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Yorkshire - Top Tourist Attractions

Well here's my list of the top ten places to visit in Yorkshire. It's totally subjective, and I can already think of a dozen others I ought to include: Rievaulx, Harewood House, the Yorkshire Mining Museum, The Yorkshire Sculpture Park, Richmond Castle, How Stean Gorge, Skipton and The National Museum of Photography just for starters.

Anyway, it's my list, so here it is.

York and York Minster
The City of York is just unmissable. Ancient, and crammed with things to see it's easily the best tourist attraction in Yorkshire, and probably the best in the UK outside London.

The Minster is one of the finest cathedrals in Europe, the streets and The Shambles are evocative of another age, the shopping is great, Clifford's Tower is totally unique, The Castle Museum deserves a full day in its own right.

Then there's The National Railway Museum, The Jorvic Centre, The Yorkshire Museum, The Archbishop's Palace, the race course, river cruises, ghost walks, the churches and a host of other things.

Takes at least a weekend to do it justice - but if staying over, book in advance as accommodation can be hard to find in high season. And don't miss the undercroft in The Minster.
Fountains Abbey
A world heritage site, and rightly so, Fountains is the largest set of abbey ruins in the UK. In the 18th century it was landscaped as part of the Studley Royal estate, making it without doubt the largest garden ornament in the world.

For many years it was benignly neglected by West Riding County Council, but it eventually fell into the hands of the National Trust, who are doing a superb job of renovating the water gardens.

Best visited with a picnic on a fine Summer's day - but plenty of events on all year round.
Malham Cove and Gordale Scar
An absolute gem in the Dales. If you're only going to do one walk in Yorkshire this is the one to go for. Starting from Malham, which is overrun with tourists in Summer, walk out to Malham cove. Climb up around the cove, walk up the dry valley to Malham Tran, and then back down to Gordale Scar and home via Janet's Foss

About eight miles in all.
Whitby
Totally atmospheric, Whitby is unmissable and totally unique.

Situated at the top of the North York Moors, Whitby has something for everyone. An ancient seaport, with a fishing and whaling legacy, it was also the home port of Captain Cook the famed navigator. For that reason the replica of his ship the Endeavour sailed here from Australia in 2002.

Apart from beaches (generally cold), the town also has the magnificent Whitby Abbey on the cliff top, quaint narrow streets, a working port, the North York Moors nearby and was the setting for Dracula. Beloved of Goths - with a fabulous Goth weekend every year.

Robin Hood's Bay is also worth a visit
Saltaire
Yorkshire's second world heritage site. Saltaire is an industrial village founded by Titus Salt a victorian mill owner and philanthropist - a bit like Bournville, Port Sunlight and New lanark.

It's interesting to look round the village and try to understand what Salt tried to do, plus Salt's Mill is now home to The Hockney Gallery. On a nice day a walk up to Shipley Glen is a must, and there's always river cruises on the canal.

Don't expect a museum, this is a living breathing village.
Castle Howard
Famous for its starring role in Brideshead Revisited, the house is set in beautiful rolling countryside on the edge of the Howardian Hills. The house is enormous, not just big, enormous! And it's still privately owned so isn't like the identikit National Trust pproperties.

The gardens are equally massive (1000 acres plus), and there's lots of exhibitions, so plenty to see and do.
Flamborough Head and Bempton Cliffs
Sticking out into the sea, Flamborough Head has so much to do it'll occupy a day of anybody's time - provided you're an outdoors type that is. To the North, Bempton Cliffs is an RSPB reserve where at the right time of year you can see Puffins and all kinds of stuff. There are two bays with lots of rock pools, caves, a village with umpteen pubs, an ancient dyke (Dane's Dyke) crossing the headland, and walks all round the headland, or up to Filey and down to Brid.

Loads of accommodation and a great selection of pubs.
The Royal Armouries Museum
Situated on The Waterfront in Leeds, when it first opened this museum attracted quite a lot of flack for being in the middle of an industrial wasteland. Well it's not any longer, the whole area has regenerated around it. If you have any interest in firearms this is a must - and if you don't, then the jousting in the tiltyard, the falconry displays and the historic re-enactors make for a great day out.

As a national museum, it's free.
Pub Crawl Round The Real Ale Pubs of Sheffield
Unlike Leeds, Sheffield has retained a whole bunch of top real ale pubs - and they're well worth a visit. Try a crawl around them, and combine it with riding on the Supertram and visiting one of the many cheap and cheerful eateries Sheffield is famous for.

Pale Rider at the Kelham Island Tavern is a must have tipple.
Scarborough
A traditional seaside resort in the heart of the Yorkshire Coast. Split into two bays and overlooked by a ruined castle it's really rather good. The South Bay is a bit chavvy, but still charming for all that. Peasholm Park is nice, The Sealife Centre is good if you've never seen one, and plenty of nice shops.

No end of places selling great fish n chips.

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Comments (1)
Thank you...what a great site !! : )
posted by Dee 14/01/2011 03:47:06
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