Whitby day one

Saturday was another lovely day, and a very pleasant drive over the moors, the heather bright purple in the sun. As usual, we're all childishly excited when we get the first view of Whitby and the sea.

Arrived too early to get in the cottage, but managed to get the meat we'd bought that morning from the butchers in the fridge. Drove to the Co-op, had a coffee in Sherlocks, noticed with horror that the other supermarket had turned into a Poundland, and played spot the Sheffielder. Whitby Folk Week is also known as Sheffield by the sea! Did the shopping, and then walked back along the Esk for lunch in The Duke of York- an enormous crab sandwich!


One of our local dance teams is here, and many of our friends dance with them, including a couple of people sharing the cottage, so we climbed up to the Captain Cook monument to catch Handsworth Sword Team dancing.





And not just the traditional longsword dance this year, but also the Mummers play known as The Derby Tup, which of course has the obligatory man dressed as a woman!






Good to see another Sheffield team dancing as well, Boggarts's Breakfast with their painted blue faces and energetic drummers!




Then off to the Craft Fair so that Stu could enquire about having the skin on his banjo tightened, and I could look at ordering some new clogs. My dancing clogs are nearly 25 years old and have finally given up the ghost!

A drink in the Elsinore, and we watched the procession go past of all the dance teams, led by a bagpipe player. The obligatory tray of beer for the passing sword teams was slightly larger than usual as there were more of them.




Was really pleased to see Seven Champions Molly dancers in the parade, they were one of the first Molly dance teams to be formed in the revival, but went back to the treacle mines where they live about 7 years ago. Luckily they reformed last year.





Back along the Esk for fish and chips at the cottage, which was as usual wonderful. You can't beat local Whitby fish. Then up to the Spa for the opening dance and a chance to meet up with everyone. On the way up we noticed strange shadows on the tower of Whitby Church and realised it was people standing in front of the floodlights making shapes - very funny but could get camera to focus so no pictures.

Seven Champs were the performing dance team and were great, just as I remember them from about 15 years ago which was the last time I saw them. Very distinctive style. Will post a video when I get home.

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