Whitby abbey
The magnificent ruins of Whitby Abbey dominate the town of Whitby below. The Abbey was first founded in 657 AD by the Saxon King of Northumbria but it was unfortunately abandoned in 867 AD after a Viking attack. In 1540, Whitby Abbey was destroyed by Henry VIII, and the Abbey building fell into ruins. The Abbey's west front was hit by German naval shells in 1914 (The First World War) but the impressive ruins are still standing as a fantastic tourist attraction. The Abbey can be reached on foot via a 199 step climb up the East Cliff!
WHalebone arch
The famous Whalebone Arch on Whitby's West Cliff is a stunning symbol of the whaling industry that thrived their in the late 18th and early 19th centuries. The 15ft bones are from a bow-head whale, killed under licence and unveiled by Miss Alaska in 2003. This ginormous sculpture stands on the cliff top, purely as a gift to the people of Whitby and a tourist attraction.