Slept like a baby last night the mattress on the floor was just like sleeping at home not too hard and not too soft. When it was on the settee couch we both rolled into the middle with our small weight as it was too soft.

Looking out the kitchen window the sky looks like yesterday so here’s hoping we will have a lovely drive to Whitby. Arthur has our motorhome looking like brand new all our faded bumpers are now shining including the wheel rims and the drawer you wouldn’t know there had been a couple of dents.

It is so sad to say goodbye when you make good friends I hope one day Arthur and Edna come to Perth so we can show they how beautiful our country is. With satnav set we all thought we would go via the toll tunnel, as Edna had £1.70 ready for us to put in the toll collection bin but we went via Newcastle upon Tyne on the A167 to A184 through Gateshead. In the distance we could see the shipyards where Arthur once worked, we drove on so many under and over passes before we reached the A19 dual motorway. Not much to see thick coverage of trees by the motorway, travelling through industrial area, towns then rolling hills of grain fields with glimpses of the North Sea and Peterlee in the distance including the coal powered Hartlepool Power Station.

On the A174 we were watching two idiot semi drivers up front playing silly buggers overtaking and tailgating each other they nearly caused an accident and Richard made sure he kept a distance back till they went one way and we went via A172 then A171 through the Middlesbrough area. Driving through the North York Moors a national park in North Yorkshire, containing one of the largest expanses of heather moorland in the United Kingdom and covers an area of 554 square miles. The moors rolling hills look so barren in some areas where sheep and cows are grazing, then you see fields of grain, pine forests, woodlands and farmhouses with large farm sheds.

Very hilly as we wind our way down to Whitby following other motorhomes and the traffic is now building up on the out skirts of the seaside town of Whitby split by the River Esk a very busy tourist destination plus at the moment it is school holidays making it worse. Edging our way through the traffic and the maddening crowd, which reminds us of Edinburgh we finally make it to the Marina Carpark where we are going to wild camp for the night.

Richard nearly didn’t want to stay when he saw the crowds and packed carpark till he met the other people parked in their motorhomes who said this was normal for Whitby and it will only cost £8.00 for 24 hour parking with beautiful views plus there is a toilet block.

Armed with our map from the Tourist Information Centre we begin our walk on the west side of the town with its grander houses, architecture and more modern entertainment, where on the east side of the River Esk is the old town of cobble stone streets, narrow lanes, many shops, galleries, cafes and jewellery shops. Whitby has its own gem the Whitby Jet (black stone) Queen Victoria’s mourning stone.

At dock End Square there are two people posing as human statues don’t know how they stay still for so long and kids lined round the edge of the river with lines catching and releasing little crabs, we saw this early when we first starting touring the UK. Feel like sardines walking along Fish Quay, so many Fish and Chip shops and beautiful old buildings. You can take boat cruises or a few hours fishing on a charter boat, many activities here. The views are so picture perfect walked right out to the end of the West Pier past the lighthouse to the end Breakwater bit scary looking down through the planks.

Beautiful views of the long sandy Whitby Sands Beach with the little beach huts, homes on the west cliffs edge, Captain Cook Monument on the west side and across the River Esk you see the old town, piers, the Tate Hill Sands beach, the towering red East cliffs and overlooking the North Sea, the ruined Gothic Whitby Abbey which was Bram Stoker’s inspiration for “Dracula”. Nearby is the Church of St Mary, reached by 199 steps, which we are really looking forward to climbing.

After a lovely fish and chip lunch at an old pub on Fish Quay we crossed the Swing Bridge to the east side walked along the old cobble stone lanes and of course Richard found two Fish and Tackle Shops to wander through. The 199 steps got the pulse rate up walked round the Church of St Mary, pity it was closed and near by the ruined Gothic Whitby Abbey. The panoramic views of Whitby from the cliff top we a sight to see a real picture perfect postcard, then it was a steep walk back down for a rest and Cream Tea at a little busy Tearooms we saw before.

What an enjoyable day in a beautiful seaside town even though it was crowded everyone moved at a slow pace soaking in the atmosphere. Back to the Marina, which must be the hot spot for wild camping as there is now a row of motorhomes parked for the night and to finish the night I had a lovely call from Edna.