North Yorkshire has it all! From windswept moors to picturesque dales; from rugged coastlines to rolling farmland; from stately homes to romantic ruins – North Yorkshire, like its whimsical weather, will let you through four seasons in a day. It is the largest county in England – and also one of the most tranquil and peaceful pastoral idylls in Britain. With the bulk of the population concentrated in the main urban centres such as York, Middlesbrough, Harrogate and Scarborough, the rest of the county is sparsely populated. Small rural communities often live in quaint villages, like those found in the Dales, with their huddled stone cottages of great charm tucked deep within their sheltered worlds. As my wife, two kids and I discovered, North Yorkshire is the perfect getaway for unwinding and getting refreshing doses of hinterland, history and hearty food.
Driving in the Yorkshire country roads is a treat – there are few cars on the road and drivers tend to be courteous and disciplined. The worse that can happen to you while driving along a snaky country lane is to get stranded behind a lumbering tractor pulling a two-storey load of hay bales, although often, the driver would pull up along a straight stretch of road to allow the accumulated procession to overtake.
Each day of our two-week visit, we would set off from Church View Cottage in Fearby in our rented car, with great expectations that were never disappointed. Church View, our chosen base, is a small but utilitarian dwelling, with stunning views over the valley of the River Burn from the back windows. Being on the doorstep of Nidderdale, the region was designated as an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty in 1994. If we wanted to indulge in a refreshing country walk at a moment’s notice, all we had to do was walk out of the gate and plod along one of the signposted public footpaths near the cottage.
Leaving the sleepy village that has been set up by fierce Danish settlers centuries back, our first port of call would invariably be the neighbouring sheep and ale town of Masham, with its soaring, pointy church spire visible from miles around and its spacious market square. The downside to all this tranquillity is that if you are seeking thrills and night life, you’re in for a disappointment. Life in the rural towns and, more so, in villages, tends to be seriously on the quiet side. Often, after 5 pm, it comes to a complete standstill and the roads quickly empty of passers-by. That’s the way of life in the country – you either like it or you don’t. If you manage to find a popular pub, you’re in luck – you can enjoy a nice evening and down a couple of pints. But if you have kids in tow, then, I’m afraid, you’re rather stuck!
During the two weeks we spent in North Yorkshire, we tried to get a glimpse of how the people lived and behaved. We realised that Yorkshire people are quite cautious when it comes to dealing with strangers, although they are quite friendly with people they know and trust. They tell you very few details about themselves and their lives until you gain their confidence. However, should you ask someone for help or directions, they will immediately leave any job at hand and genuinely do their very best to help you. Yorkshiremen and women tend to be friendly in a measured and polite way but like to keep themselves to themselves. Slowly we came to realise that these people hate intruding upon others, and often, this trait might be misunderstood as aloofness or unfriendliness.
The people of Yorkshire have made a name for themselves as a thrifty lot. They are not exactly tight-fisted, but they do not part with their coin easily. In our travels, we often realised that restaurants and tea rooms were often frequented by visitors coming from other parts of Britain, while the Yorkshire folk often preferred to carry their own supplies.
In matters of taste, Yorkshire men and women are inclined towards the practical rather than the stylish. ‘Sentiment or taste appeal to him but feebly,’ wrote Reverend M.C.F. Morris of the Yorkshireman in 1892. This is certainly true of the way they dress. A young lady would not give a toss if she went to a park wearing a pyjama-like track suit as long as it feels comfy. Indeed, we saw very few women wearing make-up. By contrast, we visited a number of stately homes and gardens that seemed to ooze opulence out of every sash window and leafy cobbled path. Places like Castle Howard, Newby Hall and Studley Royal Gardens are a feast for the eyes where no expense was spared in the pursuit of lavish taste. These places state out boldly: ‘Hi up! Look how loose we are with our money folk – tastes like… lavish! Have you seen anything grander? I bet not!’
During the two weeks we spent in North Yorkshire, we tried to get a glimpse of how the people lived and behaved. We realised that Yorkshire people are quite cautious when it comes to dealing with strangers, although they are quite friendly with people they know and trust. They tell you very few details about themselves and their lives until you gain their confidence. However, should you ask someone for help or directions, they will immediately leave any job at hand and genuinely do their very best to help you. Yorkshiremen and women tend to be friendly in a measured and polite way but like to keep themselves to themselves. Slowly we came to realise that these people hate intruding upon others, and often, this trait might be misunderstood as aloofness or unfriendliness.
The people of Yorkshire have made a name for themselves as a thrifty lot. They are not exactly tight-fisted, but they do not part with their coin easily. In our travels, we often realised that restaurants and tea rooms were often frequented by visitors coming from other parts of Britain, while the Yorkshire folk often preferred to carry their own supplies.
In matters of taste, Yorkshire men and women are inclined towards the practical rather than the stylish. ‘Sentiment or taste appeal to him but feebly,’ wrote Reverend M.C.F. Morris of the Yorkshireman in 1892. This is certainly true of the way they dress. A young lady would not give a toss if she went to a park wearing a pyjama-like track suit as long as it feels comfy. Indeed, we saw very few women wearing make-up. By contrast, we visited a number of stately homes and gardens that seemed to ooze opulence out of every sash window and leafy cobbled path. Places like Castle Howard, Newby Hall and Studley Royal Gardens are a feast for the eyes where no expense was spared in the pursuit of lavish taste. These places state out boldly: ‘Hi up! Look how loose we are with our money folk – tastes like… lavish! Have you seen anything grander? I bet not!’
Yorkshire folk are proud of their land. A lady manning a tourist information office told me: ‘People from all over England come over to Yorkshire for a holiday, because they know it is the most beautiful part of the country.’ Strangely enough, these lady’s words seemed to confirm what we had noticed during our many excursions – that we encountered very few foreign visitors and these were concentrated mostly in York. Britain in general is becoming off-limits to foreigners, perhaps due to the strength of its Sterling. Costs are quite prohibitive even to visitors coming from the Eurozone.
If you are fascinated by history however, money spent in Yorkshire will get you a long way pleasure-wise. There is a deep sense of history in Yorkshire, and some heroes of the past are still revered. Even a Shakespeare-malingered character such as Richard III still has quite a following. I talked to a number of people who were terribly let down when the government decided that the late King’s remains should be reburied in Leicester Cathedral rather than in York ‘where he belongs.’ Yorkshire folk will attach themselves loyally to people who they can look up to and respect, such as the vet and writer James Herriot (whose real name was James Alfred Wight). The Scottish vet, who settled in Yorkshire during the 1940s wrote a number of books relating his experiences with the farmers and their creatures and became quite a personality after his books began selling wildly and were adapted into a popular TV series. After his death, Wight’s veterinary practice in lovely little town of Thirsk was turned into a museum which attracts thousands of visitors every year.
The Yorkshire people foster a strong sense of hospitality. They have a knack at making you feel welcome without being too intrusive. Our landlady, for instance, allowed our two children to play unfettered in the part of the garden that was reserved for her kids. Not only that. Our kids made friends with her children and also with the neighbours’ children, and every evening, when we returned to the cottage, the children would all come out and play together, their merry voices echoing over the valley and injecting life into the village.
The day we embarked on the Sir Nigel Gresley steam train, bound for the coastal town of Whitby, was a dreary one. When the train chugged into Whitby station, the rain was being slapped into our faces by fierce gusts of wind. The children were cold and our plans to walk up to the abbey were foiled. We retreated into the Dolphin Hotel and ordered coffee and a bowl of chips for the kids, since we had already dined. Nonetheless, the staff made us feel absolutely welcome and even allowed us to take a table by a large bay window with sprawling views over the harbour. Outside it was cold, wet and windy, but we could spy on life in town from our cosy vintage point. We watched hunched passers-by crossing the bridge and struggling to hold on to their misshapen umbrellas.
If you are fascinated by history however, money spent in Yorkshire will get you a long way pleasure-wise. There is a deep sense of history in Yorkshire, and some heroes of the past are still revered. Even a Shakespeare-malingered character such as Richard III still has quite a following. I talked to a number of people who were terribly let down when the government decided that the late King’s remains should be reburied in Leicester Cathedral rather than in York ‘where he belongs.’ Yorkshire folk will attach themselves loyally to people who they can look up to and respect, such as the vet and writer James Herriot (whose real name was James Alfred Wight). The Scottish vet, who settled in Yorkshire during the 1940s wrote a number of books relating his experiences with the farmers and their creatures and became quite a personality after his books began selling wildly and were adapted into a popular TV series. After his death, Wight’s veterinary practice in lovely little town of Thirsk was turned into a museum which attracts thousands of visitors every year.
The Yorkshire people foster a strong sense of hospitality. They have a knack at making you feel welcome without being too intrusive. Our landlady, for instance, allowed our two children to play unfettered in the part of the garden that was reserved for her kids. Not only that. Our kids made friends with her children and also with the neighbours’ children, and every evening, when we returned to the cottage, the children would all come out and play together, their merry voices echoing over the valley and injecting life into the village.
The day we embarked on the Sir Nigel Gresley steam train, bound for the coastal town of Whitby, was a dreary one. When the train chugged into Whitby station, the rain was being slapped into our faces by fierce gusts of wind. The children were cold and our plans to walk up to the abbey were foiled. We retreated into the Dolphin Hotel and ordered coffee and a bowl of chips for the kids, since we had already dined. Nonetheless, the staff made us feel absolutely welcome and even allowed us to take a table by a large bay window with sprawling views over the harbour. Outside it was cold, wet and windy, but we could spy on life in town from our cosy vintage point. We watched hunched passers-by crossing the bridge and struggling to hold on to their misshapen umbrellas.
Hospitality aside, Yorkshire people tend to be quite territorial, especially when they happen to be farmers. Practically we encountered a ‘Bull - Keep out!’ sign stuck to every field gate that we had to go through, reinforcing our impression that locals did not like people trespassing their land, even when public footpaths crossed their land. Given the hard work and total commitment required to run a farm, I can’t blame them! We were treading earth out of which farmers eked their living. On the other hand, most of the people who love country walking are not exactly yobs, but usually respect the very places that give them pleasure.
North Yorkshire is an enchanting place. It is hard not to be moved by the rugged moors overcome by the tide of purple heather, or the sprawling dales carpeted in lush green and patterned irregularly by slender stone walls. The gushing sound of the Aysgarth falls will cleanse your mind of worries, while walking along the grey cobbles between stone cottages decked with flowers, you will feel transported to a different world – a world where time seems to tick slower. But it is the people who will ultimately give life to your experience, if you persevere and take the time to get to know them.
North Yorkshire is an enchanting place. It is hard not to be moved by the rugged moors overcome by the tide of purple heather, or the sprawling dales carpeted in lush green and patterned irregularly by slender stone walls. The gushing sound of the Aysgarth falls will cleanse your mind of worries, while walking along the grey cobbles between stone cottages decked with flowers, you will feel transported to a different world – a world where time seems to tick slower. But it is the people who will ultimately give life to your experience, if you persevere and take the time to get to know them.
‘In the scattered hamlets and isolated farms near the bleak tops I found their characteristics most marked; their simplicity and dignity, their rugged independence and their hospitality.’
(James Herriot, If Only They Could Talk)
(James Herriot, If Only They Could Talk)