Welcome to our Blog
Browse the latest posts from the Yorkshire’s Best Guides Blog.
Saint Cuthbert in York Minster
Saint Cuthbert, the North’s favourite saint, is closely connected to Melrose, where he trained as a monk, the Holy Island of Lindisfarne off the Northumberland coast, where he dedicated his life to God as monk, hermit and bishop and Durham Cathedral, where his shrine...
Little Railways of the Yorkshire Dales
The inaugural run of the Stockton to Darlington Railway took place on 27th September 1825 so this year, as we celebrate the 200th anniversary of the steam train, we also remember some of the little trains that once clattered along a network of narrow-gauge railways...
Yorkshire’s Prettiest Grade II Listed Railway Station
The town of Knaresborough boasts a delightful Victorian station, with many unusual and original features. It was completed in 1865 and further developed in 1890. Today, the line extends from York to Leeds. Building the railway was problematic. The track needed a...
5 Rise Locks – one of the wonders of the waterways on the Leeds & Liverpool Canal in Bingley
When it was first opened in the 1700’s, the Leeds & Liverpool Canal helped open up the West of England and the great Port of Liverpool to businesses in Yorkshire. When completed in the early 1800’s the canal stretched 127 miles across the Pennines a notoriously...
Samuel Cunliffe Lister – from Bradford Mill Owner to Lord Masham
Samuel Lister was born on New Year’s Day in 1815. He was the fourth son of Mr Ellis Cunliffe Lister, member of an old county family of Manningham Hall. At that time Bradford’s Manningham Lane was merely a rural highway and Manningham an insignificant hamlet. He was...
SIR TITUS SALT – A YORKSHIRE RECIPIENT OF THE LEGION D’HONNEUR.
What an accolade! It reflects his reputation across Europe as an enlightened industrialist who cared about his workers. At his funeral in 1876 local crowds thronged the streets in appreciation of his legacy. Salt had moved his various woollen...
A Story of the Worth Valley: from “a bun, a banana and a beverage” to boots, books, beer, bales and … curry
Nestled in the foothills of the Pennines, the Bradford area boomed in the 19th century. Economic growth founded on textile manufacturing turned the small market town of Bradford into a city, and outlying hamlets strung along the meandering rivers of West...
Frederick Delius – Bradford’s most Famous Composer
Frederick Delius was born in the Horton district of Bradford on 29 June 1862. His parents Julius and Elise Pauline emigrated from Westphalia in 1856 so that Julius could further his career as a wool merchant. They went on to become leading members of the German...
North York Moors Railway
What better way to enjoy the beautiful countryside of North Yorkshire than by taking a ride on the North York Moors Railway, one of Britain’s most iconic heritage railways. First opened in 1836, the line runs from the pretty market town of Pickering to the...
#Bradford2025: UK City of Culture
Introduced in 2009, the UK City of Culture scheme is designed to promote cultural regeneration and economic growth in cities across the UK. Every four years, one city is chosen to hold the title, with the aim of boosting tourism, investment, and community engagement....
A Tale of Two Georges
During the mid 1800s the railways developed exponentially in Britain and nowhere more so than York. Two men were hugely influential in this arena and are honoured in the city today, one by blue plaques and the second by a statue close to the railway station. United by...
A Very British Christmas – the iconic view of Knaresborough
This breathtaking view is of the river Nidd, taken from Knaresborough Castle. The name ‘Nidd’ dates back from Celtic times meaning ‘sparkling,’ and the reflection of the viaduct and neighbouring bankside buildings, enhances the beauty of this iconic scene. The eye is...
Celebrating 250 year of JMW Turner
JMW Turner’s Yorkshire in 10 special places St George’s Day next 2025 marks the 250th anniversary of the birth of Joseph Mallord William Turner, the son of a Covent Garden barber, who was described by art critic John Ruskin as ‘the greatest of the age’ and left a...
The Mystery of the Water Pump with No Handle
One of the pleasures of exploring York is the often unexpected and intriguing discovery of something interesting and decidedly unusual. One such object can found in North Street Gardens by the banks of the River Ouse. On first sight there appears to be a...
Saltaire – The Village with (nearly) Everything
Imagine living in a place where you could walk to work and your kids could walk to school. Good housing, hospital on site, churches and recreational facilities all to hand. And all set in the delightful Yorkshire countryside away from the smoke and grime of the...
The Intriguing Medieval Chapel of Our Lady of the Crag
Tucked away in cave by the River Nidd in Knaresborough’s is unique 'Marian' shrine dedicated to the Virgin Mary. It was built by a man known as 'John the Mason' in 1408. John the Mason probably worked to obtain stone for Knaresborough Castle from the nearby...
Tempest Anderson – the Yorkshire Volcanologist
Tempest Anderson was born in Stonegate, York in 1846. After being educated at St. Peters School he studied medicine at London University. On returning to York Tempest became a consultant at the County Hospital following in his fathers’ footsteps. His work at the...
York National Bookfair 13-14th September 2024
Taking place on Friday 13th and Saturday 14th September this year, at the York Racecourse,the York National Bookfair is a regular fixture in the city’s cultural calendar attracting visitorsand sellers from across the UK and beyond. This year’s event is set to impress...