The ruined remains of St Hilda's Abbey were on my list of places to visit, so I was a little disappointed when I climbed to the top of the cliff and discovered that the Abbey is closed on Mondays in October.
Still, the climb was worth the effort for the view across the harbour to West Cliff and a chance to pay a return visit to St Mary's Church.
The church is undergoing some restoration work on the roof, so it was not quite the haven of tranquility that I recall, but the sense of history is palpable and it has that smell that is so often found in churches of its age.
Standing firm against the worst that the elements can throw at it, the building has a somewhat squat appearance and I can imagine it being battered by winter gales through the centuries. The oldest part of the church is Norman, built around 1110.
Inside, there is a rare example of boxed pews and a three-tier pulpit. The interior is mainly pre-Victorian.
The view across the harbour towards the quay where the fishermen land their catch and the famous pantile roof which is seen throughout this fishing town.
This last photograph is taken from the top of the 199 steps up to the church from the old town. The steps are worn with age from the footsteps of generations of townsfolk and tourists alike who have made the climb.
I hope that it won't be too long before I am able to return to this, my favourite seaside town on the North Yorkshire coast.
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