Why you should move to Whitby on the Yorkshire coast

Tourists have flocked to Whitby for centuries, including writers Lewis Carroll and Bram Stoker. The former visited Whitby regularly between 1856 and 1871 – it is said that his nonsense poem The Walrus and the Carpenter was inspired by his walks on the town's beaches.

View across the river from St. Mary's Churchyard near the top of the 199 steps (Image: Tony Bartholomew)

In 1890, Bram Stoker spent a week's holiday in the city after a particularly strenuous theater tour – his boss, the actor and manager Sir Henry Irving, recommended the city as a good place to rest and relax. Little did he know that the week-long wanderings through the winding streets would be the initial spark for one of the greatest Gothic novels in the English language – Dracula.

Whitby is a town with a rich history and heritage, arts and culture, industry and tourism. If you like shopping, you will find few chains; the town is instead full of fascinating independent shops (with a nice mix of tourist outlets and the shops you really need).

There is plenty to satisfy the soul too: great restaurants and pubs, a good theatre with live shows and films and a range of festivals throughout the year, from music to the annual Whitby Regatta.

Looking over to the 199 Steps and Abbey Headland in Whitby. (Image: Tony Bartholomew)

Explore

You could spend a lifetime exploring Whitby and still not explore all the possibilities. Let's start with the obvious – on the East Cliff stands the world-famous Abbey, whose Gothic silhouette dominates the town. Next to it is St Mary's Church, with its fabulous 18th-century pews, triple-decker pulpit and strong links with the town's lifeboat community. In the churchyard – famous among lovers of the dark side as the place where Dracula laid his first victim on English soil – stands a cross commemorating Caedmon, widely considered to be the first English poet.

From there, the famous 199 steps lead down to Henrietta Street on the right, home to the historic Fortune's Kippers, and Church Street on the left, a picturesque cobbled lane lined with jet works and shops, as well as the city's former town hall.

Beyond this busy area, stroll along the riverside (perhaps via the Captain Cook Museum in Grape Lane) to the Seamen's Hospital, adorned with an ornate balustrade and statues, topped by a fully equipped model of a sailing ship.

The famous Fortune's kippers. (Image: Tony Bartholomew)

Phew – so much history, so little time! And we haven't even crossed the river yet. Cross it via the swing bridge – if you have to kill a bit of time while it opens to let a tall-masted boat through, so much the better: it's a spectacle in itself.

On the west side, stroll down to the piers, past the newly opened Whitby Lobster Hatchery. Pause at the bandstand and decide between a leisurely stroll along the pier or a climb over the Khyber Pass to the West Cliff where you'll find the Whalebone Arch and the statue of Captain Cook. Walk down Skinner Street with its many independent shops to Flowergate where you can take a vertiginous walk back to the harbour or head a little further uphill to find the beautiful Whitby Museum and Pannett Art Gallery.

And all that's before we even get into Whitby's architecture (the remarkable 'bottle windows' were thought to be a solution to the window tax); the sprawling courtyards, alleys and 'ghauts' that crisscross the town (be sure to explore them, but remember that many of them are still residential, so be respectful); fossil hunting; the town's important role in the 18th and 19th century whaling industry… Tired of Whitby? Then you must be tired of life!

Cottages on Henrietta Street at the foot of the 199 steps. (Image: Tony Bartholomew)

Secure a property

Whitby offers a lovely mix of properties for sale and at affordable prices. Are you looking for a one-bedroom flat in a converted Victorian hotel, complete with balcony and sea views? It's yours for just £150,000. If you're looking to move up the property ladder, there are plenty of new build properties in the outskirts, with prices in the £300,000-£400,000 range for three to four bedrooms. Or a beautiful seven-bedroom listed Georgian townhouse will set you back just £895,000.

Whitby is only accessible by train via Middlesbrough or by steam train from Pickering in the summer months. It is a half hour drive from the nearest large urban centre, Scarborough. Driving is probably the most convenient way to get to Whitby, but this means that parking can be at a premium in the busier months.

Lois Vorrett from Bothams Whitby. (Image: Botham's)

City life

Lois Borrett is the great-great-granddaughter of Elizabeth Botham, founder of Botham's Bakery, and heads the bakery's finishing department.

“When the sun is shining and the Whitby lemon buns are covered in icing, you'll find me in the family beach hut – summer is all about the beach for the Botham family! We have plenty of tricks up our sleeves for days in the beach hut – pre-slicing and buttering the Heritage Ginger Loaf is our best trick. And to warm you up after a swim, you'll always find our Resolution Tea in the hut.

“We love using the Fusco's Royal Fisheries app to pre-order fish and chips or order pizza from Pizza West on the cliff: Surf and a Slice!”

“One of my roles is product development and I personally love Whitby Sea Salt. We use it in many of our baked goods; most recently I created a Whitby Sea Salt & Caramel Biscuit for the Fish & Ships Festival in May.”