So I’ve been in England for a little over a month now. While winter in England isn’t necessarily the most appealing time to visit—with the gloomy sky, chilly air, and wet weather—I have been lucky enough to find some beautiful areas. 

Whitby is a small seas side town in Northern Yorkshire. It’s infamous for being home to the ruins of Whitby Abbey, which was home to Cædmon—one of England’s first poets. 

It was also the inspiration behind Bram Stoker’s novel, Dracula. This wasn’t surprising as the Gothic structure and cool ocean breeze provides an eerie air to the surroundings. After a couple hours on the road, we arrived. The drive there was also scenic as most of it was through the North York Moors National Park—home to one of the largest areas of heather moor in England. We pulled over a few times, so I could snap some shots. 






We deemed this one “The Grand Canyon of England.” Since it’s winter, there are quite a few dead patches, but they beauty is still there. I could only imagine how lush and green the moors would’ve looked during spring/summer.

We started our venture walking along the stone streets in between the houses and fish & chips shops. We made our way up to the ruins of the Whitby Abbey and enjoyed a nice snack in the cemetery. I know it sounds strange—eating surrounded by people who died over 100 years about—but it was oddly peaceful. If you visit, I recommend taking some time to sit on one of the many benches to enjoy the views.

Despite the choppy waves spraying an icy breeze around and the dark skies, it was lovely to see the ocean again. The tide was low, exposing most of the coastline, but I stuck to the path followed by most. 

Although I do love the ocean, I was definitely not tempted to jump in the water. There was a steam punk convention wrapping up on Sunday as well— apparently the first ever in Whitby. I wasn’t familiar with the popularity steam punk before, but it was fun seeing people and even pets dressed up in decadent outfits. 

It was a relaxing day and we even saw the sun peek out a few times! We finished our time off with a hot box of fish and chips before heading home. Even the drive back was beautiful and I experienced my first English sunset.

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