Why Whitby Steps are so important and how many are there?

Many tourists have made the way up and down the now 199 stone steps - but the history behind these steps is rather fascinating.

Transcript

00:00 So we are walking up the famous 199 steps.

00:03 There's been lots of debates over how many steps,

00:06 but they used to be wooden,

00:08 but now it's confirmed there's 199 steps,

00:10 but we still do need to count them.

00:13 And actually, originally they were wooden,

00:15 but the idea is that you make the pilgrimage

00:17 up to St. Mary's Church and to Whitby Abbey

00:21 as a sign of faith.

00:23 And obviously there's also lots of reference

00:25 to these steps in Dracula.

00:28 And there's plenty of places, thank goodness,

00:30 to stop along the way if you need to.

00:33 But look at those spectacular views.

00:36 So up the steps, my daughter and I went,

00:42 counting each one,

00:44 making sure that history had got it right.

00:49 199 steps, nowadays anyway,

00:53 until we were at the top.

00:58 There, you're greeted with Whitby Abbey,

01:00 as well as, of course, St. Mary's Church.

01:03 And don't forget a lemon top ice cream

01:05 when you get back to the bottom.