Whitby Abbey – Illuminated Reflections (Halloween 2025)

Perched high above the North Sea, Whitby Abbey has always had an otherworldly presence — its skeletal ruins silhouetted against the sky, carrying a thousand years of history and myth. Originally founded in the 7th century by St Hild of Whitby, the abbey grew into one of the most important religious centres in medieval England before falling to ruin after Henry VIII’s Dissolution in 1539. For centuries it has stood as a symbol of resilience, inspiration, and eerie beauty — a place where faith, legend, and literature all meet. It’s not hard to see why Bram Stoker was inspired by these very ruins when he wrote Dracula in 1897, weaving Whitby’s headland into one of the most famous Gothic tales ever told.

This Halloween, I captured the abbey as it came alive in a whole new way — illuminated in deep reds and amber light against the coastal mist. From the air, it looked breathtaking: the familiar ruins transformed into something almost cinematic, glowing defiantly against the dark. The light show doesn’t just add drama; it feels like the abbey reclaiming its own story, reminding us how history can shift between sacred, legendary, and simply beautiful. Watching from above as crowds gathered below, it was a reminder that few places capture the imagination like Whitby — especially on nights like this.