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Mention Yorkshire to anyone and what do you get? Rolling hills, sprawling moors, farming, Sheffield steel, brass bands and Yorkshire pudding are just some of the possible replies because Yorkshire is huge and varied! Miles and miles of open countryside coexist with beautiful seaside towns like Whitby, shopping in Harrogate and taking a very special cup of tea at Betty’s. It’s all here to enjoy on a holiday in Yorkshire!

Yorkshire is the largest county by area and is made up of four parts; North, East, South and West, each with very distinctive characters. Ironically, North Yorkshire alone is larger than any other county but has a very small number of inhabitants, giving it one of the lowest population densities in the country. So, it’s your choice, peace and quiet or hustle and bustle, we offer it all.

There are three National Parks within the county which, once again, give very different experiences; The North York Moors National Park is the place where nature and history meet each other and you can enjoy the views and the splendour all around you. The Yorkshire Dales National Park provides much more hill country with valleys and moorland as well as some of the finest limestone scenery in the country. The third national park is the Peak District, a large part of which is within the boundaries of Yorkshire. Again, there are amazing contrasts with heather moorland, limestone dales and rugged hills as well as some famous landmarks and historic towns.

There are two World Heritage Sites in the county which are well worth a visit. The dramatic Fountains Abbey was built in the 12th century and was a place of worship for hundreds of years before Henry VIII’s dissolution bill in 1539.  The Cistercian abbey’s remains are the most complete in Britain and are located just outside Ripon. The second site is Saltaire, near Bradford, a living village steeped in history. The site was named after Sir Titus Salt who built a textile mill and the village on the River Aire.

Yorkshire has given much to British culture and perhaps none more so than the Brontes. The Bronte Parsonage Museum in Haworth, West Yorkshire, is a testament to the work of the sisters and gives the visitors an idea of their lives. James Cook is another of our national heroes and his work is celebrated at the Captain Cook Memorial Museum in Whitby. This 17th century house was where young James and his fellow apprentices lodged and it won the 2013 Visit England award for ‘Best Small Visitor Attraction’.

Some people refer to the county as, “God’s own allotment”, reflecting the wonderful countryside, crops and flowers. For those who love horticulture, Harlow Carr is a garden dominated by water, stone and woodland and is very much part of the surrounding Yorkshire landscape. This RHS site is just a mile outside Harrogate and offers a great day out.

We can’t sign off on Yorkshire without mentioning Betty’s Tea Room. If a brew is high on your list of priorities on any given day, this attraction is not to be missed! There are six Betty’s Tea Rooms in the county and each one a delight.  Stop off at any one of them for an Afternoon Tea delight and sample this quintessentially English tradition which Betty’s has taken 95 years to perfect.

Well, it’s now up to you to plan your holiday from one of our many beautiful Yorkshire holiday cottages. Sithee!