captain cook's land legs...

The no.1 thing on my must-do list, was to visit a place called Whitby (up on the north east coast of England). Everyone had recommended it - Dracula was filmed there, and Captain Cook sailed from there. It’s a town that sits high up on cliffs facing the ocean, and is divided in half by the Esk River. I took a train on saturday morning and arrived four hours later.
I found my B&B, then went for a walk into town. This is the view from my street (pic left). It’s a town famous for sailing, fish’n’chips, Bram Stoker, and an 800 year old abbey. On Sunday I fortified myself with a full English breaky (sausage, egg, bacon, tomato and mushrooms!), and set out for a full day of sightseeing.
It was a bit chilly up there, but I took a walk along the beach – and came across these colourful beach huts (not as nice as our Brighton ones!), and seagulls enjoying the tide out. I walked across the bridge to the other (older) half of the town with cobbled streets, and went to Grape St where there was a Captain Cook Museum in the house where he was apprenticed when he was young. The museum was good, but it reminded me of being at school (I went to primary school in Sydney which meant I learnt about Captain Cook and Botany Bay – not about Ned Kelly!). But it was amazing to stand where Captain Cook's land legs had stood, 300 years ago.
After lunch I walked up 199 steps to an old abbey built in 1200-something, and I think was where Dracula was filmed. Twice a year Goths from all over England come to Whitby to celebrate Dracula and all things, well, gothic.
It was a very picturesque weekend away. I had considered following in Captain Cooks sea legs and taking a boat home (I really don't want to fly!), but after my Norway experience, flying will be too easy....