WHITBY
trail 1 - along the East side
PUB CRAWLS
There are four pub crawls illustrated for Whitby involving 35 drinking establishments. Several pubs feature in more than one crawl.
All journeys start from the Station Square which is next to the Bus station and the railway station and a supermarket car park.
1. East side of the river .
2. Up the hill to the town
3. Along the West front to the sea - includes some cafe/bistros style
4. West front going inland
Whitby pubs on East bank of River Esk
1. The East side of the river Esk
Make your way to the river and cross over the swing bridge where The Dolphin is situated. Turn right after The Dolphin and walk round the lane. On the lane is The Green Dragon micro pub. Continue round to the main road and, staying on the river, side the next building along is The Fleece. Continue walking away from the town to reach The Middle Earth Tavern across the road. Now return to the town reaching The Endeavour before the road curves over the bridge.
Leaving here walk straight ahead into the cobbled street. On the right hand side find The White Horse & Griffin followed by The Black Horse. Continue up to the end of the street where The Board Inn and The Duke of York are side by side. Returning down the road turn left at the Market Square clock tower (just before The Black Horse) and the Abbey Wharf is in front of you.
Leaving here go along the lane and you return to The Dolphin.
Other Whitby trails
-
West front inland
The George Hotel
First In Last Out
The Little Angel
The Golden Lion
Angel Hotel
The Black Swan
The Plough
The Whitby Way
JK’s
The Waiting Room
-
Town up the hill
The Golden Lion
The Royal Hotel
The Met Lounge
The Granby
The Resolution
The Elsinore
The Little Angel
The George Hotel
First In Last Out
The Waiting Room
The Station Inn
-
Along west harbour to sea
The Bridge
The Jolly Sailors
The Moon & Sixpence
The Ship
The Marine
The Pier
Harry’s
The Star Inn
The Buck Inn
The Golden Lion
Whitby pubs -
None to stay away from.
Lots have some kind of outside seating – some attractively to the front, while others may be benches in a backyard with white walls.
Most pubs do food.
Lots of pubs are dog friendly and not just because they have outside seating.
Service is always polite.
Background music tends to be from 1960 to the turn of the century.
Quite a few are actually small (or boutique) hotels.
There is not a lot of premium lager - lager lads have to make do with the well promoted brands
The Dolphin
The Dolphin is set at the end of the swing bridge connecting east and west Whitby. The outside seating is very popular. Inside the bar is to the right and the room wanders all the way round, up a few steps to a large room overlooking river, then back down to entrance area. Meals and dog friendly.
Have a pint here.
Real ale: Seven deadly Sins (Scarborough); Saltwick Nab (Whitby; Landlord; Black Sheep; Strongarm (Camerons); River Catcher (Jarrow)
Lager: Carlsberg; Carling; Peroni
Cider: Guinness
The Green Dragon
The Green Dragon is an off-sales shop for bottled ale which also opens as a micro pub at the weekend.
The Fleece ★
The Fleece, Whitby
The Fleece, Whitby - lounge and pool at rear
The Fleece, Whitby - to the left bar
The Fleece, Whitby - lounge at rear
The Fleece, Whitby - rear from the river
The Fleece, Whitby - to the left bar
The Fleece, Whitby
The Fleece has two doors but only the right is open. However, once in there are two rooms. To the left is a cosy square snug and along the corridor is a long lounge with bar to the left (with pool table to right). Off of this room is an outside patio balcony overlooking the river and catching the sun until it goes down. Positively dog friendly. Meals.
Have a pint here
Real ale: Wainwright Golden; Saltwick Nab (Whitby); Moorehouse
Bitter: John Smith; Shipyard
Lager: Carling, Amstel; Birra Moretti
Cider: Thatcher's Gold Guinness
Middle Earth Tavern
Middle Earth Tavern has a downstairs bar and upstairs fancier lounge with views overlooking the river and marina. Downstairs windows are much smaller and view is blocked a outside patio seating. Down stairs the bar is straight in front with large benches and tables to the left. A spiral stair case takes you to upstairs bar and high tables and stools at windows. Stripped back to brick in places
Have a pint here
Real ale: Golden Pippin (Copper Dragon); Theakstons Black
Bitter: John Smiths
Lager: Fosters; Carling
Cider: Guinness
The Endeavour ★
The Endeavour is a large one roomed pub with two distinct seating areas. The front has the bar and a lot of standing area with tables and seating around the wall. The rear portion has seating around the side and more smaller tables in middle of room. Slim outside area beyond this.
Only snacks but dog friendly.
Good Beer Guide (CAMRA)
Have a pint here
Real ale: Deuchars; Sons of Hilda; Double Maxim; Hobgoblin
Craft: 13 guns
Bitter: Tetley’s
Lager: Stella; Birra Moretti
Cider: Strongbow Guinness
The White Horse & Griffin
White Horse & Griffin is more a restaurant with a narrow old bar for customers. However, it does welcome drinkers and their dogs in. One table at door then a dozen high stools and shelves on either side. Lunch and evening meals.
Have a half pint
Real ale: EPA (Marstons); Landlord (Timothy Taylor)
Lager: Becks
Guinness
The Black Horse ★❤
The Black Horse , Whitby
The Black Horse , Whitby - front bar
The Black Horse , Whitby - rear lounge
The Black Horse , Whitby - into lounge
The Black Horse , Whitby
The Black Horse is one of Tetley’s Heritage Inns. It has a small tradition bar at front with some tables. At the left of the bar is the rear door and the entrance to the back lounge.
Read the history on website
Have one here
Good Beer Guide (CAMRA) regular, including 2023, 2024, 2025
One of CAMRA’s inventory of historic pub interiors
Real ale: Farthing Mild (Flipside); Blonde Ambition; Black Rhantas
Bitter: Tetley’s Imperial; Tetley’s Freeflow
Lager: Staroperaman; Carling; Coors
Cider: Thatcher’s Gold Guinness
The Board Inn
The Board Inn has three interconnected areas upstairs and a downstairs restaurant. At the entrance a corridor takes you past the back of the bar to a back room overlooking the river. Turning left at entrance takes you to the bar with a front lounge room off of it. The bar area then joins the back room. All rooms have padded benches around the wall with tables and stools. A warm feel too from red material and black wood. Not an unsurprising marine decor, given the views over the river. Meals and Dog friendly.
Have one here
Real ale: Double Cross; XB; Old Peculiar (all Theakstons); Deuchars
Bitter: John Smith; Tetley’s
Lager: Coors; Carling; 1664; Fosters
Cider: Strongbow Guinness
The Duke of York ★
The Duke of York, Whitby
The Duke of York, Whitby
The Duke of York, Whitby
The Duke of York, Whitby
The Duke of York, Whitby
The Duke of York is stuck in a corner at foot of 199 steps which take you up to the abbey on the cliff. However, the small entrance opens to larger pub. It has three distinct areas, one to the left of bar, all looking over the river. It makes the most of small size with terrific views and food.
Have pint(s) here
Real ale: Golden Pippin (Copper Dragon); Spitfire; Black Sheep; Abott;
Bitter: John Smith
Lager: Carling; Coors; Peroni
Cider: Strongbow; Thatcher’s Gold Guinness
The Whitby Friendly Rowing Club
The Whitby Friendly Rowing Club, Whitby - down the alley
The Whitby Friendly Rowing Club, Whitby - door and back up the alley
The Whitby Friendly Rowing Club is down a narrow lane off of Church St. There is usually a board proclaiming its existence. Down this very narrow and steep lane there is a small flight of stairs to the right (if you hit the water, you have gone too far) leading to the club door. The bar is found on the left and is one room with servery against right hand wall and the opposite wall being windows overlooking the harbour. There are small round tables along the window side and some stools along the bar counter. There is also a beer garden.
have pint here
Real ale; Black Sheep
Bitter: John Smiths; Tetley’s
Lager: Carling; Coors
Cider: Strongbow Guinness
Abbey Wharf
