We’ve done a lot of research into our favourite fish and chip shops and have come up with our top three:

• Magpie

• Trenchers

• Royal Fisheries

Whitby is full of fun places to explore and we’ve had such a great time getting to know the area. Here are a few of our highlights that we like to visit when we’re in town:

- The Whitby Brewery. Up by the Abbey, really fun spot with an excellent selection of Whitby’s own beer, that also serves wood-fired pizzas. If you’re lucky enough to catch some of their live music nights on weekends (check their Facebook or Instagram) then you’re in for a treat.

- The Fleece. Great for sundowners on the terrace overlooking the Harbour. No food, proper boozer.

- The Quirky Den. Really great little micro-pub on the other side. Friendly staff and great offerings of local beers, ales and ciders. Cash only and open Thursday - Sunday.

- The Endeavour. It’s a good old fashioned boozer which out of season usually has a roaring fire. Every third Sunday of the month they have musicians who take over the back room and play Irish folk songs. You can also buy your own fish and chips and eat it in here (as long as you take your rubbish with you) they have ketchup and salt for you to help yourself to on top of the mantelpiece.

- The Elsinore. Another good boozer, with one of the best pints of Landlord in Whitby (The White Horse & Griffin is a joint contender).

- Beer o’clock. Cool micro-pub with a good atmosphere and more good beer or a Whitby gin & tonic if you’d prefer

- Arch & Abbey. Groovy bar which only sells local spirits - popular spot on a great street.

- The White House Inn. Bit of a walk from Oswy Street but if you fancy a quick pint mid-walk to Sandsend then this is the one.

Whitby is one of the most dog-friendly towns in the UK. Most shops allow dogs and the pubs too.

A 5-minute walk from Oswy Street is the Cinder Track which we highly recommend. The Cinder Track runs for 21 miles, from Scarborough to Whitby, along a disused railway line. As with most disused railway lines, it's quite flat.

Whitby beaches are great too however note that West Cliff Beach doesn’t accept dogs in from May - September. Tate Hill Beach however is dog friendly all year round. This beach is the ideal spot to watch the harbour boat traffic whilst paddling in the shallow waters.

One of our favourite walks is from Whitby down to Sandsend - you can walk the whole way along the track that runs alongside West Cliff Beach (if it’s between May - September), and drop down onto Upgang Whitby Beach to complete the walk. Upgang Whitby Beach is dog friendly all year round too. If it’s between October and end of April you can do the whole walk on the beach! A trip to Mary’s Sandwich Shop is always welcome post walk - and they do burgers in the evenings too, delicious.

The Falling Foss Waterfall is great for a wet day, its woodland offers great protection and they have two recommended 40-minute walks around.

If you download the All Trails App or have a look online there are lots of incredible walks to choose from.

One of Harry’s hobbies is cooking and so he’s sussed out the local shops for the best ingredients in town. We like to support local whenever we can and really encourage our guests to do the same too.

• Butcher - look no further than Landers of Whitby or Jacksons in Ruswarp

• Fishmonger - we love Cod Roe Fishmongers - their smoked cooked salmon is absolutely to die for!

• Greengrocer - R. A. Willison has everything you need in stock, and also gorgeous bunches of flowers on offer too if you wanted to spruce up the cottage. It’s cash only for anything under £5.00.

• Fortune Kippers is the place for smoked kippers if you fancy the walk up to Henrietta Street. It is the only remaining traditional Smokehouse and is famous locally and world-wide for excellent, high quality kippers. It is cash only so go prepared.

• The Yorkshire Deli on the waterfront is also great for ingredients with freshly made focaccia and delicious brownies!

If you need a supermarket then there is a Sainsbury’s, Co-op and Lidl all within 5-minute drive from Oswy Street.

Our favourite place is The White Horse & Griffin on Church Street. So much so, we ate here two Sundays in a row! The roast here is incredible but we would recommend that you book.

A little further afield you have The Wheatsheaf in Egton. We would recommend booking and going hungry, they have two sittings for Sunday lunch with very big portions! The trio of puddings is a great shout as their sweet menu is scrumptious.

Shopping in Whitby is a real treat. There are heaps of local craft shops, jewellers (including sought after Whitby jet jewellery), fishmongers selling wonderfully fresh seafood and much more. It’s the perfect place to find little momentos to remind you of your visit.

For interiors we love The Sandy Seahorse and its sister shop The Lighthouse Bay. Lots of lovely things.

For fun furniture we love Isobel May - a few of the tables in the cottage are sourced by the owner of this shop.

The Whitby Bookshop is great for browsing and buying gifts.

Treasure Hunt is a fun little shop for unique trinkets.

Saltrock is a great outdoor clothing shop with a great selection of items. Witness is also another great shop which stocks Passenger and other great brands.

Furbellow and co - gentleman’s shop with lovely things.

No trip would be complete without visiting the English Heritage site Whitby Abbey. We’d recommend taking the 199 steps up to the Abbey if you’re feeling up for it and enjoy some of the best views in town. And, head for a Whitby brewed beer from the Whitby Brewery.

Enjoy at Whitby Gin at any bar or pub (most of them stock them!) or buy a bottle as a memento from the Little Bottle Shop. You can now even do a tour around the distillery.

Have a look at the Whitby Pavilion schedule to see what’s on at this performing arts theatre.

If you fancy a nice long walk from Oswy Street then check out Saltwick Bay (dog friendly all year round too!). You will head through town, over the swing bridge, up the steps to the Abbey and head onto the Cleveland Way public footpath. Walk along the cliffs for about a mile, once you get to the Holiday Park keep going straight until you see a sign down to the Saltwick Bay beach. It’s peaceful all year round, make sure you take your own refreshments with you though!

Whitby Lobster Hatchery is run by a small, knowledgeable and dedicated team; who are working to create a sustainable future for the Yorkshire coast and the local Whitby area. They work closely with the Yorkshire coast fishing industry and aim to release 100,000 juvenile lobsters into the ocean every year. We highly recommend a visit down on the waterfront to help support their incredibly valuable and important work.

Where do we start? There are many fun day trips from Whitby along the North East Coast - Staithes, Robin Hoods Bay and Runswick Bay are some of our favourite seaside towns.

There’s a great walk down to Sandsend all along the coast - it has got a great pint and a cracking lunch/supper at the end of the walk at The Hart Inn. If you find yourself in Sandsend on more than one occasion during your trip then a trip to Fish Cottage is also a must. The prawn taco and fish taco are really good. Will not disappoint.

Falling Foss Waterfall and tearooms is also a great day out if you’re wanting a change of scene. Only 15 minutes drive from Oswy Street, it has nice hot drinks and basic sandwiches but two great 40-minute walks. Not the best if you have a buggy or anyone who’s a bit wobbly on their pins as can be steep in places.

We are both extremely foodie - and so it was a delight to eat at The Homestead in Goathland. This family-run restaurant opened it’s doors in November 2021 - and the menu showcases the finest ingredients that have been sourced seasonally and locally. It’s only a 20-minute drive from Oswy Street however getting a taxi to and from Whitby is super easy if you don’t fancy driving.

The Post House in Egton Bridge is really good too, you can expect lots of locally caught fish on the menu. Recommend booking on the weekends and evenings as it’s quite small.

If you want somewhere that’s a bit fancy but in town then we like Pizza West, it’s on the expensive side but it is delicious and a trendy spot. We love it here when there’s something to celebrate!

Turn right on Fishburn Road and then left up Park Terrace. At the end of Park Terrace just head straight down the hill which bends to the left, continue on this road and you’ll come out by the Library on your left and the train station will be on the right. Keep an eye out for Bargain Booze on the left and make a mental note for the route back!

The hill back can sometimes be a bit challenging if you have bags of shopping or if you’ve had a long walk. The easiest way back to the Cottage with the least amount of hills, is to take the steps next to Bargain Booze. At the top of the steps turn left so you walk next to the Police Station on your left hand side and Hospital on the right. When you get to the junction you want to take the short slope to the right and head down the street called Gray Street. This will bring you to another little hill tackle and then you want to walk back down Park Terrace… and then you’re nearly back!