We have a saying in Yorkshire: “There’s nowt so queer as folk” and one of our more eccentric traditions certainly bears this out.Yorkshire is well-known for its love of horse racing – we have nine fantastic courses dedicated to the Sport of Kings – but the...

George Hudson - York's Railway King Do you ever look at the map and wonder why the main London to Newcastle and then Edinburgh rail line goes significantly east to pass through York? George Hudson was the charismatic self - made businessman who had the drive and...

My favourite place is Ripon Workhouse Museum. This interesting … Read More

The 'Glorious Twelfth' - 12th August Britain's 121-day-long grouse shooting season always begins on August 12th each year. It has been an integral part of the countryside calendar for decades, although having once been an aristocratic hobby, it's increasingly at the...

Egton Bridge Gooseberry Show - 8th August 2018 Nestled deep in the North York Moors National Park, but only eight miles from the delightful seaside town of Whitby, is the picturesque village of Egton Bridge, a small settlement alongside the tranquil River Esk and...

If I ask you to think of a picturesque area in England with rolling countryside, stately churches and mansions and an abundance of reminders of the past South Yorkshire may not be the first to spring to mind. And yet this part of the country has all those - as yet...

No visit to the magnificent City of York would be complete without an exploration of some of the 50 medieval Snickelways (alleyways) dotted around the City. The term Snickelway was first used by the author Mark W Jones who in 1983 produced an outstanding guidebook "A...

I am lucky enough to work in York Minster, arguably the most famous Minster in England and the question I get asked the most is "What is a Minster?". The simplest answer I can give is it is a centre for teaching about God and Christianity. It's an old English word -...

In a quiet village by the river between Huddersfield and Barnsley an incredible history of pie making is quietly and proudly celebrated. This idyllic spot was once a thriving industrial area. During that period of prosperity, a tradition was born that has led to the...

Thomas Chippendale - Son of Otley, Cabinet Maker and Forefather of Interior Design This enigmatic, uniquely talented man was born three hundred years ago in Otley in June 1718, the only son of John and Mary Chippendale (Nee Drake). Baptised in All Saints, Otley on 5th...

The appreciation that natural spring water could cure sickness and disease dates back to Roman times and beyond. With the conversion to Christianity 'taking the waters' developed into a religious rite until the reformation, when Henry VIII's government ordered the...

Want to meet a dinosaur called Alan? Then head to The Yorkshire Museum in York. The Museum is set to showcase it's many finds from the Jurassic period in a brand-new exhibition, Yorkshire's Jurassic World. During the Jurassic Period, approximately 150 - 200 million...

If you're out for a stroll on Ilkley Moor - a great place to head for is the Twelve Apostles Stone Circle. It's not quite to the scale of Stonehenge but it is a delightful circle which dates back to the Bronze Age (4500 - 2700 years ago) and is believed to be at least...

In mid-winter, when little else is growing, a walk through a blanket of snowdrops is a delight, and Yorkshire has some spectacular displays to enjoy. The little drops of ‘snow’ signal that spring is just around the corner. The Latin name for the snowdrop, Galanthus...

The Vikings will be on the march around York once again in February 2018! Now recognised as the largest festival dedicated to Vikings in Europe, this is a great chance to get up close and personal with our ancestors! The word Viking actually means the act of sailing...

This is the bicentenary of Emily’s birth and, to be honest, there is no finer time to visit Yorkshire and especially Brontë Country. For myself, and I may be in a minority here, the way to begin your journey with any of the Brontës is to explore the story of the...

Every year in the first week of November, firework displays take place up and down England, from city centre spectaculars to more humble fun in the back garden. This is done in commemoration of a foiled plot to blow up the Houses of Parliament and King James 1 in...

Do you enjoy a pleasant country stroll? How about one with a mystery? Then why not visit the beautiful town of Richmond in North Yorkshire and follow a circular walk from the Castle Gates in the footsteps of the famous Drummer Boy? Though hopefully you’ll get further...