Tina Walsh takes us on a gentle journey through Herriot Country, the setting for TV’s most heart-warming drama
From the countryside to the coast, Sally Coffey selects the best Yorkshire days out
Studley Royal Park
This beautiful deer park holds many treasures within its grounds, not least the ruins of Fountains Abbey, which helped it obtain World Heritage Status in 1986.
Founded in 1132, Fountains Abbey – the largest monastic ruins in Britain – survived Henry VIII’s Dissolution of the Monasteries relatively intact, and in 1767 it was purchased by William Aislabie, owner of the neighbouring estate, to complete the elaborate gardens begun by his father, John Aislabie.
Today, UNESCO calls Studley Royal “one of the most magnificent Georgian water gardens ever created.” nationaltrust.org.uk/visit/yorkshire/fountains-abbey-and-studley-royalwater-garden
Joanna Whitehead has us dreaming of cosy weekends away with her pick of Yorkshire’s best inns
Salt-of-the earth locals, top-class produce and properly pulled pints of local ale; a visit to a Yorkshire pub is one of the best introductions to God’s Own Country.
As the UK’s biggest county, Yorkshire is blessed with buzzy cities, jaw-dropping countryside, and some of England’s most important history and heritage. And while there are plenty of outstanding hotels competing for your attention, a Yorkshire inn is surely the best way to discover this majestic part of the world.
Inns sit at the very heart of local communities, and with the great outdoors on their doorstep, in some of the county’s wildest and most idyllic sites, their prime position puts them head and shoulders above their competitors. Open fires, cosy oaken bar-rooms, and ancient properties offer an authentic window into British history. And with Michelin-starred dining options, boutique bedrooms with original fixtures, incredible vistas, and bespoke features, there’s no need to compromise on quality, so it’s time to check inn and bliss out.
Winner of the 2022 Best Pub for Food award at the Great British Pub Awards, this 17th-century former spinning mill was transformed into an inn in the late 1800s. Recipient of two AA Rosettes, visitors can look forward to a seasonal menu that relies on trusted local suppliers and combines classic pub fayre with more elevated dining options in a relaxed environment.
Situated in the bucolic Shibden Valley, just minutes away from Halifax, this handsome whitewashed building oozes period charm with oak beams, open fires, and sloped ceilings.
Outside, sip a pint of local ale in the large beer garden surrounded by mature trees and listen to the babbling Red Beck river that once powered its mills, before bedding down in one of 11 guest rooms.
Less than two miles down the road sits Shibden’s namesake Hall. Dating to 1420, this was once home to the noted diarist Anne Lister, upon whom the BBC TV series Gentleman Jack was based. Also worth a visit is Halifax’s magnificent Piece Hall – an 18th-century cloth hall, now home to historic exhibits, shops, and restaurants. shibdenmillinn.com
