Plan Your Trip

We have a wide range of materials to support your visit and make school trip planning easy. You can find all our site-specific information and tools below, and further information on our what to expect page. 

Download our free resources to help you make the most out of your visit and create unique learning experiences before, during and after your trip. We also offer free planning visits once you have made a booking, plus a 20% discount on the official English Heritage guidebook for your place of choice.

Once you book your visit you’ll be sent a visit permit, which you’ll need to bring with you on the day.

Visit our bookings page to start planning your trip! 

• Facilities
  • PARKING: The main car park is located 10 metres from the site entrance and 250 metres from the abbey ruins. Parking is chargeable and is owned and managed by Scarborough Borough Council. Disabled parking spaces are available in the main car park and there is a ramped entrance to the site. 
  • LUNCH: There is a café next door to the abbey, operated by the Youth Hostel Association. The large open grassed areas in the abbey grounds have superb views and are ideal for picnics.
  • TOILETS: Toilets are located in the car park are owned and managed by the local council and incur a small charge. Details of education group passes for these toilets can be found here https://www.whitbytowncouncil.gov.uk/public-toilets. 
  • SHOP: The shop is well-stocked with a wide range of memorabilia. Please bring your class in small groups at a time.
  • VISITOR CENTRE: The interactive museum in the Visitor Centre brings to life the history of the abbey and the site's many archaeological finds. Your group can book to use this facility.
    

  Site Map

  

   

• Hazard Information

  A useful tool to help with your risk assessments. 

  • Whitby Abbey Hazard Information.pdf (60.3 KB)

  You must meet the following ratios for leaders to students on the day of your visit when booking, and if your group is forming smaller groups while at the site:

  • Ages 4-5 (UK Reception) 1 leader for every 4 students (1:4)
  • Ages 5-7 (UK Key Stage 1) 1 leader for every 6 students (1:6)
  • Ages 7-11 (UK Key Stage 2) 1 leader for every 10 students (1:10) and
  • Ages 11-18 (UK Key Stages 3, 4, and 5) 1 leader for every 15 students (1:15)
  • For an adult learning group, consisting of individuals all over the age of 18, there are no ratios but there must be an appointed group leader
  • All ratios outlined above apply to home education groups
  • If your group consists of children aged 3 and/or 4, you must also refer to the Early Years and Foundation Stage Statutory Framework which sets out specific legal requirements for minimum ratios for this age group, to include requirements about the qualifications of the leaders
  • SEND groups must meet the minimum ratios above but may bring any additional leaders as required to adequately support their group

• Discovery Visits

  These resources provide you everything you need to know about our expert-led Discovery Visit at Whitby Abbey. The Discovery Visit Guide includes a breakdown of the learning objectives and details on how to prepare for the session, while our ready-made Risk Assessment takes the hassle out of planning.

  • Whitby Abbey Discovery Visit Guide (KS2-3).pdf (874 KB)
  • Monks, Monasteries and Medieval Life Risk Assessment.pdf (86.1 KB)

• Risk Assessments

  Our ready-made Discovery Visit Risk Assessment takes the hassle out of planning. 

  • The Whitby Abbey Story: Monks, Monasteries and Medieval Life Risk Assessment.pdf (74.4 KB)

• Education Site Opening Times

  We offer free self-led education visits during school term time^*. From November until March we open exclusively for education groups at selected sites when booking an expert-led Discovery Visit. See our education opening times below for individual site information.

  ^*Free education visits are not offered on UK public holidays or during the operation of additional fee paying public events at English Heritage sites.

  • April-October: Monday-Sunday 10-5pm. Discovery Visits available Monday-Friday
  • November-March: Wednesday-Sunday 10-4pm