'People at Play'. The Druids, or neopagans skirting the great bank of Avebury. The little pleasure ships leaving Whitby harbour.
At one stage I was fascinated by the pull of the Avebury and Stonehenge stones to these new pagans. I am too grounded in a sensible attitude to actually play at dressing up but I remember following this group around with the 'famous' leader - King Arther Uther Pendragon Famous only in the sense that he stood for a made up religion. A soldier, a biker, his bike represented the horse of the mythical King Arthur. He gave English Heritage a helluva fight over 'his temple' of Stonehenge, and they have acquiesced slightly to his rights for the breaking of dawn through the stones meeting, when people flock to the stones, but sadly leave all their rubbish behind. You can find Pendragon in this clip
I am not sure whether this street scene is from Robin Hood's Bay or Staithes. The narrow lanes mostly forbidden to cars has all these charming cottages, sadly many are now second homes, but the need for flowers, even if it is only a few flowerpots strikes a colouful note.
Then there is Whitby chief holiday resort of Yorkshire, though some would argue that Scarborough holds that title. Fish and chips and icecream. A bridge full of people with cars inching through, then the bridge has to open to let ships through, and you must wait for quite a while, crowds building up, the only other bridge about a mile away.
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| a newish green marble stone outside the tourist centre |
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| ships passing through |
The ninety-nine steps to St.Mary's church. There is a coffin way as well but these steps are the dreaded steps that lead to the church yard where you might have found one of Dracula's victims sitting on a bench. Not true it was but a story ;)
Those that came before the human race, their bones interred in the cliffs as a warning that life is short but sweet.
A local history, it was ever thus. Drunkeness and rowdy behaviour.
Henrietta Street, where kippers were smoked, dark and golden the kippers as was the interior of the shed. A true English delight. You can see the smoke coming from the shed.
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| The cliffs around this part of the coast often move, here the sheds have slipped gently down the slope, see how close St.Marys church is to the edge. Whilst we were there a house slipped and was demolished. |
You didn't mention Whitby kippers. Are the smokehouses still in use? One of my most frightening experiences at sea was sailing out of Whitby (in the dark) after a storm. We followed the fishing boats figuring the locals would know when it was safe to cross that entrance. Safe but still tumultuous.
ReplyDeleteI forgot I do have a couple of photos of the road down. Yes it was still in existence when we left. Though there had been a cliff slip bringing a shed on the hill down. But its dark smoky interior is still as famous ;)
DeleteJust put them up Tigger. Much as I love the sea, sailing on it it always makes me sick.
DeleteWhitby is one of my favourite places in the entire world. Scarborough is great for different reasons but neither can compare with Wonderful Withernsea - Queen of the Yorkshire Coast - where all of your holiday dreams will come true.
ReplyDeleteNot quite sure you are being funny about Withernsea, it has lots of sand, Phoebe will be happy pottering with bucket and spade but it looks a quiet place.
DeleteOf course I am kidding Thelma. Go there and see why!
DeleteAdults playing like children. I wish I found it endearing, but I don't.
ReplyDeleteDefinitely not endearing, foolish maybe. But many people since John Aubrey, who saw Stonehenge as a Druid centre have played around with white robes and mistletoe. You would not like Whitby, they have Goth happenings in the town twice a year.
DeleteI don't mind that sort of fantasy, when nobody is really taking themselves seriously. I quite like Goths. I like steam punks too. They're just having a laugh.
DeleteI have a small print of the Whitby marketplace on my fireplace shelf and I always enjoy when you take me around that city! Can they save that church from tumbling down the cliff?!?
ReplyDeleteI doubt it Ellen but it will be a long time before it does. There are many churches in Whitby, the ruined abbey behind the church set the town on a religious mission.
DeleteIt is years since I ventured into Whitby because I can no longer walk - but it has always been my favourite place all along this coast.
ReplyDeleteNot a place for easy walking with all its hills and steps Pat. We lived in Flowergate and of course parking was difficult as well.
DeleteI lived near Whitby for a year, it is a charming place. Your mystery photo looks a bit flat to be either of those places Staithes and Robins Hoods Bay are both full of very steep streets!
ReplyDeleteJust had to fish you out of the comments, along with Joanna below. It sort of seems random as to who gets kept back. But to answer your question about the mystery photos, there is always a flat bit at the bottom when you get to the sea ;)
DeleteSeeing the "pilgrims" in long robes, I wondered how the real pilgrims fared with all that fabric catching about their ankles. Probably none were women.
ReplyDeleteIt kept them warm Joanna, the women probably kept their hemlines shorter, whilst today pilgrims, tend to go for exotique velvet cloaks and silver headware.
DeleteA house slipped off a cliff???!!! Oh my gosh. It is a beautiful town, but I would be no where near the cliffs...either the tops of them or the bottom.
ReplyDeleteNo Debby the rows of houses are built under the cliffs and on the slopes, so that slippage behind will push them forward. It doesn't happen often, more so on the coastline, where a tumble of rocks will tell you of cliff falls. Houses built near the cliff edge are already starting to fall into the sea as the weather gets rougher.
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