Whitby 199 Steps Photos
Explore Whitby 199 Steps photos featuring views across the harbour and rooftops, from colourful skies to lamplit evenings and winter snow. Choose photographic prints from £17.50, alongside canvases, framed prints and other wall art. Made by our family-run business in Yorkshire, with free UK delivery.
Photographing Whitby’s 199 Steps
Whitby’s 199 Steps are one of the places I return to most often with my camera. My favourite viewpoint is around halfway up, looking back towards Church Street and the harbour, with the steps and old lamps leading your eye through the photograph.
This collection brings together years of photographing that familiar view, alongside different angles looking up the steps and across the town. Whether you remember climbing them on holiday or simply love Whitby’s red rooftops and coastal setting, there’s a view here to bring those memories into your home.
The Best Time to Photograph the 199 Steps
Sunset is one of my favourite times to photograph the steps, particularly around the summer solstice when the sun sets out towards the sea. The flowers along the bank are often in bloom, adding colour to the classic view of the lamp, Church Street and harbour below.
There are photographs to be made throughout the year. Winter brings a different atmosphere, with occasional snowfall covering the rooftops and picking out the edges of the steps. This collection includes both colourful summer evenings and quieter winter scenes, giving you a choice of seasons for your wall.
The View from Whitby’s 199 Steps
From the steps, Whitby’s red rooftops stretch towards the harbour, with the piers and open sea beyond. A wider photograph can include both the East and West Piers, while a closer composition picks out the cottages, winding streets and waterfront below.
You’ll find portrait, landscape and panoramic photographs in this collection. Portrait views follow the climb and its familiar lamps, while wider images show more of the town and coastline—giving you different ways to display a favourite Whitby view.
Historic Route Through Whitby
The 199 Steps climb from Church Street to St Mary’s Church, with Whitby Abbey a short walk beyond. They’re also just a short walk from our gallery, making them a familiar part of a visit to Whitby’s old town.
The worn stone, old lamps and tightly packed cottages give these photographs their distinctive character. Some views follow the steps towards the church and Abbey; others look back towards the streets below, capturing the route that so many visitors remember climbing.
Whitby’s 199 Steps After Dark
I particularly enjoy photographing the steps during blue hour, when the lamps are glowing but there is still enough daylight to retain detail in the buildings and sky. After rain, reflections on the wet stone add to the atmosphere.
The collection includes colour photographs of these evening scenes alongside black-and-white views that emphasise the lamps, stonework and shape of the steps. These quieter images show a different side of Whitby from its busy daytime streets.
Nearly 20 Years Photographing Whitby’s 199 Steps
I’m Laurie Smithies, and I grew up near Whitby. Over nearly 20 years of professional photography, I’ve returned to the 199 Steps countless times. This collection has grown with those visits, bringing together familiar views and moments that only happen when the conditions come together.
Our family-run business makes your prints and wall art in Yorkshire, with free UK postage and packaging. You can also visit our gallery on Church Street, a short walk from the steps, to browse our work and discuss the options for your chosen photograph.
Whitby Photography Locations
Explore the places featured in our Whitby photographs and discover the views around them. Click or tap a pin to see a photo and read about the location. On a phone, scroll inside the pin’s information box to reveal the link to its matching photo gallery.
Whitby 199 Steps Questions
Where are Whitby’s 199 Steps?
The steps begin at the end of Church Street in Whitby’s old town, a short walk from our gallery at 155 Church Street. They climb to St Mary’s Church, with Whitby Abbey a short walk beyond.
What kinds of 199 Steps photographs can I buy?
The collection includes sunsets, snowy winter scenes, lamplit evening views and black-and-white photographs. Choose from portrait, landscape and panoramic compositions showing the steps, Church Street, rooftops and harbour.
When is your favourite time to photograph the steps?
I particularly enjoy the evenings around the summer solstice, when the sun sets towards the sea and flowers often line the bank. Blue hour brings glowing lamps and detail in the sky, while rain and occasional snowfall give the steps a different atmosphere.
Where is your favourite viewpoint on the 199 Steps?
My favourite spot is around halfway up, looking back towards Church Street and the harbour. From here, the steps and old lamps lead through the scene, with wider compositions taking in the piers and sea.
How do I order a 199 Steps print or canvas?
Open your chosen photograph and select a print type from the options below it. Choose your size, then your preferred finish where available, such as a frame moulding. The available options and price are shown before you add it to your basket.
Who takes the photographs and makes the prints?
The photographs are taken by Laurie Smithies, who grew up near Whitby and has photographed the town professionally for nearly 20 years. Our family-run business makes the prints and wall art in Yorkshire, with our gallery on Church Street in Whitby.
Is UK delivery included?
Yes. Our prices include free UK postage and packaging. Your order is carefully packaged for delivery, whether it’s for your own home or a gift.
Explore more of our photography
Browse our Whitby Photos gallery for more views of the town, or explore our Yorkshire Photo Gallery for photographs from across the coast, moors and dales.