| The first thing on offer to many people for the | | | | you can usually go onboard a reconstruction of a |
| quiet coastal town of Whitby is the connection | | | | frigate from the 1700 / 1800s. This wonderful |
| with Dracula. Bram Stoker was visiting the town | | | | sailing ship was originally built for the ITV television |
| when he wrote his well known and popular story | | | | series of Hornblower, staring a then unknown Ioan |
| of Dracula and based it around many local legends | | | | Gruffudd. There are also a variety of boats that |
| and stories. So a good place to start exploring the | | | | you can board, either for a trip out into the 'bay' |
| town from is with a Ghost Walk with Harry, from | | | | if the weather is kind, or a trip up the River Esk if |
| the whale bones. He goes most nights of the | | | | the sea is rough. You can choose from a choice |
| week in season, but there is always a sign up at | | | | of several boats, from a replica of HMS Bark |
| the whalebones themselves during the day and he | | | | Endeavour for a short trip out to see, or the old |
| has a very good website to visit to find out | | | | Mary Anne Lifeboat (also of Heartbeat fame), to |
| more. | | | | a speed boat for the more adventurous. |
| And it is that connection and fascination to | | | | There are also many fishing boats, providing |
| Dracular that brings in many of the town's | | | | scenic and fishing trips out to see. And because of |
| visitors, especially towards the end of October | | | | the unusual geography of Whitby many boats will |
| when the Gothic weekend is planned near to | | | | also offer a sunset cruise. The town has an |
| Halloween. It is an amazing sight to see so many | | | | unusual claim for an east coast fishing port, gone |
| people in Gothic dress walking around the town, it | | | | are the North and South Cliffs, such as |
| certainly adds colour and interest. | | | | Scarborough has, instead Whitby has an East and |
| I mentioned the whalebones and they bring me | | | | West Cliff. This is because the coast twists |
| back to another historic connection. In its time | | | | around at this point and the mouth of the harbour |
| Whitby was home to a large whaling fleet. And | | | | point northwards. This means that you get the |
| Bram Stocker is not the only well known figure to | | | | boat out to watch the sun setting over the land - |
| be connected to Whitby, for James Cook | | | | not a usual feature in the east! It does also mean |
| undertook his sailing training from the town, many | | | | that when the wind blows straight into the |
| years ago. You might like to try a visit to the | | | | harbour it can be a pretty chilly wind! |
| town's Captain Cook museum. | | | | Whatever you go to Whitby for, it is a trip well |
| This connection with the sea has not, of course, | | | | worth taking. |
| been lost. Near to the Tourist Information Centre | | | | |