Blackburn's Yard 4

Another view of Blackburn's Yard and the Wash House Pottery just off Church Street, which in this photo is straight ahead through the covered vennel.

Blackburn's Yard 3

We've been to Blackburn's Yard before. This is the Church Street entrance;  take it as an alternative route via the Donkey Path to St Mary's church and Whitby abbey. Just inside the yard is Wash House Pottery  views of which are to be had here. These yards are a feature of old Whitby both on the east and west side of the River Esk harbour and there are cottages to rent in many of them. 

Esk Valley Walk: Ten Linking Walks from Westerdale to Whitby

Blackburn's Yard 2

A second look at Blackburn's Yard, the Pottery and the award-winning community garden. Straight ahead  to the cobbled Church Street, with its pubs, cafés and boutiques.

On a good day there will be buskers, (street musicians and performers) ranging from mediocre to magical. For the magical, come during Folk Week.

I have a picture of a flute and guitar duo somewhere …

Strong knees needed!

If you saw yesterday's entry, you will have come up the steps from Blackburn's Yard and the pottery, taken a few pictures from the terrace overlooking the town, then come to this junction with the Donkey Path.

Ill-fated attempts by daft Donkey Path drivers to descend these cobbles by car show the power that technology too often has over reason. But we can be pretty stupid without the help of gadgets - and yes, my hand's up!

Turn right to climb to St. Mary's Parish Church and the abbey; left takes you down to Church Street. Amble along Henrietta Street first, where Fortune's smoke their kippers, and wander back along Tate Hill Beach. Hopefully you won't have to cope with these conditions, though a winter visit to a spot like this has some appeal.

Some of the famous 199 steps from Church Street to St. Mary's are just visible in this picture, the treader edges protruding over the top of this huge retaining wall, centre top of the picture. We'll climb them another time, perhaps when there's less risk of an accident. Mind how you go in the north of England today!

Saved from demolition

Day three is dedicated to our friend Catherine, from Compiègne, France, whose visit to Whitby this summer helped us re-live our own first encounters with this delightful seaside town 13 years ago.

It is difficult to believe today that this part of Blackburn's Yard was once scheduled for reconstruction, for which read demolition. A change of administration saved this lovely terrace which is now Grade II listed. The award-winning community garden shown here was once the site of other cottages which were beyond repair.

Blackburn's Yard serves as a quiet, though steep, alternative route to and from St. Mary's church and the abbey; Church Street and the 199 steps can be shoulder to shoulder in high season, which is why locals do their shopping early in the morning. The yard route leads to a terrace, giving good views over the town, and then to the steep cobbled path which will appear in tomorrow's entry.

Just out of view in this picture is the working pottery itself; there is usually a pretty display of its wares hanging on the walls and spread over the pavement, providing half the charm of the yard. For more (and better) pictures of the yard, go to:

Pottery Cottage

but be warned, it is a commercial site and you might be tempted to abandon Tenerife in favour of Whitby!

Wash House Pottery was created by Laureen Shaw in 1982 and features on the Brigantia website.

Wash House Pottery