FROM ST HILDA TO DRACULA

Nestled on Britain's northeast coast, where the River Esk meets the restless North Sea, Whitby emerges as a maritime town steeped in history and cloaked in legend. With its rich tapestry of stories and captivating scenery, this coastal gem is a favourite for tourists and photographers.

Whitby's skyline is dominated by the ruins of its Abbey, a beacon of antiquity founded in 657 AD by St Hilda. Here, a historic gathering of church dignitaries and nobles took place—the Synod of Whitby—an epochal moment in the annals of the Church of England.

Adjacent to the Abbey stands St Mary's church and its graveyard, perched upon the East Cliff. The gravestones, etched with time's wear and tear, stand resolute against the relentless North Sea's onslaught.

As the first rays of dawn pierce the cold darkness, positioning my camera for a sunrise shot of the Abbey feels like stepping back in time. It's easy to conjure images of a ghostly schooner, captained by the unseeing eyes of a corpse, battling fierce storms and grounding on the sands below the East Cliff. In this moment, Whitby's connection to Bram Stoker's Dracula becomes palpable.