Yorkshire really does have everything. It’s the home of the world-famous Yorkshire Puddings and the World’s first ever football club in Sheffield! Yorkshire is also abundant with waterfalls, coves, natural formations dating since the Ice Age. It’s rich with history, culture, arts, food, attractions so it's no wonder it makes the perfect filming location for TV dramas and films, as well as being a hot spot for tourists all your round! Here’s our guide of places you should visit when in God's own County, that are all within easy travelling distance from our base in Skipton.
Haworth
In West Yorkshire you can find the small town of Haworth. Home to the Brontë Sisters, you can explore their inspiration for books and subsequent TV adaptations such as Wuthering Heights with walking trails close to their parsonage museum. Films such as ‘The Railway Children’ have also been filmed there owing to its picturesque scenery of the surrounding areas and quirky shops such as the Cabinet of Curiosities Victorian style shop.
Malham
Another great nature spot is the small village of Malham in the Yorkshire Dales. It's home to Malham Cove which is 260 ft tall, and giant rock formations such as Gordale Scar which was formed during the Ice Age. If you’re looking to cultivate your children’s imagination, take them along to Janet’s Foss which is rumoured to be home to the faeries!
York
No guide to God’s Own County can be complete without York! As one of the world’s oldest inhabited places, York is a dream for filming, food lovers, history enthusiasts, art, culture and the added benefit of being the UK’s first Humanitarian City. Visit the Jorvik Viking Centre (and/or the festival in February where the entire city is taken over by Vikings!) Explore the nearly intact stone walls spanning over 2 miles of the city. Head down to the York Dungeon for an immersive tour of Crime and Punishment throughout time. Check out a range of historical buildings such as York Minster, Cliffords Tower, Georgian Town Houses, Merchant’s Guildhall and street food from all around the world.
Helmsley
Up to North Yorkshire lies the sleepy market down of Helmsley. Famous for its cobbled market square and remnants of a castle, Helmsley is also close to several nearby natural attractions. Duncombe Park boasts the largest collection of birds of prey in Northern England. Also nearby lies Rievaulx Abbey, a Cistercian Abbey famous for its architecture and subsequent sacking in the English Reformation. Today you can marvel as the ruins convey the size of this once great working abbey, complete with nearby lake ponds and a deer walk where you can see over 500 stags and deer up close.
Whitby
If you appreciate holy sites, then Whitby Abbey has to be next on your list. Much of the Abbey still looms high on the cliff surrounding this beautiful market seaside town. Home to an array of jewellers, knick knacks, independent coffee artisans, pubs and shops there is fun for all the family. You can also take the chance to visit the Captain Cook Memorial Museum. Famous for chartering much of the Pacific Ocean, Captain Cook is perhaps most well remembered for making the first European contact with the Eastern half of Australia. A nearby village named Staithes is also purported to be the beginning of his nautical career, which may be a visit for the Staithes Story Museum alone. For our literary enthusiasts, you can also discover the inspiration behind Bram Stoker’s Dracula!
Hull
Voted the UK’s most cultural city for many years, Hull is a vibrant city with a lot to do. Perhaps its greatest attraction is the Deep, home to 12 different species of sharks and over 3,500 varieties of Fish, so plenty to keep the kids occupied with! Hull also has a docks for you boat lovers, and is home to William Wilberforce. You can visit the museum dedicated to him as the leader of the movement to end slavery in the British Empire, which became the first country to do so in the world.
Sheffield
Built upon 7 hills, there are many reasons to visit Sheffield. For our football fans, Sheffield was the first city to have a football club, anywhere in the world! Today it is home to Sheffield United and Sheffield Wednesday, the unfortunate home of the Hillsborough disaster. Aside from this the town still largely runs on a tram network, which you’ll definitely need to take advantage of when exploring the city. Somewhat of a metropolis, Sheffield is also famous for its shopping centres, notably Meadowhall, its history, art, culture and food.
Yorkshire Wildlife Park
Nearby to Doncaster (home of the Donny Dozen Beer Trail) and Nottinghamshire, Yorkshire Wildlife Park boasts an impressive array of animals. With meerkats, lions, polar bears, tigers, giraffes, rhinos and so much more, Yorkshire Wildlife Park needs to be a part of your Yorkshire bucket list. With plenty of park areas in the woods of the park, this is a great way to spend the full day out with the kids.
Knaresborough
There are many hidden gems of villages and towns in Yorkshire, but Knaresborough stands tall among them. Literally, with its famous arched bridge overlooking the river Nidd of this quiet North Yorkshire town. Also, home to Mother Shipton’s Cave, you can spend the day exploring the surrounding countryside woods, fields, river and wildlife.
.png)
RHS Harlow Carr
Somewhat more off the beaten track is RHS Harlow Carr. Famous for its 68 acres of gardens, you could spend weeks exploring all the botanical wonders it has to offer. If you fancy trying your own hand at gardening and leaving your own mark on this natural wonder, you can do so in the teaching gardens.
Can we assist you with getting started on your travels across Yorkshire? There’s no easier way to get around that by car in Yorkshire, especially if you’re planning on visiting more remote areas we’ve mentioned such as the Yorkshire Dales. We have cars to suit all budgets and requirements, from small hatchbacks to large SUVs. Get in touch today on 01756 792911 or contact us here.
