Yorkshire Festive Guide 2014

A GUIDE TO

Festive Fun I N YO R K S H I R E

Wrap up and join us for a Christmas you’ll never forget...

The aroma of mulled wine, the unmistakable smell of pine needles and a crisp frost in the morning must mean it’s almost Christmas. This guide gives you a taste of what Yorkshire has to offer as our award winning attractions take the festive spirit to heart and transform into winter wonderlands ideal for exploring as friends and family alike.

Whether it’s live entertainment, incredible lighting, ice skating or, of course, the all-important Santa’s grottos – we’ve got something to suit you and yours.

For festive food, we’ve got an unrivalled range for you to feast on, with everything from chic restaurants to country pubs with roaring fires.

Gary Verity Chief Executive, Welcome to Yorkshire

Cover image: Christmas shopping in The Shambles, York

ti m e to

Party!

It’s that time of year again when you can all let your hair down, have a drink and a dance and enjoy some fantastic food.

Yorkshire is blessed with a huge variety of ways in which you can celebrate this Christmas with your friends and colleagues. So whether it’s a unique event you’re looking for or a gorgeous countryside retreat with a roaring open fire there’s something for everyone.

‘Tis the season to be jolly’, so make the Malmaison in Leeds your happy place this Christmas. The hotel features spectacular spaces big enough for the largest of parties, to intimate private dining rooms catering for a cosy few of your nearest and dearest.

Let the Holiday Inn York take care of every last detail for your festive celebration this year. Join one of their party nights or organise a night of your own. Whatever you choose they have everything you need for the perfect festive get-together – from Christmas cocktails and cuisine, to music and dancing.

Christmas and New Year is a magical time and it’s a great excuse to let your hair down and enjoy yourself. The Mercure Royal Hotel in Hull provides a warm welcome, excellent food and friendly service along with great entertainment to give you an enjoyable and memorable time. Whether it’s for the office party, a

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Clockwise from top left: Malmaison in Leeds.

Dance the night away at The Deep in Hull.

A spectacular setting at the National Railway Museum. Great entertainment at the Mercure Royal Hotel in Hull. A grand entrance at Cutlers’ Hall in Sheffield. The perfect festive get-together at the Holiday Inn York.

special dinner with family and loved ones or catching up with old friends, add some sparkle to your festive celebrations this year and try out the Leopold Hotel in Sheffield.

This Christmas you’ll find the Waterton Park Hotel in Wakefield simply brimming with party fun and festive cheer. Remember to wear your dancing shoes and be prepared to dance the night away.

Cutlers’ Hall, in Sheffield will provide a glittering start to your festive celebrations with their ‘Once upon a Christmas’ theme.

The Hall will sparkle to provide the perfect setting for your party from reception drinks and dinner through to the all-important disco.

Private dining is something to really enjoy and remember. At Rudstone Walk in Brough, East Yorkshire you will have a truly memorable time relaxing and enjoying the company of family, friends and colleagues over the festive season.

Celebrate Christmas in true spectacular style this year at the National Railway Museum, York. Experience a bygone era and dine amidst the luxurious carriages and historic locomotives. Sit down to a spectacular first class four-course dinner, followed by dancing until late into the night.

Enjoy a three-course meal and dance the night away next to some of The Deep’s stunning displays and see sawfish, sharks and rays glide past in Hull.

The John Smith’s Stadium, Huddersfield will be hosting New Year’s Eve celebrations this year. Join them for an incredible night of dancing and dine on their festive two-course buffet. Celebrate the New Year in style.

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This page: Christmas time at Forest Holidays in North Yorkshire. Opposite page clockwise from top left: RHS Garden Harlow Carr has a magical series of festival events. Delicious gift ideas at Bettys Café Tearooms. A Victorian inspired Christmas at Brodsworth Hall.

G E T in the

Festive Spirit There are so many things happening to get you in the festive mood. There is always something new to discover, unique places to explore and different things to get involved with across the county.

Burton Constable in East Yorkshire offers unrivalled access to more than 30 rooms and its interiors of faded grandeur filled with exquisite collections are transformed with tasteful decorations at Christmas.

For a truly magical experience a visit to Yorkshire’s Magical Winterland at the Yorkshire Event Centre in Harrogate is a must. You’ll find something for everyone including a winter market, a winter walk through experience, Santa’s grotto and the chance to feed Santa’s reindeer. You do not want to miss wintry fun for all of the family.

Enjoy ghost stories for adults at Doncaster’s Brodsworth Hall this Christmas, the Lady and Gentleman of the house bring to life a unique evening of Victorian inspired ghosts. Experience the Hall after dark and after hours, lit by candlelight and chillingly atmospheric. Not suitable for children under 14 years. You’ll be in awe

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warming tale will be read by the author himself and Olivier Award winning actress Virginia McKenna.

RHS Garden Harlow Carr in Harrogate has a magical series of events for the whole family this Christmas. Decorate your own gingerbread man, write and post your letter to Santa before he leaves for the North Pole and see if you can spot the hidden presents around the garden in Santa’s Secret Trail.

Wrap up warm and make a day of it with plenty of gift ideas in the shop and yummy treats at Bettys Café & Tearoom.

Get right into the spirit with the National Trust for fun filled festive days out, step back in time for a Dickensian Christmas at Robin Hood’s Bay, indulge in a taste of the season at Goddards in York, or discover Nunnington Hall near Helmsley as it would have been on a Christmas Eve in the 1920s. Take a trip to Malham Cove for a Christmas Concert not to be missed, enjoy mulled wine and mince pies while the Skipton Brass Band play some seasonal favourites in this beautiful setting. of the beautiful Christmas decorations at the Victorian Christmas at Kiplin Hall near Richmond, created using fresh Christmas trees, greenery and flowers, there will be original Victorian accessories and clothes on display.

Experience the magic of Christmas with us this year in Yorkshire, we promise it will be one to remember.

Try out Santa, Elves and Sleigh Bells at the Tropical Butterfly House, Wildlife and Falconry Centre in South Yorkshire. Visit the nativity scene in the cosy stable, meet friendly farm animals and take a peek in the manger. Sip a warming glass of mulled wine, sample delicious hot chocolate and homemade festive goodies, and then browse a selection of festive stocking fillers in the Jungle Gift Shop.

Beverley Folk Festival has a treat for the whole family this Christmas; a festive performance of Michael Morpurgo’s ‘Best Christmas Present in the World’, at The Spa Bridlington, recalling the famous Christmas Truce of 1914 through a soldier’s letter found by chance in an antique desk. This heart-

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Images from top: Dick Whittington at the City Varieties Music Hall in Leeds. Peter Pan at The Grand Theatre, Leeds.

LOTS OF

Laughs Whether you are a fan of the terrible jokes or have promised a Christmas treat to someone special, you’ve got to love a good Pantomime to really get you into the spirit of Christmas. Promising a colourful, fun and energetic day out, throughout Christmas and the New Year, Yorkshire has some brilliant performances waiting to keep you entertained.

The city of Leeds brings to Yorkshire many thrilling shows for you and your family to

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watch. The Grand Theatre presents Peter Pan from the 11th to 20th December. If you want to revisit the child in you that never grew up, this is definitely the show for you.

For a rocking start to Christmas the City Varieties Music Hall in Leeds presents Dick Whittington the Rock ’n’ Roll Panto showing from 29th November to 11th January. This is a show that will get you in the mood to get on your feet, and practise those air guitar moves.

Don’t miss Sheffield Theatres star-studded family fun pantomime Dick Whittington from the 5th December to 4th January. The Civic in Barnsley has a tasty performance of Hansel and Gretel with music, film and puppets.

It promises to be a feast for the senses, from the 9th to 14th December.

York Theatre Royal love to put on a good show and this year will not disappoint, get ready for a battle of good versus evil as two fairies battle for supremacy in Old Mother Goose. The whole family will be enthralled in a world of laughter that never ceases, from the 11th December to 31st January.

Harrogate Theatre presents Kate Rusby Live at Christmas, Cinderella, and Abba Mania.

There truly is something for everyone this December in Harrogate. What better way to start your family Christmas celebrations than singing your heart out to these productions.

December also brings us The Spa Bridlingtons production of Sleeping Beauty from the 11th December to 1st January The children will be glued to the performance leaving you all on the edge of your seat.

Northern Ballet brings you a production complete with pirates, fairies, wild animals and death defying feats of flying. Join Wendy, John, and Michael as they soar into the night sky with Peter Pan, to a magical land of mermaids and fairy dust from the 11th December to 20th January.

Lawrence Batley Theatre in Huddersfield, presents The Boy Who Cried Wolf, from

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Images from top: The Civic in Barnsley present Hansel and Gretel. Last years panto at Harrogate Theatre was a big hit!

12th to 28th December. This wonderful play features live music, funny sheep and perhaps a scary wolf or two, and is the perfect treat for your family this Christmas.

Get ready for the swaggering feline, Puss in Boots, at The Georgian Theatre in Richmond from the 6th December to 4th January. Set in the early rock and roll years of the 1950s and 60s, there will be evil scientists, crazed robots and deliciously scary monsters.

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On Christmas Eve we all remember that feeling of excitement waiting for a glimpse of Father Christmas as he comes down the chimney. Luckily you don’t have to wait that long as there are plenty of opportunities to see him before then in Yorkshire.

The winter season is now open for magic and adventures at Stockeld Park in Wetherby.

Explore and enjoy the theatre and fantasy of the Enchanted Forest, pick your very own freshly grown Christmas Tree, or set off on their Nordic skiing trail.

Join Xscape Yorkshire in Castleford for a magical Christmas adventure this December; it’s not often you can meet Santa, take to the slopes, have a bite to eat and watch a film all in the same day.

Full steam ahead this winter as you join the special service at Oxenhope, Haworth or Keighley stations for a ten-mile journey on Keighley & Worth Valley Railway’s Santa Special train.

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Clockwise from top left: Winter fun at Stockeld Park. Going underground at the National Coal Mining Museum for England.

Santa will visit the National Rail Museum. Reindeers steal the show at Cannon Hall Farm.

the season to b e

Jolly!

Take a trip down memory lane and see Santa on the Victorian cobbled streets at Kirkstall Abbey Museum in Leeds.

Santa’s big breakfast is coming back to Cannon Hall Farm, in Barnsley. Treat the family to a delicious cooked breakfast, full day admission to the farm and a tractor ride to see Santa in his grotto.

Stay on board and join Santa and his special helpers for some festive fun this Christmas at the North Yorkshire Moors Railway.

Visit Murton Park in York to meet Santa and his elves including the infamous Bauble.

Take a guided tour around Santa’s village and see his house. Visit the elves workshop

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and help them solve “The Case of the Missing Sleigh”.

For something a little different head to the Royal Armouries Museum in Leeds and make some war time crafts and decorations every weekend in December up to Christmas.

Find the perfect Christmas present in their gift shop.

For a totally different experience go deep underground at the National Coal Mining Museum for England, Wakefield and visit Santa at his underground Grotto 140m down.

Continue your adventure by following the frosty Christmas Trail through Brimham Rocks to meet Santa in his winter wonderland.

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Clockwise from top left: Sheffield sparkles at Christmas. Amazing fireworks in Barnsley. Celebrations in York. Theater Tol will be performing in Bradford’s City Park.

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LET THERE BE

Light!

The countdown to Christmas officially starts when the lights are switched on in your town. The celebrities are booked, the entertainment awaits, and an array of amazing displays are on offer.

For a night of entertainment go to Leeds on 13th November for their big switch on.

It’s also the start of late night shopping, so the perfect excuse to make a start at buying your Christmas presents for loved ones.

Join Professor Green and Union J on 6th November at Meadowhall in Sheffield for the annual light switch on. Spend time picking up some early Christmas presents and stay for a bite to eat before the show starts.

Join the Mayor of Kirklees at Holmfirth’s thoroughly festive event. Activities include music, sing-a-long carols, a mini fairground, refreshments, stalls and Santa’s grotto. The lights will be switched on by celebrity Matthew Corbett on 22nd November.

Every year Barnsley Town Centre put on an amazing firework display before switching on the Christmas lights. Don’t miss live entertainment and festive fireworks on the 19th November.

Head to Thornton-le-Dale village on Saturday 6th December with a variety of seasonal stalls serving hot food and mulled wine. There will also be a variety of musical contributions

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including the junior section of the Pickering Musical Society.

Visit City Park in Bradford on 15th November for a Christmas light spectacular. Enjoy this incredibly enchanting aerial show by internationally celebrated Belgian street theatre troop Theater Tol. A dazzling night for all the family.

There will be lots happening in Huddersfield as they get the festive celebrations into action. The lights will be switched on, on the 15th November by children’s favourite doctor, Dr Ranj from CBeebies. The 11th annual Festival of Light will be illuminated by a beautiful light show and will culminate with a carol concert and firework display, guaranteed to get you into the festive spirit.

Get the festive season underway at the spectacular annual lights switch-on at St Helen’s Square in York on 20th November.

Whitby’s Christmas in the Square and Annual Tree Lighting on 5th December is the perfect way to begin the holiday season.

Families can enjoy caroling, free activities, hot chocolate and cookies. Don’t forget to bring an unwrapped toy as they launch the Stuff-a-Bug toy drive.

Find all the Christmas Light dates and times listed at yorkshire.com/christmas

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NEW YEAR

Celebrations Escaping everyday life is one of the things that makes the festive season special, so rest and relaxation should definitely be on your Christmas list this year. Thankfully, you couldn’t be better placed to make this wish come true, because the scores of spas and hotels across the county are intent on helping you get away from it all.

This page clockwise from top left: Titanic Spa. Hotel du Vin in York. Swim in a heated pool whilst breathing the fresh, cool air at the Feversham Arms Hotel. Opposite clockwise from top left: Turkish Baths in Harrogate. Festive touches at My Little Farm Spa. Spa 1877. A festive break with the family at Forest Holidays.

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If Christmas in the city is for you, why not head to Hotel du Vin in York located in the tranquil area known as The Mount, close to the city’s historic centre, or visit the evergraceful boutique style Dean Court Hotel.

At Spa 1877, Sheffield, home to the oldest Victorian Turkish baths in the world. Escape from the hustle and bustle of modern day life, and relax with the timeless elegance of their historic Day Spa.

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Unwind and get away from all the constraints and pressures with a revitalizing residential spa break at Driffield Spa, East Yorkshire.

The Feversham Arms Hotel and Verbena Spa in Helmsley prides itself on offering excellent levels of customer service, so you will be well looked after during your stay here. Nestling on the edge of the North York Moors in the picturesque market town of Helmsley, this hotel offers a haven of laid-back luxury.

Relax and reenergise at My Little Farm Spa, West Yorkshire, a unique & holistic oasis, where nature and the seasons surround. Catering for small groups and individuals to make your stay extra special they offer a wide range of experiences, treatments, activities & dining.

Over in Huddersfield Titantic Spa is one of the most exciting and advanced spa destinations in the UK. Based in a beautifully-

renovated former industrial textile mill on the River Colne. The seclusion of the river valley and grandeur of the industrial past creates a magnificent setting for a leisurely wallow or specific therapy.

While Titanic has transformed its past, Harrogate’s Turkish Baths are revelling in theirs. A Turkish Baths ritual is a journey of heating, cooling and cleansing the body, promoting a sense of relaxation – just what you need to start the New Year.

Enjoy a festive break with Forest Holidays in Keldy or Cropton, North Yorkshire, with family, friends or as a couple before the busy times of Christmas parties and shopping starts. Relax in one of their hot tubs after crisp winter walks and spend cosy nights in by the log burner. Enjoy the delights of a family Christmas in a luxury woodland cabin.

BABY IT’ S

Cold Outside When the weather takes a turn for the worse and you really can’t get outside, fear not, as Yorkshire has plenty of indoor fun to keep the whole family entertained during the Christmas holidays.

Discover a magical underwater world at Scarborough SEALIFE Sanctuary. Help feed native sharks and rays, and dive under the waves in the Ocean Tunnel as sharks and Loggerhead turtle swim over your head.

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Be transported back through time from an ex-POW camp, to life in wartime Britain on both the home front and on the front line at Eden Camp modern history theme museum near Malton. The museum delves into the story of World War Two, which it re-creates using sights, sounds, smells and moving figures.

Learn all about the unique story of Leeds’ medicinal history at the fascinating Thackray Medical Museum. The museum recreates the

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sights and smells of the streets in the 1800s and gives you a grimy glimpse into the ‘cures’ that were available in Victorian times.

Touching and exploring is encouraged at Eureka! The National Children’s Museum in Halifax. A museum made especially for kids, you can let your little ones learn through play, spend a day exploring the Mojave Desert or delve deep inside a giant skull.

For amazing indoor activities including a 175m real snow slope and indoor surfing, Xscape at Castleford is Yorkshire’s ultimate entertainment destination. Discover the depths and descend 140 metres underground down one of Britain’s oldest working mines at the National Coal Mining Museum in Wakefield, where your guide will take you around the workings and share his mining experiences.

Visit Britain’s most famous Victorian Street experience at York Castle Museum. See how the rich and poor lived, visit authentic York businesses all of which operated between 1870 and 1901 and are still trading today, and whilst

browsing, you may even meet York characters from a bygone era. Whilst in York, come face to face with a Viking at the Jorvik Viking Centre; a world famous attraction that invites visitors to journey though the reconstruction of Viking Age streets as they would have looked 1,000 years ago.

For a fantastic day out in Rotherham, the Magna Science Adventure Centre is packed with interactive exhibits and fascinating displays to help you explore the wonders of science, the laws of nature and the four elements – Air, Water, Earth and Fire!

Experience the thrill of viewing close up aircraft that took part in missions around the world and climb into some of the aircraft cockpits at The South Yorkshire Aircraft Museum at Aeroventure in Doncaster. And if you haven’t already discovered ‘Barnsley’s Hidden Treasure’, you’ll be amazed by Calypso Cove waterpark at the Metrodome Leisure Complex in Barnsley, where you can splash your way through three water flumes; Eruption, Kraken and Terror Torrent.

Clockwise from top left: Xscape in Castleford. Magna Science Adventure Centre. Eureka! in Halifax. Face to face with a Viking at the Jorvik Viking Centre. Thackray Medical Centre.

Scarborough SEALIFE Sanctuary.

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CHRISTMAS

Shopping There’s something quite magical about shopping at Christmas time, the dark nights are upon us, the Christmas lights are twinkling and the mulled wine is flowing. So whether you are buying for loved ones or finding the perfect party outfit, get into the festive spirit and hit Yorkshire’s shops.

Leeds is one of Britain’s most inventive and colourful shopping cities. Paul Smith and Vivienne Westwood, have their flagship stores in the Victoria Quarter, as well as jewellery from the likes of Links of London and Thomas Sabo. But before you spend all your Christmas cash, shopping in the city means cocktails in the 4th floor café followed by international luxury shopping at Harvey Nichols.

The cobbled streets of York will be decked with bells and holly from late November.

Festive stalls will be strung along Parliament Street, St Sampsons Square, Kings Square, Coppergate and in the Guildhall in late November. Join a trip to the city that takes you to the York Designer Outlet, offering discounts of up to 60 per cent on big names such as Armani, Polo, Timberland and Karen Millen.

As well as playing host to Europe’s biggest shopping centre Meadowhall, Sheffield’s leafy Eccleshall Road is packed with independent designer boutiques, with wine bars and restaurants to quench your thirst and appetite. Perfect for Christmas shopping.

The Sheffield Antiques Quarter is a vibrant shopping area with something for everyone.

If your tastes are for authentic period antiques or affordable traditional furniture you will find it here.

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Standing apart from the hustle, bustle and uniformity of the high street, The Courtyard in Settle in the Yorkshire Dales will be festooned with lights and all the scents and sounds of Christmas. A unique and peaceful way to do your christmas shopping.

Cosmopolitan Harrogate is known as the ‘Antiques and Art Centre of the North’ and also boasts a great mixture of shopping, from designer to high street. There’s no where better to get in the Christmas spirit.

St Stephen’s Shopping Centre is Hull’s most stylish shopping destination, with glamorous brands at your favourite stores there’s more than enough choice to keep you shopping for hours. Don’t forget to check out Saville Street and George Street too!

The Garden Rooms at Tennants offers a unique, luxury gift shop stocking extra special Yorkshire products. With a restaurant, bar and café you will always find something to excite.

Hebden Bridge is full of unique, independent shops, cafés and restaurants, which make it the ideal destination for Christmas shopping.

You’ll find gorgeous gifts and festive ideas you just won’t find anywhere else. All this is backed by friendly shopkeepers who will make your shopping trip extra special.

And if you are in need of some new Christmas decorations, look no further than Country Baskets in Leeds; you will be inspired with new festive ideas to spruce up your house, or maybe you would like to make your own striking Christmas decoration. They will make your Christmas extra special.

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Clockwise from top left: Festive York. Christmas shopping in the Victoria Quarter in Leeds. Festive treats at Cocoa Wonderland on Eccleshall Road in Sheffield. Country Baskets will make Christmas extra special. Pick up your party outfit from one of Yorkshire’s many boutiques.

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E AT, D R I N K &

Be Merry!

Think Yorkshire, think hearty meals, rich fruit cakes, world famous cheeses, real ales and thirst quenching tea. From high end formality to cosy countryside retreats and traditional comfort food, Yorkshire has it all.

Set near Helmsley, The Black Swan at Oldstead will surpass your expectations.

This Michelin starred pub and restaurant provides the ideal break to get away from the hustle and bustle.

If you’re into honest food, good wine, beautiful surroundings and great hospitality, you’re going to love The White Swan Inn in Pickering where the chefs create excellent dishes using locally sourced ingredients where possible.

This page clockwise from left: Great hospitality in beautiful surroundings at the White Swan in Pickering. Delicious Bettys cakes. Try a festive themed afternoon tea at Swinton Park. The award winning Woolly Sheep Inn in Skipton.

How about really getting away from it all by booking ‘Three nights of Christmas’ at The Pheasant in Harome. Enjoy the North York Moors countryside or simply soak in the restful and rural surroundings.

Sumptuous seasonal food, service with a smile and splash of real ale are the essential ingredients at The Spiced Pear in Holmfirth, you are guaranteed a unique dining experience guaranteed to make you feel good.

Treat family and friends to full afternoon tea in the best tradition at Swinton Park Hotel, in Masham, festively themed with spiced shortbread, Christmas cake and mulled wine.

Take a stroll around the grounds, admire the decorations and relax in front of a blazing fire.

The Woolly Sheep Inn is ideally located on the main street of the market town of Skipton. Winner of Yorkshire’s Favourite Pub competition 2014, this is a real Yorkshire pub where you will relax and enjoy award winning ales, world beers or the pub’s impressive wine list in an establishment renowned for serving outstanding pub food.

Get cosy and comfortable for the night; this friendly pub has accommodation so you can eat, drink and relax.

And if you just want to take a little bit of Yorkshire away with you, visit one of the Bettys six café tearooms and pick up a Christmas hamper. Whether it’s a treat to yourself or a present for a loved one, you won’t be disappointed.

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M AG I CA L

Markets There’s no better way to get you in the spirit of Christmas than to visit a Christmas market and Yorkshire has plenty. Offering an array of craft and food stalls with festive treats for all the family; from handcrafted toys, jewellery and decorations to traditional food – Yorkshire has all the ingredients for a feast of festive celebrations.

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Looking for a fun outing? Leeds Christkindelmarkt is one of the largest and most established traditional German Christmas markets. In November and December, Millennium Square will once again transform into a scenic winter village, with over 40 traditional wooden chalet stalls decorated with festive greenery and twinkling colourful lights.

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Skipton Yuletide Festival & Christmas Market has more than 150 decorated festive stalls; jam packed with all kinds of interesting, desirable and original gifts, hot roasted chestnuts and mulled wine. On both days the festival ends with a light procession up the High Street to Holy Trinity Church followed by a Christmas carol service in the grounds.

Gather under the gas lamps as Dickensian folk relive the magical world of Dickens at Christmas at the Kelham Island Museum 22nd Victorian Christmas Market. With over 120 market stalls selling Sheffield made goods, a Christmas shop and emporium to suit all tastes and pockets. Enjoy their festive family entertainment and food quarter, traditional fairground and Santa’s Grotto with reindeer.

Every year at Christmas time, Haworth is lit by twinkling fairy lights and festive shop windows. Each weekend in December the Victorian Christmas Weekend at Main Street hosts bands, choirs, carol singers and Father Christmas for visitors to enjoy, with traders dressing in Victorian

costume. The cobbled street is home to wonderful independent shops, tea rooms and public houses.

Head to Harrogate Christmas Market, for a four-day festive market filled with high quality products. With more than 140 chalets, mini-marquees, traditional market stalls and outdoor gazebos selling everything from Yorkshire cheeses and chutneys to handmade gifts and Christmas decorations.

North York Moors Annual Christmas Craft Fair presents over 30 stalls celebrating the very best of local arts, crafts and seasonal gifts at The Moors National Park Centre at Danby. There’s also a visit from Santa, traditional organ music and children’s craftmaking activities.

Father Christmas arrives in style and delivers presents to local children at Leyburn Christmas Market. Stalls and festive music add to the occasion to provide a lovely festive atmosphere for all the family to enjoy with market stalls for those Christmas gift ideas, refreshments and entertainment.

This page: Christmas at Kelham Island.

Opposite page clockwise from top left: Leeds Christkindelmarkt. Family fun at Skipton Yuletide Festival.

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Knaresborough Christmas Market offers a wonderful festive weekend in this picturesque North Yorkshire market town with quality stalls, shops and entertainment.

Visit St Nicholas Fayre in York and discover the city’s incredible atmosphere.

Over in York the St Nicholas Fayre is one of the most popular Christmas markets in the UK. There is a sense of stepping into a scene from a Dicken’s tale with bustling Victorian market stalls all accompanied by the smell of roasting chestnuts and the sound of carol singers.

Markets , F airs and F esti vals Sheffield Christmas Market

St Nicholas Fayre York

Christkindlmarkt Leeds

Halifax Christmas Farmers’ Market & Christmas Lights Switch On

Mid November - 24th December 2014

14th November - 20th December 2014

Mytholmroyd Christmas Market 15th November 2014

The Moors National Park Centre Christmas Craft Fair 15th and 16th November 2014

Shibden Christmas Craft Fair

27th November - 21st December 2014

29th November 2014

Kirkbymoorside Christmas Market 29th November 2014

Brighouse Victorian Christmas Festival

15th and 16th November 2014

29th - 30th November 2014

Ripon Cathedral Christmas Gift and Food Fair

Kelham Island Museum 22nd Victorian Christmas Market

22nd November 2014

Dales Countryside Museum Christmas Fair 22nd and 23rd November 2014

Stable Courtyard Christmas Market

Castle Howard, York 23rd and 24th November 2014

Bridlington Dickensian Festival 24th November 2014

Country Living Fair

Harrogate International Conference Centre 27th - 30th November 2014

Harrogate Christmas Market 27th - 30th November 2014

29th - 30th November 2014

Grassington Dickensian Christmas Festival 29th November, 6th and 13th December 2014

Lightwater Shopping Village Festive Family Fun 5th - 7th December 2014

Sledmere Christmas Craft and Food Fair Sledmere House, 5th - 7th December 2014

6th - 19th December 2014

Leyburn Christmas Market 6th December 2014

Victorian Christmas Weekend at Main Street

Haworth, 6th and 7th December 2014

Knaresborough Christmas Market

6th and 7th December 2014

East Riddlesden Hall Christmas Fair 6th and 7th December 2014

Helmsley Makes Christmas Magical 7th December 2014

Sheffield Antiques Quarter Vintage Christmas Market 7th December 2014

Skipton Yuletide Festival & Christmas Market 7th and 14th December 2014

Beverley Festival of Christmas 14th December 2014

A Dickensian Christmas in Rotherham

From Yorkshire With Love

6th December 2014

Merchant Adventurers’ Hall, York 14th December 2014

Lamplighter Festival

Bedale Christmas Festival

Todmorden, 6th December 2014

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Helmsley Christmas Tree Festival

22nd December 2014

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AN ICE

Adventure

Whether you are a pro or a novice, ice skating is great fun for everyone, so grab your skates, put on your hat and gloves and visit one of Yorkshire’s skating rinks.

In late January experience the magic of open-air ice skating on one of Europe’s largest outdoor ice rinks at the ICE Cube in Millennium Square, Leeds. The UK’s only split-level ice rink can be found at The Dome in Doncaster. Staying in South Yorkshire, discover two Olympic-sized ice rinks at iceSheffield.

If you are serious at getting to grips on the ice then why not take advantage of the classes

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on offer and sign up to Hull Arena’s learn to skate course. The Ice Factor, the North of England’s largest outdoor ice rink, forms the heart of Yorkshire’s Winter Wonderland at York Designer Outlet. For those who prefer to watch, the raised viewing platform offers the chance to soak up the atmosphere and get close to the action.

Want to show off your moves? Then you should try the disco on ice at The Christmas Adventure at Stockeld Park, every Friday until 3rd January. Their ice rink is set within beautiful parkland and you can also enjoy the magical illuminations.

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winter

Wonderland Yorkshire is a great place to explore the varied landscapes, stunning scenery, historical sites and legendary landmarks.

Made for exploring on foot, there is something extra special about seeing it in the winter. So wrap up warm, grab your camera and be exhilarated by a winter walk through snowy hills, take a stroll along a canal or visit one of the beautiful beaches.

Whatever you do Yorkshire is made for walking. So make time to get out and explore this beautiful winter wonderland.

We are lucky to have three National Parks, starting with the Yorkshire Dales and its bounty of fantastic walks for everyone. Some of the best family routes are at Aysgarth Falls that takes in a series of breath-taking waterfalls and the gem of a walk to Mill Gill Force and Whitfield Gill Force from Askrigg.

To really test your stamina try the Three Peaks Challenge, the Dales’ most famous challenge walk, taking in three of the highest summits in the area; Pen-y-ghent, Whernside and Ingleborough. Each of these hills is worthy of spending a day climbing, so you

Š National Trust Images

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YORKSHIRE.COM/CHRISTMAS

could just focus on spending a day on each in winter and save the challenge for spring! The route is 24.5 miles (39km) long and has over 5,000 feet (1,600m) of ascent. If you make it in 12 hours or less, you can join the Three Peaks of Yorkshire Club, provided you’ve clocked out and in again at the Pen-y-ghent Café in Horton-in-Ribblesdale. The village is a popular starting point and has a train station, so save your energy for the walk and leave your car at home. Many walkers attempt to walk all three in less than 12 hours but it is important to remember that in the winter there is only 8 hours of daylight, so make sure you bring the correct equipment.

The North York Moors National Park’s coastal cliffs make fine winter walking. Levisham Moor and the Hole of Horcum is a great walk too, experience grand landscapes and spectacular views on this North York Moors classic.

Starting at Saltergate car park, overlooking the Hole of Horcum, the five mile walk takes you over Levisham Moor on good tracks past archaeological remains. There’s a possible

diversion to the stunning viewpoint of Skelton Tower, after which the route drops into the rocky ravine of Dundale Griff and returns along the valley bottom, climbing back out at Saltersgate. A great winter explorer.

Or explore the northern edge of the Peak District National Park on the National Trust’s Marsden Moor Estate, spreading across 6,000 acres of open moorland, peaks, crags, and reservoirs. With a wealth of industrial and archaeological remains, it’s easily accessed by public footpaths and the Pennine Way. Take one of their trails, five or eight miles long, or climb Pule Hill for a fantastic 360° view. Nearby, the Meltham Way is a nine mile circular route taking walkers through sites of scientific and scenic interest including Royd Edge, Blackmoorfoot Reservoir and Honley Wood.

Shibden Mill Inn will again be staging its hugely popular Twixmas stroll, between Christmas and New Year; a guided walk through the picturesque Shibden Valley.

Left to right: Fountains Abbey is beautiful in winter. A snowcapped Staithes on the Yorkshire Coast. Walking on the Marsden Moor Estate on the northern edge of the Peak District.

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REDCAR

A67

RICHMOND REETH SEDBERGH DENT

HAWES

STAITHES

GUISBOROUGH

YARM

A66

BOWES

YORKSHIRE DALES

SALTBURN

MIDDLESBROUGH

BARNARD CASTLE

A1

WHITBY

A171

DANBY

A172

NORTH YORK MOORS

LEYBURN

A684

A170

PICKERING

HELMSLEY

THIRSK

KIRKBY LONSDALE

A169 SCARBOROUGH

SUTTON BANK MASHAM

SEAMER

FILEY

HORTON-IN-RIBBLESDALE INGLETON

GRASSINGTON

SETTLE

MALHAM

RIPON

A59

SKIPTON

A64

A65

DRIFFIELD

YORK

WETHERBY

A658

SALTAIRE

A64

LEEDS

BRADFORD

SELBY

A164

A63

A63

HULL

HUMBER BRIDGE PONTEFRACT

MIRFIELD HUDDERSFIELD HOLMFIRTH

For more information please contact: Welcome to Yorkshire Dry Sand Foundry, Foundry Square, Holbeck, Leeds LS11 5DL 0113 322 3500 info@yorkshire.com www.yorkshire.com

HOW TO GET HERE For more travel information go to www.yorkshire.com/travel Yorkshire By Rail You can get to Yorkshire by train from the North West with First TransPennine Express, who offer direct services into the county from Liverpool and Manchester.

Northern Rail also offer direct services to Yorkshire from the North West. Yorkshire’s cities and market towns are also easy to get to from other parts of the country.

Travel to Yorkshire with high-speed trains from either London or Edinburgh in less than two hours with East Coast and Grand Central services.

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HORNSEA

BEVERLEY

HALIFAX

Please recycle after use.

A614

A19

HEBDEN BRIDGE TODMORDEN

A15

WAKEFIELD

SCUNTHORPE

A1

BARNSLEY

FLAMBOROUGH HEAD

BRIDLINGTON

A166

A1079

OTLEY

KEIGHLEY HAWORTH

MALTON

KNARESBOROUGH

HARROGATE

ILKLEY

A629

A165

A19

PATELEY BRIDGE

N

ROBIN HOOD’S BAY

OSMOTHERLEY

NORTHALLERTON

DONCASTER

WITHERNSEA

A180 GRIMSBY CLEETHORPES

BRIGG

A18

PEAK ROTHERHAM DISTRICT A57

SHEFFIELD

KEY Motorways

Heritage Coasts

A Roads

Areas of Outstanding Natural Beauty

Rail Routes

National Parks

Airports

Ferryport

YORKSHIRE BY SEA Ferry services to Hull and Newcastle link Yorkshire with Holland, Belgium and Germany.

P&O Ferries operate overnight services to Hull from Rotterdam and Zeebrugge.

YORKSHIRE BY ROAD Britain’s biggest and fastest highways cross Yorkshire from north to south and east to west, making getting here by car or by coach very simple. For details of the quickest (or the most scenic) driving routes see the AA or RAC websites www.theaa.com and www.rac.co.uk YORKSHIRE BY AIR Leeds Bradford International Airport is our busiest air gateway, with UK flights from Aberdeen, Belfast, Exeter, Edinburgh, Glasgow, the Isle of Man, London Gatwick, Southampton and many more. You can also fly into Robin Hood Airport Doncaster Sheffield, Humberside, Durham Tees Valley, Newcastle and Manchester airports.

YORKSHIRE.COM/CHRISTMAS

Clockwise from top left: Robin Hood’s Bay, Yorkshire Coast © National Trust Images/Joe Cornish. Family cycling in East Yorkshire. Clifford’s Tower in York.

Brodsworth Hall and Gardens.

SPRING GUIDE

FREE IN MARCH

EXPLOSIONS OF SPRING COLOUR Wave goodbye to the winter blues and warmly welcome the arrival of spring as Yorkshire explodes with colour.

As the warmer weather approaches, so will your desire to go outside and explore the great outdoors.

It’s the perfect time for an afternoon bike ride through a daffodil-laced landscape.

Enjoy a farm stay complete with homemade bread and adorable lambs to dote over.

‘Hop to it’ at one of the countless Easter activities or wander around one of Yorkshire’s stately homes. You want it?

We’ve got it in Yorkshire this spring.

Pick up your FREE guide in March to find out more and plan a brilliant break.

YORKSHIRE.COM/CHRISTMAS

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