a drink with this view. Takes some beating I think.


And just when I thought we had left the prettiest views behind, this was the view as we headed back towards Whitby.


I just stopped the car, zoomed in a bit, and snapped this.


The Abbey ruins looked amazing. That light! What an end to the day.


On our second morning I finished this sweet little project. 



Thank you for generously sharing such a lovely pattern Lucy. Mine's a Michaelmas Daisy  😊


We then had a  trip down the coast to Scarborough. I wanted to visit the highest point in town as it's where my dad used to go motorbike racing in his youth. Oliver's mount also has a striking war memorial .



and great views over this lovely resort. Here you can see the south bay with the castle behind it.


And further round is the North Bay.


Back in Whitby that evening we went out for Fish and Chips HERE. My goodness they were amazing.


It was only a week after the longest day so we had the treat of so much daylight to explore further and walk off the meal a little. We wandered the pretty streets.


Past the market hall


Then a courtyard drew our attention.


There was a pottery which made these lovely signs.



And adorable gardens.


Signs in-situ 😊



Climbing higher


Till we were looking down on the tumble of rooftops.


Here we climbed further, through a high sided passage.


Till we were on the cliff top looking down on the harbour and the pier.


 Oh the light. Different from the day before but still fabulous.


Looking towards the moors.


and delighting in the sight of a Skylark gathering food for it's young.



Soon we headed towards the iconic 199 steps. I think they look best in the evening light and they are quieter than in the daytime.


We dallied here a while, waiting for some enthusiastic selfie takers to finish posing. It wasn't a hardship. More time to admire the rooftops.




and the sunlit Valerian.


Which seemed a magnet for these moths.


Another step shot. Sigh.


Then a walk along pretty Henrietta street, past the Kipper smoke house.


And down to the sand.


More harbour views.




A yarny shop window



Reflections


and vistas


and another fabulous sunset.


Whitby is a such a lovely place to walk around an explore. I'm really glad most of the family know it's charms now.

Another long post from me. Thank you for reading lovelies😘
Jacquie x

16 comments:

  1. oh my gosh - that so makes to want to get on a plane and do a 30 hour flight and then a decent drive......

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  2. Oh wow so wonderful joining you with this lovely trip. Reminded me of my time with an uncle in Torquay last year ♥ Plenty of stairs there lol

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  3. Absolutely gorgeous and it looks like you had some wonderful family time. Thanks for the memories too, Helmsley and Whitby were among the first two places I visited when I travelled to the UK 20 years ago!! xx Susan

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  4. Fantastic photos, they really are. I love the little square of back gardens surrounded by houses, so pretty. Glad you had a good break, and fabulous weather. CJ xx

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  5. A wonderful, wonderful post! I love your long posts and all the beautiful photos they make you feel as if you're actually there! We last went to Whitby a few years ago now and we'd love to go again soon ( alas our poor little doggy is not up to travelling or walking, so it may be a little while ) Thanks for sharing <3 x

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  6. Stunning photos and one of my favourite places Whitby. We always do the surrounding area too when we visit and my son and his friends take themselves off there just about every month! Your image of the Abbey in the sunset is breath taking.

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  7. We holidayed in Whitby a few years ago and really loved walking around. So much to see. Your photos are amazing especially the one of the Abbey. Jo x

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  8. Wow, you all got around a lot while there! I loved each and every photo. Favorites are the abbey through the red sky and stone cottages and boat filled harbors. Thank you for sharing that amazing place with us! ((hugs)), Teresa :-)

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  9. I really enjoyed reading this post and you took some fantastic photos - the light at the abbey - beautiful! I always love those yorkshire mugs - I was so often called a daft apeth as a child and my grandad always used to call us bugger lugs!

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  10. That is somewhere I have longed to visit so it was a treat to visit it with you, it looks so lovely! Sarah x

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  11. beautiful,Jacqui, thank you x

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  12. What beautiful photos Jacquie, made me sigh with pleasure. All places I know well and love very much. J and I stayed a few times in the Bay Hotel at RHB, with a window overlooking the water. Fab memories.
    And I adore your little purple daisy cross stitch, I'm so glad it holds some holiday memories for you xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

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  13. yet again,Stunning photos and that Breathtaking scenery soooo pretty.Thanks so much for sharing must have taken a while to do this post.love your Cross Stitch,something I used to do such a lot of.xx

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  14. I just loved this post, so many beautiful photos. We stayed at the White horse and griffin in early spring and wandered around Whitby and Robin hoods bay but didn’t see half as much as you, those sunsets ( even though it’s on the east coast?!) those gardens and cottages....I could go on. Thank you for sharing. I loved it. Xxx

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  15. such an amazing trip...such wonderful steep stepped views...how amazing! bet you had the most fantastic time. such a lovely place to explore. i sat here late with my milky coffee with you there~ It somewhere im sure i went as a child~ but will have to confirm that with my mum. it looks familiar to me somehow. x

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