We went there for the first time last March and stayed in a cosy little ground floor flat in a Victorian house, right on the sea front at Sandsend. We could actually sit in bed and see the sea through the living room window!!
The weather was typical for March with winds that threatened to tear your skin off, icy rain, blizzards and snow!! But it still turned out to be one of the best holidays we've had for a long time. I think part of it's success for me was the fact that it had a table in the bay window facing the sea which was perfect to sketch from, in the warm and dry, while my OH was braving the elements to take pics of any birds daft enough to be out in the elements.
We had some of the highest tides of the year and as you can see from this pic our poor old van nearly ended up in Norway!!
Or wherever the nearest land would be. It was quite frightening to Southerners who rarely see such extremes of weather!!
We did go exploring off across the moors and found this beautiful, haunting abbey, it's name is Rievaulx, unfortunately it was closed but I had a long lens and managed to get several shots of the arches.
Above the Abbey is a National Trust property, the name is lost to me I'm afraid , but it had a terrace that was completely covered in snow, so I amused myself taking pics of my footprints. I especially like this one as I think the centre pattern on the shoe reflects the shape of the leaf.
While we were there we walked the 3 miles from Sandsend into Whitby and had a look at the lovely patterns on the boulders that lined the sand, they were particularly beautiful after the rain.
This lovely design was carved on the harbour slip way, way too good a design source to miss.
The people we met were all so friendly and ready to chat, which is a rare thing in the fast pace of the South East, and there's a super craft shop in the town with a lovely lady who introduced me to the delights of Mulberry paper and even told me how to tear it when it's wet.
We've been planning a return visit this year when we go to the Farne Islands to see the puffins, so it was really nice to revisit last year's pics.
7 comments:
Hmmmm my back yard!
The Trust property above Rievaulx Abbey is known as the Terrace and sometimes The Temple. On the list for another visit this year. There are a few photos of the abbey on my web site.
A great composite of Rieveaulx considering you didn't manage to go inside.
You had some rough weather at SandsEnd and Whitby - we are used to it like that.
I have never seen the carvings on the slipway - will have to have a look next visit.
Yes we are very chatty people up here - we can talk for England - well I can anyway.
Cheers
Hey, you're not looking for a job with the Whitby Tourist Board are you? You've made it sound really exciting. Love all the photos.
Oh Sharon I love the north east coast. Fell in love with it on a train journey to Scotland. Have you been to Alnwick Castle and its wonderful gardens? I like the footprint and the leaf, great motif
there.
We used to go further down the coast to Scarborough to stay with an Aunt when where kids but I don't ever remember getting to Whitby, it's where Bram Stoker came up with the idea for Dracula isn't it. My Mum lived on the west coast in Blackpool during the war and she said those that lived on the front never used their front doors during the winter because of the high tides, far to wet and dangerous. Yes, us Northerners cam be very friendly. Sit next to someone on the bus in Liverpool and by the time you get off you'll have their whole life story :)
Hi Sharon,
As I possess Yorkshire blood I too love Whitby although I haven't visited for 3 years now- is the craft centre in the old church still there? it was a great source of yarns. If you liked Reveaulx try Fountains abbey as well, I always feel it has a special atmoisphere. I think Whitby has a quality Lyme Regis also possesses - not sure what it is but it certainly gets the creative juices flowing.
Wow Sharon! Amazing photos! My DH would love that crashing sea! That's all he wants from a seaside holiday. I've been to this area several times but I've never seen the fossils on the slipway. They're beautiful! Your photgraph of Rievaulx Abbey is very atmospheric. Great sketches too :)
Fantastic photos, I love the 'ruined' abbey photo, fits in very well with the 'frescoes & fragments' workshop I have just been to with Daledownunder.
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