Spring! IS NEARELY HERE! Well, its late February and the sun is shining, the birds are singing and the serving staff at Sanders Bistro can’t do enough for us, so full of happiness and joie de vivre are they [that’s enough, we get the picture…Ed].

Walking from Sandsend to Whitby along the beach – mostly along the beach as the tide hadn’t quite gone out and there are some wettish patches, on a fine [nearly] spring day. Made especially joyful as the car parking charges don’t start until the 1st March. We care about these things in Yorkshire. And, as one friend walking with us observed, the sky a searing Yorkshire blue, matching the iridescence of the smooth sea.

Anyway, Whitby thronged with people out from hibernation ready for Gin and Tonic season [the outside version]. Whitby is famous for many things – Goths, Dracula, Fish’n’Chips,  gambling machines along the front, jet shops, crab sandwiches [not what they were] and sweet shops of the old fashioned variety. We were inextricably drawn to the shop in the maze of little streets leading up to the 199 steps which climb to the Abbey. ‘We remember those from the old days’ someone said, and the girl in the shop rolled her eyes; she’s probably heard that one a hundred times already today. At least.

We buy Coltsfoot Rock [sort of liquorice flavour] and jelly babies. They also have jars and jars of stuff we haven’t seen for, well, a hundred years it seems. We may have misremembered the taste of Coltsfoot Rock.

Lunch today was not the Magpie Café [overrated and doesn’t take hounds] and, the Star in the Harbour having vanished, we opted for the old favourite, the Sanders Yard Bistro. As previously recorded in great detail, very friendly staff, so full of [enough…Ed] and good food. They couldn’t do enough to make sure we were comfortable with tables rearranged for a party of 7 plus hound [answering the name of Doug, when trying to coax him out of the sea].

Café and temporary old people’s rest home Sanders Yard Bistro

PS at the back of the bistro is the Shepherd’s Purse B&B. They used to have a brilliant shop at the front, all full of kaftans, joss sticks and patchouli oil. We stayed there once about 30+ years ago – great veggie breakfast – creamy scrambled eggs on doorsteps of toast.

Compact toilet!