VISITORS to Whitby have something new to sink their teeth into with the creation of two mobile apps that bring to life the places that inspired Bram Stoker to write horror classic Dracula.

The free apps, which have been created by the Bram Stoker International Film Festival with funding support from the North York Moors National Park Authority, are the result of months of research by the team to retrace the author’s footsteps during his stay in the historic fishing port in 1890.

The first app, which launches today (Thursday, October 22) to coincide with the opening of the Film Festival which runs until Sunday, October 25 in Whitby, brings to life the Viking legend of the phantom Black Dog or Barghest that Stoker heard about during his stay and then adapted for use in the novel.

The starting point for the Barghest Trail is Kettleness, at a cliff top which was exorcised after a number of sightings of a huge black hound.

Visitors follow a six-mile route that Stoker walked, along what is now part of the Cleveland Way National Trail back to Whitby, while the downloaded app uses sound, images and dialogue to digitally relate haunting stories.

A second app, Mina’s Trail will launch soon and will capture the Dracula plot by retracing the route taken by one of the heroines Mina Harker.

The apps will be available to download from www.bramstokerfilmfestival.com, www.play.google.com or Apple’s iTunes app store.

A short film using actors at this year’s festival to complement the apps will soon be available on www.thebarghesttrail.com.