
Bram Stoker,
Demeter,
dracula,
Dracula experience,
Ghost Walk,
Hunt for Dracula,
reception,
Tate Hill beach,
West Cliff,
Whale Bones,
Whitby,
Whitby Abbey,
whitby harbour,
Whitby Holiday Park
Whitby Holiday Park and the Tale of Dracula!
Sunday, 28 July 2013
The most prominent landmark in Whitby
is the ruin of Whitby Abbey (only a short walk from Whitby Holiday
Park !), which was sacked
by the Danes. As Stoker writes “it is a most noble ruin, of immense size, and
full of beautiful and romantic bits….between it and the town there is another
church, the parish one, round which is a big graveyard, all full of tombstones”.
It was the summer of 1890 whilst Stoker was holidaying in Whitby that he came
across the name that would soon become his leading characters name and also the
name of his novel. On a trip to the local library he came across a book which
included a short section about a man who fought against the Turks who went by
the name of Dracula, the meaning of which is “devil”.
Starting out from Whitby
Holiday Park
it’s only a hop, skip and a jump to the imposing ruins of Whitby Abbey and the
dark silhouette of St Mary’s Church which sits brooding atop the winding 199
steps which rise up from the cobbled streets below. One needs only to experience
the view on a day when the fret clings to the town as it rolls off the sea to
appreciate the macabre effect this can have on the imagination.
Be careful if you are around the Abbey on a night time as
folklore has it that this is where
Dracula’s grave is located and can often be seen lurking around the benches
where he had his first encounter with Lucy in the novel.
As you meander down the 199 steps you will soon find
yourself on Tate Hill beach where the Demeter ran aground and Dracula made his
first steps on English soil.
Once on Tate Hill beach you will be able to look across the
harbour to the west side of the town and look up onto the West Cliff where it
is believed Stoker spent his time when visiting Whitby . From here he would have had a prime
view down into the town, the harbour and across to the cobbled streets of the
old east side (where you will find Whitby
Holiday Park )
On the west side of the town on Marine Parade you will find
a tourist attraction dedicated to the tale of Dracula. For anyone that is not
scared by the tale of Dracula, this is a must! If you can walk from one end to
the other without looking back or running scared from Dracula himself, then you
have some something that we could not accomplish here in the office at Whitby Holiday
Park !
Foe those of you who are too scared to walk round the Dracula Experience, why not try the hunt for Dracula Ghost Walk. The meeting point is at the Whale Bones on West Cliff.
By Kayleigh and Claire
Reception
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