A Yearning for Yorkshire

With the cathedral city of York just a two-hour train trip from London, Yorkshire is a must-visit destination, brimming with history and architectural splendour, home to a captivating countryside and an enticing gourmet scene. Whether you walk York’s medieval walls, roam the Yorkshire Dales or climb up a colossal castle, it’s a region that lingers in the heart.

It feels an extraordinary privilege to dine in the oldest inhabited house in York and within the only restaurant in the city that looks over its medieval walls. Spooning up butternut squash velouté with harissa and pomegranate in the Grays Court Hotel’s Bow Room, while glimpsing the city’s day trippers circling in and out of my vision, pleasant distractions abound. I’m desperate to delve into the history of the kings who have been hosted in this historic hotel, the nobles knighted in its Long Gallery, but this is just one of many delights; the entirety of Yorkshire is replete with discoveries old and new. Visit for a weekend or a week; we’ve narrowed down the must-dos while you’re in this compelling part of England’s north.

Medieval marvels in York

History buffs and admirers of architecture will find York immediately enchanting, with its visually striking thick stone wall encircling the city, the Norman castle and lofty spires of 13th-century York Minster providing a dramatic skyline.

Dream Escape offers private visits of the gorgeous Gothic Minster, where a stonemasons’ tour reveals exclusive insights into its past, including the remains of a Roman basilica and gravestones of Anglo-Saxon and Viking settlements. The vertigo-averse may also take a tour of the roof and octagonal Chapter House dating from the 1280s; with its glorious vaulted ceiling, it was once used as the parliament for King Edward I in 1297.

You’ll notice many streets are called ‘gates’ here, thanks to York’s Viking past, and a great way to learn more about this is at Jorvik Viking Centre, where interactive exhibits and a timetravelling monorail transports you through the centuries to the way things were in Jorvik (the Nordic name for York) in the 9th century.

There’s just as much history and architecture to absorb while exploring York’s plethora of independent shops. Don’t miss The Shambles, York’s oldest street, which is a wonderful example of preserved timber-framed buildings with jettied floors hanging high over the cobblestones below – one of the best medieval shopping strips in Europe. For more medieval magic, there’s a hidden townhouse called Barley Hall, not discovered until the 1980s during a demolition, which was restored to its former glory by the York Archaeological Trust in 1987. It is believed to have the only horn window in England, and the immersive displays and exhibits offer a real sense of what it was like to live in medieval England.

If you only have time for one dining experience in York, it must be Bettys. This historic café and tea rooms has been going strong since 1919 and has five outlets in Yorkshire. Deservedly popular, Bettys in York has an exquisite afternoon tea that can be booked in the Belmont Room, where you’ll be serenaded by a pianist while enjoying dainty sandwiches, scones and Fat Rascals (a Yorkshire speciality, a little like a rock cake and Bettys’ best-selling item).

Countryside culture, cycling and hiking

Yorkshire is not just rich in history but also in literature. Don’t miss the opportunity to venture out to West Yorkshire to the wild moors and windswept heather of Brontë country, so named as it’s the inspiration for the classic novels by the Brontë sisters, including Wuthering Heights and Jane Eyre. Brontë enthusiasts can visit the village of Haworth where the sisters were brought up, in the lovingly preserved Brontë Parsonage Museum.

A little further north are the lush valleys of the Yorkshire Dales, where you could hire a bike to cycle Malham Tarn (or the adventurous might like to take on the Malham Cove climb, to see an extraordinary curving natural limestone amphitheatre). A hike to Scale Haw Force, a waterfall on Hebden Beck, will also reward with its natural beauty. Further north Swinner Gill is another wild waterfall in the remote village of Keld.

Cavernous castles, manors and abbeys

Yorkshire is also an idyllic setting to explore grand country estates, such as the 18th-century Harewood House, which has one of the finest art collections in Britain; the beautiful English baroque beauty of Castle Howard; or the Grade-Ilisted 19th-century Gothic glory of Allerton Castle. Dream Escape arrange VIP castle tours, as well as private tours of Nunnington Hall, a charming manor house with highprofile art and photography exhibitions.

The largest Cistercian abbey ruins in England also happens to be in Yorkshire: Fountains Abbey is incredible to explore and one could easily spend a day at this World Heritage Site, with its 18th-century Georgian water gardens (Studley Royal), medieval monastery and 400-acre deer park. And if one awesome abbey is not enough, there’s Rievaulx Abbey founded in 1132 as the first Cistercian abbey to be established in the north of England.

A street scene from the historical city of York with York Minster in the background

IMAGES © GETTY IMAGES / ISTOCKPHOTO / MIKE UK / NATIONAL TRUST IMAGES / ANDREW BUTLER

Fountatins Abbey owned by the National Trust

Swinner Gill Waterfall, Keld

Yorkshire countryside and village

Gourmet getaways If Michelin-starred destination dining is on your to-do list, then Yorkshire won’t disappoint. Book ahead for acclaimed chef Tommy Banks’ The Black Swan at Oldstead, which also has nine luxurious rooms on the edge of the atmospheric North York Moors. For something more central, try his sister restaurant Roots York in its namesake city, with tasting menus also awarded one Michelin star. Over in the North Yorkshire Dales, it’s The Angel Inn at Hetton that offers sumptuous stays along with Michelin-starred menus (it received a star just 12 months after opening in 2018), and the accolades continue with chef patron Michael Wignall crowned 2022 Chef of the Year and the venue was named Gastropub of the Year by the National Restaurant Awards for the second time.

Ensure you plan enough time to pick up some delectable souvenirs from the region. A visit to Wensleydale Creamery (home of the famous crumbly Wensleydale cheese, also a favourite of the British comedy claymation creations Wallace & Gromit!) is a must for tutored tastings and artisan hampers.

The Gothic ruins of Whitby Abbey

Follow it up with a Black Sheep Brewery tour to sample some of the region’s award-winning craft beer. Its new (launched April 2022) first-ever carbon-neutral cask beer called Respire, a Session IPA, is full of juicy fruits and citrus notes. And while you’re in Yorkshire, it goes without saying that you should try a Yorkshire Pudding, some treacly-ginger Parkin cake and rhubarb from the county’s Rhubarb Triangle; all delicious regional specialities.

The Shambles, a medieval street preserved in the heart of York

WHERE TO STAY

Grantley Hall

For a glorious getaway in the Yorkshire Dales, this luxury hotel and wellness retreat is home to Michelin-starred restaurant Shaun Rankin at Grantley Hall, as well as the Three Graces Spa.

Grays Court Hotel

This boutique, family-run hotel has delightful views of York’s medieval walls and is mere moments from York Minster. Its Bow Room restaurant is the only restaurant in York with 3 AA rosettes.

The Grand Hotel

A luxurious 5-star experience, and winner of Hotel of the Year 2022 at the Catey Awards, this Grade-IIlisted building set in former railway quarters is a few minutes’ walk from York’s train station.

Broughton Hall

An astounding 3000-acre historic estate in the Yorkshire Dales, the Grade-I-listed Broughton Hall is available for exclusive use and dates back to 1597, resplendent with 18thcentury formal gardens.

Find out more

Contact the team at Dream Escape...

Louise Murray, Head of Product

“Having been at school in Yorkshire it is always a pleasure to return to this beautiful county. I love wandering down the Shambles or popping into the Minster to hear the choir sing. It’s magical. Further afield, the Yorkshire Dales and North York Moors offer a fabulous day out with spectacular scenery. Hike with our guides, spend time with a local shepherd or simply enjoy exploring the quaint market towns before rounding off your day with dinner in a cosy traditional pub.” ⬥ louise@dreamescape.co.uk

WORDS | KARYN NOBLE