Yorkshire is a county in northern England, formed by the administrative counties of East Yorkshire, North Yorkshire, South Yorkshire and West Yorkshire.
Major towns and cities in Yorkshire are Bradford, Hull, Huddersfield, Leeds, Sheffield, Wakefield and Yorkshire’s county town York.
Family Days Out in Yorkshire
Excellent outdoor activities for families in Yorkshire are the Flamingo Land Theme Park & Zoo, Go Ape at Dalby Forest, Yorkshire Wildlife Park in Doncaster, Yorkshire Sculpture Park and Learn and Experience Summer Camps. Other activities for children and teenagers include Eureka! The National Children’s Museum, Harrogate Paintball, John Bull’s Candy Kingdom, Studfold Explore, Discover and Learn Trail, Scarborough SEALIFE & Marine Sanctuary, Xscape in Castleford, York Dungeon, Lightwater Valley Theme Park, Sheffield Ski Village and the Military Adventure Park in Scarborough.
Most of the restaurants and hotels in Yorkshire are child friendly and welcoming to families.
Spa & Wellness in Yorkshire
If you are looking for a spa holiday, Yorkshire is the right destination. The Devonshire Health Barn, Titanic Spa in Huddersfield, De Vere Oulton Hall in Leeds, Crown Spa Hotel in Scarborough and Feversham Arms and Verbena Spa in Helmsley provide a relaxing atmosphere and the ideal place to escape and be pampered.
Sport in Yorkshire
Yorkshire is ideal for golfing holidays. There are the Ripon City Golf Course, Ganton Golf Course, Lindrick Golf Course, Skipton Golf Club, Wheatley Golf Club, Normanton Golf Club, Cookridge Hall Golf Club, Huddersfield Golf Club, Flamborough Head Golf Club, Bridlington Golf Club, Allerthorpe Park Golf Club, Scarcroft Golf Club and many, many more.
Yorkshire is a very active county. Popular sports in Yorkshire are football, athletics, cricket, rugby, skiing, swimming and walking, for example on the famous Ingleton Waterfalls Walk.
Shopping in Yorkshire
Victoria Quarter in Leeds is a nice shopping area located in the centre of the city. Other lovely shopping areas and malls in Yorkshire are Corn Exchange (Leeds), Devonshire Quarter (Sheffield), Princes Quay (Hull), Yorkshire Mill Mile (Batley & Dewsbury), Monks Cross Shopping Centre (York) and Junction 32 Outlet Shopping Village in Castleford.
Popular markets are Kirkgate Market in Leeds, Granary Wharf Pannier Market in Leeds and the York Farmers’ Market.
Nightlife in Yorkshire
Nightlife in Yorkshire is buzzing and full of entertainment. Leeds offers the North Bar, Chilli White, Mojo, The Wardrobe, The Shed and Brooklyn Bar. The Fighting Cock, The Cock and Bottle, Love Apple and the City Vaults are in Bradford, while you will find The Olive Bar, SOYO, Crystal and Platillos in Sheffield and The Lamp and the Welly Club in Hull. Additionally, there are plenty of restaurants, pubs, theatres and cinemas in Yorkshire.
Transport in Yorkshire
The Leeds-Bradford International Airport (LBA) in West Yorkshire has flights to and from Yorkshire and the rest of the UK and Europe.
The A1 crosses Yorkshire and links it to London and Edinburgh. The A19, M62, M1, carry traffic from Yorkshire to several big cities in the UK.
Official Tourism Office for Yorkshire – www.yorkshire.com
Leeds
Leeds is a city in West Yorkshire and one of the largest cities in the UK and therefore there are plenty of hotels in Leeds and hotels in Leeds city centre to choose from.
A popular city break destination with plenty to offer visitors, Leeds is the ideal gateway to the Yorkshire region as the Yorkshire Dales National Park is just 20 miles away. Leeds is located in West Yorkshire on the River Aire, and is the cultural, financial and commercial heart of West Yorkshire, and the UK’s largest centre for business, legal, and financial services outside of London. Popular tourist attractions in Leeds include the Royal Armouries, National Media Museum, Leeds Art Gallery and Elland Road – home of Leeds FC.
West Yorkshire
West Yorkshire is a metropolitan county within the Yorkshire region of England, was formed in 1974 and has a rich history of labour and industry in the UK. This industrial history is still promoted nowadays along with West Yorkshire’s natural beauty such as the stunning Yorkshire Dales. Some of the most picturesque walkways in the country can be found in West Yorkshire such as the Pennine Way and the Colne and Holme Valleys.
The City of Bradford, the City of Leeds and the City of Wakefield are three of West Yorkshire’s five metropolitan boroughs. Many former historic textile mills have been converted into vibrant arts centres such as UNESCO World Heritage Salts Mill at Saltaire near Bradford and Dean Clough at Halifax. West Yorkshire offers a wide selection of historical landmarks and attractions including Sandal Castle, Wetherby Castle, Harewood House and Linton Hall. There are plenty of museums in West Yorkshire telling the stories of the local past, from industrial heritage to armoury and farming.
From the Armley Mills Industrial Museum in Leeds to the National Coal Mining Museum for England Overton in Wakefield and the National Media Museum in Bradford, there is a museum to appeal to all tastes.
Must See and Do Tourist Attractions in Yorkshire
The Yorkshire Moors National Park, the Yorkshire Dales National Park and the Peak District National Park in South Yorkshire attract many visitors every year. Popular tourist sites in Yorkshire are York Minster, Fountains Abbey, Rievaulx Abbey, Sutton Bank, the limestone pavements at Malham, The Humber Bridge, Bolton Abbey, Castle Howard, Salt’s Mill (World Heritage Site) and the village of Wharram Percy.
Beverley Racecourse, Beverley
One of the most popular small racecourses in Britain, experience the exhilaration of watching competitive horse racing at Beverley Racecourse set in a stunning location. Feel the excitement as you cheer on your chosen horse past the winning post!
The Racecourse is approximately 1 mile 3 furlongs, oval in shape and is run right-handed. The back straight is downhill and the bend into the home straight is tight. The final 3 furlongs is a steep uphill climb. The 5 furlong races begin on the extension of the home straight and is uphill all the way. In the members enclosure is the popular Lawn Bar which has a garden area overlooking the winning post.
The Members Bar is fully licensed and offers sandwiches, or you can dine in full in the reasonably priced Members Restaurant with views over the track and its own private viewing balcony. The Tattersalls enclosure has 2 bars and a self service restaurant and gives you access to the main Grandstand, Parade Ring and Winners Enclosure. The Beverley racecourse with its modern stands, uninterrupted views and wide range of facilities, provides the perfect rural day out in Beverley, Yorkshire.
Address: The Racecourse, York Road, Beverley, East Yorkshire HU17 8QZ
Official Website: www.beverley-racecourse.co.uk
Cruckley Farm, Driffield
At Cruckley is a traditional working family run farm in Driffield, rural East Yorkshire. Open to the public for the last 20 years, there is around 50 varieties of pigs, cows, oxen, sheep, horses, goats, chickens, ducks, turkeys, ornamental waterfowl and miscellaneous farm cats and dogs. Cruckley is also an approved rare breed centre and bacon and pork pigs, calves, lambs, and miniature donkeys are raised. We specialise in the breeding of British Berkshire pigs and we have won prises for our stock in the last 25 years.
Activities include the watching the daily milking demonstration, you can help bottle feed the lambs and kidd goats, handle fluffy chicks and watch eggs hatching in our hatchery. Meet our rabbits and gineapigs at the rabbit warren, see our loveable miniature donkeys, follow the mini tractor on the daily feed round and learn what the different farm animals eat and enjoy a 1 and a 1/2 mile country walk down to a river, pond and lake area.
Cruckley Farm has many facilities such as a gift shop with a farm toy range, indoor and outdoor picnic areas, a café serving hot and cold drinks, sandwiches and ice cream, free car parking, disabled toilets and wheelchair access around farm buildings and a children’s play area with tree walk and slide. Ideal for educating school parties and providing families with hours of fun, see the many traditional farm animals, cuddly rabbits and chicks or just a relaxing stroll with our country side views and fresh air, Cruckley Farm is the place to come for a day of relaxation, education and fun.
Address: Cruckley Farm, Foston-on-the-Wolds, Driffield, East Yorkshire YO25 8BS
Eureka! The National Children’s Museum, Halifax
Eureka! The National Children’s Museum is located in Halifax, West Yorkshire and has been Britain’s leading interactive museum for children since it opened in 1992. The award-winning attraction and educational charity for children, features over 400 interactive exhibits in six main exhibition areas which inspire children aged 0-11 to learn about themselves and the world around them through imagination, play and discovery.
Opening up a fascinating world of hands-on exploration, you can join Gordon Gnome on a magical journey around the world in the environmental gallery- ‘Our Global Garden’ or explore the two brand new galleries for children under five. Here you will discover sound and nature in a giant musical ‘SoundGarden’ and build your own mini desert dwellings in the magical ‘Desert Discovery’. With a café and gift shop, special events on weekends and during school holidays, Eureka! membership scheme and children’s parties available, learning is an adventure at Eureka!
Address: Discovery Road, Halifax, West Yorkshire HX1 2NE
Official Website: www.eureka.org.uk
Flamingo Land Theme Park & Zoo, Malton
Flamingo Land Theme Park and Zoo is the UK’s only combined theme park, zoo and holiday village, set in over 375 acres of North Yorkshire parkland. A family adventure park with over 100 rides and attractions, it offers a wealth of fun and excitement for all ages. With many white knuckle rides for thrill seekers including the UK’s only motorbike launch Rollercoaster, and many family rides, six family shows and the UK’s largest privately owned zoo, there is just so much to do.
New in 2006 was ‘Kamali’, the suspended looping rollercoaster that will send you twisting around over 1000 metres of track. Velocity is the UK’s only motorbike coaster and sees you launched from 0-100 kph in under 3 seconds, The Navigator – a dual rocking spinning ride, The Circulator which revolved 360degrees as you drop from over 60 feet and Cliff Hanger which will blast you over 55 metres into the air before plunging you back to earth. For the younger visitor there are rides such as the Dragon Coaster and Tea-Cup ride in Little Monster’s Den of Mischief, as well as the Junior Driving School and high flying Jets. The Muddy Duck Farm gives children the chance to drive their very own tractor through the farm where they will be able to see their favourite farmyard animals as well as some themed surprises.
The zoo is home to over 1,000 animals including many exotic species and featuring mammals, birds, reptiles and insects. Animals that can be found are: African Lions, Giraffes, Rhinoceros, Hippos, Siberian Tigers, Grants Zebras, Bactrian Camels, Monkeys, Sea Lions, Reptiles, Humboldt Penguins, Meerkats and the largest flock of pink flamingos in the country. In the Bird Walk you can see birds of all sizes from ostriches to the tiny finches.
Address: Flamingo Land, Kirby Misperton, Malton, North Yorkshire YO17 6UX
Official Website: www.flamingoland.co.uk
Harewood House, Leeds
Visit the home of the Earl and Countess of Harewood in West Yorkshire. Harewood House is a fantastic grade I listed house in the heart of Yorkshire which was designed by the architects John Carr and Robert Adam and built from 1759 to 1771. Often referred to as ‘St Petersburg palace on a Yorkshire hill’, Harewood House was awarded Enjoy England’s Large Visitor Attraction of the Year for 2009.
State rooms at Harewood House include the Ante Room, Cinnamon Drawing Room, Dining Room, Gallery, HRH Princess Mary Display Room, Princess Mary’s Dressing Room, Lord Harewood’s Sitting Room, Old Library, State Bedroom and Yellow Drawing Room, to name just a few.
Harewood house has long been popular with visitors interested in its architecture and collections of paintings, with the first guidebook to Harewood House published early in the nineteenth century. There is much more however to do here such as exhibitions of contemporary art, an award-winning educational department and gardens overseen by the Professional Gardener of the Year.
The grounds of Harewood House spread over 100 acres, with gardens of plants from all over the world, sculptures and even an ice house, and a Bird Garden with one of England’s most important avian collections of over 90 species of birds. Whoever you are, you’ll find something to enjoy here; if you love art or gardens or walks in the English countryside, or if you’re looking for a family day out, a cultural experience or a romantic afternoon, come to Harewood.
Address: Harewood House, Harewood, Leeds, West Yorkshire LS17 9LG
Official Website: www.harewood.org
Hornsea Museum, Hornsea
Established in 1978 and based in an 18th Century Grade II listed farmhouse, Hornsea Museum is an award-winning museum and a registered charity, staffed mainly by volunteers. Step back in time at Hornsea Museum from the pre-industrial age of the early 1700’s through to post second World War Britain and experience the changing patterns of village life in North Holderness over the past centuries. Hornsea Museum has won numerous national awards over the years and imaginative and informative displays present the personalities, characters, tools, trades of the local area to make what is an extensive and fascinating discovery.
The many rooms of the farmhouse and its outbuildings are on display in their authentic guise. The kitchen with its huge ingle-nook fireplace, dating from the early 1700s, the parlour – decorated in Victorian style with many ornaments and the Victorian Bedroom with its typical mid-Victorian mahogany furniture, half-tester bed and child’s bed.
The Dairy contains various utensils used for butter making featuring milk churns and local milk bottles.
The workshops contain many of the tools used by village craftsmen such as wheelwrights, coopers, joiners, leatherworkers and carpenters 100 years ago. The tools on show range from spoke-shaves, planes, clamps, cramps, augers, and braces, to measuring tools and pitsaws which were used to cut planks by hand.
The Cart Bays display many household and agricultural devices featuring examples such as an early hand-operated wooden washing machine, and horse drawn farming implements, showing the changes in farming technology, such as a locally manufactured wooden plough and adjustable hoes made in the 1930s.
The Photograph Exhibition Room is an archive of local photographs and postcards showing how little has changed in the area over the years. Featuring many rare photographs such as the tented Hornsea Coliseum Skating Pavilion, thatched cottages in Mappleton and Seaton, and the old post offices in Skirlaugh and Hornsea.
The content in the Display Room changes from time to time and has featured such items as children’s toys and dolls, jigsaws, card games, paint boxes, a Merrills board and Hornby trains. The Local Industry Display Room displays photographs and examples of many local industries and examples of local railway memorabilia.
The Schoolroom is an authentic Victorian school room. View life through the eyes of a 19th century child wearing Victorian clothes, sitting on hard wooden benches and writing on slates. During organised school visits, a teacher will be on hand to ensure that silence is, and remains, golden.
Equipment used on Victorian washday can be seen inside The Laundry or Washhouse as it was more commonly called, and in the yard outside. You will see a copper that needed a well-stocked fire to heat the water drawn from the well, that was used to wash clothes in either a wooden wash tub, dolly tub, or a hand-operated washing machine, an example of which can be seen in The Cart Bays.
The 18th century authentic Barn explores the farming which dominated the life of the village, with many farm implements on display including hay forks, mole traps and gin traps (which are now illegal).
The Victorian Street scene ‘Burn’s Lane’ is a fairly new addition to Hornsea Museum and runs down the centre of the main museum complex. The street contains a number of shop fronts designed in Victorian style. In the shop windows are a wide variety of goods that would have been found in the high street of a Victorian market town. Along the cobbled street is an Ironmonger’s shop, displaying a range of hardware, an Apothecary displaying a range of medicinal products and a Barber’s shop, complete with traditional red and white pole.
The museum recently acquired an enormous amount of pottery, designs and other archive material following the closure of the world famous Hornsea Pottery. The material is of great importance and has been described by a national authority as one of the most complete records of a pottery in the UK. There are also a number of souvenirs which were sold in Hornsea such as crested pottery, German pictorial plates, treen egg cups and boxes with transfer prints with scenes of old Homsea; a selection of writing artefacts including quills, penknives, pens, sealing wax and seals, ink stands and ink wells. A further archive is available to the public and can be found in the Museum Shop. This is run by The Hornsea Community Heritage Archive Group. Prints of some of their photographs are available for sale.
Officially opened in October 2008, the Hornsea Pottery Exhibition Rooms are located in two former cottages and tell the story of how this pottery flourished in the area, featuring a historical collection of more than 2000 pieces of Hornsea Pottery. Displayed in chronological order of production, the exhibition shows the wide-range of designs and techniques that were used over the years. The Hornsea Pottery Exhibition is the largest public collection in the world and a visit is a fascinating trip through 50 years of pottery design history. Key exhibits include the “Bust of a young girl” (by John Clappison & Alan Luckham 1965) and Impasto Wall lights (designed by John Clappison in 1961).
Hornsea Museum includes audio guides specifically for blind and partially sighted people and there is also a shop that helps support the running of the Museum and sells souvenirs, posters, toys and local history books. At the rear of the Museum are some pleasant and spacious gardens where you can enjoy the views and a picnic, or even enjoy additional historical items from the old local railway and industries of the past. There is so much to see here that it will accommodate all tastes and keep all amused. Ideal for the whole family, there is no better way to spend an educational afternoon in Yorkshire.
Address: Hornsea Museum, 11- 17 Newbegin, Hornsea, East Riding of Yorkshire HU18 1AB
Official Website: www.hornseamuseum.co.uk
Jorvik Viking Centre, Coppergate
Travel back 1000 years and visit the Vikings of Jorvik at the world famous Jorvik Viking Centre in York. One of the UK’s most popular tourist attractions outside of London, Jorvik Viking Centre is a ‘must-see’ for visitors to the city and has welcomed many millions of visitors over the past 21 years.
Everything in Jorvik Viking Centre is the remains of the original Viking-Age City of ‘Jorvik’ which was unearthed during the Coppergate excavations which took place between 1979-81 by the York Archaeological Trust. In total an incredible 40,000 objects were uncovered and over 800 of the items discovered on the site are on display at Jorvik Viking Centre. Travel back in time to the year of AD975 as you travel through the reconstruction of Viking-Age streets exactly as they would have been and you may even get to meet a Viking!
With many hands-on activities you will explore how people from medieval York lived and died and visit the three fascinating exhibitions. At Jorvik Viking Centre a programme of special events runs throughout the year such as the Jorvik Viking Festival which takes place every February half term. Visit the new shop for Viking gifts and souvenirs such as replica artefacts, runic sets, Celtic jewellery, drinking horns, Viking swords and shields.
Address: Coppergate, York YO1 9WT
Official Website: www.jorvikvikingcentre.co.uk
LaserZone, Huddersfield
LaserZone in Huddersfield is the ultimate laser tag game and Yorkshire’s most exciting family entertainment experience. No messy paintball games, just good clean laser tag action in a specially designed and themed 8,000 square foot arena with a futuristic abandoned street, complete with chemical plant, church and castle. There is also special effect lighting, great music and theatre grade smoke, all adding to the exciting atmosphere and the overall game experience.
Using state-of-the-art, computer controlled equipment; you score points by shooting your opponents and you can terminate other players for a short time and you can even earn extra points by deactivating the bases inside the arena (but be careful, they can shoot back!). Whether you’re a single player, arranging a birthday party or corporate event, LaserZone in Huddersfield can cater for you.
On arrival whilst waiting for your game to begin, you are welcome to wait in our specially designed reception area, or use the cybercafé facilities (charges apply). When it is time for your game to begin, you will be led to our briefing room, where the marshal will instruct you on the rules of the game and proper use of the equipment. You are now ready to enter the arena and begin the game – on entering the arena you have 20 seconds to hide. Once this time has elapsed your pack lets you know by saying “Prepare to activate”. You are now armed and ready – it is time to hunt your opponents. The arena has plenty of places to hide, but there is never anywhere that is completely safe.
A voice will make you aware of the end of the game and ask you to proceed to the exit, remove your equipment and re-enter our reception where you will be given a score sheet showing you your game stats and how well you did in the game.
Address: LaserZone, 29 St Johns Road, Huddersfield HD1 5DX
Official Website: huddersfield.laserzone.cc
National Media Museum, Bradford
Re-launched and renamed in 2006 to reflect the changing digital age, the National Media Museum in Bradford, Yorkshire, exists to “engage, inspire and educate by promoting an understanding and appreciation of photography, film, television, radio and the web; using our collection and knowledge to deliver a cultural programme accessibly and authoritatively”.
Based in a city centre building, the National Media Museum offers a diverse collection of exhibits spread out over seven floors. These include some of the best and important visual material to be found anywhere in the world, comprising of photographic, cinematography and television collections.
The diverse Photography Collection features all major genres and photographic movements, covering the aesthetic and technical developments of photography from the earliest experiments to contemporary digital imaging.
The cinematography collection began in 1913 and now consists of over 13,000 objects and artefacts, following the development of film technologies from pre-history and history of cinema to modern-day digital technologies. British film is the prime focus and equipment such as cameras from major film studios and posters, stills and artefacts can be found. Amateur film-making and the rise and fall of 16mm film is portrayed in part of the collection, showing how it was adopted by professionals for documentaries and television.
The collections are: Pre cinema, Early film, Projectors, Professional production equipment, Amateur film, Posters, animation and photographs and the Hammer films collection.
The television collection portrays how various processes of television production have developed, featuring collections on: Recording Television, Television Cameras and Television Receivers.
The New Media Collection is an expanding archive that preserves landmark digital media objects, with two collections, one on Games Consoles and another on Computers.
As well as the extensive collections, the National Media Museum also features three cinemas – an IMAX showing the latest 3D films and Pictureville and Cubby Broccoli cinemas – which show films you won’t normally see in your local multiplex. There are two special exhibition galleries which stage a rolling programme of exhibitions, and in the past have featured a James Bond exhibition, and there is a café, bar and shop. The BBC’s Bradford radio, TV and online studio is also situated within the museum. Admission to the National Media Museum is Free.
Address: National Media Museum, Bradford, West Yorkshire BD1 1NQ
Official Website: www.nationalmediamuseum.org.uk
Ripley Castle, Harrogate
Ripley Castle in Harrogate, North Yorkshire has been home to the Ingilby family for 26 generations and in 2009 celebrated seven hundred years at the Castle. The family is one of the oldest in the country to still live in the same residence, and as you walk along the castle terrace you get fantastic views over the lakes and deer park beyond.
No visit to Ripley Castle would be complete without a stroll around the walled gardens, park and grounds. With many tropical plants, thousand year old trees and plenty of wildlife such as fallow deer, rabbits, squirrels, heron, greylag geese, pheasants and woodpeckers, and also a small children’s play area, there is plenty to see and do. The Ripley Castle Tearooms sell refreshments and there is a gift shop for souvenirs.
Ripley castle and gardens are open to the public all year round and make a really interesting and entertaining day out.
Address: The Ripley Castle Estate, Harrogate, North Yorkshire HG3 3AY
Official Website: www.ripleycastle.co.uk
Royal Armouries, Leeds
Home to the UK’s national collection of arms and armour including artillery, the Royal Armouries Museum takes you on a journey through history from the Dark Ages to the present day. The museum in Leeds is a multi-million pound purpose built building and displays over 8500 objects throughout its five themed galleries. Discover 3000 years of history and see Guinness World Record breaking 16th century elephant armour, the largest armour in the world!
There is plenty for the whole family to do such as the falconry shows, horse shows, and jousting with knights in armour doing combat in the Tiltyard. After the shows why not visit the animals in the menagerie between the Tiltyard and Craft Court. In the Craft Court you can see our gun maker, armourer and wardrobe mistress at work.
Address: Royal Armouries Museum, Armouries Drive, Leeds, Yorkshire LS10 1LT
Official Website: www.royalarmouries.org
The Deep, Hull
The Deep in Hull is one of the world’s most spectacular aquariums. This award-winning Yorkshire family attraction is home to 40 sharks and over 3,500 fish. Housed in a dramatic building on the Humber Estuary it is just 45 minutes from The Beverley Arms Hotel.
The Deep tour uses a variety of hands on interactive, audiovisual presentations and living exhibits so you can explore how the solar system, our planet and the oceans on which it depends arose. Discover what threatens the future of our oceans and how you can help to preserve them for generations to come and behind the scenes a team of dedicated marine biologists care for all of the animals at The Deep.
A variety of marine life can be seen in over thirty aquatic exhibits ranging from the shallow tropical seas to the icy depths of the deep ocean. Dine with the sharks on Friday and Saturday evenings at Two Rivers Restaurant with riverside or tank views.
Address: The Deep, Hull HU1 4DP
Official Website: www.thedeep.co.uk
Yorkshire Dales – ‘Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty’
The Yorkshire Dales in North Yorkshire are designated an ‘Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty’ and offers some of the finest scenery in the UK. The Yorkshire Dales offer spectacular scenery whatever the time of year and make a fantastic holiday destination for families. The Dales are full of quirky, picturesque towns and villages, castles, museums, steam railways and art galleries, there is plenty for the whole family to enjoy.
Yorkshire Dales District National Park
Most of the Yorkshire Dales falls within the ‘Yorkshire Dales District National Park’, a national park which was established in 1954 and is now one of the twelve National parks of England and Wales. A total area of 680 square miles, the Yorkshire Dales District National Park is a place of wildlife habitats, contrasting silver grey limestone, heather-clad moors, ancient broadleaved woodlands and lush green meadows. Ideal for walking, cycling and keeping fit, the Yorkshire Dales is a fantastic outdoor recreation area as well as a peaceful retreat.
Discover its geological delights which include an extensive underground cave system (many of which are used for caving and potholing), a big industry in the area, as is farming and of course, the tourism industry – more than nine million people visit the park every year and over 20,000 live and work there.
