The idea behind Whitby Town Walking Tours was to tell the story of our town. The original plan was to craft a single tour capturing Whitby’s rich history, geology and importance during the Age of Discovery. It soon became obvious that one tour could not do this justice and instead we decided to offer four unique tours.
These are: Whitby & Whitby Abbey, Voyages of Discovery, Jurassic Coast and Art & Literature.
Each tour offers something for everyone and they are suitable for all ages. This isn’t just a regurgitation of facts, but rather something to be enjoyed and hopefully returned to time and again.
Whitby & Whitby Abbey
This tour tells the story of the town and abbey from Saxon England until the German bombardment during the First World War. The story of Whitby Abbey will be brought to life in such a way that although you won’t see the Abbey for much of your walk, you’ll gain an appreciation of its historical importance. Admission to Whitby Abbey is not included with this tour.
Voyages of Discovery
Voyages of Discovery will take you across the seven seas as you learn about the famous voyages of Captain Cook. Come to understand how sheer coincidence paired Whitby-built ships and a local Captain in order to explore some of the most exotic places on earth. We want you to feel the buzz of exploration from the Great Barrier Reef to the North-West Passage.
Jurassic Coast
Whitby’s geological history, over 180 million years in the making, is an exciting story that has shaped the town we now know. From fossils to faults, our Jurassic Coast tour brings the rocks around you to life, presenting Whitby’s earth history in a unique and fun way that may just blow your mind.
Art & Literature
Our Art & Literature tour focuses on four figures associated with Whitby: the poet Caedmon, photographer Frank Meadow Sutcliffe, artist George Weatherill and author Bram Stoker. Your guide will have reproductions of Sutcliffe and Weatherill’s works for you to view on location and you’ll be told about how Whitby inspired Stoker’s novel Dracula.