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The captivating seaside town of Whitby in North Yorkshire, England, has long been recognized because of its association with Dracula and Captain Cook—but, truly, there is more to Whitby that meets the eye. After paying a visit to this fishing town, it became clear to me one of the best ways to experience Whitby’s charm is through its beautiful streets!
9 Prettiest Streets in the Village of Whitby, England
The beauty of Whitby streets is one of the first things you will notice as you arrive in the village. Here you will find from cobblestone to steep and quirky streets, and also unique shops, all providing gorgeous views to the ocean and some of Whitby’s iconic landmarks, like the wonderful Whitby Abbey. In this post, I share with you 9 of the prettiest streets in the village of Whitby, England to add to your itinerary (you can also check 16 places to see in Whitby here.)
Sandgate
Sandgate Street is the perfect place to find a choice of Whitby Jet Shops. Furthermore, the Market Place located at the end of the street has been a trading area since the mid 17th Century and you will find stalls are still there today.
Church St
Originally known as Kirkgate, Church Street is home to several shops and restaurants. You will also find cottages and tiny houses dating back to the 15th Century here—although it is thought the Street first had buildings in the late 14th Century. You will find Church Street below the 199 steps leading up to Whitby Abbey. If you are hungry, I recommend having dinner at Mister Chips!
The shops on Church St
Grape Lane
Grape Lane is a quaint pedestrianized lane where you’ll find a good choice of retailers including a jet shop, a coffee shop, a gift shop, and the ever popular Captain Cook’s Memorial Museum.
Grape Lane on a quiet evening
Blackburns Yard
You will find the lovely Blackburn’s Yard off Church Street. This yard has been granted several awards including “Perfect Picture Yard” and “Whitby’s Best Kept Garden” throughout the years. Here, you can visit the Wash House Pottery where they sell beautiful pottery and ceramics.
Blackburn’s Yard in early spring
Henrietta St
This popular street was once known as ‘Haggerlythe’ (1270) but was later renamed after the wife of Nathaniel Cholmley, Henrietta Cholmley. Nathaniel was a member of the British parliament in the late 1700s. Back in the day, Henrietta Street was considered a desirable place to live (especially by fishermen) because it provided easy access to the sea and offered some of the best views in the village. Today, things are not much different. The view of the harbor and the abbey are simply amazing from this viewpoint!
Partial view of Henrietta Street
Tate Hill
Tate Hill provides such a wonderful view point of Whitby’s piers and lighthouses over the cottages roof tops. This little street definitely makes for a lovely picture spot!
View from Tate Hill
Church Lane/Donkey Road
The steep and cobbled Donkey Road dates to 1370, but the current stone work was laid in 1774. The path parallels the famous 199 steps and leads up to the iconic Whitby Abbey.
The name of this street comes from the donkeys who have historically lived on the abbey plain and had to travel down this path each day on their way to the beach, where they would give donkey rides. Nowadays this is not so anymore, as the donkeys are carried to and from their field by small trucks.
As you make your way down Donkey Road, you are able to witness a unique and stunning view of the ocean and shops down below—and, trust me, the way down is surely much easier than the climb up!
Descending from the steep Donkey Road
Pier Road
Located in West Whitby, Pier Road leads to the main beach. The road is filled with amusement arcades, ice cream stalls, and fish and chip shops. There is also a fish market here!
View from Pier Road
Cliff Street
Cliff Street offers some lovely views of the coast and village down below. It is a beautiful street to wander around with many places to rent for the night, such as this cottage. From Cliff Street, you are literally minutes away from the town center, the pier, the beach, and all the other amenities Whitby has to offer.
The houses on Cliff St
I would love to know what you think of these street recommendations! Is there one you are excited to visit the most? Let me know in the comments, and don’t forget to add these 9 prettiest streets in the village of Whitby to your Whitby itinerary!
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