Yorkshire is the largest county in the United Kingdom, as it is so large it has been divided into different parts, such as North
Yorkshire, South Yorkshire, West Yorkshire and East Riding of Yorkshire.
With a county rich in history and areas widely thought to be the greenest and lushest in England as there is acre upon acre of unspoiled countryside both in the Yorkshire Dales and North York Moors and to the open aspect of some of the cities. Yorkshire has been nicknamed 'God's Own County' and has it's own flag, the white rose of the English Royal House of York. There is even a special day which is typically called 'Yorkshire Day' occurring on 1st August and celebrates the general culture of Yorkshire from its early history through to its own dialect with lots of fun stuff thrown in for good measure.
With three amazing National Parks, three Areas of Outstanding Natural Beauty, the Pennines and a stunning coastline not to mention the warm welcome, Yorkshire has everything from rock climbing, caving and mountain biking to trekking, canoeing and surfing. In Yorkshire there is an incredible range of activities for you and you'll find there is something happening to suit everybody in some of the most stunning locations. The biggest problem you'll have is trying to fit everything you want to see and do in Yorkshire, we've listed some of the main attractions for you to plan your break.
There are some of the most beautiful beaches along the Yorkshire coastline, from Withernsea to Redcar, with some being Blue Flag beaches, you can be assured of sandy miles and fabulous views.
The famous Scarborough is in Yorkshire with it's seaside attractions including a plethora of fish and chip shops and restaurants,
souvenir boutiques, ice cream parlours and just about everything you'd expect when you're beside the seaside! There are two bays,
one golden sands and the real seaside feel and the other being rugged coastline with amazing cliffs and formations.
For a truly historic feel of a town head to Bridlington where you'll find the Old Town which is like stepping back in time with the antique shops and tearooms nestled amongst the olde feel pubs and shops. Take the Old Town Trail or pop into the museum where you can find out lots more about how the old town used to be. As well as all this there are two beautiful beaches either side of a busy harbour with fishing boats bringing in the local favourite dish - fish! There is a small theme park on the elegant promenade, childrens zoo and a putting green amongst many more things to do and see in Bridlington.
With a busy harbour running through the centre of the town and a historic Grade 1 listed Abbey high up on the cliffs Whitby is a
stunning example of the perfect seaside retreat. As famous for it's fish and chips as it is for the Abbey, it's locally sourced Jet,
Dracula and Captain Cook there are things aplenty here. Boasting a blue flag beach, ice cream palours and traditional seaside
shops there is also a good amount of shops in the quaint town which mixes traditional with modern very well. Steeped in history,
you could visit the museum, Pannet Park or the dracula attraction on the harbour front.
Situated on the River Ouse is Selby, a historic town with a beautiful abbey which has been standing since 1069, once destroyed by
fire and rebuilt carefully by hand there are regular services held here. The Trans Penine Trail cycleway passes through here and
you can have a direct cycle route to York which is well known for the architecture, York Minster and cobbled streets. York has a
racecourse, cathedral, Clifford's Tower and the Yorkshire Air Museum to name a few of the top places to visit, you'll be hard pressed
to choose which ones to see. Jorvik Viking Centre where you feel like you've travelled back in time to see 1,000 year old streets and,
if you're lucky you may bump into a Viking, frightenly gruesome York Dungeons, and a very scary Original Ghost Walk for the more
adventurous visitors.
Leeds is the shopping Mecca of the North and has something to suit everybody! From Haute Couture to amazing food halls and
deli's you'll find everything you could imagine and more in Leeds. There is a Grand Theatre and Opera House, The Royal Amouries and historical places of interest include Harewood House, the Grade 1 Listed Corn Exchange or take a visit to Kirkstall Abbey which
is surrounded by parkland next to the river and is a beautiful location for a picnic on a nice, sunny day. The soap opera Emmerdale
is filmed in Leeds and you can take a 'Location Bus Tour' to the old set and original locations used for filming before they moved to
their purpose built closed set.
If you like truly mind blowing stunning scenery then a visit to the Yorkshire Dales is a must. Skipton, with it's magnificent castle at
it's heart is known as the 'Gateway to the Dales', you could take the steam railway, take the Millenium Walk route or sit back and
relax on a canal cruiser to see the sights of Skipton. With a rich history and the Yorkshire Dales on it's doorstep is there a better
place to be?
The Yorkshire Dales National Park has some of the finest scenery in Great Britain, famed for it's green lushness, historic castles and chocolate box villages you could walk for miles and not even notice. Cycle, hike or drive across to see nature at it's best, visit Malham Cove or the Hardraw Force which are 100 foot high waterfalls and accessed through the bar of the Green Dragon pub!
Sheffield is not just the industrial town that made cutlery, this is a city with vibrant culture, nightlife and is known to be the
greenest city in Europe! The Peak District is right on Sheffields doorstep and there is plenty to see from the historic Wortley Top Forge,
which is the oldest heavy iron forge in the world, to the majestic Sheffield Cathedral and that's not even mentioning the shopping. There
is everything from history to modern day fun with Sheffield Arena, a museum that brings history to life and Meadowhall - shopping heaven.
Built in the 18th century for the 3rd Earl of Carlisle the famous Castle Howard which is one of the most beautiful houses in England and
is situated in Malton amongst rolling hills and fabulous scenery. You can get a guided tour around the interior and learn about the
dramatic history and find out how they filmed 'Brideshead Revisited' here. With exhibitions, specialised gardens in the award winning
grounds and special tours for children this breathtaking stately home is a family friendly adventure.
Flamingo Land is the busy holiday complex that has it all. If you want to stay for your holiday there is the holiday park, for a fun
day out or two you can visit the zoo or theme park - or both! The theme park has rides from the adrenaline pumping extreme to the kiddy
friendly carousels with lots of junior and family rides in between. In the zoo you'll find an amzing array of reptiles, birds and
mammals and there are conservation projects going on not only for Flamingo Land but also for endangered species overseas. All this
is set in 375 acres of beautiful, scenic countryside - you'll never get bored at Flamingo Land.
Staying with thrilling theme parks, Lightwater Valley which is situated near Ripon is another adrenalin thumping spectacular! With
175 acres and over 40 rides of non stop entertainment you won't get bored, try the longest roller coaster in Europe - The Ultimate or
the Wild Water Rapids. There is also an on site Birds of Prey centre, watch and listen as the birds fly and swoop with all the drama
happening twice a day and you see how they are trained and handled.
