Whitby, but not as you know it!

During half term we spent a few days in the gorgeous East Coast town of Whitby, and wanted to share with you our earthiest and most stylish finds……

First stop post a mid morn arrival has to be Coffee (and possibly cake?)
Amongst the abundance of relatively traditional and dare I say dated cafes is the vibrant Whitby Deli www.thewhitbydeli.co.uk on Flowergate

Passionate staff, gorgeous coffee to take out or enjoy in. Fresh cakes to die for, charcuterie, cheese and a fantastic aladdins cave of all things foody, I couldn’t resist purchasing a few holiday treats for back at our lodgings!
They also hold a pizza night on a Saturday evening, which looking at the standard of the rest of the fayre would be worth a visit.
Next, onto The Art Cafe further down Flowergate, a floor above street level, as you walk towards the water www.theartcafe.org
With the coffee box ticked this is just a lovely space to enjoy wonderful
(affordable) art that even I could understand (many gallery trips have
left me flummoxed!) there are sofas for the kids to chill out on, classical
music, and as the name explains… refreshments too. You could easily trot
past the ground floor entrance, but take a peek!

LUNCH!
Ales & Scales at Abbey Wharf www.abbeywharfwhitby.co.uk
Opened in 2015, this venue is a beautifully converted, huge dining space, with tables outside over the water Summer. They have extensive menu but also offer light bites, of which we ordered an assortment….. tempura prawns, fresh fish goujons, crispy squid and of course twice cooked chips! All prepared fresh to order, no doubt landed that morning, delicious!

199 Steps!
You can’t go to Whitby and not scale the 199 steps to the amazing Abbey. Its a lovely walk up through town and as you can imagine the views get better as you climb. You can just skirt around the edge once you’ve reached the summit or pay to get in for the whole experience. www.english-heritage.org.uk £18.40 for the family, well worth it. There is a super visitor centre, cafe and shop and obviously access into the abbey ruins, a wonderful historic playground.

Cosy afternoon drinks and/or DINNER!
The White Horse and Griffin www.whitehorseandgriffin.com
Tucked in between shops on the cobbled Church Street, this gorgeous, cosy Inn is a must try. Through the dark, intriguing bar you can go upstairs to a comfortable first floor lounge, with a fire, comfy chairs, and board games. Dogs and well behaved kids are welcome ! Just for a drink, or food, its a delight. There is further bookable dining space with a more extensive menu, candlelit, a fire in the range….. we enjoyed a fabulous meal on the Friday night of our stay here.

High tide is a great time to watch/dodge the waves on the walkway by the pavilion, and why don’t you walk along the pier and head up to the top of the lighthouse for £1 before heading along the wave walkway?

WHITBY to SANDSEND
Low tide is the perfect opportunity to walk along the beach to Sandsend. You can access the beach at Whitby Pavillion and see Sandsend in the distance to your left! The walk was further than we anticipated and the tide came in as we were enjoying our time on Sandsend beach so we caught the bus back to Whitby, perfect balance! They run on the half hour so you are never waiting long.
There are two prominent cafes on the beach at sandsend but we headed over the bridge to the Bridge Cottage Bistro, www.bridgecottagebistro.com. visited by my brother the previous week. What a little gem! Serving what’s caught that morning meticulously prepared, along with a super brunch menu, or beautiful homemade coffee and cake, there is something for everyone!

And finally…..
If you are lucky enough to stay over (we will be featuring some seaside self catering options on earth wit & style soon) then why not treat yourself to breakfast out – you are on holiday after all! Cranberry Swamp www.cranberryswamp.com is a gorgeous, retro, independent cafe with a fabulous breakfast/brunch menu served in authentic surroundings. The kids LOVED the fresh pancakes!

And we all know…. happy kids = happy holidays!