This is Y Magazine 2015

AMAZING

YORKSHIRE DESTINATIONS Including Herriot Country Yorkshire Dales North York Moors Yorkshire Wolds Peak District

Top of the flocks DISCOVER WHAT INSPIRES THE ‘YORKSHIRE SHEPHERDESS’ AND STAR OF ITV’S THE DALES, AMANDA OWEN

WONDERFUL WHITBY

TOUR DE YORKSHIRE

BEST WEDDING EVER

Don your Gothic glad rags and investigate strange goings-on at the seaside

We look back at the Yorkshire Grand Départ and reveal details of a new race

Wildlife park weddings to woodland wedlock, make your big day one to remember

YORKSHIRE HAS IT ALL Straight off the back of a momentous year for Yorkshire, comes the next edition of This is Y. As we continue to celebrate the success of the Grand Départ of the Tour de France 2014, we also look forward to building on its legacy when we host the very first Tour de Yorkshire. We have some of the finest journalists in the UK telling the tales of our county which boasts one of the most haunted cities in the world, the UK’s only designated Pie Village, the City of Culture 2017 and the Sunday Times’ best place to live in Britain. Yorkshire really does have it all!

Gary Verity, Chief Executive Welcome to Yorkshire

Front cover image: “The Yorkshire Shepherdess” Amanda Owen on her farm in Ravenseat in Swaledale, Yorkshire Dales Photograph: © Stuart Howat Photography www.stuarthowatphotography.com Published by: Welcome to Yorkshire Dry Sand Foundry Foundry Square Holbeck Leeds LS11 5DL © Welcome to Yorkshire 2015 Designed and produced by: Will Hodgson / Welcome to Yorkshire Printed by: Garnett Dickinson, Rotherham, South Yorkshire Whilst every care has been taken to ensure the accuracy of the information contained in this publication, Welcome to Yorkshire can accept no responsibility for any errors or omissions. Information throughout this magazine is compiled from details supplied by organisations or establishments concerned. No recommendation by Welcome to Yorkshire is implied by the inclusion of any information and Welcome to Yorkshire accepts no responsibility in the matter. Prices, dates, hours of opening etc. were correct at the time of going to press. Readers are reminded that these details are subject to change and they are advised to check when finalising any arrangements. Please note, the destination guides have been placed by our partners and the content approved by them. It is not intended to be a comprehensive guide to all destinations and does not necessarily represent the views of Welcome to Yorkshire.

The paper in this magazine originates from timber that is sourced from sustainable forests, managed to strict environmental, social and economic standards.

The manufacturing mill has both FSC & PEFC certification and also ISO9001 and ISO14001 accreditation.

Once you have finished with this magazine, please pass it on to someone else who may be interested or recycle it.

Need to get in touch?

Managing Editor Dee Marshall dmarshall@yorkshire.com Editor Jo Francisco jfrancisco@yorkshire.com Become a member of Welcome to Yorkshire Kim Broderick kbroderick@yorkshire.com Advertise with us Kerry Ludlow kludlow@yorkshire.com

@welcome2yorks welcometoyorkshire Images from top: Visitors overlooking the River Skell from the Surprise View in Studley Royal Water Garden © National Trust images/John Millar. Wentworth Castle Gardens. Yorkshire Sculpture Park. Rockpooling near Bridlington © VHEY.

Meet the Writers Dominic Bliss

Bridget McGrouther

Joe Shute

Dominic writes on travel, sport and men’s interest. He has searched out polar bears in the Arctic, climbed peaks in the Dolomites and boxed with Amir Khan.

Now living in the Yorkshire Dales, Bridget recently spent her 50th birthday going around the world in 50 days blogging and tweeting for Saga and writing for The Telegraph.

An award winning features writer on the Daily Telegraph and author of their expert travel guide to Yorkshire.

Joe has a close affinity to the county, in particular the Dales and Moors.

Sarah Freeman

Elaine Lemm

Jules Brown

Sarah was born and brought up in Leeds. She pursued a long-held ambition to be a journalist and is currently features editor of the Yorkshire Post.

Voted one of the Top 50 Food and Drink Journalists in the UK by the Press Gazette, Elaine Lemm is a Leedsborn food and travel writer. She writes for many leading food titles.

Rough Guide writer Jules Brown was born in Ghana but has spent many years living in Huddersfield, Whitby and now Scarborough, and many more tramping dales, fells and national parks.

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CONTENTS 110

6 Yorkshire Highlights The latest Yorkshire news.

75 Harrogate & surrounding market towns

10 INSPIRATIONAL YORKSHIRE Amazing images from around the county.

76 THE PERFECT BLEND Travelling the world to bring the perfect coffee back to the people of Harrogate.

18 My Yorkshire: Amanda Owen The Yorkshire Shepherdess tells us what Yorkshire means to her.

21 The Yorkshire Coast

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22 Moor than meets the eye Adrenaline fuelled mountain bike trails and nature walks in the North York Moors.

30 WACKY & WONDERFUL WHITBY See Bram Stoker's inspiration in a new light.

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82 SOuth Yorkshire 84 when Yorkshire turned yellow We look back at the grandest Grand Départ ever.

90 TOUR DE YORKSHIRE A new three day annual cycling race is coming to Yorkshire.

92 West Yorkshire 95 Welcome to Barnsley

38 The Yorkshire Dales and towns of Herriot Country

96 The Devonshire Arms

47 My Yorkshire: BOLTON ABBEY 48 INTO THE ABYSS A closer look at Gaping Gill, one of the UK’s most spectacular natural wonders.

54 WELCOME TO Leeds 58 Experience Wakefield 60 Pies the Limit Denby Dale is the UK’s only designated ‘Pie Village’.

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80 My Yorkshire: PEAK DISTRICT

36 Hull & East Yorkshire

40 I Do Make your wedding day one to remember in Yorkshire.

64 YORKSHIRE PRODUCE Discover delicious Yorkshire.

65 The National Trust Many historic houses and gardens, mills and monuments for great days out and visits.

66 North York Moors 68 EASTERN PROMISE Hull gears up for the party of its life.

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98 My Yorkshire: KNARESBOROUGH 100 HIGH SPIRITS York has been deemed the most haunted city in the world. We went to find out its spooky secrets.

106 Welcome to Sheffield 108 CREAM OF THE CROP Our White Rose Awards winners provide the perfect inspiration for your next visit or trip away.

110 LIFE IN A NORTHERN TOWN We explore Skipton - the ‘Best Place to Live in the UK’.

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117 My Yorkshire: FILEY & EAST YORKSHIRE 118 Halifax HERO Sally Wainwright is putting Yorkshire centre stage with some of TV’s best and grittiest dramas.

122 Welcome to York 124 Getting Here All the information you need to plan your next trip to Yorkshire.

126 Yorkshire Business News

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yorkshire highlights

Sculpture Vultures

The Yorkshire Sculpture Triangle will host a major exhibition to celebrate and commemorate the extraordinary career of Sir Anthony Caro.

Anthony Caro, Promenade, 1996. Courtesy of the Anthony Caro Estate and Yorkshire Sculpture Park. Photo © Jonty Wilde.

Caro’s relationship with Yorkshire was long and productive, and an exhibition at the Yorkshire Sculpture Park will be complemented by an exhibition at The Hepworth Wakefield.

Caro was one of the first artists to support the Yorkshire Sculpture Park and was a staunch advocate of the county’s artistic heritage and growing reputation as a world destination for sculpture.

The exhibition will take place from 18th July to 1st November 2015. www.ysculpture.co.uk

Down to business

Ambitious plans for a new £42m events, conference centre and four-star hotel complex that will put Hull on the UK map as a location for business and major entertainment events have been unveiled. Work is expected to start in 2015.

Sewerby Hall is 300

Sewerby Hall in Bridlington has celebrated a milestone anniversary with a £2.6 million restoration.

A range of rooms have undergone a stunning restoration, with faithful attention paid to how the house was in its Edwardian era. www.sewerbyhall.co.uk

RUGBY WORLD CUP 2015 Elland Road in Leeds has been confirmed as one of 13 venues for Rugby World Cup 2015.

Leeds is set to host games in Rugby World Cup 2015.

Italian, Canadian, Scottish and American teams and fans will flock to Leeds in September when the city hosts two Rugby World Cup 2015 games at Elland Road.

The city was selected alongside 10 other locations across the UK. A fanzone area will be in Millennium Square where those without tickets can enjoy the action while local rugby clubs will also host events. The first will be Italy v Canada at 2:30pm on Saturday 26 September, with Scotland v USA at 2:30pm on Sunday 27 September. Rugby World Cup 2015 is the third largest global sporting event and will see the top 20 international teams compete

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Jet Set

for the games biggest honour – the Webb Ellis Cup. Elland Road stadium has already staged England football internationals, Rugby League internationals and finals, and was among

the venues for Euro 96.

Leeds was also chosen as a host city as part of England’s bid for the 2018 World Cup. For more information, visit www.rugbyworldcup.com

Doncaster will once again play host to world-class watersports, as the European Jet-Ski Championship comes to town in July. The elite of riders from across Europe – including current world champion James Bushell plus home favourite Brad Rickaby – will compete for the honours at The Lakeside venue in a festival of jet sport racing over one week. The event, which takes place from 20th to 26th July, will feature three rounds of racing and will be televised on Sky Sports. yorkshire.com

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3 rosettes for Yorebridge

Yorebridge House, set in the heart of the beautiful Yorkshire Dales, was awarded the coveted 3 AA Rosettes at the AA Hospitality Awards 2014. The restaurant with rooms is the only one of its kind in Yorkshire to receive this prestigious accolade this year.

SKIPTON IS CHAMPION The Sunday Times has named Skipton as the best place to live in Britain, following its annual survey.

The town’s vibrant community, excellent schools, low crime rates and idyllic location are a winning combination, and the Gateway to the Dales was also named in The Daily Telegraph’s best places to raise a family – along with Helmsley in the North York

Moors. They also praised the area’s ‘buzzing’ high street dominated by independent shops, pretty and reasonably priced property, 900-year-old castle and beautiful surrounding countryside. www.welcometoskipton.com

Art attack

Angel Delight

The Angel Inn at Hetton has been awarded Restaurant with Rooms of the Year in the White Rose Awards 2014.

To find out more about the White Rose Awards go to page 108.

School of Food

Carlton Towers in North Yorkshire is now the proud home of a stunning new cookery school. Cooks is now open for business, with kitchens and facilities that merge old and new beautifully, and aims to offer culinary classes like no other. After all, it is one of the only cookery schools in the UK you can find situated inside a stately home.

British Art Show opens at Leeds Art Gallery

Leeds Art Gallery is set to host the opening of one of the biggest art shows in the UK, the British Art Show. British Art Show 8 – which arrives in Leeds in October 2015 – is organised by the Hayward Gallery and continues to be the biggest touring exhibition of contemporary art in the UK. www.leeds.gov.uk/artgallery

Curry Capital Bradford wins again

Bradford has won the prestigious Curry Capital of Britain award for the fourth year running. The city has been voted Curry Capital three years previously and runner up twice.

Bradford – also known for being the world’s first UNESCO City of Film – now boasts over 200 curry restaurants, and its reputation for the nation’s best curry continues to grow. www.yorkshire.com/bradford

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Costa Rica in Whitby

After a holiday to Whitby, Randall Romero and his wife Joanne fell in love with the seaside town, so much so, in fact, that they decided to open a restaurant there. They have moved the whole family to Whitby from London, and are the proud owners of RomeroJo’s, the UK’s first Costa Rican restaurant.

White Rabbit gets gold

White Rabbit Chocolatiers in Beverley has been awarded the prestigious three gold stars at the Great Taste Awards for their acclaimed blackcurrant and juniper infusion chocolate truffle. What’s more, renowned BBC Radio 2 food and drink correspondent, Nigel Barden, said of the award winning chocolate: “If you’re going to die as a truffle, that’s not a bad way to go.” Praise indeed.

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Hot history New Heritage Trail Spans South and West Yorkshire

A new industrial heritage trail highlighting Yorkshire’s contribution to the coal, iron and steel industries, has been unveiled. The route, entitled ‘Makers, Miners and Money’ links five sites across South and West Yorkshire.

The unveiling of the new European Route of Industrial Heritage (ERIH) is one of 15 across the continent. It includes three internationally important sites - “Anchor Points” – Kelham Island Museum in Sheffield, the National Coal Mining Museum for England in Wakefield, and Elsecar Heritage Centre in Barnsley, as well as two key sites – Wentworth Woodhouse, where the owners of Elsecar lived, and Wentworth Castle, owned by other coal barons and iron masters. Several other sites are promoted as part of the story, including Magna – the former Templeborough Steel Works, Wortley Top Forge, Abbeydale Industrial Hamlet and Shepherd Wheel Workshop. www.makersminersmoney.org

Fab farm shop Keelham Farm Shop set to open second store

The popular Keelham Farm Shop is set to open its second store in Skipton in early 2015.

The Bradford-based shop, which has been running in Thornton for over 40 years, will open its sister branch on Gargrave Road in Skipton.

The Skipton shop will have a cookery school; café; a ‘living’ wall of herbs and an activity barn, alongside the shop's fresh food, bakery, delicatessen and long-established butchery offering, making Keelham Farm Shop, Skipton, a visitor destination in its own right.

This is a £4 million investment, creating 67 new jobs. www.keelhamfarmshop.co.uk

Splashtastic

Fair game

Powerboat Racing in Scarborough

Game Fair at Harewood House

P1 will be making its first ever visit to Scarborough at the end of May as the new season kicks off in the coastal resort.

The SuperStock powerboat championship and AquaX jet ski race series promise to serve up a feast of marine motorsporting action live in the South Bay. The SuperStock powerboat championship and AquaX jet ski race series will also be returning to Hull later in the year. www.p1superstock.co.uk

Brid's the daddy Dad's Army filmed on location in Bridlington

The classic comedy is set to hit the silver screen this year, and Bridlington has been a key location for filming. The town’s High Street was transformed into Walmington-on-Sea, with The Georgian Rooms used as a café and the old town gallery becoming a funeral parlour. The feature-length version of the World War 2-based series has an A-list cast, with big names such as Catherine Zeta-Jones and Bill Nighy all gracing the credits.

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The nationally-renowned CLA Game Fair will be taking place at Harewood House in 2015, running from 31 July to 2 August. This is the sixth time in its 58-year history that the CLA Game Fair has been held at the Palladian style Harewood House - a stunning backdrop for

Diamond jubilee Theatre celebrates 60th anniversary

The Stephen Joseph Theatre in Scarborough is set to celebrate its 60th anniversary by hosting 60 events. A diamond jubilee programme of events is taking place throughout 2015.

Established by Stephen Joseph in 1955, the Scarboroughbased company has become an internationally-renowned cultural icon specialising in new writing. The 60 events will include the world premiere of his 79th play, original SJT productions will return home and special guests will join the theatre for a series of fringe events including play readings, talks, exhibitions, master classes and much more. www.sjt.uk.com

‘The celebration of the Great British countryside’. David Lascelles, Earl of Harewood, commented: ‘We’re delighted to welcome the CLA Game Fair back to Harewood – celebrating the countryside as a living, breathing and working place’. www.cla.org.uk

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Top Barks in Whitby Opening of a new dog spa

A brand new ‘dog spa’ has opened at Raithwaite Estate in Whitby – just in case your four-legged pet is feeling a bit woof... The Dog Spa is a professional grooming service that offers a multitude of services, treatments and styling for your canine friend. The spa rivals some of the best in the world, offering a variety of treatments and therapies to relax, energise and invigorate your dog.

There are also dog lodges so you can enjoy a night away from your dog in the knowledge that he or she is being looked after in one of the safest and most comfortable dog lodges in the UK. www.raithwaiteestate.com

3 more reasons to visit

BeerX in Sheffield 20 - 21 March 2015 The festival of award winning beers, music, sport and food returns to Sheffield. Over 250 beers will take pride of place on the 30 metre bar at IceSheffield. www.beerx.org

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Malton Food Lovers Festival 23 - 24 May 2015 A celebration of the very best Yorkshire produce and cooking set in the streets of Yorkshire’s food capital. www.maltonyorkshire.co.uk

Beverley Folk Festival 19 - 21 June 2015 Breathtaking music, dance, comedy, film and spoken word, workshops, family events, craft stalls, real ale and much more. www.beverleyfestival.com

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Inspirational Yorkshire

NORLAND MOOR WEST YORKSHIRE An example of heather moorland rising to 284 metres.

The Ladstone, a large outcrop near the trig point, has been linked with Druids as a possible place of ritual sacrifice. The moor bears quarrying scars from the 18th and 19th centuries on its north-western edge. In 2002 Norland Moor was designated a Local Nature Reserve. Š Simon Higginbottom www.northerngallery.co.uk

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yorkshire wolds east YORKSHIRE This is a land seemingly forgotten by the modern age full of peace and beauty. The Wolds are a soft crescent of hills, secret deep valleys and astonishingly pretty villages. There is a richness of wildlife and the unusually wide road verges bloom with mallow, meadow cranesbill and cow parsley, with flushes of yellow and the lovely red of poppies. Š www.martinwilsonimages.com

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Inspirational Yorkshire

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ROCHE ABBEY SOUTH YORKSHIRE Roche Abbey has one of the most complete ground plans of any English Cistercian monastery.

The soaring early Gothic transepts of this Cistercian monastery still survive to their original height and are ranked in importance with the finest early Gothic architecture in Britain. The story of the pillaging of Roche is among the most vivid documents of the Dissolution of the Monasteries.

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Inspirational Yorkshire

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LIMESTONE PAVEMENT YORKSHIRE DALES The Yorkshire Dales has some of the best examples of Limestone Pavements in the world. The large area of deeply eroded limestone pavement at Malham is at the top of a cove 260 feet high. Other pavements can be found in Ireland, Sweden and the French Alps. Due to glacial erosion, pavements resembling block paving developed their distinctive surface patterning.

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Inspirational Yorkshire

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MY YORKSHIRE RAVENSEAT

My Yorkshire...

Amanda Owen The Yorkshire Shepherdess

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ITV The Dales star Amanda Owen is a mumof-seven and author of Sunday Times Top 10 bestseller The Yorkshire Shepherdess. Together with husband Clive, she runs a 2,000 acre farm in the Yorkshire Dales, a Shepherd’s Hut for visitors and afternoon teas for walkers. In between writing, feeding and farming, Amanda has a 2015 calendar out now with a 2016 calendar still to come and has built up a healthy Twitter following.

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he started tweeting to share her unusual day job with anyone who was interested and now she has over 10,000 followers. But Amanda isn’t the type to crave more. In the last chapter of her book, she writes: “I don’t want to look too far into the future.

I enjoy what we have, here and now.”

It's a challenging life but one she loves.

In her book, Amanda describes how the rebellious girl from Huddersfield who always wanted to be a shepherdess, achieved her dreams. Full of humorous anecdotes and memorable characters, her journey takes us from fitting in with the locals to fitting in motherhood, and from the demands of the livestock to the demands of raising a large family in such a remote place – inspiring readers to look at the countryside and the people who work there with new appreciation.

What is your first memory of Yorkshire?

I’d go on my bike to Meltham on the outskirts of Huddersfield, onto the moors and I loved it. It was as near to countryside as I could get. I loved the moorland. The artist Ashley Jackson used to come to our school and pick pupils out of our art class and take them out onto the moorland and do

watercolour paintings. There was something about what he did that appealed to me.

Where is your favourite place to eat in Yorkshire?

Around my kitchen table. I am a grazer, I spend my whole day feeding animals, visitors and kids so I don’t actually sit down and eat a meal. Every tea time is dinner for nine and at weekends I have visitors, walkers and people staying in the shepherd’s hut, so it’s always busy!

Where's your favourite place in Yorkshire?

Ravenseat! It was 1996 when I first came here and married Clive. I have the best of both worlds as it’s remote and quiet in the winter and busy in the summer with visitors. When I drive over the cattle grid to come home, I feel that it’s a really special place.

What makes Yorkshire so special?

It’s got everything I need. You can have everything you want here. In Ravenseat I have got my job, my family and the whole landscape lends itself to my personality of being laid back and letting the kids run around. I have everything I could ever want here.

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MORE IMY YORKSHIREI Find out what makes Yorkshire special to those who live in “God's Own County”.

Look out for more stories throughout the magazine.

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WELCOME TO the yorkshire coast

GREAT ESCAPES

Essential experiences

The Yorkshire Coast provides 100 miles of dramatic coastline, offering clean blue flag sandy beaches and quaint fishing towns and villages.

Scarborough really does have it all; two bays dominated by a 12th century headland Castle, award winning beaches, historic harbour, great family attractions, booming town centre and a huge choice of accommodation. Its proximity to the North York Moors National Park and the Wolds makes it a perfect base from which to explore.

The North Bay offers a more tranquil setting with traditional beach huts and even a miniature railway which takes visitors from Europe’s largest Open Air Theatre to the Sea Life Centre at Scalby Mills. Here you can join the stunning Cleveland Way coastal walk.

For a complete contrast, the South Bay offers the traditional hustle and bustle and seaside delights.

The traditional Maritime town of Whitby is dominated by a 13th century Abbey, easily accessible by the 199 steps leading down to the cobbled streets on the East side. Here you can explore the quaint yards and alleyways which house individual boutique

Clockwise from top left: Whitby Harbour. Colourful beach huts in Scarborough.

Wonderful vistas at Staithes.

Traditional seaside treats.

Open Air Theatre, Scarborough Visit Europe’s largest Open Air Theatre and see international stars throughout the summer, with a variety of performances.

shops offering handmade Whitby Jet Jewellery, chocolates and local produce, before peeping inside the famous Fortune's Smokehouse.

The quaint Edwardian coastal town of Filey offers a 5 mile stretch of award winning sandy beach and is a perfect place to stay for those who are looking for a peaceful and relaxing holiday. For those feeling a little more active why not explore one of the town’s nature trails, or stroll along Filey Brigg.

Both Staithes and Robin Hood’s Bay are located within the North York Moors National Park. Staithes is a charming picturesque fishing village and wellloved base for the artist community, with an annual Arts and Heritage festival during September. Visit the places featured in CBeebies Old Jack’s Boat which starred Bernard Cribbins as Old Jack and his faithful old dog ‘Salty’.

Steeped in smuggling history, Robin Hood's Bay is a quaint fishing village full of unique charm and character and is a must with geologists as the village sits along the Jurassic Coast, ideal for fossil hunting and rock pooling.

The largest village in the Yorkshire Wolds, Hunmanby is proud of its long heritage which can be traced back to before the Doomsday Book in 1086.

Naval Warfare on Peasholm Park, Scarborough One of the longest running miniature naval battles depicting the Battle of the River Plate.

Scarborough Spa The Spa is a multi-purpose venue on the Yorkshire Coast offering excellent conference, exhibition, entertainment and banqueting facilities.

Captain Cook Memorial Museum, Whitby

Milkshake image: © Richard Wood

Visit the 17th century house where Captain Cook acquired those marine skills which led to his epic voyages of discovery.

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Stephen Joseph Theatre Known for its commitment to new writing throughout its 60 years not to mention Alan Ayckbourn’s 78+ World Premieres, SJT is home to drama, music, films and more.

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OUTDOORS

Moor than Meets the Eye Adrenaline fuelled mountain bike trails and natureI walks, forest concerts and world championships 窶的 Dominic Bliss uncovered the secrets of theI North York Moors National Park.I

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“ I’m looking out across the Vale of Mowbray, admiring what author and famous vet James Herriot once described as ‘the finest view in England’. It’s a bold claim but an entirely believable one.”

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he sun above the North York Moors is scorching.

Scanning the skies, I struggle to find even a hint of a wisp of white.

Standing on Sutton Bank, the western edge of the National Park, I’m looking out across the Vale of Mowbray, admiring what author and famous vet James Herriot once described as ‘the finest view in England’.

It's a bold claim but an entirely believable one: to the left is the escarpment known as Roulston Scar and, next to it, the perfect peak of Hound Hill (legend has it the Devil leapt from the former to the latter when he was being chased out of the county by pious Yorkshiremen, and that he's been living in Lancashire ever since). To the right is the almost circular Gormire Lake, entirely surrounded with bushy trees and green with summer algae. Straight ahead in the distance are the hills of the Yorkshire Dales. If this isn’t England’s finest view then it's certainly in contention for North Yorkshire's.

One man who regularly dines out thanks to Herriot's claim is North York Moors National Park Ranger Simon Bassindale. He and his border terrier Sprocket have agreed to guide me through some of the more intriguing sights on his stomping ground. After drinking in the ‘finest view’ from the wooden lookout on Sutton Bank (which Simon helped to build, incidentally), we continue south along the escarpment, part of the Cleveland Way, the longdistance path that skirts the edge of much of the National Park. The first landmark we come across is the airfield of the Yorkshire Gliding Club, on the plateau on top of the escarpment.

The July weather, with its clear views and rising thermals, has ensured local gliders are out in their numbers. There are a score or more of sleek, white aircraft lined up on the airfield, waiting for the tow plane to drag them up into the skies. For the rest of the afternoon, every half an hour or so, we hear a whoosh as one of the gliders soars out of the blue and over our heads.

Between the two World Wars, trainee pilots from all over Europe

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Previous page: Speeding through Dalby Forest. Opposite: Getting ready for a white-knuckle descent. Above and right: Virtually flat Trails are perfect for those who like it a little slower. Below: North York Moors National Park Ranger.

used to come here to hone their gliding skills. Even the Germans. In fact, according to a story Simon once heard, the RAF were so worried about tactical knowledge gleaned by the German flight students that, after the Second World War broke out, they quickly disguised the entire airfield and constructed a decoy replica at an equestrian racecourse just down the road. It was hoped the temporary relocation would disorientate any German trainee pilots-turned Luftwaffe airmen on bombing raids over North Yorkshire.

Simon is a mine of local stories and rumours like this. As Park Ranger, his job is to oversee one third of North York Moors’ 554 square miles, concentrating on trail maintenance, organising any construction works, and liaising with farmers and the council. But he and his colleagues also support the search and rescue experts, and monitor the risk of wildfires.

Beside the airfield, we take a rocky path down the edge of the

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“ We come to the very unbashful Kilburn White Horse, a huge equine figure cut into the southern flank of Sutton Bank.

It’s almost 100 metres long and 70 metres high. Apparently, on a clear day, you can see the horse from Leeds, 28 miles away.”

escarpment, waiting while Simon tries to spot peregrine falcons nesting in the cliffs. Sadly, they’re being bashful today.

A bit further along we come to the very un-bashful Kilburn White Horse, a huge equine figure cut into the southern flank of Sutton Bank. It’s almost 100 metres long and 70 metres high. Apparently, on a clear day, you can see the horse from Leeds, 28 miles away. It was built in 1857, and covered in limestone chips to give it its colour. But it needs regular upkeep. Nowadays it’s not unknown for spray paint to be used as an occasional spruce-up. Like the Yorkshire Gliding Club above it, the Kilburn White Horse was covered over during World War II to stop it being a landmark for German bombers. More recently, pranksters have used strips of black bin bags to turn it into a zebra.

From this confused horse we head back to the National Park Centre at Sutton Bank. Here, as well as the starting point for many hiking trails, there are mountain bike hire facilities and the beginning of three mountain bike trails – a three-mile family-friendly one, a nine-mile intermediate one and a 17-mile expert one.

Earlier that day, further east along the southern border of the North York Moors, I had done some mountain biking of my own. Guided by the excellent Mike Hawtin of Gone Mountain Biking, I spent the morning speeding

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around Dalby Forest. Like Sutton Bank, this heavily forested area of the North York Moors offers off-road biking trails for all levels from kids and beginners up to professionals. In 2010 and 2011, the UCI (the international governing body for cycling) staged cross-country legs of the Mountain Bike World Cup in Dalby Forest. Much of the original route – with steep, technical climbs and white-knuckle descents, still remains. At the other end of the adrenaline scale is the 2.5-mile, virtually flat Ellerburn Trail which is perfect for those who like it a little slower.

I was after something in between the two. Mike took me on a 90-minute ride mostly of intermediate red trails.

The variety of terrain and the beauty of the forest, baking under the July sun, was astounding: up twisting singletrack trails through shady woods, down steep hillside switchbacks, round high, banked corners, over little jumps (Mike getting noticeably more air than me), and lots of long, downhill sections where we allowed gravity to drag us along. On these hills, you have to concentrate hard or you seriously risk parting company with your bike. No chance to take in the views. A shame, really, since deep in the forest, with the fir trees surrounding you, it could almost be the foothills of the Alps.

There are endless opportunities to go mountain biking elsewhere across the

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Opposite: The magnificent view from Sutton Bank. Top: Overlooking the Vale of Mowbray.

Above: Walking along the Cleveland Way. Below: A real treat for nature lovers.

huge expanse of the North York Moors National Park – the beautiful moorland in the centre, the deeply cut valleys that run north to south throughout, and the picturesque areas around the Yorkshire Coast. But if it’s thick woodland you’re after, then Dalby Forest is where you need to go.

The latter has even staged music concerts. Paul Weller, James Blunt, Blondie, Plan B, Will Young, Simple Minds, Erasure, Simply Red, McFly, Status Quo, Travis and M People have all played outdoor gigs staged by the Forestry Commission. Like the mountain bike trails, there's a style of music for everyone.

Perhaps some of those pop stars even made it over to Sutton Bank to drink in ‘the finest view in England’.

To find out more about adventures in Yorkshire's great outdoors go to www.yorkshire.com/outdoors

Essential experience

Dominic Bliss travelled to the North York Moors courtesy of East Coast Trains (www.eastcoast.co.uk) and First TransPennine Express (www.tpexpress. co.uk). Thanks also to Gone Mountain Biking (www.gonemountainbiking.com), the bike-friendly B&B Eleven Westgate (www.elevenwestgate.co.uk) in Pickering, and the White Swan Inn, also in Pickering (www.white-swan.co.uk).

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COAST

WACKY & WONDERFUL whitby Jules Brown dons his Gothic glad rags and investigates strange goings-on at the seaside town of Whitby.

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as it the proverbial ‘dark and stormy night’ when Irish author and theatrical impresario Bram Stoker first visited the handsome Yorkshire fishing port of Whitby, back in 1890? We may never know, but he certainly saw something in the town’s Georgian alleys and clifftop abbey that stirred his imagination – and set free one of the most infamous of all supernatural characters, the blackcloaked, blood-sucking Count Dracula.

Stoker published his novel Dracula in 1897, Bela Lugosi immortalised the Count in the classic 1931 movie, and hundreds of subsequent vampire films, books and TV series have scared us silly ever since.

And Whitby? Let’s just say that if you visit around Halloween you’re in for a big, neck-nibbling surprise, as the town fully embraces its starring role in one of horror’s most enduring

creations. Goths and vamp fans have always celebrated the local Dracula connection, but the Whitby Goth Weekend – first held in 1994 – turns the town into a hugely enjoyable family-friendly jamboree, as thousands descend in their un-dead finery.

By the harbour, across the swing bridge, along cobbled Church Street and up the famous 199 Steps – it’s a well-worn route at any time of year, but it becomes a carnival parade when the visitors are this eye-catching.

Caped vampires are only part of it these days, now that Whitby and the Goths have opened their arms to any kind of ‘alternative’ look. Zombies, werewolves, pirates, Steampunk characters, wizards, bikers, heavy metal fans, vintage Victorians – that’s some crowd to stand next to in the fish-and-chip queue at the Magpie Café or share a drink with in one of the town’s pubs.

With big-name bands playing at the Whitby Pavilion, a ‘Bizarre Bazaar’ of Goth stalls and traders, and all sorts of quirky events, from a custom-car rally to Goth beach football, it’s Yorkshire’s most other worldly weekend party.

Meanwhile, high on the cliff, the atmospheric ruins of Whitby Abbey cast a spell over the town. It’s a romantic sight at any time, but a real Gothic beauty is unleashed during the annual ‘Illuminated Whitby Abbey’ event, when the soaring stone walls, delicate arches and grassy lawns are dramatically lit. Guests are invited to wander amongst the shadowy ruins after dark to hear costumed storytellers spinning yarns of ghosts, grave-robbers and witches – and if you come in character, so much the better.

In fact, there’s a tale to tell in almost every part of Whitby’s old town, if you know where to look. Bram Stoker’s story sees Count Dracula

Previous page: Harking back to a bygone era. Above: Going, going, goth in the town centre. Below: Overlooking Whitby Harbour in gothic finery. Opposite top: Eye-catching visitors. Opposite bottom: The wind-tilted gravestones at the Church of St Mary feels like a home from home for steam-punks and goths from around the world.

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“ Whitby Goth Weekend turns the town into a hugely enjoyable familyfriendly jamboree, as thousands descend in their un-dead finery.�

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Top: Illuminated Whitby Abbey.

Below: Come in character to make the most of your visit.

“ Walk around those wind-tilted gravestones today, in the lee of the brooding abbey, and tell yourself it’s only a story!” arrive aboard a mysterious Russian schooner that wrecks itself on Tate Hill Sands, by the harbour, with the crew all dead and the captain lashed to his mast. Out leaps a black dog – Dracula, in animal form – which darts up the 199 steps, looking for sanctuary in the graveyard at the top. Walk around those wind-tilted gravestones today, in the lee of the brooding abbey, and tell yourself it’s only a story!

Not surprisingly, ghost and Dracula walks are part of Whitby’s stock in trade, and you don’t just have to be here at Halloween to join in. ‘Storywalker’ Harry Collett – known as ‘The Man in Black’, thanks to his distinctive draped coat and top hat – sets off most nights at 8pm from the iconic whalebone arch on a walking tour of spooky streets and legendary lanes.

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Or pick your own way through the cobbled alleys of the old town, where gift shops, cafés and pubs occupy the tight nest of Georgian buildings that huddles on the east side of the harbour. You can easily imagine tales of intrigue in bygone days in the alley called ‘Arguments Yard’, while bawdy sailors once caroused in the narrow street of Grape Lane – its name changed, in more genteel Victorian times, from the original, and rather more salacious, ‘Grope’ Lane.

The Victorians also gave Whitby its signature souvenir – the handcarved jewellery made of deep black jet, a fossilised Jurassic-age wood that’s abundant on these shores (it’s the wood of the monkey puzzle tree, a fact which is almost certainly going to win you a pub quiz at some point,

so squirrel it away for later). Jet has been used for thousands of years as an adornment, going in and out of fashion, but Queen Victoria popularised it as mourning jewellery, following the death of Albert, and Whitby jewellers like W Hamond (“The Original Whitby Jet Shop”) continue the tradition today. For Whitby, it helps, of course, that jet is, well…jet black – the perfect colour for any self-respecting Goth About Town.

Bram Stoker may have given the town Dracula, but Whitby could just as easily lay claim to more gentle stories.

Among many others coming north to take the sea air in Victorian times was one Charles Lutwidge Dodgson, who first visited as a student in the 1850s and came back many times, staying in a boarding house at 5 East Terrace (now ‘La Rosa’ hotel). Dodgson is

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better known as Lewis Carroll – did he find inspiration for his fanciful ‘wonderland’ characters and settings in this bluff maritime town? Whitby likes to think so – and points to Carroll’s first published piece of writing as evidence, in the town’s newspaper, the Whitby Gazette, still going strong today.

Artists, too, have long been drawn to the town by the quality of its light and the sheer majesty of its setting. George Weatherill – known as ‘the Turner of the North’ – recorded Whitby’s transformation in the late-19th century, while the Staithes Group of artists colonised the fishing village of the same name a little way up the coast. A visit to the town’s Pannett Art Gallery shows you the best work of all these artists, whose seascapes, harbour scenes and coastal studies demonstrate just how important the sea has always been to Whitby.

In fact, it’s the sea – rather than some Transylvanian noble – that gets its teeth into you in the end in Whitby. From the clifftop near the abbey, or the whalebone arch on the other side of town, the tumultuous North Sea is all encompassing. On a glorious sunny day (and there are lots of those), the waters glisten as surfers ride the waves to the golden sands. When the skies darken, and the wind whips across the harbour mouth, there’s a drama to the scene as the whitecaps tumble and froth.

Vikings marauded along this coast, medieval fishermen braved the waves, whalers set sail for Atlantic waters, and – one day, sometime in the 1740s – a young man arrived in town who would change the way we see the world. James Cook, later the great navigator and explorer, served his apprenticeship in Whitby, living in the house on the harbour that’s now the Captain Cook Memorial Museum. It’s fascinating to climb the stairs to the attic where Cook once slept, and follow the story of his epic voyages in Whitby-built boats that crossed uncharted waters and discovered strange new worlds.

Cook’s proud statue on the West Cliff, right by the whalebone arch, brings all of Whitby’s stories together.

Behind you stretches the long, sandy beach with its candy-stripe beach huts, and there, across the harbour, is the stupendous abbey, with the old town below. Look carefully at dusk, and follow the shape of the 199 Steps up the cliff side – is that dark shape a puffed-out tourist, pausing for a breather, or a cloaked demon preparing to strike? The next part of the story is all yours.

Top: An other worldly weekend party. Middle: Famous Whitby Jet at W Hamond. Bottom: Visit the beach for a neck-nibbling surprise.

Whitby fact file Whitby Goth Weekend is held twice a year, in April and October/beginning of November. www.whitbygothweekend.co.uk Illuminated Whitby Abbey takes place over several days in the October half-term holiday. www.english-heritage.org.uk Whitby Walks, with ‘Storywalker’ Harry Collett. www.whitbywalks.com In 2015 The Bram Stoker International Film Festival will be hosting a series of special events to mark the 125th anniversary of Bram Stoker's Dracula. www.bramstokerfilmfestival.com Pannett Art Gallery www.pannettartgallery.org Captain Cook Memorial Museum www.cookmuseumwhitby.co.uk Whitby Dracula Society 1897 www.whitbydraculasociety.org

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CULTURE, COAST & COUNTRY Our region comprises of the beautiful Yorkshire Coast including the popular seaside resort of Bridlington, the scenic Yorkshire Wolds with its rolling chalk hills, the historic market town of Beverley and Hull, the UK City of Culture 2017.

Clockwise from top left: Flamborough Head.

Art on the Yorkshire Wolds Way. Bridlington Beach.

Princes Street, Hull.

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WELCOME TO HULL & EAST YORKSHIRE

Essential experiences

The Deep, Hull See things from a different perspective in one of Europe’s deepest viewing tunnels at The Deep, home to over 3,500 sharks, rays and fish.

RSPB Bempton Cliffs A family favourite, and easily the best place in England to see, hear and smell seabirds. More than 200,000 birds make the cliffs come alive.

Main image © Martin Wilson www.martinwilsonimages.com

Hull - The UK City of Culture 2017 Hull is a city that has reinvented itself over the last few years. With the award of the 2017 UK City of Culture title; there really has been no better time to visit this vibrant maritime city with its rich and proud heritage.

Hull’s Old Town is a part of the city with a unique atmosphere. There are cobbled streets, elegant townhouses and most of Hull’s many free museums are to be found here. Set around beautiful gardens, the museums offer a fantastic day out for all the family.

Recently there’s been much interest in the burgeoning Ale Trail that snakes through the old town. Don't forget to look up, as many of the buildings have striking architecture.

Bridlington Ever popular Bridlington makes a great base for your holiday. It has everything you'd expect from a traditional seaside resort; award winning sandy beaches, a 900 year old working harbour and fantastic attractions for the whole family. The kids will love Bondville Model Village with its 1,000 plus handmade and painted character figures, the newly renovated Sewerby Hall & Gardens with its elegant interiors and family zoo on a cliff top with extensive views over Bridlington bay, and John Bull World of Rock, where they can

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Freedom Festival Hull’s Fruit Market comes to life with colour, music, dance and comedy when the urban street festival arrives 4th – 6th September 2015.

Beverley Minster Don’t miss the spectacular medieval Minster and if you have a head for heights then join one of the rooftop tours to get a wonderful view over Beverley.

Oresome Gallery, Hull Get hands on and join one of the jewellery making workshops where you will be guided through some of the basic techniques by the experts.

make their own chocolate lolly and personalised stick of rock.

Step back in time and explore the beautiful soaring columns and impressive stained glass windows at The Priory Church of St Mary in Bridlington’s Old Town. Dating from 1113 AD, it was originally part of one of England's leading monasteries.

If you love to put on your glad rags and catch a show, you're in for a real treat. Take in an evening show at The Spa Bridlington, the premier entertainment venue on the Yorkshire Coast. There really is something for everyone, not forgetting the art gallery that opens daily and the famous Spa cream teas in the café.

Take a refreshing walk around Flamborough Head and soak up the fantastic views of the magnificent chalk cliffs, before exploring the rock pools, caves and archways at Thornwick Bay and North Landing which are magical for children.

The Yorkshire Wolds If you are searching for peace and tranquillity, an active break or would love a family day out with a difference the Yorkshire Wolds is the perfect place to escape to the country.

This area could have been made for walking and cycling. The Yorkshire Wolds Way long distance footpath traces a journey through the Wolds from Hessle in the south, to the coast at Filey in the north, guiding visitors through picturesque villages and lively market towns to the drama of the big skies and colourful landscapes that inspired internationally acclaimed artist David Hockney. Using two wheels gives you the freedom to enjoy this hidden area of England at your own pace. The nine Big Skies Bike Rides are a perfect introduction to miles of quiet roads and leafy lanes.

If you are looking for your perfect hideaway there is plenty of quality accommodation from luxury bed and breakfasts or cabins in the woods, to country house hotels all in stunning rural locations.

Beverley – one of Yorkshire’s best kept secrets The picturesque market town of Beverley strikes a perfect harmony of past and present with an upmarket shopping and appetising dining experience. A day at the races is a popular choice for many or for a spot of shopping, Flemingate is due to open in the heart of Beverley by Christmas.

However you like to spend your time, this beautiful and historic setting has it all.

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WELCOME TO THE DALES AND HERRIOT COUNTRY Clockwise from top left: Sutton Bank. Malham Cove.

Delicious treats at the Cleveland Tontine.

Essential experiences

Catterick Racecourse One of the true homes of the Northern racing scene - a venue steeped in tradition and a favourite for many of the region's owners and racing public.

SPECIAL PLACES

Malham image © Michael Crawford

The Yorkshire Dales and Herriot Country both have something to offer all tastes; whether you want peace and solitude, invigorating adventure or merely the chance to relax and explore charming towns, villages and beautiful countryside.

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There’s a lot to see and do in the Yorkshire Dales and Herriot Country. Home to some of the finest cross country mountain biking in the country, the Yorkshire Dales has an excellent network of bridleways, from the 25 mile circuit of Fountains Fell, to the Tour of Wensleydale - 21 miles of fast stone track and routes over limestone grassland. Opportunities for road cyclists range from short routes along the valley bottoms, to challenges for even the most hardened rider. Over in Herriot Country, the unspoilt landscape is perfect for both cycling and walking.

You could go spotting red squirrels in Snaizeholme or walk along the unique limestone pavement at the top of the 80 metre high Malham Cove. Explore one of the finest private collections of trees and shrubs in the country at Thorp Perrow Arboretum in Bedale, then stop off at Stump Cross Caverns, one of Britain’s premier show caves in Nidderdale. For a chance to get up close and personal with the stars of the North’s premier racehorse training centre, a visit to the gallops at Middleham is a must.

The Yorkshire Dales and Herriot Country have accommodation for all

budgets, from campsites to five star country hotels. Formerly a private residence, guests can experience the grandeur of having exclusive use of Rudby Hall, North Yorkshire’s newest exclusive luxury venue. Experience fantastic food in an award winning bistro, before staying in a stunning bedroom at the Cleveland Tontine near Northallerton or at Yorebridge House in Wensleydale, relax in stylish accommodation before enjoying a sumptuous meal in the only Restaurant with Rooms in Yorkshire to have been awarded 3 AA rosettes in 2014.

The Coach House at Middleton Lodge is a new boutique restaurant and hotel, nestled in the stunning Georgian estate on the outskirts of Richmond. You will also find a huge variety of places to eat, including the quirky restaurant at The Saddle Room, converted from a race horse stables, located on the Tupgill Park Estate with The Forbidden Corner. The old fashioned market town of Thirsk is the Darrowby of the James Herriot books.

Not to be missed is the recently opened Tennants Auctioneers new extension ‘The Garden Rooms’ in Leyburn, including a restaurant, café, gift shop and fully licensed bar.

Georgian Theatre, Richmond The oldest working theatre in the UK in its original form, the theatre was rediscovered in the 1960s; almost a fairy-tale in itself.

The Mouseman Visitor Centre, Kilburn Taking you on a journey through the life and times of Robert Thompson, from humble beginnings to furniture legend.

Ingleton Waterfalls Trail Divided into nine main areas, each with its own distinct geological features including beautiful waterfalls and associated plant life.

Grassington Festival In June each year, Grassington comes alive in a myriad of colours and creativity as artists, bands, art enthusiasts and local people entertain and inspire.

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WEDDINGS

I DO...

Sharks and champagne? The Rolling Stones sharing your stage? Being a princess in a tower? You can make your wedding day one to remember in Yorkshire.

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t’s not your average wedding day check list: Speech (tick). Rings (tick). Giraffes (tick). But for one couple the biggest day of their lives was so huge that the world’s tallest mammals were invited to join the party.

Some brides might have been worried that 16 foot Bahansin, Jambo and Palle would literally overshadow her on the day but not Abbie Bowler, who became the first bride to say “I Do” at the Yorkshire Wildlife Park when she married David Merrett in 2014.

When the couple from Tuxford, Nottinghamshire, first enjoyed a date in a zoo eight years ago, little did they realise they would be rubbing shoulders with the majestic and rare animals for their actual wedding day.

“All I knew was that I wanted to have a small intimate ceremony,” said Abbie, 25. “When Dave proposed we knew we wanted somewhere outdoors, with a relaxed atmosphere. I wanted something that suited our personalities and we’d have felt so uncomfortable in a big church.”

Mesmerised by animals usually found prowling the African wilds, the couple regularly make trips to wildlife parks across the UK. And as annual ticket holders to the Yorkshire Wildlife Park near Doncaster, they broached the topic with staff.

David, 30, said: “They didn’t have a license at the time but said they were looking into it. The next thing we knew, it was going through!”

“All our guests got free entry into the park all day, there were several places you could touch the animals and we had the chance to feed the giraffes. We love giraffes so it was just fantastic to see them! We also got two foot away from a lioness – it was unforgettable.”

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Abbie Bowler says “I Do� to David Merrett at the Yorkshire Wildlife Park in Doncaster.

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Clockwise from top left: In the woods at Camp Katur. Rock and roll weddings at Sheffield City Hall. The Cellarium at Fountains Abbey & Studley Royal. Married amongst the sharks at The Deep in Hull.

After the wedding ceremony at the park’s new Outlook conference centre, the couple had photos near to some of the rarest animals in the world before holding a zoo themed night do with animal cake, décor and photo booth.

Hog roast was served to the 100 guests who joined the 45 daytime guests.

“Our guests said it was the best wedding they have ever been to. In the evening with the view of the Wetlands it was a really exotic setting. It could have been anywhere in the world,” said Abbie. “The day was anything but ordinary - it was mind blowing!”

Choosing a venue for a dream wedding can be tough but Yorkshire has a wealth of options from the traditional to the quirky, from the animal lover to the old romantic. Here’s just a few ideas:

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The Deep, Hull

Camp Katur, Bedale

Voted in the top 10 European aquariums in TripAdvisor’s Travellers’ Choice Awards, get married in the amazing glass tunnel surrounded by sharks and rays or in the Endless Oceans tank.

The perfect alternative wedding venue that will give you and your guests an unforgettable experience. Think magical woodland ceremony, rustic barn and a Glamping Village for guests.

Sheffield City Hall

The KP, Pocklington

Follow in the footsteps of rock stars like The Beatles and Jimi Hendrix to exchange vows on the main stage of the Irwin Mitchell Oval Hall. Add a real rock and roll feel by creating gig-ticket invitations and musical table themes.

Set overlooking 120 acres of golf course, the Vale of York ceremony room has floor to ceiling windows with spectacular views of the beautiful Yorkshire Wolds.

Ponds Forge, Sheffield

Be a Princess for the day in the bridal suite at the top of Baroness Tower.

Home to Lord and Lady Gerald Fitzalan Howard, the Grade I listed estate is set in 250 acres of private parkland and has 16 luxury suites.

Commonwealth Games diving medallists are regulars in the pool while the Skyline Suite can host weddings with its private rooftop terrace and enough space for up to 250 guests.

Carlton Towers, Goole

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Yorebridge House, Bainbridge

Built in 1838 for the daughter of King William IV, Lady Amelia Cary and her husband the 10th Viscount Falkland this former Royal residence has only recently been restored and is now open for luxury weddings.

Named Britain’s most romantic hotel

by TripAdvisor and voted in the top five of 50 ‘Sexiest Bedrooms’ in the Times’ Travel Supplement, this boutique hotel boasts bubbling hot tubs in five out of its 11 bedrooms.

Black Swan, Helmsley

Fountains Abbey, Ripon

Quintessentially English, exchange vows before a roaring fire in the 15th century Tudor Lounge or in the beautiful English garden. The 45-bed hotel can be taken over for exclusive use.

Enjoy the stunning atmospheric abbey ruins and elegant 18th century gardens at your leisure, making the most of this World Heritage Site for your wedding photographs.

Old Lodge, Malton

National Railway Museum, York

Go alfresco in the hotel grounds and take your wedding vows in the new ‘Wedding Pavilion’. Set in beautiful grounds, on the edge of the historic market town of Malton, near Pickering.

Experience steam, whistles and church bells. A number of special venues are available – the most popular being alongside Queen Victoria's carriage in the Royal Gallery.

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Fountains Abbey image: © Dominique & Liam Shaw www.yorkplacestudios.co.uk Sheffield image: © Chris Seddon www.chris-seddon.co.uk

Rudby Hall, North York Moors

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Clockwise from top left: Grand interiors at Carlton Towers. Enjoy the beautiful landscape surrounding Yorebridge House. Vintage glamour at the National Railway Museum. Quintessentially English weddings at the Black Swan in Helmsley.

What makes the perfect day?

Maxine Briggs Editor of You & Your Wedding gives her top tips.

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Choose a venue that works for you

Add personal touches

Are you looking to have an all-night party? Then make sure your venue has no curfew or sound limitations.

If you dream of a beautiful al fresco wedding then make sure you choose a venue that allows outdoor blessings and has options for drinks on the lawn.

Whether it's a personalised cake topper, DIY details or writing your own vows, small details that reflect you as a couple make a day that bit more special.

Prioritise food and drink Don't leave too long between the ceremony and serving canapĂŠs/the wedding breakfast as hungry guests

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© www.jonnydraper.co.uk

Remember the guest experience Think how your guests need looking after throughout the day. Whether it's transport to take them from the ceremony to the reception or welcome bags on the end of their beds – these little touches help to create the perfect atmosphere.

Communicate with your guests Let guests know well in advance the accommodation options, timings of the day and directions. This can be done through a wedding website or through your invites/save the dates.

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Spend time with each guest It doesn't have to be long but make sure to speak to each guest for a minute or two and thank them for coming. This can be achieved through a traditional receiving line or by spending time at each table after the wedding breakfast.

et aside time to spend S with your groom Schedule half an hour with your now husband to reflect on the fact that you have become husband and wife. With everything else going on it can be easy to miss this special moment.

Choose a great photographer After the wedding, along with your memories, the photos will be the

most precious keepsakes you have, so make sure you invest in a good photographer.

Stick to a coherent style Make sure to create mood boards and think of a wedding style before you start to buy everything and anything you like the look of. Also consider if your theme works with the look of your venue.

Stick to your budget Don't feel the pressure to spend more money than you have, you'll not want to start your married life in debt. You can still create the perfect day with a small budget by DIYing details and prioritising the most important things for your day.

NRM image: Peter Boyd Wedding Photography/dress by The Little Bridal Company www.pbphoto.co.uk. Carlton Towers image: www.bristophotography.com

do not make for a perfect wedding.

The same applies to drink – a wellstocked bar means a well-filled dance floor.

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MY YORKSHIRE BOLTON ABBEY

Nathan is 15 and from a small hamlet called Lumbfoot by the village of Stanbury. He already has some fond memories of Yorkshire and thinks the people and landscapes are what makes Yorkshire so special.

My Yorkshire...

Nathan Green Worth Valley Young Farmer

What is your first memory of Yorkshire?

My first memory is paddling in the River Worth which runs through our farm. There is an old pack horse bridge there and I still like to go down in the summer even now and have a paddle on a sunny day.

MORE IMY YORKSHIREI Find out what makes Yorkshire special to those who live in “God's Own County”.

Look out for more stories throughout the magazine.

Where is your favourite place to eat in Yorkshire?

The Grouse Inn at Oldfield. The food is always really, really tasty and the service very friendly. The view out of the windows is amazing as you can see both farmland and the rugged moorland.

What is your favourite place to visit in Yorkshire?

Bolton Abbey near Skipton. I have been going since I was little and have fond memories of there. The walk through the woods towards the Strid is my favourite part, although messing on the river in a dingy with my cousins is always good fun.

What makes Yorkshire so special?

The people. They are very outgoing and willing to help anyone, with a very dry yet funny sense of humour.

The landscape follows very closely as you have a mix of low valleys with flatland and steep hillsides. We have astounding countryside that I don’t think I will ever get tired of looking at.

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OUTDOORS

INTO THE ABYSS Gaping Gill is one of Britain's most spectacular wonders - but if you want to witness it, prepare to abseil into black chasms and force your body through the skinniest of gaps.

Dominic Bliss breathes in...

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T

he roar of the waterfall deluge as it smashes onto the cavern floor sounds like a jet plane overhead. It kicks up a spray that dampens our faces. For several minutes I stand there speechless, my jaw dropped as I gaze up at the huge natural cathedral that has formed out of this rock over the last few million years. Witnessing it feels almost spiritual; appropriate since this underground cavern I find myself in is so vast it could fit the dome of St Paul’s Cathedral inside.

This is Gaping Gill, one of the UK’s most famous subterranean natural wonders. First explored in 1895, it was (until the discovery of Titan, in Derbyshire, over a hundred years later) the deepest known cavern in the country. One of Yorkshire’s (and the UK’s) most spectacular natural wonders.

There are only two ways to see it: abseil 110 metres down into the cavern or negotiate an underground labyrinth of caves and passages. It’s certainly one of the largest and, thanks to the stream that pours constantly into it, holds the record for the tallest unbroken waterfall in all of England: 110 metres and twice the height of Niagara Falls.

Twice a year in the summer, local potholing clubs organise a winch

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down onto the cavern floor. But we’re not here in summer. We have to find an alternative route in, and that means abseiling, clambering, scrambling and crawling through a labyrinthine network of caves and subterranean riverbeds. For a first-time caver like me, it’s a thrilling experience.

Earlier on that day, after an hour or so’s walk from the North Yorkshire

weather or you’d drown in said tunnels). All three of us are kitted out in specialist caving gear. As a base layer, we have a soft, fleece suit to keep us warm. On top of that is a Cordura caving suit, thick enough to withstand all the clambering and slithering over wet rocks. On our heads there’s a tough helmet and head lamp.

Around our torso and waist are the

“ For several minutes I stand there speechless, my jaw dropped as I gaze up at the huge natural cathedral that has formed out of this rock over the last few million years.” village of Clapham and accompanied by two excellent guides, Dan and Geoff, I entered the cave network via a tiny crevice called Bar Pot. Barely wide enough to fit my chest, it leads immediately to a 15-metre abseil pitch down into the first large cave. Not long after that is a second abseil, this time 35 metres down. Talk about being thrown in at the deep end.

There follows a mixture of scrambling down steep cavern walls and crawling along hundreds of metres of dry river tunnels (you’re not allowed to take this route in wet

harness, ropes and climbing devices (known as single-rope-technique or SRT) needed to abseil down and ascend (or jumar) back up on the return journey.

While Dan and Geoff organise the equipment in between climbs, I have time to shine my torch on the cave walls and examine my surroundings.

It’s dank, spooky and everywhere smells of stale mud. There’s a constant echoing drip-drip-drip of water from the ground above. Lichen grows on the cave walls, while stalagmites and stalactites poke from the floors and

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ceilings, but there’s no animal life to be seen. In this pitch black, presumably nothing could survive. Or if it could, I certainly wouldn’t want to meet it.

Finally, after perhaps half an hour of slithering in single file along the river tunnels (some of them barely 40cms high), we emerge into the vastness of Gaping Gill itself. It truly is awe-

12 hours. “If we get stuck down here, at least we won’t be stuck in darkness,” he adds.

I reassure myself with that thought as we retrace our steps back through the cave maze to our starting point.

Prudently, I stick close to Dan and Geoff, fearful I might get lost down here. There are so many side tunnels, so many blind

“ It’s dank, spooky and everywhere smells of stale mud. In this pitch black, presumably nothing could survive. Or if it could, I certainly wouldn’t want to meet it.” inspiring. Looking up at the funnel, 110 metres above me at the top of the cave, I see daylight shining eerily through. Up at ground level, the whole area is one huge basin with Gaping Gill’s main shaft its plughole. A stream called Fell Beck flows constantly into it, except on two summer bank holidays – one in May, one in August – when local potholing clubs divert the stream and set up a winch above the shaft to lower paying punters down into the cavern, and to raise them back out again.

But it’s the long, circuitous route in for us. Both Dan and Geoff are very experienced cavers. Geoff, the older of the two, has been exploring the underneath of the Yorkshire Dales since the mid-1970s. When he first discovered this sport, he and his colleagues used to light their way with acetylene headlamps (“We were always burning our hands on fuel when filling them up”), because the primitive battery-powered lamps used to run out so quickly. Our 21st century lamps, on the other hand, will last for at least

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alleys, so many ways to go wrong if you’re not sure of your route.

Half an hour later, just as the sun is going down, I emerge back into the fresh air of the outside world. It’s been an amazing experience but, somehow, I still feel like a prisoner released.

To find out more about adventures in Yorkshire's great outdoors go to www.yorkshire.com/outdoors

Don't miss out

Gaping Gill is close to Ingleton in the Yorkshire Dales. The nearest station is Skipton. Potholing clubs offer winched descents into the main chamber – Bradford Pothole Club in late May, and Craven Pothole Club in late August. Dominic Bliss was guided by Live For Today Adventures www. live-for-today.com or 01423 876379.

The original article first appeared in Outdoor Fitness magazine, on sale every month in print and online: www.outdoorfitnessmag.com

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Clockwise from top left: Northern Ballet. Harewood House. Shopping in the Victoria Quarter. Kirkstall Abbey.

City Hall. Leeds Headrow at night.

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WELCOME TO LEEDS

CHIC & UNIQUE Leeds is a city full of experiences, easy to explore and there to be discovered, from its independent retailers and thriving markets, to its fine fresh food, family attractions, ballet, opera, art and concerts by some of the world's top performers.

Take your pick from a multitude of museums and galleries to expand your mind and soak up some culture.

Bringing 3,000 years of warfare to life, see demonstrations of everything from sword-fighting to jousting, alongside a sprawling collection of ancient weaponry from the Tower of London at the world-class Royal Armouries. Learn all about the human body, in all its gory glory at the Thackray Museum, telling the story of medicine from the site of a former hospital. Take a stroll along the canal to Leeds Industrial Museum at Armley Mills, formerly the world's largest woollen mill, which also houses a charming 24 seater picture house within the museum. A visit to Leeds City Museum offers a free, exciting and educational fun day out for visitors of all ages, where you can step into ancient worlds to meet the Leeds mummy and the Leeds tiger. Leeds City Art Gallery boasts a fine collection of work by 19th and 20th century British painters.

The city centre is easy to get around on foot, perfect for dedicated shoppers. The ornate Victoria Quarter, housed beneath stained-glass ceilings is home to designer brands including Vivienne Westwood, Louis Vuitton and The Kooples, as well as the designer mothership Harvey Nichols.

For a unique Leeds experience, visitors will love Kirkgate Market, one of the largest covered markets in Europe. The heart of the city's retail heritage and home to 200 stalls.

Take a wander around this mainly pedestrianised city centre and spend some time taking in the grand Victorian facades, the vibrant network of covered arcades and cobbled alleyways down by the canal.

For a more relaxing introduction to Leeds life, stroll around the Capability Brown designed gardens of Harewood House. Built in the mid-18th century, this beautiful building boasts Robert Adam interiors and Chippendale furniture.

Temple Newsam is another grand home

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a short distance from Leeds, sometimes referred to as the ‘Hampton Court of the North’. The main house is a Grade I listed building with a stunning TudorJacobean style and acres of manicured gardens and woodland.

Take in a slice of British history at Kirkstall Abbey, one of the most complete Medieval Cistercian Abbeys in Britain. Visitors can enjoy the breathtaking architecture from the luscious green park surrounding the Abbey.

Catch a show at one of Leeds’ outstanding theatres and you can choose from The Grand, home to the internationally acclaimed Opera North and the Northern Ballet or Leeds City Varieties.

Leeds has a great range of accommodation to suit all tastes and pockets. A number of Leeds hotels are architectural gems such as the art deco grandeur of The Queens Hotel and the city's old Liberal Club, now the boutique hotel Quebecs. Just 20 minutes outside of Leeds, why not pamper yourself at Chevin Country Park Hotel & Spa, or enjoy a round of championship golf at either Oulton Hall or Marriott Hollins Hall Hotel and Country Club. The serviced apartments in Leeds offer comfort and flexibility.

Residence 6 has recently been awarded the highest accolade from VisitBritain, 5 stars and a Gold Award for exceptional quality and excellent customer care. Get the best of a hotel and an apartment at KSpace Serviced Apartments or at The Chambers, enjoy a rooftop Jacuzzi in a penthouse apartment.

Leeds has been selected as a Host City for this year’s Rugby World Cup and Elland Road is set to host two matches, which are taking place during the pool stages of the Tournament. Canada will take on Italy on 26 September 2015 before USA play Scotland on 27 September 2015 determining who will make it through to the next round.

Essential experiences

Leeds Food and Drink Festival An array of tasty morsels are on the menu at this urban festival.

Street food, music, wine tastings and more. 22 May – 7 June.

Leeds Arena A major entertainment venue located in the vibrant city centre of Leeds, hosting live music, comedy, entertainment shows and sporting events.

The Royal Armouries The UK’s museum for arms, armour and artillery and includes the exceptional Hall of Steel. It is also the keeper of the Tower of London history.

Shopping The Rough Guide to the UK has voted Leeds as the best retail destination in the country. Explore Trinity Leeds, independent boutiques and market stalls.

Tropical World Explore tropical habitats and other exotic places from around the world in Roundhay Park. Spot meerkats, crocodiles, terrapins, birds and exotic insects.

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EXPERIENCE WAKEFIELD

DISCOVER DIVERSITY

Antony Gormley One and Other 2000. © Jonty Wilde

Wakefield is an historic city of intriguing diversity. Take in heritage sights such as Wakefield Cathedral and Nostell Priory or if it’s green space you are after, Wakefield is full of hidden gems. The Financial Times called Yorkshire a “vibrant international sculpture centre” with Wakefield at the forefront of exhibiting modern sculpture in Britain today.

The Yorkshire Sculpture Triangle Wakefield is at the heart of the Yorkshire Sculpture Triangle, an area shared with nearby Leeds showcasing the work of over 200 artists across four iconic venues: Yorkshire Sculpture Park, The Hepworth Wakefield, Leeds Art Gallery and their neighbour The Henry Moore Institute.

If you are in London and plan to travel to Yorkshire, then start your creative journey by train. Kings Cross Railway Station is now the gateway to sculpture with Henry Moore’s 1974 bronze sculpture ‘Large Spindle Piece’ on loan from the Henry Moore Foundation with support from the Sculpture Triangle venues. The sculpture, which is located right outside the main entrance to the station, provides a taste of what’s to come during your trip to Yorkshire. It’s

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a journey worth making, as this year will see an exciting programme of joint exhibitions across all four Yorkshire Sculpture Triangle venues.

Art highlights in Wakefield Named after the Wakefield-born artist Barbara Hepworth, the award winning Hepworth Wakefield – one of the largest and most visited galleries in the UK – explores Yorkshire’s outstanding artistic legacy by displaying a unique collection of Hepworth’s sculptures and hosting exhibitions of historic, modern and contemporary art. Join one of the free guided gallery tours each Wednesday, Saturday and Sunday when experts at the gallery will show you around the temporary exhibitions and permanent collections.

The Hepworth boasts a children’s outdoor play area, café and gift store

with an impressive range of art books, artist’s material and design gifts.

Nearby, Art Fund Museum of the Year Yorkshire Sculpture Park is a one of a kind open air gallery, a leading international centre for modern and contemporary art. Explore the open air and discover works by over 60 artists from Andy Goldsworthy to Henry Moore, enjoy fascinating exhibitions throughout five indoor galleries, be inspired by the natural beauty of an historic estate and get involved in a dynamic line up of events and activities. The gallery team lead guided walks each weekend to help you interpret the works in the outdoors and the hidden secrets of the historic Bretton estate and lakes.

There are two restaurants on site, an award winning design gift store and a shuttle bus in the summer takes

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Essential experiences

Wakefield Festival of Food Drink and Rhubarb Held each February, this food festival celebrates rhubarb!

Cookery demo’s, entertainment, specialist food markets and more.

Music in the Parkland Enjoy some of the biggest names in pop at summer outdoor concerts at the National Trust’s Nostell Priory, with landscape park and gardens.

Champagne Cream Tea Clockwise from top left: The Hepworth Wakefield.

Nostell Priory. The National Coal Mining Museum for England.

Yorkshire Sculpture Park.

visitors to the nearby Arts Council Longside Gallery.

Heritage stories It’s an exciting year for Pontefract Castle as the remains undergo a £3m conservation project supported by the Heritage Lottery Fund. Visit this year to see the conservation work in action or spend time with the family at one of the many workshops held over the school holidays. Don’t forget to save the date for the popular Proms at the Castle event in July and look out for open air theatre performances throughout 2015. The castle grounds and remains are open daily throughout the works and the visitor centre on site is open Wednesday to Sunday.

Wakefield’s oldest music venue is also the newest! Unity Works, a former Victorian co-operative music hall has

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re-opened after a £4m restoration programme. Unity includes a 700 capacity music venue, an art gallery, café and much more. Look out for their exciting events and music programme at www.unityworks.co.uk.

Great Outdoors It may surprise you to read that Wakefield has a number of country parks, woodland and waterways, including Anglers Country Park, which was part of the world’s first nature reserve and Pugneys Country Park, a sports lake where you can learn how to sail, canoe or even enjoy a wild swim. The Trans Pennine Trail also runs through the area, which can be enjoyed by cyclists, walkers and horse riders alike. www.experiencewakefield.co.uk Follow us @expwakefield

For the ultimate luxury, book afternoon cream tea at Walton Hall, a Georgian mansion now part of a hotel, set on an island on a lake.

Go Underground The National Coal Mining Museum for England gives the visitor the opportunity to go 140m down one of the oldest working mines in England.

Get Outdoors Take the family around the lake at Newmillerdam Park and woodland and finish with lunch at one of the four pubs and cafés in the village.

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DELICIOUS

Clockwise from bottom left: The largest meat pie in the world in 1988 at 9,030kg.

Serving up the pie in 1964.

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hen we put our minds to it in Yorkshire, never be surprised at what can happen.

An event at the tiny village of Denby Dale back in 1788 created enough of a sensation to capture the imagination of national press, which in those days was something of a coup. The cause was nothing more than a very large pie. We love our pies in Yorkshire, they are part of our heritage but until this moment, never quite on the scale of the 18th century whopper. For the following 200 plus years the quirky tradition of making the world’s largest pies has continued in Denby Dale, spreading the name of the village and the county worldwide. Sadly, there is little evidence as to the precise size or weight of the 1788 pie. What is known is the pie was reputedly made to celebrate the (short lived) return to sanity of King George III. The second giant pie baked in 1815, to celebrate Wellington's victory at Waterloo, reputedly contained at least 20 fowls and a couple of sheep. There were a further 9 giant pies, with the last made in 2012. This pie is well documented and was filled with meat supplied by nearby Farmer Copleys Farm Shop.

This pie contained a staggering 435kg local beef, 50 rabbits, 35 pigeons, 3 hares, 10 grouse, 36 chickens, 63 kg of turkey and 21 ducks. The pie weighed over 3 tonnes making it equivalent to almost 7,000 family-sized pies. And that was not even the biggest.

That honour goes to the Millennium Pie weighing in at 12 tonnes.

All 11 giant pies were made to commemorate events of national importance. Some like royal births and victory in WW1 were happy times.

Others, sadly were not quite so joyful, including the 1964 pie when just before the festival, four of the main organisers were killed in a car crash. The pie festivities carried on, but behind the scenes the bunting clad village was in mourning. An estimated 30,000 people ate that particular pie, with enough funds raised to buy the land where the famous Pie Hall now stands. The hall is the community centre for the village but also home to much of the pie-making memorabilia from across the years.

Just why did the pretty, unassuming village tucked away between Wakefield, Huddersfield and Barnsley take on the mantle of building enormous pies? The question is open to much speculation involving local rivalries, royal connections, inflated egos and the rest. There is no secret though. The simplest and clearest answer is because they wanted to, and they could. The surrounding farms could supply both the meat and vegetables and in one pie, 22 gallons of John Smith's Best Bitter from Tadcaster were added, making it a truly Yorkshire meat pie.

What does make these pies stand out though is that across the centuries, the pie making tradition has joined whole communities together. It belongs to everyone not any one individual. Even in-comers are encouraged to join in, which is clearly a part of choosing to live in the “Pie Village” as it is affectionately known and boasts on the village sign post. There is need in

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Image bottom left © Chris Heath from the book ‘Ten Giants’ Denby Dale Pie 1788-2000 by Chris Heath. £14.99 call 01266 734299.

The village of Denby Dale is the UK’s only designated “Pie Village” and has been making gigantic pies since the 1700s. National food writer Elaine Lemm went along to find out more.

THE PIE’S THE LIMIT W

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more recent times to find sponsorship from businesses, but that is a small compromise to make sure these events keep happening.

Not all Denby Dale pies are of such magnitude; more practical sized pies are still made to the authentic recipe by the Denby Dale Pie Company. The business wavered in recent times and finally went into administration. Happily, the company was rescued and bought out of receivership by a team led by food entrepreneur Andrew Hayes. “What

TASTE OF YORKSHIRE Denby Dale alone has not put Yorkshire on the world stage.

There have been a few notable foods among many putting the county in the limelight.

Yorkshire Rhubarb The post-war decline in rhubarb's popularity affected the growers in Yorkshire. Where there had been thousands of acres given over to rhubarb, this dropped to around 400. Thanks to a highly publicised, and ultimately successful campaign by the Yorkshire growers’ Yorkshire rhubarb is now protected under the European Protected Designation of Origin (PDO) status. The PDO status means for the consumer when buying Yorkshire Forced Rhubarb, they can be assured it is of the expected quality and flavour and grown in the traditional manner.

Liquorice The Liquorice plant was brought to the town from the Mediteranean, courtesy of the Dominican Monks in the early 16th century, when they settled close to Pontefract Castle.

The production of liquorice products continues in Pontefract, the most well known being Pontefract Cakes. The round, sweet, lozenges were invented in the town by chemist George Dunhill in the 18th century.

Wensleydale Cheese Wensleydale Cheese has been crafted in the county since the 12th century, but it wasn’t until 1897 and the building of the first creamery for it to be made on a larger scale. The already renowned cheese was catapulted onto a global audience thanks to two lovable cartoon characters, Wallace and Gromit.

Whitby Kippers

Left to right: Raising funds for the Huddersfield Royal Infirmary.

The massive scale of the pie on a commemorative plate.

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Fortunes Kippers, from the only traditional Smokehouse in the famous historic port of Whitby in North Yorkshire is famous locally and world-wide for excellent, high quality kippers. Fortunes Kippers are family owned, have been trading since 1872 and have been smoking kippers for over 140 years.

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Image bottom left © Chris Heath from the book ‘Ten Giants’ Denby Dale Pie 1788-2000 by Chris Heath. £14.99 call 01266 734299.

Top to bottom: Hitting the headlines in 1964.

Cutting the pie in 1928. The Denby Dale pie dish in 1940 ahead of being melted for the war effort.

makes our pies special is time,” states Andrew, who, understandably, is proud of the heritage his company is built on.

“The pies are as close to an artisanmade pie as is possible when making in quantity” he tells me. “The meat is cut by hand, so we see every piece and know what goes into our pies.”

The pies here - just as with the bigger beasts – are made by the whole team. They are involved in every process from cooking down the meat and veg, the pastry work and even the crimping of the pie is done by hand.

They are made just like a pie at home but without the fuss and bother.

Though the company has inherited the renown of the name and quality of Denby Dale, they are not sitting back.

Making sure everyone gets to enjoy a famous Denby Dale Pie, they have developed a gluten-free version. This involves a humongous amount of work switching the small factory from the regular pie-making to a gluten-free environment. Despite the amount of work this takes, they feel their role in providing quality pies for those with dietary needs is worth it.

So the name of Denby Dale and its association with great Yorkshire pies continues, whether with the small hand-crafted or the much-anticipated next show-stopping giant. Whatever the occasion for making another whopper, let’s at least hope the occasion is a happy and joyous one.

To find out more about Denby Dale and all things tasty in Yorkshire go to www.yorkshire.com/delicious

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FAMILY RECIPE

Lottie Shaw image © Javan Liam Photography

The Lottie Shaw's family recipe has been baked in Elland for over 100 years and continues to use oatmeal in the original recipe, creating a delicious rough textured cake.

IN A PICKLE

Puckett's Pickles, winner of the Taste of Yorkshire Award at the White Rose Awards 2014, are wholesomely natural, gloriously colourful and joyfully British.

No nasty preservatives, no needless food miles - just seasonal produce, bright fresh herbs and rich whole spices (and a secret soupçon of Granny's know-how). Happy pickles to leave a tickle on your tongue.

BRILLIANT BANGERS

YORKSHIRE PRODUCE

Master Butcher David Lishman’s award winning shop is located in Ilkley. His delicious range of sausages include the Champion Sausage (twice winner of the National Champion of Champions sausage award) and the Yorkshire Sausage.

Yorkshire is renowned for its home grown produce. Here’s just a flavour of what we’ve got…

FRESH FLAVOURS All Yorkshire Provender Soups are produced in their North Yorkshire Kitchen using the best seasonal ingredients, sourcing fresh scrumptious vegetables directly from local and British farms whenever possible. Their soups are cooked by a small team with a real love and desire for food and the recipes represent the best of classic British flavours...

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BIG ON BEER Yorkshire is famous for many things – a warm welcome, breathtaking beauty and, of course, its beer! Yorkshire brewers are busily producing hundreds of varieties of real ale for you to enjoy! From modern micro breweries to mystic brews frothing in antique stone ‘squares’, Yorkshire has it all. Some of Britain’s finest pubs and local beers are to be found right here in Yorkshire.

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Explore some of the best bits of Yorkshire’s coast and countryside as well as some pretty impressive houses and gardens. The National Trust have some great things to see and do in every season, from art exhibitions to cycling routes.

The Royal family take centre stage at Beningbrough Hall, Gallery & Gardens with a new collection from the National Portrait Gallery. Royals: then & now returns for a second year and highlights will include the National Portrait Gallery’s first commissioned painting, Prince Charles by Bryan Organ, and Equanimity, a striking holographic portrait of the Queen.

Art will also be on display at the World Heritage Site of Fountains Abbey & Studley Royal. Check out some of the water garden’s most famous buildings as they’ll host a series of newly commissioned installations from May until November.

The spotlight will be on the house at Nostell Priory & Parkland, as many of the rooms are being lit up in a different way. Using spotlighting, natural light and in some of the rooms, torches, the best of the collection will be in the limelight and you’ll probably see one or two things you might have missed before.

Upper Wharfedale in the Yorkshire Dales, and don’t forget to bring your camera.

There are lots of trails to follow whether you’re looking for an easier woodland walk or a more challenging moorland hike.

Outdoors you’re spoilt for choice as the National Trust looks after some of the most gorgeous coastline in Yorkshire. If your holiday is taking you to Robin Hood’s Bay, take a peek at the creatures living in the rockpools before popping into Ravenscar Visitor Centre. It’s the ideal spot to stop and grab a tasty treat, after all who doesn’t love an ice-cream at the seaside.

Carpets of bluebells create a sea of colour at Hardcastle Crags in spring.

If you were inspired by the Tour de France coming to Yorkshire last year, bring your bike and discover miles of trails through spectacular countryside. Stop to refuel at a National Trust café and they’ll give you a free cuppa when you buy a snack and a place to store your bike while you explore.

Explore every season Summer is a great time for a picnic and the large green lawn at Nunnington Hall is the perfect spot.

Pack your walking gear and feel on top of the world in the Yorkshire Dales this autumn.

Take a break from Christmas shopping and stop for lunch at Treasurer’s House, York. Or take a crisp stroll along the riverside at East Riddlesden Hall.

To take in some of the sights on two wheels, try cycling part of the Way of the Roses route which crosses the Yorkshire Dales and goes past Brimham Rocks and Fountains Abbey.

If you prefer to stay on two feet, uncover new walking routes at Malham Tarn or

The National Trust is a registered charity no.205846 Photography: ©National Trust images, Joe Cornish, John Miller, Chris Lacey

love new discoveries

Find new discoveries www.nationaltrust.org.uk/yorkshire Stay a little longer in a holiday cottage www.nationaltrustcottages.co.uk/yorkshireandnortheast www.facebook.com/NTYorkshire @NTYorkshire

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WELCOME TO THE NORTH YORK MOORS

Essential experiences

Clockwise from top left: Rievaulx Abbey. Dalby Forest. Heather moorland.

Family fun at Byland Abbey.

Historic Helmsley As one of the 25 towns and villages of the Magna Carta barons, Helmsley will celebrate the 800th anniversary of the ‘Great Charter’ in style in 2015.

With magnificent steam engines, beautiful rural stations and smartly uniformed staff, it's like taking a step back in time.

Esk Valley Walk Enjoy 37 miles of beautiful scenery on a journey from the high moors to the sea at Whitby – a well way-marked route that is easy to follow.

Castle Howard Home to the Howard family for over 300 years. A magnificent 18th century residence set within breathtaking landscape in the Howardian Hills.

Malton ‘Yorkshire's food capital’ – the thriving market town is making a new name for itself with its regular food markets, annual food festival and cookery school.

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NATURAL BEAUTY

The North York Moors National Park is one of Britain’s treasured places, established in 1952 to protect 554 square miles of fabulous countryside, open heather moorland and rugged coast.

From rolling panoramas and big skies to enchanting forests and idyllic dales, there’s a sense of peace and tranquillity here that’s hard to beat – and all this just 20 miles or so north of York. The National Park is home to the largest continuous expanse of heather moorland in England, which flushes a magnificent purple in late summer.

A 26-mile coastline reveals hidden gems at every turn, from picture-postcard fishing villages to hideaway coves and soaring cliffs with breathtaking views. In between lie ancient woodlands and forests, where red deer, badgers, owls, woodpeckers and nightjars thrive. Meanwhile, the beautiful valleys have inspired monastic communities for centuries – visit the ruins of Rievaulx Abbey, Byland Abbey and Mount Grace Priory to discover your own place of contemplation.

Walkers have it made, with anything from a 1-mile easy access stroll to the 109 miles of the Cleveland Way National Trail – free downloadable route guides on the National Park website take you

on step-by-step adventures to tumbling waterfalls, timeless stone villages, moorland crags and historic monuments.

There are cycling centres at Dalby Forest – one of the best places in the UK for mountain-biking – and Sutton Bank, as well as easygoing day-rides in the neighbouring Howardian Hills Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty. Or follow the Moor to Sea Cycle Network, the National Park’s flagship long-distance bike route. The Moors National Park Centre outside Danby offers visitors adventure play areas, riverside trails, a café and a beautiful contemporary art gallery. Over at Sutton Bank National Park Centre, soak up ‘England’s finest view’ on easy walking trails, or head out on two wheels from Sutton Bank Bikes.

The area’s market towns and villages are thriving communities, full of historic interest. Weekly markets in Helmsley, Kirkbymoorside, Pickering, Stokesley and Northallerton are always worth catching. There are other celebrated farmers’ markets too at Hovingham, Stokesley and Saltburn.

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Cycling image © Joolz Diamond, Dalby Bike Barn

North Yorkshire Moors Railway

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Š www.neilnicklinphotography.co.uk

CITY LIFE

Eastern Promise From the top of Hull Marina, the city’s Fruit Market looks much as it did when the last of the traders packed away their final few boxes. Look closer though and the cobbled streets, which once rang to the sound of bartering fruit sellers, are now beginning to brim with exactly the same creative spirit which helped earn Hull the mantle of UK City of Culture in 2017. Sarah Freeman takes a look at the city's already thriving arts scene and talks to the man charged with making the event a success.

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I

t’s five years since the UK’s last remaining wholesale street market shut up shop and moved to a new site elsewhere in the city and while the names of those historic businesses, from East Riding Growers and M&M Fruits Limited, still adorn the Humber Street buildings, many of the premises are now home to a very different kind of venture.

At one end, with views out onto the water, there’s a jewellery designer, just a block or so along a record label has moved in and in between there’s a museum dedicated to club culture, a gallery showcasing the work of local artists, a microbrewery and the kind of café that wouldn’t look out of place in London’s now achingly cool East End. In fact Hull’s Fruit Market, which will form a focal point for many of the City of Culture events, has been likened to Shoreditch 20 years ago and with good reason.

“Historically I think Hull has suffered from the fact that it’s surrounded on three sides by water and there’s only one road in and one road out,” says

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Dave Mays, who was among the first to move into the area, opening the theatre-cum-music venue Fruit four years ago. “On the plus side, it means we have always done things our own way, but on the downside it has made it a bit tricky getting people from the outside to see what a great place Hull is. That is starting to change.

You only have to see what’s happened to the Humber Street Sesh, an annual weekend of live music. The first time we held it a few years ago we thought maybe a couple of hundred people would turn up. In fact 15,000 came down and at the last event there were just under 30,000 people.

“The transformation of the Fruit Market has happened slowly and it has happened organically, but every new

business that opens here seems to attract another.”

One of those to benefit from that ripple effect is Thieving Harry’s café. It began life as a pop up restaurant, first opening a few years ago when Fruit staged a music weekend. However, with more creative businesses having established a base there, it recently became a permanent fixture in the old Gibson Bishop & Co premises.

“My dad and grandad both worked in the Fruit Market, so it feels like we are carrying on a family tradition in just a slightly different way,” says Jack Hare, who set up the café with sister Olivia and brothers Ali and Josh Hubbard. “When we first moved in, I rang my granddad and asked him if he could remember who had

Hull’s Fruit Market, which will form a focal point for many of the City of Culture events, has been likened to Shoreditch 20 years ago. yorkshire.com

worked here. ‘Oh, yeh, he said, that’s old Thieving Harry’s place’. The name stuck and Harry’s family have been down to see the place and thankfully liked it. I wanted to create somewhere I would like to go have a coffee and well, this was it.”

Thieving Harry’s is more than just a café. Jack, an architecture graduate drew up the plans for the refit, which kept much of the old fixtures and fittings. However, it’s also given the old place an injection of style and stands as testimony to what can be achieved with a little vision and a lot of hard work.

The same is true of the Oresome Gallery run by jewellery designers Vicky Prince and Nicola Fidell Chapman. They wanted somewhere they could make and sell their creations, somewhere which had enough space for them to run workshops and crucially somewhere which was affordable. The Fruit Market ticked every box.

“It’s three years since we arrived and you can really sense something is changing,” says Vicky. “There’s just a real buzz about the place. Footfall is increasing all the time and people are

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really starting to know this part of the city as being a bit of a creative hub.”

All of which bodes well for Martin Green.

He’s the man who will oversee Hull’s year-long City of Culture programme.

The Leeds University graduate has an ambitious target to raise a budget of £18m and having previously staged the London 2012 Olympic ceremonies and the Grand Départs’ Team Presentation Opening Ceremony, he knows how transformative these big events can be for a place.

Early estimates suggest Hull’s economy could benefit to the tune of £60m, see the creation of 7,500 jobs and Green hopes confound a few misconceptions along the way.

“Hull isn’t a place you pass through on the way to somewhere else and think, ‘Let’s stop off, let’s see what’s going on’,” he says. “Hull is a place that you have to make an effort to go to and more people should. I am a bit evangelical about the place.

Go there and you will already find a thriving music and arts scene and UK City of Culture is our chance to really shine a spotlight on the city.

The potential is huge.

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Local businesses in Hull's Fruit Market create an eclectic and exciting creative atmosphere.

“Yes it’s about bringing money into the economy, but it’s about more than that. It’s about giving Hull the confidence to show how good it can be. It really does feel like it is on the brink of something quite big.”

The UK City of Culture programme won’t be unveiled until the Freedom Festival of September 2016, which appropriately enough takes place against the backdrop of the Fruit Market. Much will have changed by then. A major regeneration of the area is edging closer which will see many of the old buildings remodelled with the hope of attracting more independent businesses and there are also plans for a brand new art gallery.

It’s good news for the area, but it would be nice to think that some things will remain the same.

One of the Fruit Market regulars is DJ Roscoe. In another life he used to organise raves around the country and while the music scene has moved on, he still has one foot in the past. One of his lock-ups, which doubles as an artist’s studio, is filled floor to ceiling with his collection of old vinyl records.

From another he sells bric-a-brac.

“Look here’s original plans from Boothferry Park,” he says pulling out blueprints for Hull City’s old ground.

There’s also a photograph of Charlie Chaplin, autographed by the man himself, and a guide entitled British Pottery and Porcelain Marks.

Eclectic and just a little bit eccentric, it’s what should make Hull and it’s year long reign as UK City of Culture such a success.

To find out more about Hull City of Culture go to www.yorkshire.com/hull

Need to know The clock is ticking and the countdown has begun for a year like no other. To find out more go to www.2017-hull.co.uk

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WELCOME TO HARROGATE & SURROUNDING MARKET TOWNS

CHARM & ELEGANCE With a cathedral city, a spa town, historic market towns, a World Heritage Site and an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty, the Harrogate district is the perfect base for a varied holiday.

Discover walking tracks, cycle routes and bridle paths in Nidderdale, which has the charming little town of Pateley Bridge nestled at its heart. Up on the tops is Yorkshire’s highest attraction Coldstones Cut, a huge artist’s sculpture with magnificent views.

Slip back to ancient times visiting monuments such as Ripon Cathedral or Fountains Abbey. Stroll through the award winning Valley Gardens or RHS Garden Harlow Carr before going for a mooch around the stylish shops in Harrogate or the independent shops and galleries in the market towns. Find yourself in beer heaven in one of our famous breweries, including Black Sheep and Theakstons both in Masham or go for a picnic after a tranquil riverside walk in Boroughbridge.

Children of all ages can hire a boat on the River Nidd at Knaresborough, or zip-wire down gorges. At Ripon Prison and Police Museum visitors can sit in a prison cell, hear the door slam shut and imagine the harsh conditions of Victorian prison regimes.

Tee off on one of the area's beautiful golf courses. Rudding Park’s 18 hole, par 72 Hawtree course runs through the beautiful 19th century parkland. The current course at Harrogate Golf Club measures a little less than 6,250 yards and is on fairly flat terrain. Its Mackenzie style greens and tree-lined fairways are formidable but enjoyable.

Sit back and enjoy an afternoon tea experience at The West Park Hotel whilst overlooking the beautiful Harrogate Stray, or indulge in a cream tea in the lounge of Harrogate’s Majestic Hotel. If you would like to treat someone special, a visit to the Yorke Arms in Ramsgill for some Michelin starred food really is a must.

Fodder sells the very best food and drink from Yorkshire that you can peruse at your leisure in the butchery counter or deli, before taking your seat in the lovely café. Visit in the spring and autumn to catch the Harrogate Flower Show.

Essential experiences

Brimham Rocks An amazing collection of weird and wonderful rock formations and a great day out for families and climbers with magnificent views over Nidderdale.

Ripon Races There's no better place to enjoy racing action than Ripon. Known as the Garden Racecourse, Ripon is one of the most attractive courses in the country.

Newby Hall One of England's finest houses, an exceptional example of 18th century interior decoration and home to a wonderful collection of Chippendale furniture.

Clockwise from top left: Foodie heaven at Fodder. The stunning Fountains Abbey & Studley Royal.

Turkish Baths in Harrogate.

Stockeld Park Enter the magical woodland of Stockeld Park Estate and discover a world of active adventure for all the family with a busy events calendar.

Harrogate Theatre The home of variety, music and dance, the theatre has a varied programme, hosts a number of amateur companies and has a thriving Youth Theatre.

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DELICIOUS

THE PERFECT BLEND Taylors coffee guru Dom Dwight travelled the world to find the perfect blend to bring back to the people of Harrogate. This is Y caught up with the coffee connoisseur after his global mission.

W

hat does it take to make the perfect cup of coffee? Who knew that this little question innocently posed in Taylors of Harrogate HQ would lead to a global mission which spanned from Kenya to The Alps, Lapland to, er, Watford?!

The man at the helm of the journey was coffee fanatic and Taylors’ employee 36-year-old Dom Dwight who embarked on four weeks of thorough research to plan the adventure.

Scroll forward a month and Dom was armed with an allweather suitcase of clothes, ready to make an 8-day, 13,000 mile trip to find what it takes to make the ultimate cuppa.

Mission Plan: •F ind the best beans in the world: collect from the renowned coffee-growing region of Nyeri, Kenya • Make the best roast in the world: roast beans at one of the highest points in Europe, a 3,842 metre-high peak • Find the purest water in the world: sourced from the Finnish Lapland - one of the purest in the world.

• Use the holiest milk in the world: collect Holy milk from the ‘happiest cows in Britain’ nurtured by Hare Krishnas on a Watford farm, gifted to them by Beatles legend George Harrison.

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Back at Taylors HQ, the roasted Kenyan beans were meticulously ground by Taylors’ expert coffee technician Jamie Treby, precision brewed in a coffee siphon, then tested with unsuspecting members of the public on the streets of Harrogate who gave it the thumbs up!

Dom added: “The coffee industry is booming at the moment. More and more Brits are developing a taste for a quality cup of coffee with luxury, unique blends growing in popularity. Sales of coffee beans have increased by 19 percent across the industry and sales of our own, new luxury blends are up - a trend which we expect will continue to grow year-on-year.”

Since his adventures, Dom has returned to his day job in the marketing team at Taylors but hopes his debut mission can be repeated one day. “Coming back to the desk job was quite an adjustment! The trip was weirdly both totally exhausting and thoroughly exhilarating. I'm glad to be back - and to not be sleeping on any more planes for a while – but I wouldn't say no to a sequel!”

Dom, who has a lifelong passion for coffee, said: “It really was the trip of a lifetime. It was wonderful being able to travel the world, sourcing ingredients identified as the very best, then sharing the fruits of that crazy labour with people back home in Yorkshire.”

Taylors sent coffee fanatic and employee, Dom Dwight, on the mad-cap mission to develop its expertise in the art of coffee making. His first stop was the renowned coffeegrowing region of Nyeri, Kenya, to pick up a bag of the best quality beans in the world.

Dom’s arrival there in April was perfect timing – beans from the peak season harvest were ready and waiting at the mill. “The rich, red volcanic soil, the great climate, and perfect growing altitude make these the best,” he said. After 48 hours in Kenya, Dom flew to Geneva for the next part of his mission – roasting the beans. At height. Dom travelled to the French Alps to roast the Kenyan beans at one of the highest points in Europe, a 3,842 metre-high peak overlooking Chamonix, in order to reduce the boiling point of the water.

Dom said: “Developing coffee flavours is about chemistry.

Certain reactions happen at certain temperatures to produce different flavour characteristics. Theoretically, at a super high altitude, we can reduce some of the caramelisation that produces bitterness, to accentuate the sweetness and acidity that Kenyan coffee is particularly noted for.”

From the snowy Alps, it was then on to one of the most remote places on the planet in the Arctic Circle.

With just two people per square kilometre of land, Ylitornio, in the idyllic wilderness of Finnish Lapland, is one of the remotest places on the planet - and also the source of the purest water in the world, which comes from the protected free-flowing springs. Famed for its unique softness and taste, ‘Veen’ water is unusually low in mineral content - especially magnesium and calcium, elements which would ordinarily make mineral water a poor choice for brewing coffee.

From there it was back to the UK to visit the ‘happiest cows in Britain’. Nurtured by Hare Krishnas on a Watford farm - bequeathed to them by Beatles legend the late George Harrison - the herd of 46 holy cows is looked after in accordance with Hindu philosophy.

Dom added: “After all those exotic, far-flung places, the next stop was Watford. Here we went to an organic farm to meet the ‘happiest cows in the world’ - and they kind of looked like it. They almost had a glow to them. I had never milked a cow before so was quite nervous but them being so chilled out really helped. Once I'd got us a couple of pints of holy milk, it was time to head back to Harrogate.”

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Discover more Harrogate coffee expert Taylors was founded in 1886 and is the best-selling branded coffee in the UK. Go to www.taylorsofharrogate.co.uk to find out more.

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MY YORKSHIRE PEAK DISTRICT

MORE IMY YORKSHIREI Find out what makes Yorkshire special to those who live in “God's Own County�.

Look out for more stories throughout the magazine.

My Yorkshire...

Choa Wang

Student at Sheffield Hallam University

Choa Wang is a 27 year old student living in Sheffield who makes the most of an exciting city and who also enjoys making the most of the spectacular countryside on her doorstep.

What is your first memory of Yorkshire?

Where is your favourite place to eat in Yorkshire?

Local people were so kind and supportive to me when I arrived in Sheffield on the first day. I was struggling with two big suitcases and a backpack on my own when I got out of the taxi and was not sure where to find the accommodation I was supposed to go to. A very lovely British lady saw this and helped me out all the way through until I checked in to my room. I really appreciated her kindness at the time.

London Road in Sheffield is one of the best places to go and eat in the city, mainly because there are loads of options with food from across the world at a reasonable price.

What is your favourite place to visit in Yorkshire?

The Peak District. I am always amazed by the stunning countryside scenery over there.

What makes Yorkshire so special?

Natural beauty, the people and their accents.

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WELCOME TO SOUTH YORKSHIRE

MIX OF OLD & NEW South Yorkshire seamlessly matches great outdoor and indoor fun for families, fabulous food and sporting excitement with an outstanding portfolio of art galleries, museums and heritage sites.

Experience Barnsley Visit the hands-on museum Experience Barnsley to discover more about the history of this interesting town. Find out about the story of the Spencer-Stanhopes and of the people who lived and worked in Cannon Hall Georgian Country House and on its magnificent estate. Visit the historic village of Elsecar and witness the Newcomen Beam Engine, described as the most important piece of industrial heritage in the world.

Whether you fancy a stroll through Wentworth Castle’s landscaped gardens, a family trip to Calypso Cove at Barnsley Metrodome or want to treat the kids with a trip to the adventure playground at Cannon Hall Farm, Barnsley has some excellent days out. The town centre is packed full of independent shops, high street stores and is home to one of the best markets in South Yorkshire.

As the gateway to the Peak District, Barnsley has some excellent places to visit for those wanting to get active. The Trans Pennine Trail is within easy reach of Barnsley, where you can explore by bike, on horseback or on foot. This national coast to coast off road cycle

This page: Cycling in the Peak District.

Opposite page clockwise from top left: Cannon Hall Farm Adventure Playground.

Brodsworth Hall. The Air Pavilion at Magna. Racing at Doncaster.

route has easy gradients and surfaced paths making many sections suitable for families. Situated right at the heart of the Dearne Valley, RSPB Old Moor is a wonderful place to watch wildlife. The skies, fields and open water are teeming with birds throughout the year.

Peak District National Park From pretty moorland, rolling hills and dales to scented meadows and leafy forests, the Peak District is home to some of the country's finest scenery deservedly designated as Britain's first National Park! If it's adrenaline or the great outdoors you're dreaming of, then the Peak District is the perfect place for the whole family to climb, bike, hike and horse ride.

A wealth of experiences in Rotherham The name Rotherham usually conjures up images of the town's industrial past.

But it's not all coal, iron and steel! There are plenty of historical sights to marvel at. Roche Abbey has one of the most complete ground plans of any English Cistercian monastery, laid out as excavated foundations. The story of the pillaging of Roche is among the most vivid documents of the Dissolution of the Monasteries.

Essential experiences

Penistone Surrounded by a beautiful landscape which is well worth exploring, there’s plenty of unbuilt, open countryside such as the reservoir and moors at Langsett.

Free entry in Barnsley Entry is free into: Cannon Hall, Experience Barnsley, Worsbrough Mill and Country Park, Elsecar Heritage Centre, Cooper Gallery and Civic Galleries.

Project Polar Reserve Part of the Yorkshire Wildlife Park, Doncaster’s fastest growing attraction is now home to the only polar bear in England.

Magna, Rotherham This science and education facility has a large outdoor water play area. Children will be in their element! Prepare yourself for a mind-blowing day out.

Makers, Miners and Money Fantastic industrial heritage bringing the past to life.

Yorkshire's part of the European Routes of Industrial Heritage.

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The largest privately-owned house in Europe, Wentworth Woodhouse, is finally opening up to the world after being closed for over 25 years and visitors can now enjoy guided tours of the State rooms and the gardens.

Family fun can be found at the Tropical Butterfly House where you can encounter the exotic and get close to free-flying butterflies and birds.

Rotherham is surrounded by beautiful countryside, ancient woodland and picturesque small towns and villages, giving lots of opportunities to explore. Discover the open spaces at Rother Valley Country Park, where you can take your own picnic or eat at the café and watch the watersports and events.

Nearly 2,000 years of history in Doncaster Founded by the Romans in AD71 as Danum, Doncaster was a key location on the route from London to York. This later became the Great North Road, with Doncaster an important stop for stagecoaches. Inevitably, with so many horses stabled there, boasting that “my horse is faster than yours” would lead to horse racing and 1776 saw the oldest classic horse race in the world, the St Leger Stakes, run for the first time at Doncaster Racecourse.

With Doncaster now firmly established on the main north-south route, it was natural that the railways also came through the town when they were built. The Doncaster Works were built in 1853 and have produced some of the most finely engineered steam locomotives of all time, including Flying Scotsman and Mallard.

Each September, as part of Doncaster’s annual 10 daylong St Leger Festival Week, Roman soldiers return to Doncaster for two days and march triumphantly through town, followed by displays of drill and gladiator contests.

As the Roman Army established itself in Doncaster, the local British population would trade with them from outside the walls and this “vicus” or trading area became well established. Nearly 2,000 years later Doncaster Market is still on the very same spot! There are many independent shops within the core medieval town centre and in the outlying historic towns of Bawtry and Tickhill, while the Lakeside Village has an impressive choice of outlet stores.

A perfect way to end your day in Doncaster is to take in one of the popular afternoon teas in the sumptuous Georgian interiors of the Mansion House; one of only three remaining in England.

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Clockwise from top left: Buttertubs provided the iconic image of the Grand DĂŠpart. The peloton continues Stage One at Harewood House, the ceremonial start. Marcel Kittel wins Stage One. Face painting on the route. The riders descend Buttertubs. Marcel Kittel takes a selfie at the Team Presentation.

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A LOOK BACK AT LE TOUR

WHEN YORKSHIRE TURNED YELLOW

In July 2014 huge crowds and stunning scenery created the grandest Grand Départ ever. The official commemorative book, Two Days In Yorkshire, features over 200 stunning pictures taken by the world’s best cycling and sports photographers.

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From Haworth to Hollywood

Clockwise from top: Heading towards Ripponden on the A58. Alberto Contador and Mark Cavendish line up in Leeds. The peloton arrives at Grinton Moor. A royal send off at Harewood House.

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Of the countless millions of people globally who were spellbound by the Tour de France’s Grand Départ in Yorkshire, Hollywood’s movers and shakers were making notes as the likes of Nidderdale, Skipton and Buttertubs Pass showcased their splendour.

Clearly very impressed was Jonathan Mostow, the Terminator 3 director. He is to shoot Hunter’s Prayer, a $25m assassination thriller starring action hero Sam Worthington, in Haworth in 2015.

Worthington, the Avatar star, plays a solitary assassin who is hunted across Europe after failing to kill a young girl, in the first US production to win investment backing from Screen Yorkshire, through its Yorkshire Content Fund.

It doesn’t stop there. Locations in Leeds, Wetherby and Bradford will also feature in Ridley Scott’s new Christmas family film, Get Santa, starring Jim Broadbent. Here the contrasting nature of Yorkshire’s locations, so vividly captured in the cycling extravaganza, will allow the county to substitute for Lapland.

In film and book, the unforgettable part played by Yorkshire in the 2014 Tour de France has been captured forever. Critically acclaimed author Peter Cossins has teamed up with Welcome to Yorkshire’s Andrew Denton and SWpix photographer Simon Wilkinson to produce Two Days in Yorkshire, the official commemorative book of the Grand Départ. It showcases over 200 stunning photographs from the weekend, the history of the Tour de France and for the first time ever Denton’s behind the scenes diary of how Yorkshire won the bid for the Tour de France.

Wilkinson says of the photography: “The conundrum is that where millions upon millions of photographs were taken on 5 and 6 July 2014 just 200 or so make the book.” How do you choose?

“Sometimes days, even months, of planning (Grinton Moor) or hours of waiting (Haworth) can go into a single picture that only takes 1/500th of a second to take. It is possible to imagine or predict what the picture is going to be and what it will look like.

In a bike race you know the route – it’s announced maybe a year or so before. They even publish a book about it. So the planning starts to make pictures.”

“Then you sometimes need a bit of luck too – and we got some. The sun came out helping to make some amazing images and turn Yorkshire into the star of the show.”

Denton says of the weekend as a whole: “I think one of the biggest satisfactions for me that amazing weekend was when the sun broke through about mid-morning. The crowds were the biggest of any Grand Départ, the passion and the pride of the people was unrivalled, but when the sun came out Yorkshire became a real showstopper and it finally laid to rest one of the laziest stereotypes in the UK: it’s grim up north. That weekend put a big, thick red line through that cliché and made anyone using it from that weekend forward sound out of touch and frankly stupid. The world woke up to the beauty of Yorkshire that weekend and that made me very proud indeed.”

Gary Verity, Chief Executive of Welcome to Yorkshire says: “We knew the Tour de France in Yorkshire would be big, we always said the county would get behind it big time and line the routes to show their support for the riders and the teams. Our prediction was right, it was humungous, and the impact was felt across the world from Hawes to Hollywood.

What bigger rubber stamp of approval do you need for bringing Le Tour to Yorkshire than Hollywood planning to shoot movies here because of what they saw that weekend? Yorkshire is one of the sexiest places on the planet right now and this is just the start for us. There’s much more to come, I promise!”

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Top to bottom: The cobbled climb at Haworth.

Vincenzo Nibali crosses the line in Sheffield and goes into yellow.

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Clockwise from top left: Jens Voigt leads the field. The Mark Cavendish crash.

A TV helicopter films the race heading towards Swaledale.

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TOUR DE YORKSHIRE

WHEELS IN MOTION Given the international recognition and benefits to the economy generated by the Yorkshire Grand DĂŠpart Tour de France 2014, the county is now playing host to a new international cycle race - the Tour de Yorkshire.

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T

he Grand Départ of the Tour de France was colloquially known as the Tour de Yorkshire during its two-day stay in the county. And now the wheels are in motion for a new annual world class international cycle race in Yorkshire in perpetuity. The “Tour de Yorkshire” will be a three-day race and its inaugural edition will run from 1 – 3 May 2015.

The application to stage the new race as part of the international cycling calendar was made by Welcome to Yorkshire and Amaury Sport Organisation (ASO) supported

by British Cycling. Based on the strong collaboration that has been built up between Welcome to Yorkshire and ASO for the Grand Départ and working in partnership with British Cycling, the race will be a 2.1 UCI Europe Tour event, guaranteeing the participation of some of the world’s leading cyclists and providing a fitting legacy to last year’s Tour de France visit in ‘God’s Own County’. Indeed, the organisers are strongly committed to create what will become a breathtaking new race in a region made for cycling.

Beyond the discovery of the entire Yorkshire county, certainly beyond the routes of the Tour de France Grand

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© Tony Bartholomew

Yorkshire boasts breathtaking and beautiful scenery worthy of any of the cycling season’s major events.

Départ, and an impactful promotion through international TV coverage, a strong focus will be put on not only sustaining, but further increasing the already outstanding enthusiasm for cycling in the UK. Director of the Tour de France at ASO, Christian Prudhomme said; “I am delighted we are returning to Yorkshire where we saw the grandest of Grand Départ for the Tour de France. It is clear the people of Yorkshire are passionate about cycling and we can’t wait to bring them this new race.”

Gary Verity, Chief Executive of Welcome to Yorkshire, said: “This is another huge milestone for Yorkshire as we position the county as the cycling heartland of Europe.

This is the first ever Tour de Yorkshire, I am confident it will become a huge annual event and something that will raise Yorkshire’s profile year on year.” Come along to the historic event as the first ever Tour de Yorkshire gets underway on Friday 1st May. See you there - it will be amazing.

letouryorkshire

@letouryorkshire

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WELCOME TO WEST YORKSHIRE

Essential experiences

Eureka!

Where children play to learn and adults learn to play, with interactive, hands-on exhibits designed to inspire children aged 0 to 11.

Holmfirth and the Holme Valley Thriving villages in the Peak District National Park, with speciality shops and markets, plus packed events programmes.

Alhambra Theatre The Alhambra Theatre is the jewel in the crown of Bradford.

Built in 1914, it is a testimony to the splendour of the Edwardian music hall era.

HOME OF HERITAGE Once the industrial heartland of the country, West Yorkshire combines inspirational scenery with world class museums and culturally rich cities with traditional market towns and picturesque villages. A few trips to this neck of the woods will leave you constantly surprised.

West Yorkshire’s history and landscapes have long inspired musicians, painters, sculptors and craftsmen and this artistic streak is alive and well today. Wherever you choose to start, you’ll be amazed by the diverse quantity of culture on offer.

Sitting in the heart of the breathtaking Holme Valley, the picture-postcard town of Holmfirth is bursting at the seams with cultural activity such as the Ashley Jackson Art Gallery.

This gallery provides a welcoming and vibrant place, creating a perfect viewing platform for the dynamic and passionate Ashley Jackson watercolour collection of postcards, prints, limited editions and originals.

Moving further west, Hebden Bridge Arts Festival is an annual celebration of the town’s creativity and its unique landscape. Whilst here, find time for the amazing spectacle that is the Handmade Parade – you won’t be disappointed.

In fact, it is probably fair to say that West Yorkshire delivers more world class events and festivals than anywhere else in the country, with the Halifax Food & Drink Festival and Huddersfield Contemporary Music Festival both bringing top class talent to the area. On top of this the Bradford Animation Festival held at the iconic National Media Museum, and the Ilkley Film Festival draw crowds from all around the world. Such is Bradford’s

Clockwise from top left: Keighley & Worth Valley Railway. Hockney paintings at Salts Mill. The amazing Handmade Parade.

Blackpool Bridge in Holmfirth.

Huddersfield Contemporary Music Festival The UK’s largest international festival of new and experimental music as well as film and dance.

Ilkley Moor The perfect place not only to appreciate the panoramic views from the Cow & Calf rocks, but to also sample one of Ilkley’s greatest attractions - walking!

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strength when it comes to film; the city was made the world’s first UNESCO City of Film in 2009.

The cultural scene of West Yorkshire pours out due to the rich heritage that this part of the world has and there are more than a few cracking museums to visit to educate yourself on its history. The Brontë Parsonage Museum in Haworth pays homage to the world’s most famous literary family with a comprehensive collection of Brontë works. The charming village of Saltaire was founded in 1853 by Sir Titus Salt, a leading industrialist in the Yorkshire woollen industry and in December 2001, the village was designated a World Heritage Site by UNESCO. For shopping, dining and art all in one glorious building head to Salts Mill.

Heritage is also a key ingredient when travelling round West Yorkshire, with Keighley & Worth Valley Railway and The Kirklees Light Railway helping you nestle into nostalgia with ease.

Are you more of a boat person? Then let Standedge Tunnel get you right to the heart of the Pennines on a cruise

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through the longest, highest and deepest canal tunnel in the country.

The best way to explore West Yorkshire however, is to head out to the great outdoors. Here, the landscape is a stark contrast to the windswept open spaces and the steeper contours and waterways of the Holme and Colne Valleys. It’s where the Peak District National Park and the National Trust’s Marsden Moor Estate stretch high across the Pennine Moors, and where way-marked walks and trails criss-cross the countryside as far as the eye can see. Calderdale’s magnificent scenery provides a range of outdoor activity to suit all ages and abilities. The area offers classic walking country from the uplands of the Pennine Moors, to 400 acres of wooded valley at Hardcastle Crags and historic landscapes such as Shibden Hall.

For adrenaline activity take a trip to the thrill-inducing Another World Adventure Centre in Halifax or ROKT in Brighouse, which houses the highest climbing wall in Yorkshire. West Yorkshire is also the spiritual heartland of all cyclists, with Cragg Vale, Britain’s longest continuous climb, and Holme

Moss in the Peak District National Park being on many cyclists’ bucket lists and providing both iconic and hairraising moments during the Yorkshire Grand Départ in 2014. Release your inner cyclist on Calderdale’s quiet lanes, family friendly canal routes or ultra-technical ascents. The area has a wealth of cycling trails with stunning back drops and is home to National Cycle Routes 66 and 68.

After all this excitement you’ll be ready to relax and Huddersfield has not one but two brilliant options in Alexandra House and Titanic Spa. Alexandra House offers traditional treatments as well as Reiki, Hopi ear candles, meditation and Indian head massage. Titanic Spa combines a stylish modern design and the latest spa facilities with original mill features and as a bonus there is an Egyptian Mud Chamber and Turkish Hamman.

And when you finally need to call it a night, the choice of accommodation ranges from luxury country house hotels such as Rogerthorpe Manor in Pontefract to boutique town houses and comfortable guest houses.

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WELCOME TO BARNSLEY

BURSTING WITH IDEAS Visitors to Barnsley won’t be short of things to do.

Just minutes from the M1, Barnsley is an ideal destination for a brief stop-over, a day out, or a longer break.

The town and its surrounding countryside are bursting with historic parks and gardens, stately homes, industrial heritage sites, nature reserves, galleries and cultural attractions, making it one of Yorkshires emerging tourist destinations.

History is brought vividly to life throughout the region. From the impressive ruins of Monk Bretton Priory to the Georgian splendour of Cannon Hall and its tranquil parkland, stepping into the past is an enriching experience in Barnsley – whether you have a few hours to spare or a whole day to explore.

Discover a hands-on approach to history at the impressive Experience Barnsley Museum. At Elsecar Heritage Centre you can immerse yourself in Earl Fitzwilliam’s 18th century mine workers’ village, browse workshops, galleries and cafés, visit the worldrenowned Newcomen beam engine and ride on a restored steam train.

History and horticulture combine to dramatic effect at Wentworth Castle, where you can discover landscaped parkland, exquisitely planted gardens – or soak up the views from the beautifully restored Victorian conservatory.

For those with an interest in art, The Cooper Gallery is a vibrant

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Clockwise from top left: Wentworth Castle Gardens.

RSPB Dearne Valley - Old Moor.

The Cooper Gallery. Barnsley Civic.

creative space in the heart of the town, with a regular programme of contemporary touring exhibitions and events. It is also home to the Craft Showcase, which boasts interesting and exclusive pieces by local artists.

As well as a feast for the senses, Barnsley offers nourishment for the body and soul, with cosy cafés, tempting tea rooms, an abundance of farm shops offering fresh seasonal food, atmospheric country pubs and fine dining – all served up with a warm Barnsley welcome.

Worsbrough Mill Museum and Country Park offers a unique insight into the production of stone-ground flour, using traditional methods.

Visitors of the 17th century working water mill can see premium–grade artisan flours being produced, before buying a bag from the on-site shop and taking a stroll around the country park and sampling local home cooked cakes in the Miller’s Tea Room.

For action packed fun with the children, why not try Calypso Cove water-park, go wild at RSPB Old Moor or meet the animals at Cannon Hall Farm? You may be surprised to know that many attractions in Barnsley are free to enter. For more information go to www.visit-barnsley.com

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THE JEWEL IN THE CROWN OF THE YORKSHIRE DALES The Devonshire Arms Hotel & Spa is one of the county's favourite country hotels, its stunning location adds to its charm and character. The intimate spa with sauna, steam room, gym, relaxation lounges and pool along with four treatment rooms makes this a perfect place for an escape to the country.

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If you love the beauty of the Yorkshire Dales there's no better place to stay than this small independent country hotel with spa in one of North Yorkshire's national parks. The Devonshire Arms is set on the 30,000 acre Bolton Abbey Estate owned by the Duke and Duchess of Devonshire who also own the Chatsworth Estate in Derbyshire's Peak District National Park. Cosy rooms, roaring log fires and comfy lounges make this an ideal choice for those wanting to unwind from the hustle and bustle from our all too hectic lifestyles.

This spot has always been regarded as a destination for high quality food and wines and has two restaurants offering very different styles of food.

William Bonfield leads the team in The Burlington - a fine dining restaurant.

Head chef Adam Smith never fails to deliver anything more than a truly amazing dining experience using the finest ingredients locally sourced

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wherever possible, making full use of the hotel's kitchen garden with some wonderful heritage varieties of fruit and vegetables. Adam who won the 2012 Roux Scholarship and deemed by Michel Roux Jnr as “one to watch� uses his classical training to ensure every single dish he creates delivers both in presentation and undoubtedly taste.

The use of local producers and suppliers ensures some of the best ingredients are used in the menu.

Andy Swinscoe from Courtyard Dairy in Settle - 2013 Cheesemonger of the Year provides the kitchen with some wonderful examples of amazing cheese from some of the very best small independent artisan producers. Nigel Fairclough the cellar master is the perfect antidote to the stuffy sommelier; his Cumbrian tones are a welcome, friendly and extremely reassuring.

Nigel's boundless knowledge and discerning palate will guarantee the most delicious and perfect wine pairing with your dinner choice.

For a more informal style the vibrant brasserie offers a low key and relaxed atmosphere for lunch or dinner seven days a week. Traditional Sunday lunch is a firm favourite with local customers. The local beer selection from Copper Dragon will certainly go down well with the perfectly cooked, fresh and seasonal dishes.

The small intimate spa just opposite the main hotel building offers a superb place for relaxation and if you are looking for a quiet spot to relax and unwind with peace and tranquillity you will certainly find it here. The four treatment rooms, chill out zone and relaxation lounge will give you the opportunity to enjoy some much needed de-stressing and time out. The two new treatment rooms and lounge have been recently designed by the Duchess of Devonshire herself. A wide range of luxury ESPA treatments are available to suit all your individual needs, you can now even book a massage for two so you can enjoy it side by side.

The rich jewelled coloured furnishings give a warm, inviting and luxurious yet extremely relaxed and comfortable feel to enable total relaxation during your visit. Dogs are always welcome and even receive their very own treats and welcome pack when you check in. A towel for drying muddy paws and fresh bowls of water for all four legged visitors is just an example of going that extra mile to make your stay even more special.

The miles of footpaths on the

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Clockwise from top left: Relax and unwind in the spa. Full Afternoon Tea. One of Chef Adam Smith's culinary delights.

The Burlington Restaurant. Luxury accommodation. Comfortable lounges.

beautiful Bolton Abbey Estate offers you the option of gentle strolls by the river or a more strenuous walk in to the hills, whatever you chose there's no doubt you will be as captivated by the area as the master Turner when he visited the area to paint, some of his most famous works of art were inspired by this local area.

The friendly, warm and welcoming staff along with the endless beauty of the breathtaking location will ensure The Devonshire Arms is the perfect place for a wonderful stay.

Next Step For further information please visit www.thedevonshirearms.co.uk or call 01756 710441

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MY YORKSHIRE KNARESBOROUGH

MORE IMY YORKSHIREI Find out what makes Yorkshire special to those who live in “God's Own County”.

Look out for more stories throughout the magazine.

My Yorkshire...

The Hanleys Young family in Leeds

Sonny and Dawn and their children are kept busy by the variety of family activities on offer in Yorkshire.

What is your favourite place to visit in Yorkshire?

The kids all agreed that Knaresborough is their top destination to visit. It’s a short train ride from Horsforth to get to this quaint little market town.

They love the little walk through the castle grounds, and down the steps towards the riverside. Half way down the stairs they always want to stop and eat their pack lunches sat on the bench in the little ‘cave’ while I always take a quick snap of the River Nidd and the viaduct. We always get ice creams, feed the ducks, and hire a rowing boat to have a leisurely cruise down the river.

What are your first memories of Yorkshire?

Sonny - I’ve lived in Yorkshire all my life so my memories of Yorkshire

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are endless but I guess my earliest memory of realising how beautiful Yorkshire is, was on a class trip to Ilkley Moor. Even at such a young age I could appreciate the stunning scenery from the top of the moor overlooking Woodhouse Crag and the fresh countryside air.

Dawn - I moved to Leeds for university and never looked back. I knew straight away that this was the place I would like to lay down roots. The thing that sticks in my mind is noticing how friendly the people are.

Where is your favourite place to eat in Yorkshire?

Usually when we are in Leeds city centre we always head to Trinity Shopping Centre as it has everything you want all under one roof (or partial

roof!). The Botanist is a great place to have a spot of lunch but equally a nice evening meal that is good quality and reasonably priced.

What makes Yorkshire so special?

We are so privileged to live and work in one of the most beautiful places in the country. There is no other place I would want my kids to grow up and call ‘home’. From beautiful walks in the countryside with stunning scenery of the alluring landscape, to clean beaches and a gorgeous coastline, but not forgetting the safe bustling city life, all coupled with the friendly Yorkshire people who are well known to have a warm hospitable welcoming nature.

It all makes this one fantastic place to live.

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CITY LIFE

HIGH SPIRITS

From Roman legionnaires to executed highwaymen, the ancient city of York is believed to be the most haunted in Europe. A reluctant Joe Shute goes in search of the restless spirits which stalk its streets.

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Clockwise from top left: The man in black has been going for 33 years. Taking note around historic York. The story telling begins.

There are five ghosts in the pub, and only four bedrooms. The famous black cat above the entrance to the Black Swan. Take notice of the warning signs around York.

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I

t is 3.57am and I am awake. A light shines from the hall and floorboards creak upstairs. The four-poster bed casts eerie shadows against the walls, hung with wonky paintings whose black frames stand out in the dark. Everything is utterly still, bar my girlfriend Liz’s breathing and a few distant cries from the Shambles outside.

There are five ghosts in the pub, and only four bedrooms, I huddle into the duvet and try to forget about those odds, counting down the minutes until the witching hour ends and dawn cracks through the curtains.

The nights are long in York, said to be the most haunted city in Europe.

No more so than in the Golden Fleece – its most haunted pub – where we are staying. The building’s most famous ghost is Canadian airman Geoff Monroe, who, in 1945, fell out of one of its windows on to the street below.

Another spirit dressed in 17th century

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clothes has a penchant for strolling through the walls. People staying in our room have heard voices whisper to them in the shower, and on one occasion the bedroom door was slammed shut with mysterious hands holding it fast.

My uneasy sleep has not been helped by the fact we have spent the evening walking the city’s streets on The Original Ghost Walk of York, led

by Mark Graham. Millions travel from across the world every year to seek out York’s ghosts, with four different tours taking place each night across the city.

Mr Graham's, however, is the longest and has now been going for 33 years. The former fireman, originally from West Yorkshire, estimates he leads 10,000 people a year through the city, while previous customers include Morgan Freeman, Richard Dreyfus, and, most recently, the comedians from the Mighty Boosh.

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SPOOKY YORKSHIRE York is said to be the most haunted city in Europe but is by no means Yorkshire's only haunted destination.

Bolling Hall, Bradford Featured in the Domesday Book of 1086, the building served as a stronghold for Royalists in the English Civil War. The first of its many ghostly sightings was recorded in 1643. The apparition the ‘White Lady’ is often seen floating across the room and disappearing into a fireplace.

Screaming Skull in Burton Agnes Hall, East Yorkshire Burton Agnes Hall was built during the reign of Queen Elizabeth I. The youngest daughter of the family, Anne, was murdered but had a dying wish to have her head laid to rest in the new hall.

Her sisters refused but after she was buried strange happenings began to take place. Finally Anne's head was placed within the Hall.

Future attempts to remove the skull has resulted in more hauntings, moanings and screaming - and eventually it was hidden so that it would be undisturbed.

Clockwise from top left: Roman soldiers have been spotted in the shadow of York Minster.

Meet the man who doffs his hat at St Andrew’s.

The Golden Fleece is York’s most haunted pub.

Gothic York Minster.

Fountains Abbey & Studley Royal

“They told me they were staying in the Hotel du Vin and it was haunted by a small child,” he says.

His official tours always start from the King’s Arms Pub on the banks of the River Ouse, but he meets us before at the Golden Fleece whose chequered history he is all too familiar with. Almost immediately, he launches into gruesome tales; the street outside our bedroom window, he grins, was where public torture was once a common sight. The road is nicknamed Whip-ma-whop-ma-gate as a result.

York is a city built on bones, roamed by the spirits of former residents who have never been able – or willing - to lay to rest. From the Roman and Viking settlers, to medieval plague pits, to the likes of Dick Turpin hanged at York Racecourse in 1739, every fresh archaeological dig uncovers new stories, and sometimes gives startling credence to old tales.

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A ghostly choir has been heard chanting in the Abbey's Chapel of Nine Altars and nearby Fountains Hall also receives ghostly visitations. Built by Sir Stephen Proctor, the hall is haunted by the blue ghost of his daughter. An Elizabethan man has also been seen emerging from the panelling in the stone hall.

Long Marston The ghosts of the Royalist soldiers killed in the nearby Battle of Marston Moor have frequently been seen in the village, including three phantoms in Cavalier costume. The Old Hall in the village, used by Cromwell during the battle, is said to be haunted by his ghost.

The Mansion House, Doncaster The official residence of the Lord Mayor is haunted by the ghost of a tall military type gentlemen who is seen admiring the portraits - with a preference for Queen Victoria.

Such was the case with plumber Harry Martindale, who died last year aged 79. In 1953, he was installing a new central heating system in the cellars of Treasurer’s House, in the shadow of York Minster, when he heard a distant horn. Suddenly, a detachment of Roman soldiers marched through a brick wall led by a dishevelled soldier draped across a carthorse.

Mr Martindale described the troops as wearing green tunics and plumed helmets with astonishing attention to detail, and claimed the legs were cut off at the knees. Yet few people believed him.

Only 20 years later, an excavation revealed an old Roman Road, the Via Decuma, passed right through the cellar and had been buried 15 inches below the surface. Mr Martindale, who had become a devout Christian as a result of what he had seen, was vindicated.

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Joe trys to relax in his room at the Golden Fleece where Canadian airman Geoff Monroe never checked out.

“I don’t want the stories necessarily to be scary. Although in the past we have had a lot of people fainting.”

His tale is one recounted with relish by his friend Mr Graham as he leads our ghost walk through the streets of York, long black coat swishing behind him, mountain ash cane in his hand.

“Everything fitted Harry's story”, he says, gazing up past the iron Victorian lamp posts and into the starless sky.

Yet despite his occupation, Mr Graham claims to never have been directly confronted by a ghost himself. “I have seen shapes and shadows many times but I have never seen somebody.

The most common ghost story that people tell me is grandparents visiting their grandchildren. That was my own experience with my grandfather when I felt he had come into the bedroom. He was there, but I didn’t want to see him.”

That notwithstanding, York’s ghosts certainly seem attracted to him. At an old address next to St Andrew’s Evangelical church, on the site of an old orphanage, his daughter Eve used to regularly be visited by the spectre of a man followed by two children walking up the stairs and past her bedroom. He would doff his hat, then disappear.

Every year, he collects new stories, although he maintains faithful to his favourite tales. Take June Laycock, a former barmaid at the Black Swan on Peasholme Green, who once fell victim to an evil spirit inside the pub when opening it up, alone. She heard a noise,

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leaned out through a hatch and felt herself gripped around the throat. Each time she struggled, the stranglehold only grew tighter, until two customers walked through the door and the spirit disappeared. The owner of the Guy Fawkes Inn, opposite York Minster on the birth sight of the famous plotter, has told Mr Graham a story of another near miss. Fawkes was a pupil at St Peter’s School in York which has an annual bonfire but has never put a guy on the top, until 20 years ago when teachers attempted to place one there to raise money for charity.

On November 4 of that year, a mysterious figure was spotted on the staircase in the Guy Fawkes Inn. After being chased into a room by the owner brandishing a bottle of beer and an ornamental sword, it disappeared through a wardrobe.

Four hours later, a fire broke out in the building next door. It had started, so says Mr Graham with a gleam in his eye, from the wall which the wardrobe was pressed against.

Our group paces the streets behind Mr Graham in a hushed silence, yet despite the graphic content of his tours, he never aims to terrify. “I don’t want the stories necessarily to be scary.

Although in the past we have had a lot of people fainting. It is usually men, aged 18 to 35. Rather, I want the stories

to be disturbing. It is about getting somebody to think, instead of just shocking them.”

We circle Clifford’s Tower and the Castle Museum, another former execution site, before making our way to York Minster. It is here, on a cobbled street littered with drifts of fallen leaves, that two of our party - 20-year-old Josie Oldfield and her boyfriend Nick Crooks, who are visiting the city from their home in Sheffield - see a ghost.

The apparition they describe is a tall man, pale, dark hair, standing in a doorway and then vanishing into thin air. “We both saw him,” Mr Crooks insisted. I’m a computer engineer and a man of science, but it was really weird.”

A sighting is rare on a tour, and it is only during the long wait until dawn when his words start to rattle around my head. A night in York can make believers of us all.

To find out more about things that shudder and go bump in the night go to www.yorkshire.com/haunted

Great days out Joe had a tour with Mark Graham from The Original Ghost Walk of York: 01759 373090 or visit www. theoriginalghostwalkofyork.co.uk He stayed at the Golden Fleece pub: www.thegoldenfleeceyork.co.uk

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WELCOME TO SHEFFIELD

MODERN TWISTS You only have to take a stroll through Sheffield’s vibrant city centre to understand the warmth of the city, where every visitor is welcomed with a smile. Around every corner, the eclectic mix of architecture interprets much of the social and industrial heritage of the city, telling the story of the skills and innovation, its people and pastimes.

The restaurants, cafés and bars offer refreshments from afternoon tea to after dark cocktails, real ale from local breweries to local produce being used to create some of the best cuisine in the area. Whether it’s a feast fit for a king, or a chance to purely rest weary feet and watch the world go by there is something to suit every taste, from every continent.

Kelham Island Museum and Abbeydale Industrial Hamlet are key attractions in understanding what made Sheffield great – inventions

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and heavy industry; craftsmanship and intricate skills in silversmithing – all of which have influenced today’s Sheffield where the same world class quality threads through the contemporary artists working with precious metals, creating extraordinary tableware and jewellery. A visit to the Museums Sheffield Millennium Gallery Metalwork collection is the perfect place to see a sparkling selection of tools of the trades, blades and beautiful artefacts associated with Sheffield.

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Essential experiences

BeerX – Festival of Beer Taking place in March 2015 on a specially built platform in IceSheffield, BeerX is the second biggest Beer Festival in the UK.

Cliffhanger June offers an opportunity to try all of the outdoor experiences in one weekend. ‘The UK’s biggest outdoor event for outdoor people’ in Millhouses Park.

Rother Valley Country Park Try plenty of water sports taking place from wakeboarding to waterskiing and windsurfing to rowing a boat.

Sheffield’s indoor market Enjoy browsing the artisan food stalls and cafés including Russian and Jamaican influenced food, craft ales and beers, and Thai inspired ice-cream.

Jameson’s Café & Tea Rooms Relax amongst stunning chandeliers and enjoy the pianist who plays most days in the family tea rooms.

Clockwise from top left: Winter Gardens.

Yorkshire Artspace ‘Open Studios’.

Kelham Island Museum. Botanical Gardens.

it’s all right here on the doorstep of England’s fourth largest city.

Take a step away from the city centre and explore the Antiques Quarter, but don’t be mistaken in thinking this is full of dusty old things; think vibrant and quirky, vintage and Victoriana. A stroll through this part of the city, around Abbeydale Road, will introduce you to local traders ready to serve you coffee in china cups, shops filled with gifts and treats as sweet as cupcakes.

You’ll find followers of fashion and trendsetters in the independent boutiques around the city. Step out along Ecclesall Road and you’ll walk with the famous and beautiful… designer shops and independent fashion houses are interspersed by some of the best bars and restaurants in the city, where an abundance of talented chefs have gathered to tempt you with dishes which use the best of local produce.

Mix all of this in with contemporary jewellery and innovative homeware ideas and there’s a whole journey of discovery for you to indulge in.

Image top right © Nigel Barker and Our Favourite Places (www.ourfaveplaces.co.uk)

If you’re not quite sure where to start on your journey through Sheffield, gather some inspiration with a visit to the city’s oldest building – the Cathedral Church of St Peter and St Paul. It has watched Sheffield grow over the centuries and it tells a story of great women and men, of wars, of industry and commerce and of the people who have lived in Sheffield. Just a few minutes’ walk away you’ll come across one of the most unlikely, but ornate, live music venues you’ll ever find The Cathedral Church of St Marie.

Another modern day twist on craftsmanship in Sheffield can be seen on a visit to Yorkshire Artspace during the ‘Open Studios’ events in May and November each year; see over 100 artists and craftspeople in 4 buildings busy at their work. It’s always worth checking out Portland Works on their open days throughout the year for the opportunity to see this Grade II listed building where the first stainless steel cutlery was made and where today’s gifted craftsmen and artists work together.

Sheffield is renowned for hosting major events, including the World Snooker Championships played each year (April/May) at the Crucible Theatre, the Tramlines Urban Music Festival (July) held on the streets and across more than 80 venues, and the Sheffield Food Festival (May) which showcases the talents of local chefs, the quality of food being produced locally and the sheer diversity of what’s available to tickle those taste buds. And in a city where football was invented - Sheffield FC is recognised

by FIFA as the world’s first football club. It’s not surprising that Sheffield hosts a magnificent calendar of major sporting events, along with fixtures from football to four-legged races at the Greyhound stadium and just about every sport in between, for you to watch.

If you’ve got too much adrenaline to sit back and watch, give climbing (or bouldering) a try. With some of the world’s best indoor centres and more than 300 crags in the great outdoors you’ll soon see why Sheffield is recognised as the UK’s ‘capital of climbing’.

The great outdoors is never greater than you’ll find in Sheffield.

Whether it’s a stroll through one of more than 50 magnificent Victorian parks or Sheffield’s renowned Botanical Gardens; a meandering stroll through historic woodland or a refreshing hike across heather covered moorland,

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AWARDS

CREAM OF I THE CROP What do the world’s only submarium, a collection of some of the finest opera singers and a museum where you can practise delivering a calf have in common? Answer: they are all winners of a prestigious White Rose Award for tourism.

Stay with us, it’ll all make sense.

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f you’re looking for an elegant place to stay, an exciting place to visit or a delicious place to dine, then check out these award winners.

Thanks to a team of independent judges and a large order of mystery shopping, you can rest assured that these worthy winners are all at the very top of their game and well worth a visit.

Almost 1,000 people including celebrity guests from Emmerdale and stars of sport witnessed the 16 worthy winners being crowned best in the business at the glitzy festival-themed awards ceremony at Yorkshire Event Centre in Harrogate.

Winners included The Deep in Hull, which is the afore mentioned submarium and home to more than 3,500 aquatic specimens including some amazing sharks, after they took home the Large Visitor Attraction Award.

Opera North scooped the Arts & Culture Award and The World of James Herriot in Thirsk scooped the award for best Small Visitor Attraction – they’re the ones where you can practise being a vet and birthing a calf! Brilliant.

For those after an escape to the country, with activities to keep you entertained, then the Large Hotel of the

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Clockwise from top left: Sarah Puckett’s delicious homemade pickles. The Deep in Hull continues to amaze. Yorebridge House in Bainbridge. Mallard 75. The Angel Inn at Hetton provides great food and accommodation.

A Festival of Tourism Winners at the White Rose Awards 2014 Small Visitor Attraction The World of James Herriot, Thirsk Large Visitor Attraction The Deep, Hull

Caravan & Camping Park Studfold ‘The Nidderdale Experience’ Bed & Breakfast The Wold Cottage, Driffield

Taste of Yorkshire Puckett’s Pickles, York

Large Hotel The Coniston Hotel & Country Estate, Skipton

Self-Catering The Dovecote Barns, York

Small Hotel The Talbot Hotel, Malton

Pub The Castle Inn, Skipton

Business Tourism Harrogate International Centre

Restaurant Yorebridge House, Bainbridge Restaurant with Rooms The Angel Inn, Hetton Tourism Event Mallard 75, National Railway Museum, York

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Outstanding Customer Service Wentbridge House Hotel, Pontefract Visitor Information York Visitor Information Centre Arts & Culture Opera North

Year Award winners The Coniston Hotel must be high on the must-visit list.

The awards, run by official tourism agency Welcome to Yorkshire, are the biggest tourism awards in the UK and have been recognising tourism stars for more than 25 years.

Independent Chair of Judges, Professor Colin Mellors, added: “It’s always a genuine pleasure to see the delight on the faces of the winners and the highly commended as these awards mean so much to tourism businesses. None of our finalists should underestimate the importance of making it this far, whether they won or not. Competition is fierce and every year our job as independent judges gets harder and that’s real testament to these businesses.”

Gary Verity, Chief Executive of Welcome to Yorkshire, said: “Winning a White Rose Award is a prestigious seal of approval, which helps show customers the high standards that each winner displays every day. Our judging panel is completely independent, so to win one means a business has truly gone above and beyond.”

For a full list of winners and images go to www.whiteroseawards.com

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Clockwise from top left: Family fun at Skipton Castle. Skipton means ‘Sheep Town’.

Beautiful walks through Skipton Castle Woods. Cruising along the Leeds-Liverpool canal. A grand entrance to the castle.

Magnificent views over the town.

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HERITAGE

LIFE IN A NORTHERN TOWN For better or worse, the secret’s out as in 2014, The Sunday Times alerted the rest of the UK to what the lucky residents of Skipton quite clearly knew – that this pretty, unassuming North Yorkshire town is the Best Place to Live in Britain. So how did the ‘Gateway to the Dales’ manage to become top drawer? Travel writer and resident Bridget McGrouther finds out.

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P

erhaps it’s hardly surprising that this pretty market town’s idyllic location on the edge of the Yorkshire Dales National Park has left others green. Not many towns can boast a stately 900-year-old castle, colourful barges bobbing along the Leeds-Liverpool Canal or a year-round holiday atmosphere.

No wonder coach-loads of visitors, mountains of walkers and (in the wake of the Grand Départ) streams of cyclists flock to Skipton (meaning ‘Sheep Town’), like the drovers who once herded their livestock to market here from all over the UK. One of Skipton’s most colourful and celebrated former residents, cricketing hero Freddie Trueman, still bowls everyone over in a statue by the town’s canal basin, where cruisers, hotel barges and house boats are moored.

Despite being born in South Yorkshire, the breathtaking Dales scenery lured the famously fast bowler north to adopt Skipton as his home.

Fred lived in the area with his wife Veronica until he died in 2006 and was given special dispensation – thanks to his charity work and the fact that he was such a Yorkshire legend - to be buried at Bolton Priory, a favourite beauty spot.

A close friend of Peter O’Toole, the actor used to visit annually to lay roses on the sportsman’s grave until he himself passed away.

‘Fiery Fred’, as he was nicknamed, was a regular visitor to The Devonshire Arms Hotel at Bolton Abbey, where his daughter married Raquel Welch’s son. Despite this country house hotel’s reputation for stylish design and exceptional cuisine, he is reputed to have slept in the same room and ordered the same dinner every time he stayed. The Duke and Duchess bought a smaller replica of the Skipton statue which sits in the Devonshire Brasserie.

Not averse to a pint of bitter, the first man ever to take 300 Test wickets may have been pleased that Skipton’s very own brewery, Copper Dragon, named the Freddie Trueman Ale in his honour. The town’s atmospheric bars include The Woolly Sheep Inn, voted Yorkshire’s Favourite Pub 2014, and The Narrow Boat, known only to those who can find it tucked down a ‘ginnel’ (or alleyway) off the high street.

The Fattorini name (originally from Italy) has also long been synonymous with Skipton since the family opened their jewellery business in the town during the early 19th century. Today the Royal Warrant holders are renowned for their medals, regalia and sporting trophies such as the original FA Cup. A branch of the family has been looking after and living in Skipton Castle, one of the town’s most popular tourist attractions, for many years. Determined to protect it from becoming ‘Disneyfied’, Sebastian Fattorini left his career as a jeweller in London to take over running the castle from his uncle and grandfather before him.

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On the cobbled shoulders below Holy Trinity Church market stalls are set up four days a week as they have been since the Middle Ages. yorkshire.com

Although originally intending to stay short-term, he’s still here 16 years on, sharing the castle with his new wife, who has also been drawn from the Big Smoke.

“It’s difficult to sum up Skipton in a nutshell as it has so much to offer,” Sebastian explains. “People here are very positive, they smile and chat. Proud of their town, there is a real sense of community.”

“We have one of the best medieval castles in the UK; an ancient woodland with kingfishers and deer; canal boat tours; the market first granted by King John in 1204; numerous independent shops and regular events. Most towns would be pleased with even one of these assets, but Skipton has more than its fair share and all within easy, pleasant walking distance of each other.”

“From the castle, it takes only three minutes to pop out for a pint of milk and 12 minutes to get to the station from where you can catch a train to Leeds and London.

It’s so simple.”

“Everything has changed a lot down south – London is now an international city, nothing much to do with Britain at all. Up north, it’s like a breath of fresh air – friendly, green, you feel at home and recognise people.”

On the cobbled shoulders below Holy Trinity Church on what was a former Best High Street winner, market stalls are set up four days a week as they have been since Clockwise from top left: In 1659 Lady Anne Clifford planted the yew tree in the central courtyard to mark the Castle’s repair from its Civil War damage.

Colourful traders at Skipton Market. ‘Yorkshire's favourite pub’. Holy Trinity Church. The Freddie Trueman statue.

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the Middle Ages. Still a hub for livestock sales, the auction mart doubles as a theatre and gallery for craft fairs like Art in the Pen. Other quirky events cover everything from Sheep Day to Yuletide Festivals, with star acts performing. Yet residents know that when the town gets too crowded, they can soon escape to the secret serenity of Skipton Castle Woods, just a stone’s throw away.

Walks or canal cruises along the Springs Branch reveal a more dramatic, cliff-hanging view of Skipton Castle which was spotlighted from the air last summer when Le Tour de France, the most famous bike race in the world, was cheered on through the town. It’s not the first time powerfully scenic images of Skipton have hit global screens. Along with Ade Edmondson’s The Dales, of course, scenes from TV series Last Tango in Halifax were shot around here as well as films like Calendar Girls (the real ones live locally) and Harry Potter.

Imagine our surprise when we ran into the wizard star Daniel Radcliffe in our local pub, The Devonshire Hotel, in nearby Grassington. Back to film the ghostly Woman in Black in Littondale, he popped in frequently while staying in a village guest-house and even bought drinks on the house after winning the pub quiz.

Originally an ‘offcumden’ from north of the border, I’m privileged to have married a Yorkshireman after bumping into him in a Barbados bar, of all places. I may have taken a little persuasion to leave Glasgow for the sleepier Dales, but have happily settled on the outskirts of Skipton-in-Craven (to give it its full title) ever since and can vouch for the quality of life here.

Why? Well, living on the doorstep of the Yorkshire Dales is a huge attraction - we enjoy walking our dog across moorland and farmland, past dry stone walls and weathered barns. What some may call bluntness, I appreciate as straight-forward honesty - a spade is

definitely a spade around here, while trust is such that deals are often done on a handshake. Best of all, I love the drôle Yorkshire sense of humour and quick, caustic wit.

And - along with a brewery - what else could make any town happier than boasting its very own chocolate factory? Family firm Whitakers have been making feelgood confectionery here for 125 years, with choccies sold at the long-standing high street sweet shop as well as worldwide.

Dining out ranges from cafés, bistros and pork pie establishments to cosmopolitan choices like French or Thai cuisine. The waft of Bizzie Lizzie’s award winning fish ‘n’ chips has proved so appetizing that there is now a second restaurant.

Voice of the Dales since 1853, weekly newspaper The Craven Herald & Pioneer is refreshingly filled with uplifting rather than bad news stories, as violent crime is rare. The property pages are much more affordable than London’s sky-high bubble, while local schools have an enviable reputation.

For all its quaintness, Skipton, in the geographic heart of the UK, certainly isn’t in the back of beyond.

There is a direct daily train service to London, the famously scenic Settle-Carlisle railway line to the north and three international airports (Leeds Bradford, Manchester and Liverpool) within 90 minutes’ drive.

As a travel writer, I’m lucky enough to globetrot to some of the most fascinating destinations, yet never fail to look forward to coming home. So yes, it’s got to be one of the Best Places to Live in Britain – if not the world… The only down side is that many in Skipton wish the town hadn’t topped the national newspaper poll.

For, call us old-fashioned, but we’d rather not attract too much attention so that our town stays just the way it is!

To find out more go to www.yorkshire.com/skipton

Not many towns can boast a stately 900 year old castle, colourful barges bobbing along the Leeds-Liverpool Canal or a year round holiday atmosphere.

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town 10 treats 1

Skipton Castle Explore every corner of this impressive historyrich castle, which withstood a three-year siege during the Civil War.

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Skipton High Street & Market Voted the best high street in Britain in 2009 with a fantastic market held four times a week.

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Skipton Woods Walk among ancient woodland, enjoy displays of spring flowers and look out for some of the many species of wildlife.

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Canal boat rides Go on a relaxing guided tour or hire a boat on a beautiful stretch of the famous Leeds-Liverpool canal.

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Bizzie Lizzie’s No visit to Skipton is complete without some award winning fish and chips.

A firm favourite with the locals and visitors alike.

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The Coniston Hotel and Country Estate Family owned hotel set in 1,400 acres of beautiful Yorkshire Dales countryside.

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Clockwise from top left: Copper Dragon is Skiptons very own brewery. Painted ornate water containers on the canal. Limestone pavements in the Yorkshire Dales © National Trust Images. Life on the water. Quality chocolates produced in Skipton. A visit to Skipton is not complete without a visit to Bizze Lizzie’s.

Whitakers Chocolates Worldwide supplier of quality chocolates conceived and produced in Skipton. A must for any one with a sweet tooth.

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Great pubs Home to The Woolly Sheep Inn Yorkshire’s favourite pub, The Narrow Boat and The Castle Inn - winner at the White Rose Awards 2014.

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Bolton Abbey Visitors are invited to explore the beautiful 12th century Priory ruins which stands proudly on the banks of the River Wharfe.

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The Devonshire Arms Country House Hotel Award winning, luxurious hotel and spa set within the idyllic Bolton Abbey Estate.

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MY YORKSHIRE FILEY

What are your favourite places to visit in Yorkshire?

York with all its history and visiting my father’s family or driving across the rolling Wolds and enjoying Filey’s magnificent bay and The Brigg.

MORE IMY YORKSHIREI Find out what makes Yorkshire special to those who live in “God's Own County”.

Look out for more stories throughout the magazine.

What are your first memories of Yorkshire?

Growing up in a close knit community in York and the train journey along the Humber from Goole to Hull in 1967.

Where is your favourite place to eat in Yorkshire?

The Black Horse in Little Weighton or The Star at Sancton.

What makes Yorkshire so special?

Lynn - Beautiful countryside coupled with very friendly people and great quality of life. David - The warmth and friendliness of its people coupled with contrasting cities, towns and countryside; European Gateway Port of Hull, Georgian Beverley with the Westwood to Cook’s Whitby and the North York Moors.

My Yorkshire...

David and Lynn Hawkins Retired couple, East Yorkshire

David and Lynn, who live in Little Weighton in East Yorkshire, have always been impressed by the stunning Yorkshire Coastline.

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Sally Wainwright at Shibden Mill, Halifax. Š Kyte Photography

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ARTISTIC

HALIFAX HERO Award winning TV writer Sally Wainwright is putting Yorkshire under the spotlight with her powerful dramas. The Huddersfield-born creator of Last Tango in Halifax and Happy Valley tells Jo Francisco about her home-grown inspiration.

W

hen young Sally Wainwright looked out across Calderdale’s stunning patchwork of green fields she thought she would grow up to be a painter. Little did she realise that one day she would give those rolling hills and their charismatic residents a starring role in two of the best TV dramas to grace our screens. The two may be worlds apart in terms of genre (one heart-warming and witty, the other dark and gritty) but both have been huge hits.

Last Tango in Halifax, which follows a blossoming romance between two pensioners, scooped three BAFTAs, while Happy Valley's dark underbelly pulled in a weekly audience of almost 8 million.

Both were met with critical acclaim, both have been commissioned for further series and both feature strong Yorkshire characters. So what is so special about Yorkshire to the screen writer who lives with her husband and teenage sons in Oxfordshire?

“The older I get the more I go back to my childhood for inspiration”, says Sally.

“The more you look back to your own life for ideas, the more real it can be. It was never a conscious decision to set things in Yorkshire, it just happened as I got older.”

“With Happy Valley, it’s to do with the landscape, the accent. It’s about writing for a vernacular group. It feels real. Happy Valley is real and authentic.”

“With Last Tango I wanted it to feel very grounded – characters like Gillian. We filmed Last Tango three houses away from where I grew up in Ripponden. That made it feel very real.”

The formula works. Viewers fell in love with Last Tango and were gripped by Happy Valley. So much so that while Sally spent autumn 2014 writing series two of Happy Valley (to be filmed this summer), the Last Tango cast and crew were filming series three (to be screened later this year).

“When I was growing up I didn’t appreciate Yorkshire”,

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says Sally, a former pupil at Sowerby Bridge High School.

“I wanted to go to London. I was good at art and painting so I always imagined I was going to do that. I wrote secretly but only as a hobby.”

At 19, she headed for the University of York before departing Yorkshire for good. Sally spent 25 years writing for television but it was not until she returned to her roots for inspiration that she really made her mark.

“Given the choice, I increasingly write in that

“ The more you look back to your own life for ideas, the more real it can be. It was never a conscious decision to set things in Yorkshire, it just happened as I got older.” vernacular,” says Sally, who also wrote Scott and Bailey and At Home with the Braithwaites. She has also written for Emmerdale and Coronation Street, which is where she first crossed paths with Sarah Lancashire who landed a BAFTA for her part in Last Tango.

“I wrote Coronation Street when Sarah was playing Raquel, which was 15 years ago,” said Sally. The 51-year-old was “blown away” by Sarah's performance in Last Tango and wrote the part of Catherine Cawood in Happy Valley with her in mind.

“Hopefully it’s really put Halifax on the map. I’ve heard there’s even supposed to be a Happy Valley tour now!” she says. “Of all the things I have written, Happy Valley has had the biggest impact so I am quite nervous because I love getting a second series. Everyone is confident we did a good job first time but I am nervous about being able to repeat its intensity and success.”

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Clockwise from top left: The Shibden Estate in Halifax has been used in filming. Sally at Shibden Mill. A stone built moorland packhorse bridge near Hebden Bridge. Inspirational countryside.

“ Hebden Bridge and Sowerby Bridge are so picturesque. There’s fantastic old architecture and so much depth to the hills. They’re absolutely beautiful, which really shows on screen and adds to the atmosphere.”

“But we have got some really good storylines and we will give it our best shot.” Quietly spoken but with a Yorkshire twang, Sally says she is proud of where she comes from and often returns to stay with friends.

“I like Hebden Bridge and Sowerby Bridge, they are so picturesque. There’s fantastic old architecture and so much depth to the hills. They’re absolutely beautiful, which really shows on screen

Alan and Celia

and adds to the atmosphere. I just know that part of the world really well.”

Sally was also back to direct Happy Valley, filmed in Huddersfield, Halifax, Todmorden, Sowerby Bridge and Hebden Bridge among others.

“I try to be there as much as I can.

I directed all the scenes for Happy Valley and since then I have found it hard to go on set because I just want to take over!”

James Norton as Tommy Lee Royce

Sally also takes inspiration from the people close to her and wrote Last Tango after seeing the happiness her mother's second marriage brought her late in life. “I use bits of people I know in characters but it’s never literal.

It’s more about an incident they have been involved in. It’s an amalgamation of things.”

Yorkshire landscape aside, there is one other vital ingredient Sally sprinkles throughout her scripts.

“The humour is what sticks in my mind about Yorkshire,” she says. “I look for that in the actors.”

And it shows. With the promise of another series for both Happy Valley and Last Tango in 2015, we can’t wait for more edge-of-the-seat stuff from Sally. She may have moved away but Yorkshire is still very much in her heart.

The cast of Last Tango in Halifax

Images in strip © RED Production Company / BBC. Images of Sally Wainwright © Kyte Photography.

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Sarah Lancashire in Happy Valley

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Beautiful locations in Last Tango in Halifax

Sergeant Catherine Cawood

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WELCOME TO YORK

A GREAT TREASURE You'll fall in love the moment you arrive...renowned for its exquisite architecture, tangle of quaint cobbled streets, iconic York Minster and wealth of visitor attractions, York is a flourishing city, just two hours by train from London.

Delve deeper into York's ancient past and discover fascinating worldclass attractions around every corner.

Explore York Minster; the largest gothic cathedral in northern Europe, with its medieval stained glass and stone masterpieces and foundations rooted in the nation’s earliest history.

This vast space comes alive with the sanctity and tradition of worship and heavenly music, but you can also find quiet corners revealing great treasures and unexpected stories.

Marvel at the interior of Fairfax House, a fine Georgian townhouse or drop in at Merchant Adventurers’ Hall, the most well preserved Guildhall in Europe. Go back in time in Barley Hall and experience life in a medieval household or visit the Treasurer’s House, one of the most haunted buildings in the world. Walk along the 3.4 kilometres of beautifully preserved York City Walls, the longest medieval town walls in England. Learn all about the fascinating story of the train at the

National Railway Museum and explore its three giant halls packed full of interactive fun. Be entertained by a new season of theatre at the museum in conjunction with York Theatre Royal, including the return of the Railway Children.

Take a 70-minute journey into more than 2,000 years of York’s horrible history at York Dungeon, bringing together an amazing cast of actors, special effects, stages and scenes. Have fun at the Web Adventure Park in the huge sand and water play area or in the netted climbing forest. This summer visitors will see the re-opening of York Art Gallery, with an extended gallery space, new exhibitions and gardens.

The gallery will also be home to the National Centre for Ceramics.

You can save money on top York Attractions by buying a York Pass.

Once purchased, this 1, 2 or 3 day pass offers you a choice of free entry into over 30 attractions and tours. It also includes restaurants and retail offers.

Essential experiences

York Minster Take a 2,000 year heroic, historic and human journey through a series of interactive chambers at the largest Gothic Cathedral North of the Alps.

York Castle Museum Museum of York's social and military past, housed in a former prison. Go on a trip through time on Britain’s most famous Victorian Street.

City Walls The beautifully preserved walls are the longest medieval town walls in England. Walk along all or part of the City walls and enjoy some amazing views.

York Designer Outlet Set within a beautiful landscaped garden setting, this is a must visit fashion and shopping destination. Home to 120 of your favourite designer brands.

Bettys Café Tearooms Enjoy Afternoon Tea served in beautiful surroundings. Choose from a selection of speciality teas, whilst being delighted by a cake stand laden with delicious treats.

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Opposite page: Castle Howard.

This page clockwise from top left: Family fun at York Minster.

The Shambles. Clifford’s Tower.

The ‘York City of Festivals’ boasts an impressive selection of year round events. Starting the year off, the JORVIK Viking Festival is a citywide celebration of York’s Viking heritage attracting more than 40,000 visitors each year. This Easter, share a piece of York's chocolate history at the York Chocolate Festival, where York reclaims its rightful title of the Home of Chocolate with an indulgent celebration of the industry, chocolate lovers, artisan chocolatiers, museums and attractions.

Hear the roar of the crowd, feel the thunder of hooves, see top class horses close up and soak up the atmosphere at York Racecourse this May to October. Throughout the summer months, come up with your own ideas and interact with worldclass speakers at the York Festival of Ideas in June, watch many of the world’s finest early music artists perform at The York Early Music Festival in July and see the new Great Yorkshire Fringe comedy festival take centre stage in July and August.

Indulge in the amazing local produce and drink which is always

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the focus of the York Food and Drink Festival each September either in markets, tastings or special events. Illuminating York draws more than 50,000 people to the city to experience York in a new light, using cutting-edge technology to create a colourful celebration of York’s unique heritage. The Aesthethica Short Film Festival in November is a celebration of independent film from across the world, moving between medieval halls and ancient city walls, boutique cinemas, galleries and museums. All you need for a good classic Christmas are the St Nicholas Christmas Festival and Early Music Christmas Festival, when York is transformed into a winter wonderland.

York truly is the home of chocolate.

Follow the chocolate trail and discover how chocolate shaped the city, as well as an array of themed cafés and individual chocolate shops. For the complete decadent experience, book yourself a chocolate break with a number of properties offering that little extra something.

If you are looking for a unique gift idea, there is no better place to go

shopping than York, with its great mix of designer labels, high street names, independent shops and antique shops selling vintage jewellery. Hop on a regular Park & Ride bus to the McArthurGlen York Designer Outlet and find famous label fashion at great prices. This indoor shopping outlet is home to over 120 stores, all offering savings of up to 60% on premium, designer and luxury brands.

Last year York hosted Stage 2 of the Grand Départ of the Tour de France and York is still excited about all things cycling. Whether you were already an avid cycling fan or just got excited due to this lifetime spectacle, York is the place for you if you want to have a cycling break.

Perfectly placed close to the historic city of York, Ryedale enjoys some of the most spectacular and diverse scenery in England. The mixed greens of fields and woodland in the Howardian Hills, a designated Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty, add further variation. Ryedale is home to spectacular castles and abbeys, English Heritage sites, museums, beautiful gardens and the outstanding North York Moors National Park.

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REDCAR BARNARD CASTLE

A67

RICHMOND REETH

YORKSHIRE DALES

A1

A172

NORTH YORK MOORS

LEYBURN

A170

PICKERING

HELMSLEY

THIRSK

KIRKBY LONSDALE

A169 SCARBOROUGH

SUTTON BANK MASHAM

SEAMER

FILEY

HORTON-IN-RIBBLESDALE INGLETON SETTLE

GRASSINGTON

RIPON

A59

SKIPTON

A64

A65

KNARESBOROUGH

YORK

WETHERBY

A658

SALTAIRE

A64

LEEDS

BRADFORD

BRIDLINGTON

A614 HORNSEA

BEVERLEY

A19 SELBY

A164

A63

HEBDEN BRIDGE

HULL

A63

HUMBER BRIDGE

HALIFAX TODMORDEN

MIRFIELD HUDDERSFIELD HOLMFIRTH

PONTEFRACT

WAKEFIELD

A15 SCUNTHORPE

A1

BARNSLEY

FLAMBOROUGH HEAD

A166

A1079

OTLEY

KEIGHLEY HAWORTH

MALTON DRIFFIELD

HARROGATE

ILKLEY

A629

A165

A19

PATELEY BRIDGE

MALHAM

N

ROBIN HOOD’S BAY

OSMOTHERLEY

NORTHALLERTON

HAWES

WHITBY

A171

DANBY

A684

DENT

STAITHES

GUISBOROUGH

YARM

A66

BOWES

SEDBERGH

SALTBURN

MIDDLESBROUGH

WITHERNSEA

A180 GRIMSBY CLEETHORPES

DONCASTER

BRIGG

A18

PEAK ROTHERHAM DISTRICT A57

SHEFFIELD

GETTING HERE Wherever you’re coming from, getting to Yorkshire by rail, road, sea or air couldn’t be easier – and the journey takes you through some of our most stunning scenery on the way.

KEY Motorways A Roads Rail Routes Airports Heritage Coasts Areas of Outstanding Natural Beauty National Parks Ferryport

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Yorkshire by Rail You can get to Yorkshire by high-speed train from London or Edinburgh in less than two hours. The Midlands is even nearer to Yorkshire’s cities, and Trans-Pennine services offer direct links from the North West and North East.

For timetables and reservations contact: East Coast (www.eastcoast.co.uk) Grand Central (www.grandcentralrail.com) National Rail Enquiries (tel 08457 484950 www.nationalrail.co.uk) East Midlands Trains (www.eastmidlandstrains.co.uk) Hull Trains (www.hulltrains.co.uk) Northern Rail (www.northernrail.org) Supertram Sheffield (www.supertram.com) Transpennine Express (www.tpexpress.co.uk)

The A1 and M1 connect from the north and south, while the M6 and M62 link Yorkshire with the Midlands and the North West and the M18/M180 gives easy access to the coast and countryside of northern Lincolnshire.

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.

Coach companies with services to (and within) Yorkshire include: Arriva (www.arrivabus.co.uk/yorkshire) Dalesbus (www.dalesbus.org) East Yorkshire Motor Services (www.eyms.co.uk) First (www.firstgroup.com) Moorsbus (www.northyorkmoors.org.uk/moorsbus) Transdev Blazefield (www.transdevplc.co.uk)

And you can explore Yorkshire’s hills, moors and valleys on some of Britain’s best loved and most spectacular leisure trains, with lovingly preserved vintage rolling stock and historic steam locomotives. These include the North Yorkshire Moors Railway, Embsay & Bolton Abbey Steam Railway, Keighley & Worth Valley Railway, Middleton Railway, Wensleydale Railway, Fellsman (for the SettleCarlisle Railway) and Kirklees Light Railway.

Discover more about these super train trips at www.yorkshire.com/railways.

Find further information on regional and local bus and train services from Traveline Yorkshire (www.yorkshiretravel.net).

Yorkshire by Road

There are walks, hikes and cycle trails all over Yorkshire. For walkers, enjoy easy strolls in towns and cities, nature walks in superb wildlife reserves, long rambles along cross-country canal towpaths, and energetic treks across the open moors and along the

Britain’s biggest and fastest highways cross Yorkshire from north to south and east to west, making getting here with your own car or by coach very simple indeed.

You can also hire a vehicle from Arrow Self Drive at amazing rates. With branches in Harrogate, Huddersfield, Leeds, Barnsley, Wakefield and Hull, it has never been easier to find the perfect hire vehicle to explore Yorkshire (www.arrowselfdrive.com).

Yorkshire by bike and on foot

magnificent coast. For cyclists, the choice is equally wide, from challenging trail rides to easy-going, traffic-free routes along canals, cliffs and riversides.

Find a wide choice of guide books and maps with lots of dedicated walking and cycling routes at Tourist Information Centres across the county, or more ideas from Welcome to Yorkshire at www.yorkshire.com/outdoors.

Yorkshire by Air and Sea The Yorkshire county is served by a number of airports, providing daily flights to and from many destinations. With excellent transport links, Yorkshire is also easily accessible from many other airports throughout the UK, through high speed train links and an extensive motorway network.

Leeds Bradford International Airport (tel 0871 2882288 www.leedsbradfordairport.co.uk) Robin Hood Airport Doncaster Sheffield (tel 0871 2202210 www.robinhoodairport.com) Humberside Airport (tel 0844 8877747 www.humbersideairport.com) Manchester Airport (tel 08712 710711 www.manchesterairport.co.uk) Don’t forget P&O Ferries operate direct overnight links into Yorkshire from Rotterdam, Holland and Zeebrugge, Belgium. For more information visit www.poferries.com.

Information Centres Tourist Information Centres can offer plenty of great ideas so you can make the most of your visit. For all the Tourist Information Centres in Yorkshire; www.yorkshire.com/tic.

With thanks to our corporate partners:

Hull & Scarborough

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YORKSHIRE BUSINESS NEWS AE SS E A L in Top Track 2 50 ROTHERHA M A continued growth in sales and profit has placed award winning manufacturer AESSEAL amongst the UK’s leading private midmarket growth companies. With global headquarters in Rotherham, AESSEAL is the world's fourthlargest designer and manufacturer of mechanical seals for a range of industries. It enters the prestigious Sunday Times Grant Thornton Top Track 250 for the first time and has been ranked at 237th, mixing it with the likes of Aston Martin, Nando's and Warburtons. www.aesseal.co.uk

they are now diverting an average of 815 tonnes of waste from landfill each month! Heavy industry is not something people might associate with recycling, but this goes to show what you can achieve with Integrated Resource Management.

Forgemasters is setting an example to all industries. www.biffa.co.uk

Spark your imagination L EEDS

B espoke materials K NARESBOROUGH The new Barker and Stonehouse Ecostore at Knaresborough was supplied with Cedar louvres and Redwood floorboards by Yorkshire based Arnold Laver. For the exterior, the finger-jointed and laminated louvre blades were manufactured to cover part of the glazed facade making a real design statement, and for the interior, the walkways and stairs were covered with European redwood boards that were machined to a bespoke profile and finish. Arnold Laver reader offer: 15% off timber and timber based products by quoting ref: Y30MENB15. www.laver.co.uk

W e don't believe in scrap metal S H EFFIELD One of the largest open-die forging companies in the world, Sheffield Forgemasters International Ltd supplies high-quality products across the world, using state-of-the-art technology for castings and forgings.

Through their contract with Biffa,

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Welcome to the home of Floral and Creative Inspiration. Our roots in floristry have enabled us to grow into a hub of all things creative, innovative and inspirational. This has resulted in one of the UK’s largest collections of home decor, floral supplies, artificial flowers, vases and glassware, pottery, baskets, craft supplies, seasonal, outdoor living and wedding. Anyone can join for free! Reader offer: 10% off when you spend in-store, by quoting ref: ThisisY15. www.countrybaskets.co.uk

A first for York YOR K If you want to spoil yourself or treat the kids, there is no better place to go shopping than at the new Vangarde Shopping Park at Monks Cross on the outskirts of York. This joint venture between Caddick Group PLC and Oakgate Group PLC provides a superior shopping experience including: •Y ork’s first John Lewis store •T he region’s largest Marks & Spencer department store •A state-of-the-art Next store

•F abulous places to eat including York’s first Giraffe restaurant, Prezzo, Nandos, Ed’s Easy Diner, Frankie & Benny’s, Costa Coffee, Caffe Nero and Hotel Chocolat.

Find out more at: www.vangardeshopping.co.uk

42 dealerships , 21 brands B R A DF O R D Established in 1946, JCT600 has grown to become one of Yorkshire’s largest family owned businesses with turnover now in excess of £1bn. From 48 sales outlets across the North of England, JCT600 represents 21 of the World’s leading brands in Motor Retail including Aston Martin, Audi, Bentley, BMW, Ferrari, Maserati, Mercedes-Benz, Porsche, Vauxhall and Volkswagen together with an award winning Vehicle Leasing division.

Whatever your motoring needs – just see JCT600. www.jct600.co.uk

Pampering on C ampus L E E DS Transform your look in the Inkwell Hair & Beauty Salon, at the state-of-theart Printworks Campus at Leeds City College. The salon is open to the public and provides professional treatments at affordable prices. Stay a little longer and enjoy a meal at The Food Academy Restaurant and Deli. The state-of-theart campus, whose refurbishment and conversion was looked after by The Rushbond Group in association with Leeds City College, houses specialist vocational subjects alongside new, 21st century architecture. www.leedscitycollege.ac.uk

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YORKSHIRE BUSINESS NEWS Enjoy a free day out on Yorkshire Water YORKSHIRE Yorkshire Water is proud to look after 72,000 acres of amazing Yorkshire landscape and they want you to enjoy it. So lace up your walking boots or get your bike out and head to one of many beautiful locations.

•A gden Reservoir, Low Bradfield - Starting in Low Bradfield, the walk offers plenty to see along the way including quaint villages and picturesque woodlands.

• Langsett Reservoir in South Yorkshire - Meander through 3 miles of woodland and open moor, enjoying spectacular views from higher ground.

• Swinsty Reservoir, near Fewston - This 3 mile route provides breathtaking views across the water.

•D igley Reservoir, near Holmfirth - Offering an invigorating 5 mile walk, running along lanes, fields and over open moorland.

Go to: www.yorkshirewater.com

A re you a collector?

L EYB U R N 2014 saw the opening of the new Garden Rooms at Tennants in Leyburn. Well-established as one of the leading regional auction houses in the country, the auctioneers hosts over one hundred Fine Art, Country House, Antiques & Interiors and Specialist Collectors’ sales a year. The twelve new rooms offer a variety of exhibitions on show throughout the year and the extension incorporates a modern café, restaurant, private dining room and gift shop. www.tennantsgardenrooms.com

In their ‘ H our of Need’ L EEDS

H ull to be City of C ulture HULL After being named as one of the four finalists last year, Hull’s bid attracted an outpouring of support which helped the city beat off tough competition from Dundee, Leicester and Swansea Bay. The University of Hull has strongly supported the City of Culture team throughout the bidding process. As a ‘Hull 2017 Angel’, the University is also a key contributor to the cultural value of the city. The campus will be the venue for City of Culture exhibitions and events. The year 2017 also has an added significance for the University, as it will celebrate 90 years since the institution was founded. www.hull.ac.uk

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throughout the Harrogate area and eastwards towards The Vale of York.

As a firm they’re renowned for an extensive portfolio of properties be it first time buyer apartments or cottages, through to traditional and contemporary family homes, and more imposing country houses.

To find your next home, go to: www.dacres.co.uk

Hour of Need is the Yorkshire Building Society Group’s most ambitious charity drive in its 150 year history and will enable Marie Curie Nurses to provide even more vital support for terminally ill people and their families across the UK. With an aim of raising £500,000 by December 2016, this equates to funding an hour of care by a Marie Curie Nurse for every hour of the fundraising campaign. How can you help? To find out more, to go: www.ybs.co.uk

B uying or selling?

I L KL E Y Multi-award winning Estate Agent Dacre, Son & Hartley is one of Yorkshire’s largest and longest established firms of Chartered Surveyors, with an extensive network of computer linked sales offices in the heart of Yorkshire; providing comprehensive coverage across the Yorkshire Dales, into the cities of Leeds and Bradford,

Sweet childhood memories L E E MI N G B A R Do you have a favourite flavour of ice cream or ice lolly? Enjoy some of the best known brands in ice cream history that have been created at R&R Ice Cream; from the iconic Fab lollies to the fruity 5 flavours in one Rowntrees Fruit Pastille lollies to the indulgent Cadbury Dairy Milk luxury ice cream sticks and new Oreo ice cream sandwich. Find out more at: www.rr-icecream.co.uk

Grown in Yorkshire HULL Over one million loaves are baked at Jackson’s Bakery every week! Home to Bloomers, Teacakes, Rolls and our NEW latest addition in the Champion range is our Half Bloomers; they’re all baked to perfection in Hull using flour milled in Yorkshire, from wheat grown in Yorkshire. Using wheat that’s grown and milled in Yorkshire, their bread is baked here in God’s Own County too, making this one loaf that’s a true Yorkshire Champion. www.jacksonschampionbread.co.uk

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Getting people cycling

and businesses to smart meters safely and quickly. Smart meters will transform our understanding of energy and how we use it forever.

With a sustainable schools program ‘Generation Green’, it is designed to inspire young people, teachers, parents and the whole community to tackle sustainability and change the way that we use energy. www.britishgas.co.uk

L EEDS We hope you enjoyed Yorkshire’s Grand Départ and felt inspired…now we want to help you get on your bikes. Yorkshire Bank Bike Libraries in association with Cycle Yorkshire are set to deliver a county wide cycling legacy for all generations and abilities.

The new Bike Library scheme has an ambition to give every child in our county access to a bike. From January 2015, we will be asking the people of Yorkshire to donate their unloved and unwanted bikes even if they are broken or a little worse for wear. We will repair and recycle all the bikes you donate, helping them to find a new home in the community.

Donation stations will be popping up all over Yorkshire – for full details of your local drop off point please visit www.bikelibraries.co.uk

RE TA I L OP PO RTU N IT Y BEVERLEY Cobbled streets, a majestic Minster, quaint boutiques and a bustling market, the thrill of the races, the calm of a traditional pub and now, to complete the picture, the arrival of Flemingate, a fantastic retail and leisure opportunity in the heart of Beverley. Flemingate is due to open by Christmas and as well as accommodating many high street retail names it will also have restaurants, a five-screen digital cinema complex, hotel and multistorey parking. www.flemingate.com

Smarter H omes L EEDS British Gas’s growing team of Smart Energy Experts have installed more smart meters than any other supplier and is committed to upgrading homes

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Consumer D etergents BR A D F O R D Whilst passion is the engine that drives Christeyns, constant innovation is the breath of fresh air that flows throughout the company.

Core values steer us toward a clean, green world. With our creative solutions and exceptional service package, we want to give just that little bit extra to our customers.

And that package is even further enhanced by our skilled and enthusiastic team of specialists who underpin this added value. www.christeyns.com

G et your free credit report L EEDS Join the thousands of customers who've already got their free for life Noddle credit report provided

by Callcredit - the only genuinely free credit report on the market.

Customers can save over £80 a year compared to competitor products and it only takes a few minutes to sign up. www.noddle.co.uk

A L ITTLE BIT O F H ISTO RY YOR K Yorkshire’s leading chartered accountancy practice, BHP, has recently been appointed as advisor to Explore York - a mutual benefit society excitingly bringing more cafés to libraries, events, providing better access to the York City Archive and local history. Find out more about BHP’s work with not for profit organisations and the leisure and tourism industry at www.bhp.co.uk

professional advice G R ASS I N GTO N Armstrong Watson, one of the largest Independent Accountants and Business Advisory firms in the North, are specialist advisors to the Hospitality and Tourism sector supporting clients such as Grassington House to achieve their business objectives. “We had a difficult five years of trading and for us, getting professional advice for the business has been tantamount to us moving forward for the next five years” said Grassington House owner John Rudden. www.armstrongwatson. co.uk/hospitality-tourism

RU S H BO ND luxury hotel B R E TTO N H A L L Rushbond, the Leeds-based development company, has announced plans to open a new luxury hotel at Yorkshire Sculpture Park. The company will reburbish an existing Grade II* listed mansion house. A contemporary new structure will be added to house a bedroom wing, which will see the hotel offer 83 bedrooms. www.rushbond.co.uk

Farm diversif ICATION L E E DS Coddy's Farm, a mixed livestock business near Holmfirth, is to diversify into hotel accommodation and gourmet short breaks after it secured funding from Santander Corporate & Commercial. The farm, is run by Andrew and Lisa Colwill and the finance will allow the couple to convert an existing stone barn into eight four-star bedrooms with an ancillary food education centre. The short breaks will offer farm tours, butchery demonstrations and cookery lessons. www.santandercb.co.uk

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