This is Y Magazine December 2020 - Digital Edition

DECEMBER DA N WA L K E R TA L K S S H E F F I E L D L I F E , REMARKABLE PEOPLE AND GOLF … OF COURSE

You’ve Gotta Have Faith Paloma’s Infinite Things and post-pandemic tour plans Peace, Love and Kim-Joy Brilliant baking ideas and loving living in Yorkshire On Safari Spotting Seals and seabirds on the sand at Spurn All Creatures Great and Small Love and laughter in the Dales drama Christmas special yorkshire.com

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W E LCO M E Now that we’ve exited the second national lockdown and we’re all getting to grips with Government guidelines and the tier system, which will be regularly reviewed … it’s time to deck the halls and attend any amazing attractions that have opened their gates and organised festive functions … probably outdoors and definitely socially distanced.

The Business As Unusual and Winter Wonderland pages inspire with ideas for the season and there’s lots to look forward to. Do check online though for the very latest information on all that’s happening across the region, as things are changing all the time.

Welcome to Yorkshire’s #Walkshire campaign is coming soon and will promote the county as the ‘walking capital of the world’ with its three national parks, breathtaking coastal routes and city strolls full of heritage, culture, food, drink and so much more.

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As part of Welcome to Yorkshire’s tourism recovery plan, working with the county’s business and tourism representatives, to reopen, recover and rebuild, we have lots of exciting new initiatives, including My Y personal membership which includes a tree planted in Yorkshire for every member and is an ideal gift. Remember a tree is for life, not just for Christmas! Fantastic for the environment and wildlife, as well as personal health and well-being too.

‘Tis the season to be jolly supportive of local businesses and you can purchase a vast variety of perfect pressies and gorgeous gifts from Yorkshire independent retailers online at the Yorkshire Marketplace yorkshire.com/yorkshire-marketplace and Welcome to Yorkshire goodies at shopyorkshire.com Yule be spoilt for Yorkshire choice this Christmas!

JAMES MASON Chief Executive, Welcome to Yorkshire

Image: Bempton Cliffs © Thom Holmes

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W E LCO M E TO DECEMBER

CONTENTS 6 BUSINESS AS UNUSUAL Inspirational ideas and dates for your diary.

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10 DAN’S THE MAN Interview with top talker Dan Walker.

14 WINTER WONDERLAND Inspiration for December days out and beyond.

18 LET’S GET QUIZZICAL Test your Yorkshire knowledge.

20 KIM-JOY Catching up with the Great British Bake Off’s brilliant baker.

24 SIMPLY THE BEST Historic hotels to boutique breaks 28 CLIMB EVERY MOUNTAIN Aiming high for a peak performance.

32 ALL CREATURES GREAT AND SMALL RiVETing romance, Christmas cheer and festive fog in the Dales drama.

36 ANNE OTHER BRONTË Celebrating the literary legacy of the youngest Brontë.

40 PALOMA FAITH New music and Yorkshire tour dates.

Yorkshire is definitely delightful during December, the delicious delicacies served, winter wonderlands to wander within and exciting entertainment … although you’ll most likely be outdoors this Yuletide. This time last year our 2020 vision was perhaps a little different to what the year went on to deliver. There’s no doubt that it has been the trickiest of times for all, but even though the pandemic has put the seasonal stopper on some things … there’s still lots to enjoy and to look forward to.

Sheffield’s Dan Walker talks Remarkable People (his new book) and why he chose to settle in Yorkshire (must be the remarkable people), Paloma Faith chats Infinite Things (her new album) and plans to come to the county in 2021 on tour. Leeds’ Great British Bake Off finalist Kim-Joy shares fabulous festive bake ideas and moving nearer to the moors.

It may sound global but it’s all happening in Yorkshire … there’s international golf Tee Time, adventurous expeditions in Climb Every Mountain and a Spurn safari … so goody.

Please be mindful that the content created for this edition of This Is Y is intended to be inspirational and as things are changing all the time due to Government guidelines, it’s always best to check yorkshire.com and individual attraction, venue and location websites to confirm what’s definitely going on before pulling on your winter togs and heading out.

We want Christmas cheer … not Christmas tears … as a result of the tiers.

Enjoy This is Y (and all things Yorkshire).

C A R O LY N N I C O L L

46 ESCAPE THE EVERYDAY AJ Odudu visits the county.

50 DO YOU WANT TO

KNOW A SECRET Cast and crew on the release of The Secret Garden film.

54 SAFARI SO GOODY Wildlife watching at

Spurn point.

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SENSE-SATIONAL Blind, inspirational globetrotter Amar Latif and his love of Yorkshire adventure.

66 GOLF HIT Talking top tournaments

and tee time on the county’s courses.

68 PLAN YOUR JOURNEY

ON THE COVER Dan Walker

GET IN TOUCH Editor Carolyn Nicoll cnicoll@yorkshire.com

Editor, This is Y magazine

WANT TO KNOW MORE? If you want to find out more about something in our features click on this symbol.

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W E LCO M E TOYO R K S H I R E

@ W E LCO M E 2 YO R K S #THISISY

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YO R K S H I R E H I G H L I G H T S

BUSINESS AS

UNUSUAL As 2020 (a year like no other) draws to a close, it’s been a tricky time but also a period of inspirational creativity for many businesses. There’s lots to celebrate, many exciting experiences to get involved with and so much to look forward to…

Image: Ru Paul’s Drag Race: Werq the World

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SEASIDE S E N S AT I O N S Roll out the red carpet as some of the world’s hottest acts are lined up to perform at Scarborough Open Air Theatre in 2021. You could be dancing on the ceiling (if there was one) as Lionel Richie returns (12th June), UB40 (19th June), Ru Paul’s Drag Race: Werq the World (20th June), Snow Patrol (3rd July), Duran Duran (7th July), Keane (9th July), Olly Murs (10th July), Lewis Capaldi (25th July), Westlife (17th August) and Nile Rodgers & CHIC (20th August).

It’s going to be a sensational season of song and sequins.

P H OTO O P In the late ‘80s and ‘90s the city of Sheffield reached a pivotal moment in its history, as it began a journey of regeneration. The first steps of the transformation captured by a group of gifted photographers whose work reflected both the hope and hard realities of the time can be seen in a new exhibition at Weston Park Museum The Sheffield Project: Photographs of a Changing City until 3rd May 2021.

TO U R D E YO R K S H I R E A R T A pandemic prompted the postponement of the much-loved annual Tour de Yorkshire cycling event, which was scheduled to take place from 30th April to 3rd May. This year’s official Tour de Yorkshire artist, Claire Baxter, has created six impressive images, inspired by the diversity, grandeur and splendour of Yorkshire and to capture the spirit

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and excitement of the race from the perspectives of the riders, the spectators - young and old. Painted locations include the Dales, moors, coast, townscapes and landscapes drawn from North, South, East and West Yorkshire in Claire’s quirky and colourful, distinctive style.

WHISTLE STO P O P E R A

Cinderella, the much-loved fairy tale, will amaze audiences, BUT not quite as you know it… Opera North’s Cinderella spends her days scrubbing the floors, dreaming of a better life.

The prince looks out of the palace windows, dreaming of the perfect companion. Until fate intervenes, the two meet and the rest is history. This festive season a magical whistle stop tour with indoor performances in front of socially distanced audiences, will be visiting various venues. From 16th Jan to 14th Feb 2021.

S AY C H E E S E !

With over 100 years of history dating back to 1912, family run Cryer & Stott Cheesemongers have revived the famous Coverdale cheese to its original recipe. Launched at Welcome to Yorkshire’s Ian Woosnam Senior Classic Golf Tournament in September at Ilkley Golf Club, the cheese received rave reviews from some famous faces including footballer Robbie Fowler & cricketer Ryan Sidebottom. Coverdale cheese is being made in small batches of twenty every 2 weeks & already has a waiting list. Cryer & Stott are proud to be investing in collaborations to keep hand skills alive in Yorkshire.

DA R K S K I E S Make a date for your diary as Dark Skies Festival in the North York Moors and Yorkshire Dales returns in February. Nocturnal action themed around Nature at Night with a fascinating insight into precious wildlife when the sun goes down, revealing the importance of dark skies and how being free from light pollution plays a crucial role to many species’ existence. It’ll be a packed programme of sparkle and celestial fun. 12th to 28th February 2021.

NEW LIGHT PRIZE Established in 2010, Scarborough Art Gallery’s New Light celebrates and promotes both well-known and emerging artists by offering some of the region’s best awards and opportunities in the biennial new Light Prize Exhibition. Fast becoming one of the UK’s largest and most talked about of its kind, it showcases 125 artworks from 105 artists across a range of media. On until 17th January 2021.

Top left to right: Lionel Richie, Claire Baxter and Tour de Yorkshire paintings and Coverdale Truffle Brie

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Left: Cooper King Distllery

A M A Z - G I N AWA R D A self-built distillery powered by 100% green energy, York’s Cooper King create outstanding sustainable spirits underpinned by ‘craftmanship, honesty and adventure’. Independent from the ground up, Cooper King’s distillery tours have been awarded a TripAdvisor Travellers Choice Award, placing them in the top 10% of experiences worldwide.

CONTEMPORARY C R E AT I O N S

Above: The Hepworth © Marc Atkins 2017.

The Hepworth 100 Years of Contemporary Art © Danny Lawson/PA Wire Below: The Escapologist.

Dating back to the 1920s, Wakefield’s art collection was established to nurture a public understanding of arts’ relation to modern life, a collecting principle still followed by The Hepworth Wakefield today. Enabling new stories to be told and showing how narratives and ideas can cast fresh light on historical works, check out Vision & Reality: 100 Years of Contemporary Art in Wakefield. On until 25th April 2021.

T H E G R E AT E S C A P E The Escapologist’s outdoor escape games are town wide and incorporate the best of what Selby has to offer. Using augmented reality, players can experience a mix of heritage, scenery and points of interest found around the historic location. Can you find all the crystals playing Magic Portal or stop Spider Tech on Operation Mindfall?

The games are suitable for 2-6 players, fantastic for families and last around 90 minutes.

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I T ’ S M AG I C !

Harry Potter fans can indulge their love of Hogwarts with a stay at North Shires. The Dorm inspired holiday accommodation with single wooden four-poster beds, an opulent bathroom and lounge area that mirrors the Gryffindor common room with a look-alike castle tower bedroom is perfect for Potter fanatics. The opening of The Dorm comes just 18 months after the creation of the Groundkeeper’s Cottage, based on Hagrid’s Hut. Seven miles inland from the fishing village of Staithes, there’s also a Hobbit-hole inspired cottage, Potts Corner with its turf roof, round doors and stained glass windows; Storybook Cottage; gypsy caravans and shepherd’s huts.

A NEW BE-GIN-NING Whitby Distillery, producers of Whitby Gin have received approval for a £1.5 million plan to renovate two derelict barns on the south-west corner of the Whitby Abbey grounds. Transforming the buildings into a new distillery, will include renewable energy sources to house a new hand-beaten still, a tasting kitchen and event space soaked in history. Green roofs will be planted with wild flowers to nurture the natural plants and wildlife.

M A R K E T TOW N Inspirational ideas for Christmas lunch creations or the perfect pressie, Barnsley Market is home to over 90 stalls fronted by charismatic traders selling a range of products meeting the market’s core values of quality, value and tradition. Pop to Market Kitchen, a food court full of flavours from around the world and alongside traditional cafes, you’ll find Turkish, Balkan, Indian, Thai, rotisserie duck, pizza, coffee, wacky desserts and a bar stocking cocktails, gins, craft beer and much more to tickle your taste buds.

H I T T I N G A H I G H N OT E The Tan Hill Inn will be bringing some INCREDIBLE acts to the highest pub in Britain for the Highest Gig in Britain.

Throughout July 2021 a variety of amazing acts will appear including Big Country who will be kicking off a Month of Music, plus there’s the fantastic From The Jam, Lindisfarne, Kim Wilde and Ferocious Dog with support from Holy Moly & The Crackers, plus the Newcranes.

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This page clockwise: North Shires Harry Potter themed rooms and the Tan Hill Inn

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INTERVIEW

DA N ’ S THE MAN From striding across a golf course to strolling in the park with the dog … he’s a top walker. Carolyn Nicoll caught up with Sheffield resident Dan Walker to chat all things Yorkshire, life in lockdown, post-pandemic plans and some truly remarkable people.

I love living in Sheffield and the fact that it feels both big and small at the same time. It has the friendliness of a village with the clout of a big city. My first Yorkshire holiday with my family was when I was 4 years old and I vaguely recollect visiting Sheffield’s Abbeydale Industrial Hamlet. In the mid-1990s I returned to Sheffield as a student and from the first minute I arrived I absolutely loved it, making some wonderful lifelong friends too. My wife - who is actually from the city - and I have lived in Liverpool, Manchester and London but we both always wanted to get back to Sheffield. I’ve never not been proud of being a Yorkshireman.

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there was always fun. One of my best mates lives in Thirsk and we’ve had lovely trips to places like Fountain’s Abbey and Castle Howard, and a day in the Yorkshire Dales is never wasted.

Of course, living in Sheffield, the Peak District National Park is on our doorstep and as a family we regularly spend many hours walking and taking the kids on fantastic trails, marvelling at the magnificent landscape and breathtaking views, plus there are lots of outdoor pursuits to get involved with in a spectacular setting. Damflask Reservoir is a particular favourite for a walk and a pub lunch.

There is so much to do in Yorkshire. History, culture, sport and the great outdoors are everywhere you look. Friends regularly travel up from London to stay with us and we have come nowhere near to exhausting the places we can go. It’s great visiting new venues, attractions and locations, there really is so much to discover. Plus there are so many fantastic golf courses In Yorkshire that could keep you going for years.

I think the coronavirus crisis has affected us all and I’m very thankful that I’ve still been able to work throughout the pandemic. I presented Football Focus from our spare bedroom for 10 weeks during lockdown.

The situation had a much bigger impact on our kids though. They are so happy to be back at school now. The virus also proved to me that my A in GCSE maths must have been a fluke because I was a mess when it came to algebra during homeschooling. (laughs)

We enjoy taking the kids all over the county and stayed on a campsite near Scarborough last year and had a great time at Flamborough. My wife’s family always have an annual trip to Whitby for fish & chips and we used to have friends who lived in Reeth so New Year

I was really looking forward to the 2020 Olympics in Tokyo but of course, that has been put off until next year because of COVID-19. There was an incredibly exciting show planned for me to present which would have been so much fun. I was also meant to be filming a documentary looking

at South Africa - 10 years on from the World Cup. Aside from listening to fake crowd noise, the hardest part has been seeing friends and family struggling with the situation and to not be able to see or hug people. I think we have all really missed church as a family too. It has reminded me of how important that is. It was also tough to cancel my charity golf day. We have raised thousands of pounds for the Sheffield Children’s Hospital over the last few years and we had to cancel that event which was scheduled to take place in September at Hallamshire Golf Club, but hopefully it’ll return in 2021.

There have been positive times during the last few months though and in lockdown, including spending time with family, which has been amazing.

I have also been able to write a book - which I don’t think I would have been able to do otherwise.

My new book, Remarkable People, is out now. I was asked to write an autobiography but I was far more interested in writing about other people. I felt it was important to shine a light on some of those who have had a big impact on me over the years. All of them have been through a lot but still manage to make a huge positive impression on the people around them. I hope people enjoy reading it. There is a chapter all about Tony Foulds (Welcome

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“ I WA S A S K E D TO W R I T E A N AU TO B I O G R A P H Y B U T I WA S FA R MORE INTERESTED IN WRITING ABOUT OT H E R P E O P L E ”

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INTERVIEW

to Yorkshire’s Pride of Yorkshire award winner in 2019) and the flypast. It takes you through our first meeting in Endcliffe Park, Sheffield and how it all came about in the space of just a few short weeks. I still get asked about the flypast all the time, wherever I go, and I think it’s still lovely that so many people came to watch it live in Sheffield and millions saw it on TV. A typical day for me is getting up at 3.11am to go to work at BBC Breakfast. I do some filming on different programmes, go to the gym or for a run and walk Winnie, our cockapoo. I occasionally hit a few golf balls. Take the kids to an after-school club. Read, watch the news and prepare for BBC Breakfast. Eat cake and go to bed.

The BBC Breakfast team are so fantastic to work with and to be a part of. They work incredibly hard to make the programme as good as it can be every day - seven days a week. It’s been great to cover some of the uplifting stories in amongst all the gloom this year. The not so best bits remain the time on the alarm clock when it goes off in the morning. I don’t think I’ll ever get used to that.

My favourite things to do are playing football with my kids. The two youngest have just got into it this year and really enjoy having a kick about. I am a bit of a golf obsessive and would like to get down to a scratch handicap. I love being on the golf course without my phone. It’s a great place to relax.

Playing golf in the (Welcome to Yorkshire in partnership with SGH Sporting Events) Ian Woosnam Senior Golf Classic at Ilkley Golf Club was brilliant. It was the first time I had played at Ilkley and it really is a wonderful course. The welcome was so warm and I was only a couple over before I walloped one into the River Wharfe. I would love to go back and play it again.

When life is back to normal I’m looking forward to hearing the roar of the crowd at a football match.

We can’t wait to have people around again and are looking forward to going on holiday, plus enjoying time out for birthday meals with friends. Professionally, I’m looking forward to not talking about coronavirus every morning and I’m thinking about writing another book.

Remarkable People by Dan Walker is published by Headline priced £20.00

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I T WA S T H E FIRST TIME I H A D P L AY E D AT I L K L E Y AND IT R E A L LY I S A WO N D E R F U L COURSE yorkshire.com

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WINTER WO N D E R L A N D It’s been a challenging year, but there’s lots to look forward to as 2020 comes to a close and what better way to get out and about, than walking in a winter wonderland and exploring some fabulous festive events

Image: Castle Howard, York.

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Harewood Christmas 2019 © Tom Arber.

I N S P I R AT I O N

L I G H T WAT E R VA L L E Y Be enchanted by the fantastic family-friendly Alice in Winterland giant lanterns display as the sun sets over Lightwater Valley. Embark on a magical journey to meet the Mad Hatter, the Queen of Hearts, and of course, Alice herself as she embarks on an amazing adventure.

Dazzling giant illuminated sculptures will illustrate favourite stories from Alice in Wonderland and Alice Through the Looking Glass. Discover a giant chess board, watch the Mad Hatter prepare for his crazy tea party, marvel at the four-metre tall Alice lantern and come face to face with the infamous Queen of Hearts herself. The luminous trail travels through a glowing garden with massive mushrooms, illuminated tulips and fabulous flamingos. Families can enjoy some traditional fairground fun including a spin on the carousel and take to the night sky on the Skyrider.

H A R E WO O D H O U S E Beautifully lit and festively decorated, explore Harewood’s gardens and grounds during the festive season. Visit the beautiful Bird Garden, purchase pressies in the Courtyard Shop and Harewood’s new Christmas Shop on the Terrace.

C A S T L E H O WA R D Enjoy a winter walk in the gardens and grounds. Marvel at the 30 foot outdoor Christmas tree and sparkling tree-lined drive. Let off steam with the little ones at the Adventure Playground. Indulge in some festive late night shopping and eating in the Courtyard. Pick the perfect tree from the Garden Centre and perhaps a wonderful wreath, a gorgeous gift or even some special dog pressies.

Plus there’s wood fired pizza, hot dogs, hot chocolate, mulled wine and marshmallow toasting and fabulous Father Christmas events too.

F O U N TA I N S A B B E Y A N D S T U D L E Y R OYA L WAT E R G A R D E N See three different kinds of wonderful wild deer being fed near St Mary’s Church through the colder season and each weekend in December as the afternoon light starts to fade, make your way to Fountains Abbey and wander through the ruins aglow with bright and colourful lights.

Images clockwise from top left: Lightwater Valley, Harewood House, Castle Howard and Lightwater Valley.

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YO R K S H I R E W I L D L I F E PA R K

Images this page: Lightopia at Yorkshire Wildlife Park.

Explore a magical and immersive festival of light this winter at Yorkshire Wildlife Park. The biggest lantern display in Yorkshire will feature over 2,400 metres of illuminated trails filled with awe-inspiring giant lanterns themed as animals, mystical creatures, Jurassic dinosaurs and much more in this shimmering spectacle.

A kaleidoscope of colour, magical sculptures and tunnels of light await in the 150 acre park on over 1 1/2 miles of lit pathways, plus delicious festive food and drink to enjoy.

YO R K C A S T L E M U S E U M Come in from the cold and into a magical snowcovered world where Christmas is alive at York Castle Museum. Snow has fallen on the famous Victorian street transforming it into a glistening stage where large-scale projections dance across the walls, bringing to life famous characters from the Nutcracker.

Oversized Christmas decorations sparkle above, Nutcrackers, ballerinas and toy soldiers adorn the street and festive music plays, immersing all in a new and truly unique Christmas experience.

H A R LOW C A R R G LOW 2 02 0 See the garden all aglow as enchanting festive illuminations light up Harrogate’s Harlow Carr this winter. Wander through the enchanting trail, marvel at the magnificent trees and shrubs and see some of the garden’s iconic features, including the Queen Mother’s Lake, Winter Walk and Kitchen Garden, shine with festive colour. Treat yourself to a delicious mince pie and hot chocolate from Bettys and discover delightful Christmas shopping opportunities, plus the chance to purchase Christmas trees and wreaths.

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C A R LT O N T O W E R S Step into Christmas at Carlton Towers – there’s Santa Sunday Lunch, Festive Afternoon or High Tea, and Christmas Luncheon with Miss Marina Mae, best known for her wartime tribute show and glamorous and authentic costumes, plus wonderful wreath making and the chance to experience this stunning venue all dressed for Christmas, with the fires lit and dazzling decorations to inspire and admire.

S T O C K E L D PA R K What was once a simple Christmas tree shop, from this small acorn grew what is now Stockeld Park’s most famous adventure season. Fabulous family fun for all and exciting events invite you into the Enchanted Forest as it comes alive after dusk with wonderful winter illuminations at the home of Christmas magic.

Image and below: Stockeld Park Ice skating and lake.

Image and above: Carlton Towers Wreath Making and Christmas with Santa

Clockwise top right: Carlton Towers, Santa sunday lunch and Wreath making. Stockeld Park lake © 2018 Richard Walker/ ImageNorth and Ice skating

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YO R K S H I R E Q U I Z

LET’S GET QUIZZICAL Time to test your Yorkshire knowledge with the last 20 in 2020. Find out how much you know about the county that reaches dizzy heights … on the longest rollercoaster in Europe (The Ultimate, Lightwater Valley), boasts the highest pub in Great Britain (The Tan Hill Inn, Richmond) and offers the UK’s tallest man-made climbing wall (ROKT, Brighouse).

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1 The market town of Malton is said to have inspired Charles Dickens when writing A Christmas Carol. What is the main character Scrooge’s first name?

2 Dame Jessica EnnisHill won gold in the heptathlon at the London 2012 Olympics. In which Yorkshire city was she born?

3 The 199 steps in Whitby lead to the Abbey and which church?

4 In 1967 Leeds scientist Brian Boffey accidentally created a circular, sugar coated chewy sweet whilst trying to produce a powdered jelly. What is this sweet called?

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5 Located in Bardsey, Leeds and claims to be ‘Britain’s oldest pub’, dating back over 1000 years to a time when Vikings were conquering parts of the country and before England had its first King. What is its name?

6 York’s famous city walls surround 263 acres. But how long, to the nearest kilometre, are they?

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10 A Christmas crooner dreamt of a White Christmas and enjoyed shooting at Dallowgill Moor in North Yorkshire?

What’s his name?

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11 Aysgarth is famous for its fabulous falls.

But it’s also the home to England’s largest what?

7 A railway opened in 1875 with a reported 325 bridges, 27 viaducts, and 14 tunnels? Which was it?

12 Dating back to 1090 this best preserved, fullyroofed medieval castle stands at the top of which Yorkshire town’s high street? Where is it?

8 Which Yorkshire village is the location for Darrowby in the 2020 TV series All Creatures Great and Small?

13 It’s said that the first Christmas holiday celebrated in Britain was in 521AD. In which Yorkshire city?

9 Harrogate actor Jim Carter plays Mr Carson.

In which much-loved TV series and film?

14 Eureka!, was the UK’s first national children’s museum. Where is it?

Images this page: 2: © Will Roberts 8: © Gary Butterfield 10: © Illiya Vjestica

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1. EBENEZER 2. SHEFFIELD 3. ST MARY’S 4. JELLY TOTS 5. THE BINGLEY ARMS 6.3 7. SETTLE-CARLISLE 8. GRASSINGTON 9. DOWNTON ABBEY 10. BING CROSBY 11. CHURCHYARD 12. SKIPTON 13. YORK 14. HALIFAX 15.BRADFORD 16. CHRISTMAS TREES 17. FILM 18. CASTLEFORD 19.

FLAMBOROUGH HEAD 20. THE DEEP ANSWERS:

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15 This Yorkshire city was crowned Britain’s Curry Capital six times in a row from 2011 2016. Where is it?

16 Yorkshire’s spectacular Stockeld Park is set in 240 acres and grows over 500,000 of what? It will spruce up your home in December.

17 In 2009 the city of Bradford trumped Los Angeles, Cannes and Venice. To become UNESCO’s first city of what?

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18 England’s largest indoor real snow resort can be experienced at Snozone, Xscape. In which West Yorkshire town is it located?

19 The biggest underwater chalk reef in Europe extends for up to 6km out to sea. At which Yorkshire coastal location?

20 A Hull attraction, opened in 2002, where you can find over 3,500 fish including green sawfish, sharks, rays, turtles and a colony of Gentoo penguins. Name its location.

Answers at the top of this page (no cheating!)

Images this page: 13: © Jason King 19: © Luke Thornton 16: © pexels-freestocksorg-839462 20: © 43 Clicks Nnorth

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W H AT ’ S O N T H E M E N U ?

P E AC E , LOV E A N D K I M - J OY AT CHRISTMAS ‘Tis the season to be jolly… AND to talk life in Leeds, Ilkley inspiration and choux snowmen with former Great British Bake Off finalist Kim-Joy…

My early childhood in Belgium is a bit of a distant memory, but I do remember sometimes eating biscuits for breakfast which I really don’t think I should have done. When it comes to baking, it was something that neither of my parents did, but it was something I wanted to do. As a child I hated mincemeat but I did make mince pies, it was a tradition which Dad encouraged me to get involved with. I enjoyed the process of making the pastry and putting the mincemeat in. When I was still quite young (5 years old) my family moved to London and there was a pandan cake that Mum got from China Town and I loved it and was determined to bake my own. So I spent hours with my Malaysian recipe book and made pandan cake over and over again.

I first came to Leeds to study for a masters in psychology and met my husband Nabil, who has lived in Yorkshire all his life. Not like me who’s moved around, from Belgium to London, then to Bristol University.

I immediately loved Yorkshire and settled in straight away. It’s such a contrast to London, which stressed me out with its busyness. One of my favourite places is Bettys Café Tearooms and that’s where Nabil and I went on out first date … Bettys in Harrogate. It was my birthday and was one of those just friends sort of dates.

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That’s where it all started and Bettys holds such lovely memories.

Leeds is a special city and has a fantastic food scene. It’s ALL about the food for me. Nadil and I enjoy going out to eat … when not restricted by the pandemic. Tharavadu is a fabulous restaurant serving the most amazing South Indian food, Sukhothai is another favourite and its authentic Thai dishes are delicious, plus Leeds Kirkgate Market is huge, there’s a wonderful variety of food for sale and it’s somewhere we often go for lunch.

My life revolves around food. Can you tell how important food is to me? (laughs) Being part of the Great British Bake Off (2018) completely changed my life and was an incredible experience.

You go on as a contestant, but you have no idea how you’re going to perform and don’t know how far you’ll get. So I was very, very happy to get to the final and it’s meant that I’ve since been able to write two cookery books, Baking with Kim-Joy and now Christmas with Kim-Joy, and start my own YouTube channel, which is incredible. Before the show, baking was just a hobby and now I can do it and make a career from it which is wonderful. It’s increased my confidence and I know a lot of people probably say that but it’s true.

There are so many great things about living in Yorkshire. Leeds is an ideal base from which to explore and enjoy the whole county. Favourite places to visit are Bettys (of course), walking and making the most of having nice places and trails to explore right on the doorstep, Mother Shipton’s Cave in Knaresborough - I love how bonkers it is (in a nice way), Bolton Abbey is stunning and is surrounded by great walks too, plus I love that place where Harry Potter was filmed … Malham Cove in the Dales. Gorgeous! Our current home in Leeds has fantastic countryside views out the back, as we live next door to a farm with cows, chickens and horses, so we get to see them without having to look after them. I appreciate my home comforts and feel content just being at home.

It helps that house prices in Yorkshire are much cheaper than in London too.

Nabil and I are planning to move to Ilkley in the coming weeks, as we are currently in the process of buying a property. For the same price down south we’d have had to settle for a much tinier place, but in Yorkshire there’s so much more on offer for the money. One of the good things to come out of lockdown has been the reduction in stamp duty. We’ve viewed some great houses in lovely locations, across different parts of Yorkshire and have found what we’re

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CHRISTMAS WITH KIM-JOY (Quadrille, £15) Photography: Ellis Parrinder

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after in idyllic Ilkley. I like the fact that there’s a great train service into Leeds too, for when we fancy a city fix. The house is a 1960s property that we have plans to renovate, knocking down walls and installing a new kitchen. We purposely wanted a home that we could adapt on the inside to make it ‘our own’. I now spend my time thinking of interior design and constantly looking at pictures of kitchens. Fingers crossed everything will go to plan. Ilkley really is a fabulous spot, especially for getting out on the moors … AND it has a Bettys.

We are living in such unprecedented and tricky times at the moment, with the coronavirus crisis, but luckily my daily life has not seen such massive changes. I’ve pretty much worked from home since Bake Off and continue to do so. Initially when lockdown happened for the first time I was like ‘yeah I’m going to do all these things’, but then after a few weeks I was like ‘oh it’s getting a bit much now’. I felt like I needed to see people, and that’s from me, someone who’s quite introverted and who is fine with my own company. Luckily I have two cats, Inki and Mochi, who are just over a year old now. They are very entertaining and a lot of fun, but sometimes a bit of a distraction when I’m trying to work as they are so adorable.

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Today is not a typical day for me. I’m a complete night owl, so this morning interview made me have to set an alarm. I’m not used to mornings, but regularly work into the evening. My time is spent doing lots of baking and also making loads of pizzas, that’s what I did at the weekend and Nabil and I have spent the last 3 days feasting on scrummy pizza. I’m also keeping busy trying to do as much book promotion as possible online, as travel is so restricted.

Christmas with Kim-Joy is a book full of seasonal baking recipes, colour and cute stuff. It was actually my publisher’s idea and I wasn’t going to say no … I love Christmas …how can you not? It’s packed full of ideas AND animals, from edible Arctic foxes to polar penguin bao buns and marshmallow seals, plus melted snowman cake pops and white chocolate igloos. You can also design your own magical gingerbread village.

Great to make for Christmas presents.

Before Bake Off I experimented a lot in the kitchen when baking and decorating, but the way the challenges on the show were set up encouraged me to be even more adventurous. Creating creatures sort of naturally became my thing. Autumn and winter are the best, being cosy at home, with the hot oven which works so well at this time of year, rather than baking in summer when it’s hot outside. I find it peaceful, when the weather turns and love food so much, and Christmas is all about lots of different lovely things to eat.

It’s hard to choose a favourite recipe from the book, as I love them all for different reasons and I feel that I could give a different answer every time. It may be down to the photographs but I particularly like the snowmen made out of choux pastry. They all have their own little

personalities and look like they’re running along. Christmas with Kim-Joy is aimed at everybody, there are vegan recipes, ones with booze in, gluten free ideas, stuff for kids, with step-bystep images which make them easy to decorate if that’s what you want to do, but it’s just as easy to completely skip the decorating and just bake. From basic to advanced, it’s all achievable.

Yorkshire Pudding is my favourite Yorkshire dish. It is from Yorkshire isn’t it? I guess it would be weird if it wasn’t (laughs). Only recently have I started to make them and I’ve really got into it. I make giant Yorkshire puddings, as big as possible, so that they hit the top of the oven. I stack them up in the freezer and then get them out on a chilly day to fill them with veggie dishes and delicious dumplings. Now is the perfect time of year for them. Autumnal days, getting wrapped up and eating comforting dishes … the weather makes the food taste even better.

A perfect Yorkshire day out would start at … where else … but one of the county’s Bettys Café Tearooms for Breakfast or brunch. Then a walk on the beautiful moor at Haworth. Even in the rain this historic village is stunning and quintessentially olde worlde, there’s the Bronte Parsonage Museum, impressive independent shops and lots of tempting tearooms to pop in and out of for that all important tea, scones and cake. I’m obsessed with cake! Then another walk at beautiful Bolton Abbey, followed by even more food... It’s good to look forward to your next meal. (laughs)

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IRISH CREAM S N OW M E N C H O UX Christmas isn’t complete without choux pastry filled with the most delicious Irish cream filling… plus adorable snowmen too.

MAKES: 18–24

C H O U X PA S T R Y 85g [ 0∕3 cup plus 2 tsp] unsalted butter 225ml [1 cup] water pinch of salt 50g [6 Tbsp] plain [all-purpose] flour 50g [5 3/4 Tbsp] strong white flour (to make gluten free, swap both plain and strong white flour for 100g [3/4 cup] glutenfree flour plus 1/4 tsp xanthan gum 2–3 medium eggs

IRISH CREAM LIQUEUR FILLING 480ml [2 cups plus 2 Tbsp] double [heavy] cream 4 Tbsp icing [confectioners’] sugar 1 Tbsp Irish cream liqueur

VA N I L L A I C I N G 200g [1 1/2 cups minus 1 Tbsp] icing [confectioners’] sugar 40–50ml [2 2∕3–3 1/2 Tbsp] water 1/2 tsp vanilla bean paste Matchstick cookies or similar sprinkles 1/2 quantity Royal Icing orange and black food dyes (or more sprinkles) Fondant, fruit, nuts, candy canes, etc. for additional decoration (optional)

R OYA L I C I N G R E C I P E 40g [1 1/2oz] egg white (substitute with aquafaba for a vegan version) 225g [12∕3 cups] icing [confectioners’] sugar Plus extra egg white (or aquafaba) and icing [confectioners’] sugar to adjust and get the right consistency

1 Preheat the oven to 200°C [400°F/ Gas mark 6].

2 To make the choux pastry, chop the butter and add it to a small saucepan with the water and salt. Heat until the butter has melted and the mixture is starting to bubble. Meanwhile, combine both flours (or gluten-free flour plus xanthan gum) in a separate bowl. When the butter mixture is bubbling, remove it from the heat and add the flours all in one go. Stir with a wooden spoon until it forms a smooth ball that pulls away from the sides very easily – this is called a panada.

3 Transfer the panada to a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment (or use a handheld electric whisk) and leave to cool for 5–10 minutes.

4 Add 2 eggs, one at a time, to the panada, mixing on slow speed after each addition until combined. Whisk a third egg in a separate bowl and gradually add 1 tbsp at a time, mixing well after each addition. You may not need to add the third egg, or you may need to add a little or all of it. It’s important to add it gradually to avoid having a batter that is too runny. You are looking for a glossy consistency, which leaves a ‘v’ when a spoon is lifted out of the dough.

5 Transfer to a piping [pastry] bag and cut a medium tip. Line 2 baking sheets with baking paper or a silicone mat, then pipe 20 x 3-cm [1 1/4-in] circles onto one of the baking sheets.

6 Bake in the oven for 10 minutes, then turn the oven down to 180°C [350°F/Gas mark 4] and bake for a further 20 minutes. Don’t open the oven until at least 25 minutes have passed, to avoid the choux pastry deflating.

7 Meanwhile, pipe a second batch onto the other baking sheet. This time you will need 20 x 2.5-cm [1-in] circles (there will be some leftover choux so you can pipe extra if you like).

8 When the first batch of choux have finished baking, immediately turn them over and use a knife to pierce the base. This is so that the air inside has somewhere to escape, and also gives you a place to pipe in the filling. Bake the second batch of choux for 10 minutes at 200°C [400°F/Gas mark 6], then a further 10 minutes at 180°C [350°F/Gas mark 4].

9 Meanwhile, make the Irish cream filling. Add all the ingredients to a clean, grease-free bowl and whip on medium-high speed until stiff enough to pipe and hold its shape.

Don’t overwhip. Transfer the whipped cream to a piping bag and cut a small tip.

10 Pipe the cream into the cooled choux buns through the hole created earlier, making sure each one is filled completely.

11 To make the icing [frosting], whisk all the ingredients together in a bowl, then spoon the icing over the top of each choux bun.

Stack the smaller choux bun on top of the larger one.

12 Decorate with matchstick cookie arms and sprinkles for buttons. These will stick if you add them before the icing sets but use a little extra if needed.

Add the facial features with royal icing dyed black and orange, or use sprinkles. You can also use nuts, fondant or fruits to create accessories for their heads.

T I P F O R T H E I C I N G : Use a stand mixer (or handheld electric whisk) fitted with a balloon whisk attachment to combine the egg white/aquafaba and icing sugar until you get a smooth consistency. Then add tiny amounts of extra egg white (or aquafaba) and/or icing sugar to get the right consistency.

Add food dye to colour as desired! That’s it!

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I N S P I R AT I O N

S I M P LY THE BEST Hospitality has taken a hit during the pandemonium of the pandemic, so let’s shout out to some of Yorkshire’s finest and be inspired … then checkout if you can check-in.

This page: Holdsworth House.

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Clockwise from this image: Holdsworth House and Wentbridge House

During lockdown Welcome to Yorkshire’s online WTY World Cup of Yorkshire continued to entertain and inform by inviting votes to celebrate the county’s outstanding offerings in its popular polls. Starting with Iconic Buildings (The Piece Hall), followed by Yorkshire’s favourite Natural Landmarks (Malham Cove), then restaurants (Shibden Mill Inn) and of course Family Fun (Baa-rnsley’s Cannon Hall Farm moo-ved to the top slot) and now it’s time to holler about … wait for it … picked by you … it’s the WTY World Cup of Yorkshire … HOTELS.

H O L DSWO R T H H O U S E Built in 1633 this Grade II* listed Jacobean mansion in historic Halifax was a worthy finalist in the WTY World Cup of Yorkshire Hotels. No stranger to some of the globe’s greatest and most prestigious guests, The Beatles visited on 9th October 1964 celebrating John Lennon’s 24th birthday. All hotel staff were sworn to secrecy so the gardens would not be trampled by thousands of screaming fans. The Fab Four arrived following a concert at the Gaumont Theatre in Bradford. John Lennon and Ringo Starr slept in the room that is now an office; Paul McCartney and George Harrison stayed in the Ayrton Room - now a private dining area. The band took room service, dining on turtle soup and steak tartare. Other famous faces to check-in include Hollywood film star Jayne Mansfield, the brilliant ballet dancer Rudolf Nureyev and American rock band R.E.M, amongst many others.

The fabulous property has also been a location for filming with scenes from multi-award-winning writer/director Sally Wainwright’s Last Tango in Halifax shot there. Another heritage house, Shibden Hall is located just a short drive away and was the home of Anne Lister, heroine of another Sally Wainwright hit TV series Gentleman Jack.

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Now a much-loved, four-star hotel, restaurant and wedding venue, Holdsworth House sits in beautiful, secluded gardens and is a haven of peace, offering quality and excellent service in a stunning setting.

WENTBRIDGE HOUSE Second World War base, used as the local headquarters of the British Army, Wentbridge House is now a stunning country house hotel. Dating back to 1700 and set within 20 acres it sensationally scooped the top slot after being voted the overall winner in the WTY World Cup of Yorkshire Hotels.

The multi-award-winning hotel, restaurant and wonderful wedding venue nestled amid gorgeous gardens and glorious grounds in the beautiful Went Valley, is steeped in history and provides a relaxing and peaceful setting, within easy reach of the vibrant cities of Wakefield, Leeds, York and Doncaster. Wentbridge House has 41 individually designed and decorated bedrooms, a 2 AA Rosette fine dining restaurant, stylish and contemporary Brasserie and elegant function rooms for up to 130 guests.

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I N S P I R AT I O N

S P E C TA C U L A R S E M I - F I N A L I S T S S W I N T O N E S TAT E There’s so much to do at this awe-inspiring 20,000 acre estate in North Yorkshire. Enjoy the stunning spa, world-class restaurants and cookery school for all those culinary creatives. Stay in the historic hotel or take time out in the tree lodges and Yorkshire yurts.

Relax in breathtaking surroundings or get busy with a wide range of active pursuits on offer in the great outdoors, from shooting to walking, horse riding to mountain biking and from falconry to fishing, it’s a perfect place to do lots or do nothing. The estate comprises an extensive network of approximately 63 miles of public footpaths and brilliant bridle paths to explore.

This is image: Swinton Estate Below: Feversham Arms & Verbena Spa

Please check all websites for more information and opening dates/times/current procedures and post-pandemic regulations.

FEVERSHAM ARMS & V E R B E N A S PA Inspired by the lovely locations in the recently released film The Secret Garden starring Dame Julie Walters and Colin Firth? Well, the picturesque North Yorkshire town of Helmsley is surrounded by those fabulous film settings. Stay at the Feversham Arms & Verbena Spa, a Mediterranean oasis, tucked away in quintessential English countryside surroundings in a picture postcard place. The 33 bedrooms, including 20 stunning suites are tastefully designed with many boasting balconies and terraces around the heated outdoor pool. Enjoy delicious dining, with exquisite cuisine featuring the best ingredients in the region and be pampered in the stylish spa. With woodburning fires to keep you cosy inside and a chic terrace with twinkling lights to illuminate the night sky outside, it’s an amazing autumnal seasonal stay.

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INTERVIEW

CLIMB EVERY

M O U N TA I N Richmond-based writer and photographer Peter Watson has hiked to the top of all 41 mountains in the Yorkshire Dales National Park. Originally focused on climbing the Seven Summits – the highest mountain on every continent.

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The Yorkshire resident adapted his plans when the COVID-19 pandemic hit. With international travel on hold, he transferred his attention to completing the magnificent micro-mountains of the Yorkshire Dales National Park instead.

In 2018, the keen outdoorsman moved to the Yorkshire market town of Richmond on the edge of the Yorkshire Dales National Park after growing tired of living in London. Peter initially used the odd weekend here and there to tick off a couple of peaks at a time, squeezed in between a hectic schedule of international travel for his job as a travel writer and photographer. When the pandemic arrived, severely impacting his ability to work and travel, he accelerated his hiking program in the Yorkshire Dales.

In the UK, 2,000ft is widely accepted as the benchmark height for when a hill is promoted to the lofty ranks of a mountain. Until recently, the Yorkshire Dales were home to 40 such landforms. However, in 2016, Calf Top was re-categorised as a mountain after Ordnance Survey recalculated its height to 2000.02ft (609.606m), slightly above the threshold.

A former teacher turned writer, photographer and founder of outdoor travel blog Atlas & Boots, in 2014 Peter Watson (36), quit his teaching and spent a year travelling around the South Pacific and South America.

En route he launched Atlas & Boots with his partner, author Kia Abdullah. A keen trekker and climber Peter has visited over 80 countries.

Left: Peter Climbing in Pakistan.

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When I first moved to the Dales I attended an evening at the Richmond Walking & Book Festival where a local hiking guide gave a presentation about the highest mountains in the area. I thought, “what better way to get to know my new neighbourhood than climbing all its mountains?”. Next, I created a personalised Google Map of all the mountains so I could plan the order in which to climb them.

This image: Great Shunner Fell Below: Richmond

I kicked things off by hiking Great Shunner Fell located in the Northern Dales, between Wensleydale and Swaledale.

At 716m (2,340ft), it is the third highest peak in the national park. Despite its height, it has a reasonably gentle ascent along a well-trodden trail with little opportunity for error. A great place to start.

I finished with the park’s – and England’s – newest mountain, Calf Top. I thought about leaving Whernside – which at 736m (2,415ft) is the park’s highest peak – until last. But early in the challenge, I found myself in the Western Dales and just couldn’t resist ticking it off.

Calf Top seemed like an appropriate place to wrap the challenge up.

Over two years ago I climbed my first Yorkshire Dales National Park mountain. I didn’t set out with a time frame in mind, I just wanted an excuse to go hiking regularly.

Travelling a lot for work often means I am out of the country for long periods of time. However, when the pandemic hit I couldn’t travel so it proved the perfect opportunity to complete this challenge. Over the last few months, I started bagging peaks much more quickly, trying to get into the Dales as often as I could and cross off a few peaks at a time. The most I managed to climb in one day was seven when I spent a long day hiking in the Howgill Fells near Sedbergh.

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TELEVISION

Image: Eskholme Pike near Calf Top

It’s difficult to choose a favourite peak, but I really enjoyed Ingleborough as I went up there in February during some unusually warm weather for that time of year. A proper little mountain, Ingleborough has some fun scrambles, a wonderful summit plateau and some of the best views in the Dales. I combined the peak with Simon’s Fell, a nearby summit which few others seem to make the extra effort to visit. I’d recommend taking on any of the peaks in the Howgills, a much quieter corner of the Dales, with some fine scenery including deep ravines, craggy cliffs and dramatic waterfalls.

Closer to home, there are 180 mountains over 2,000ft in England. I’ve climbed around 60 of them so perhaps I’ll get started on the rest. With around 95% of them in the north of England, most are within relatively easy reach.

Even though it’s the lowest, Calf Top also has some of the best views in the whole Yorkshire Dales National Park. You can see all the way out to the sea on England’s west coast.

I would urge anyone who is finding life difficult in these times to pick their own micro-adventure or create a micro-challenge to complete. It could be ‘10 local trails’ or ‘20 hills over 500m’, it doesn’t really matter what it is or how long it takes. With normal life so restricted at the moment, it’s more important than ever to get outside, get into nature and disconnect.

Next I’ll be working my way through that challenge to climb the Seven Summits, the highest mountain on every continent. So far, I’ve climbed four: Kilimanjaro in Africa, Elbrus in Europe, Kosciuszko in Oceania and most recently Aconcagua in South America.

For me climbing all 41 of the Yorkshire Dales National Park’s mountains was a great way of exploring the outdoors during lockdown and getting to know my local area. Engaging with nature and getting into being outside has proven mental and physical health benefits, Alfiya Stephenson (podcast episode 4) particularly important under lockdown.

Voices from Herriot Country

My plans are currently on hold due to the pandemic so I’m not sure when I’ll get the chance to have a crack at the next one. I still have Denali in North America, Vinson in Antarctica and Everest in Asia. I also aim to summit Puncak Jaya in Indonesia to complete the two separate versions of the Seven Summits lists, the first of which restricts Oceania to Australia while the second includes the islands of the Indian and Pacific oceans.

Image: Peter on the summit of Aconcagua, the highest mountain in the Americas

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Image: Peter on the summit of Elbrus, Europe’s highest mountain

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‘ T I S T H E S E A S O N T O WAT C H

A L L C R E AT U R E S G R E AT A N D S M A L L 2020 may not have been the best year but let’s not forget its outstanding highlights. Channel 5’s spectacular series All Creatures Great and Small being one of them. A top TV adaptation of heart-warming stories, breathtaking views, animal antics, Dales drama and farmyard fun based on vet Alf Wight’s (aka James Herriot) brilliant books and starring a stellar cast.

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he final scene of the series was emotional to say the least … with characters James Herriot (Nicholas Ralph), Siegfried Farnon (Samuel West), Tristan Farnon (Callum Woodhouse) and Mrs Hall (Anna Madeley), quietly crossing the village square following Helen Alderson’s (Rachel Shenton) news of her imminent marriage to Hugh Hulton (Matthew Lewis) … if you haven’t watched it … you must … but what’s next?

Carolyn Nicoll caught up with two of the lead actors to find out more …

Image: © Playground Television (UK) Ltd. / Matt Squire

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This Image and above: © Playground Television (UK) Ltd. / Ed Miller

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This Image: © Playground Television (UK) Ltd.

This Image: © Playground Television (UK) Ltd. / Ed Miller

This page: Nicholas Ralph as James Herriot.

H O W D O E S I T F E E L T O B E PA R T O F SUCH A MASSIVE TV HIT SERIES? N I C H O L A S R A L P H : Incredible. After the first episode and subsequently every episode that followed, I just couldn’t get my head around the response of viewers, particularly on social media, with the general public being so enthusiastic about All Creatures Great and Small.

Everyone has been so lovely. It’s an absolute honour to be in a programme that has been so well received across the board. We had a lot of faith in the show with the right cast and crew, in the right place, creating this, but you never know how things will turn out. So such a positive reaction has been fabulous and I’m still buzzing.

R A C H E L S H E N T O N : All Creatures Great and Small appeals across all generations and is something the whole family can enjoy together. We’ve had so much fantastic feedback, from the press to viewers sending in pictures of their dogs watching, plus children and grandparents snuggling up together enjoying the storylines. It seems that pretty much everyone has been enjoying it.

N I C H O L A S , A L L C R E AT U R E S G R E AT A N D S M A L L WA S YO U R FIRST TV ROLE …

This Image: © Playground Television (UK) Ltd. / Photographer: Matt Squire

AND it’s been amazing. As I was going through the audition process and I realised it was all becoming a reality, I found myself glued to my script pieces in every waking moment. I loved the writing, the characters and really felt like I had an instant personal connection with veterinary surgeon James Herriot. I wanted the part so much and thankfully I got it. The whole experience has been brilliant, including being directed by Brian Percival (who also directed Downton Abbey). Becoming part of such an impressive cast and working with a top crew, I was constantly pinching myself as I couldn’t quite believe what I was doing. Even before drama school, I spent so much time watching my favourite actors on TV and being absorbed in behind the scenes footage, that to then be a part of filming a television drama and being on an actual set was an absolute dream. Landing on day one, which was the technical day and everything’s getting prepared for filming, with the trailers and catering vans arriving … perhaps not the most glamorous of days … BUT I couldn’t stop looking around in awe and saying ‘this is so cool’ and that’s how I felt throughout the whole shoot.

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TELEVISION

Image: © Playground Television (UK) Ltd. / Matt Squire

Above: James Herriot (Nicholas Ralph) and Helen Anderson (Rachel Shenton)

A R E YO U P R E PA R E D F O R H O W B I G T H E S E R I E S I S G O I N G TO B E I N T E R N AT I O N A L LY W H E N I T LAUNCHES IN THE USA IN 2021?

R S : Hopefully they’ll love All Creatures Great and Small, just as much as we all do. Americans generally like things that are quintessentially English. I think they’ll enjoy watching a Dales drama about farm life in stunning Yorkshire countryside and they’ll all certainly want to visit this incredible county. How could they not? Filming in such a beautiful setting was a treat and when I watch it back I think ‘wow, it really is breathtaking from every angle’. What we have now is the advantage of telling these classic tales through modern technology, with high-tech cameras and drones to capture outstanding aerial footage and the vast beauty of the Dales. Everyone will want to come to ‘Darrowby’ (aka Grassington).

D I D YO U M A N A G E T O G E T A S E R I E S ’ W R A P PA R T Y ’ I N B E F O R E LO C K D OW N ?

N R : We did, on the day before we shot the last scene of the series, as it was the only time the filming schedule would allow. We all went to a pub in Skipton.

Sam (Samuel West) who plays Siegfried organised a quiz, he loves doing them and was an excellent compere for the evening. It was lots of fun.

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S O, T H E L AST S C E N E O F T H E S E R I E S … W H I C H WA S A L S O T H E L A S T S C E N E YO U F I L M E D … W I T H T H E C H A R A C T E R S J A M E S H E R R I O T, MRS HALL, SIEGFRIED AND T R I S TA N FA R N O N A L L L E AV I N G T H E D R OV E R ’ S A R M S ( A KA T H E D E VO N S H I R E I N G R AS S I N GTO N ) …

WA S E M O T I O N A L T O WAT C H … H O W WA S I T T O F I L M ?

N R : It was a complete sledgehammer blow for James to find out that Helen (who he is incredibly fond of) was engaged to Hugh and that they are about to be married.

Believe me it was a very emotional scene for all of us … not much acting required.

A N D T H AT S C E N E L E A D S O N T O T H E M U C H - A N T I C I PAT E D A L L C R E AT U R E S G R E AT A N D S M A L L C H R I S T M A S SPECIAL …

R S : Emotions are certainly running high, not just for James … but for Helen too as it’s Christmas Eve AND the eve of her marriage to long-term partner Hugh.

As suggested in the series, Helen and Hugh have been together for years, but it’s not really a huge romance, they’ve just known each other since they were kids and have grown up together. It seemed inevitable that one day marriage would happen. It’s fair to say that Helen is feeling very overwhelmed. Of course she has this pull towards

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AND THERE ARE PLANS FOR A N A L L C R E AT U R E S G R E AT A N D S M A L L S E R I E S T WO? N R : It’s just been confirmed that this will be happening

James, which she feels she hasn’t really had chance to explore and all of a sudden it’s the eve of her wedding day. Things get quite dramatic, with a veterinary emergency and a lot of fog involved.

N R : There was so much mist, created by a ‘fog machine’, in a derelict Dales location that filming actually became quite difficult as nothing could be seen. (laughs)

DOES THE CHRISTMAS SPECIAL H AV E A N U P L I F T I N G E N D I N G OR IS IT A CLIFFHANGER? N R & R S : (laughter) You’ll have to watch and see! What we can say is that it’s an emotional rollercoaster, jam-packed with serious drama, yet lighter moments and lots of laughs. It’s very Christmassy.

and we’re all incredibly pleased about the news. Everyone was saying the right things in the right places about a second series. As a cast we wanted to do more, Channel 5 loved it, plus PBS (in America) and now we’ve had that official green light. Wouldn’t it be great to film in spring and summer for the next series (in contrast to autumn and winter for the first), which would mean less shivering and more lambs. Yorkshire is beautiful whatever time of year, but it would be fantastic to experience the Dales on warmer days (laughs).

R S : Imagine that amazing autumn/winter landscape, as a completely different but equally impressive palette of spring/summer colours. It would be a real privilege for all of us to experience the county and all it has to offer during longer, light-filled filming days.

The All Creatures Great and Small Christmas special is on Channel 5 – 9pm Tuesday 22nd December and repeated on Boxing Day evening.

H AV E YO U K E P T I N T O U C H W I T H T H E OT H E R C AST MEMBERS? R S : We have an All Creatures Great and Small ’family’ WhatsApp group and keep in contact that way, because of all the COVID-19 restrictions we’ve unfortunately not been able to meet up in person.

N R : There’s a really special friendship bond Image: ViacomCBS / Photographer: Todd Antony

This Image and above: © Playground Television (UK) Ltd. / Ed Miller

that we all have. As actors we were all so excited about the series. When you spend 50 to 60 hours working every week as a group and you still want to hang out with them in the evening or at the weekend when filming has ended, then that says something and is a great marker of how we enjoyed each other’s company.

Images above: James Herriot (Nicholas Ralph) and a scene from the Christmas Special.

Images on right: Mrs Hall (Anna Madeley), Siegfried Farnon (Samuel West), James Herriot (Nicholas Ralph), Helen Alderson (played by Rachel Shenton) and Tristan Farnon (Callum Woodhouse). Siegfried Farnon, James Herriott, Tristan Farnon and Mrs Hall

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Image: © Playground Television (UK) Ltd. / Matt Squire

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This page: The Black Bull at the top of Haworth Main Street.

Anne Brontë portrait

by Branwell Brontë.

Opposite: The Brontë Parsonage Museum.

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am sitting in the Brontë Parsonage Museum archives with a small painting of Anne Brontë aged 16, drawn by her sister Charlotte. Anne is wearing a string of simple glowing amber beads, which had belonged to their mother; who had died when Anne was not even a year old. Thanks to the museum’s Lauren Livesey, I also have the real beads in front of me. She has dug out a selection of objects connected to “my favourite Brontë sister”.

I am still trying to process the impact of this young motherless woman with her brown curls and her few cherished possessions, on my life and on the long campaign for women’s rights. I didn’t visit the Parsonage or the landscape that Anne Brontë roamed till long after she’d captured my imagination.

Her two novels are the works of a whistle-blower confronting the truth of Victorian womanhood.

Agnes Grey recounts in documentary detail the grim reality of her own experience as a poor governess to wild children in a dysfunctional family.

Anne’s masterpiece The Tenant of Wildfell Hall is a revolutionary novel recounting the degradations of a woman trying to escape with her young son from a marriage to a violent alcoholic. “Things that formerly shocked and disgusted me, now seem only natural,” her heroine Helen writes in her diary mourning her entrapment. It may have drawn some of its detail from observing the wretched decline of her brother Branwell, but the novel was campaign literature for all women. It challenged the right of men to own their wives entirely. Anne’s writing astounded me.

It seemed to speak across the centuries.

For decades her reputation was damaged and overshadowed by Charlotte’s negative assessment of her work and character. But in the 20th century, Anne with her clear eyed passion for justice and equality was reclaimed by feminists and scholars. She seemed to be a modern woman in not modern times.

Winning a place at Oxford in 1986, I chose to study the new Women’s Studies option as part of my English Literature degree. Alongside reading the exciting new African American prose emerging from the likes of Alice Walker and Toni Morrison, I wrote my undergraduate thesis on Property and Possession: The Politics of Marriage in The Tenant of Wildfell Hall, looking at connections with the eventual 1870 Married Women’s Property Act that finally granted women some rights – 22 years later.

After graduating I finally visited Haworth for the first time with my sister, herself then a schoolteacher in York. And most recently I’ve brought my own daughter to this breathtaking landscape on the spectacular moors for her to experience the ancient wild beauty that inspired the sisters.

In Haworth Parsonage (became the Brontë Parsonage Museum in 1928) I am mesmerised by the tiny dim parlour where the girls walked round the dining table sharing their stories of their elaborately imagined early fantasy worlds. In the archive I smile seeing Anne’s drawing of one of the strong Amazonian women of her imaginary island creation Gondal; standing tall and confident on the rocky seashore, looking out to the horizon and a world of adventure.

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A R T & C U LT U R E

A desired destination for international literary lovers, the West Yorkshire village of Haworth was home to one of the world’s most lauded writing families. On the 200th anniversary of sister Anne’s birth, Samira Ahmed visits a corner of the county that sparked much creativity and shares her thoughts on the inspirational and youngest BrontÍ.

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T H E R E I S A R E A L J OY I N K N OW I N G A N N E ’ S R E P U TAT I O N H A S N E V E R B E E N G R E AT E R .

Clockwise from top left: Top Withens. Inside the Brontë Parsonage Museum where Anne Brontë lived and worked. A blue plaque marks the site of Anne Brontë’s death at the Grand Hotel, Scarborough.

Below: Anne practises the signature for her pen name of Acton Bell, both of her novels were first published under this name.

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I look at the sketch portrait of William Weightman, the handsome young curate, who looks rather like the actor Toby Stephens, about whom Anne clearly had strong feelings. Did he know? His death from typhoid inspired in the natural poet Anne some of her most grief-stricken verse.

What moves me most about visiting Haworth, is the dramatic view from almost every room. In the Brontë home, so many overlook the church graveyard. In winter it is full of crows and the trees are towering and bare, but in summer the garden is in colourful bloom and the neighbouring moorland alive with a different wildness and magnificent open skies.

When I first visited Scarborough in my early twenties, it was summer. After the long drive through the heather covered moors, looking down from the cliff top by the blue plaque to her name where Wood’s Lodgings once stood, I saw Anne’s love of this spa town, the romantic view from the cliffs, the castle ruins, the excitement of the social scene, and the gorgeous curve of the sandy bay. And it is that sunny optimism that haunts me most about Anne. She loved life. She fought her illness. When she returned here it was in hope of a sea cure, yet it became her final resting place.

Back in the Parsonage archive Lauren hands me the black edged “cross” letter Anne wrote to her friend Ellen Nussey on mourning paper (it was just months after Branwell and Emily’s deaths), and just weeks before she herself was to die at just 29. The exquisite penmanship intersects as she turned the paper 90 degrees to maximise the number of lines, to save paper and postage.

“I have no horror of death,” she wrote. “If I thought it inevitable I think I could quietly resign myself to the prospect ... But I wish it would please God to spare me not only for Papa’s and Charlotte’s sakes but because I long to do some good in the world before I leave it. I have many schemes in my head for future practise, humble and limited indeed, but still I should not like them all to come to nothing, and myself to have lived to so little purpose.”

It is a letter Lauren, warns me, that usually provokes tears.

She is right. But there is a real joy in knowing Anne Bronte’s reputation has never been greater and continues to grow as more and more readers discover her work and ideas. I like to imagine her as that proud Amazonian, on the distant shore of Gondal looking out at us, and seeing us waving back.

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A R T & C U LT U R E

THE BRONTË TRAIL

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ne of the most photographed and impressive streets in the country, the famous Haworth cobbles are world-renowned. Lined with a selection of shops, cosy tearooms, intimate inns and places to stay, steeped in history it’s surrounded by stunning countryside and vast picturesque moorland.

C H E C K I N TO W E AV E R S G U E S T H O U S E Built circa 1840 at the time the Brontë family lived just across the way at the Parsonage, Weavers Guesthouse offers stylish bed and breakfast accommodation and is a perfect base for enjoying the village of Haworth and exploring its beautiful countryside. weaversguesthouse.co.uk

G O TO T H E B R O N T Ë PA R S O N A G E MUSEUM In the bicentenary year of youngest sister Anne’s birth, explore the Brontë Parsonage Museum, home of the internationally famous literary family. This picturesque, historical setting was where the famous siblings Charlotte (Jane Eyre, Villette, Shirley), Emily (Wuthering Heights) and Anne (Agnes Grey, The Tenant of Wildfell Hall) wrote groundbreaking novels. The house contains a wealth of Brontë belongings, from clothes and rooms furnished as they were at the time the family resided there, to pieces of writing including a ‘little book’ written by Charlotte Brontë when she was 14, which the Brontë Society recently acquired at auction with the help of a high-profile public fundraising campaign. bronte.org.uk

H AV E A P I N T I N THE FLEECE Perfectly positioned on the famous Haworth cobbles midway between the Brontë Parsonage Museum and the Keighley & Worth Valley Railway is The Fleece. Serving delicious dishes and a wide range of drinks, including locally brewed prizewinning Timothy Taylor’s Yorkshire beers and ales (apparently a favourite tipple of Madonna), cosy rooms are available too if you want to spend a night or more in this beautiful village. fleeceinnhaworth.co.uk

TA K E A R I D E O N T H E K E I G H L E Y & WO R T H VA L L E Y R A I LWAY Post Brontës, the historic 5 mile line opened in 1867 and runs from Keighley to Oxenhope, with an annual schedule of exciting events aboard its classic locomotives. You may recognise many of the route’s locations in a wide range of film and TV productions. From Peaky Blinders and even Pink Floyd’s The Wall to Swallows and Amazons, the heritage train line has appeared on screen regularly over the years. 2020 is the 50th anniversary of its starring role in The Railway Children. Tickets are now on sale for the Elf Express to Kringle Town Station, a brand new Christmas adventure, but hurry as tickets are selling fast. kwvr.co.uk

WA L K O N T H E B R O N T Ë WAY The Brontë Way is a 69km (43 mile) long-distance footpath. The route winds its way past many places of interest to Brontë enthusiasts, including the Brontë Birthplace in Thornton. Scenic highlights are Penistone Hill country park, perched on the moors high above Haworth, the trail to the Brontë Waterfall and over the Brontë Bridge up to Top Withens.

Top left and right: Keighley & Worth Valley Railway. Left: The Brontë waterfall near Haworth. The Waterfalls and Top Withens walk explores the Pennine moors made famous by the Brontë sisters. You’ll reach the Brontë Waterfalls first, which were famously described by Charlotte Brontë as a ‘perfect torrent racing over the rocks, white and beautiful’.

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YO U ’ V E G O T TA H AV E FA I T H With a fifth studio album, Infinite Things, out and a UK headline tour planned for 2021, taking in some spectacular Yorkshire venues, Neill Barston caught up with the super stylish and pitch-perfect Paloma pre-tour.

F

rom gaining number one album success, through to battling her way to becoming a mother, Paloma Faith’s remarkable career continues in setting her sights on a return to the charts with her ambitious new album.

Amid a global pandemic, this year has been one to forget for many, but as Paloma Faith reveals, she feels notably blessed by news of her second child’s imminent arrival. After a hugely testing trial of repeated rounds of IVF treatment, the Brit Award winning singer announced the latest addition to her family happily coincides with her latest musical baby in the form of her fifth studio album.

Since her last release, The Architect, achieved coveted number one status, Paloma has featured as a coach on ITV’s The Voice Kids, seen herself nominated for a clutch of industry accolades, as well as exploring new territory as an actor in the Batman prequel spin-off, Pennyworth. So, as the coronavirus crisis grimly took hold around the world, the enforced downtime offered her a rare chance to take stock after an intense period of work.

As she admits, inhabiting her line of work can often make you ‘whimsical in going with the flow,’ yet reveals

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that having a toddler to take care of has, by necessity, required greater time management. “It’s made me go for the jugular more,” she notes in having to be far more focused.

Consequently, being ever creatively restless, material soon flowed while at home completing her latest album, led by its lyrically powerful lead single, Better Than This, a reflection on the fractured state of the world and hopes for the next generation.

It stands proudly paving the way for what is a bold, uncompromising record brimming full of confidence and selfassurance, taking on everything from her trademark soulful pop, through to sweeping orchestral ballads that stem from an artist who is at the top of her creative game.

“We live in a very volatile world that now seems as if we only get one chance, so I have been lucky that I’ve been able to put releases out there and put myself on the map,” she says of her latest recording.

However, it’s been a far from straightforward journey for the halfSpanish East-London born singer, who holds a degree in contemporary dance, and an MA in theatre directing that saw her initially consider other artistic directions. But after early stints

in cabaret, bar tending and modelling, she gravitated to singing, and has been doing things her own way ever since. There have been pressures along the route, including offering a ‘showbiz age’ several years younger than her actual years for fear of not being given a recording contract, yet she remains very much true to herself.

Despite such moments, her debut album provided plenty of vindication in reaching the top 10 in 2009, setting the tone for a career to date packed with notable milestones. There have been plenty of highlights beyond the icing on the cake of multi-platinum sales, including her friendship with the late Amy Winehouse, to whom she has been widely compared, who she penned a tribute to on her last album.

To her credit, she has stood firm on other key issues, notably on one of her biggest hits to date, Only Love Can Hurt Like this, which featured a video with an interracial love scene.

When US executives asked her to reshoot it on the grounds it ‘wouldn’t sell’, she refused, and never spoke to them again, even if it might cost her a stateside breakthrough. She says she’d rather have success very much on her own terms. As she concedes, her latest recordings, which were self-produced

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MUSIC

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MUSIC

in her basement, allowed her the chance to push herself artistically more than ever before.

“Well, I think being at home meant I was completely uninhibited with wild abandon, in a way that I am not when sound engineers are looking at me. “Also, I wasn’t afraid to make mistakes, and sometimes those mistakes land in places that are wonderful, and I wouldn’t make them if someone else was there. So, I feel like there’s more intimacy in this record, and that there’s more truth in the way that I am singing,” she explains thoughtfully, noting that the album is very much focused on motherhood and the pressures, hopes and expectations that it brings.

While the 39 year-old singer has been frank about the challenges she endured to bring her daughter into the world, a clearly understandable desire to shield her child from media intrusion has been misinterpreted in some quarters as being a conscious decision to raise her as ‘gender neutral’. While it’s led to an at times uncomfortable relationship with the media, her engaging and refreshingly honest manner remains greatly endearing to her fans.

“It is so great being a mum and I feel very lucky, as the lockdown meant that we’ve spent a lot of time together as a family, which has been a positive. Usually, it had just been one or the other of us looking after our daughter, who has now started really learning about family,” says Paloma of her now three-year old.

As she adds, the record’s title track, Infinite Things, is about her youngster, and was inspired from previously reading Argentine writer and poet Jorge Luis Borge’s short story, The Aleph, in which its central character experiences the full spectrum of human emotion, from pain to joy, within a single moment.

“With the title track, it’s about seeing things through my daughter’s eyes and is about becoming a parent, and how that it is all about continuing humanity. You experience the

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worst heartache with it. “The album is also a commentary on society as well in respect of issues raised by living in the pandemic, and also knowing people who have lost loved ones.

“It’s also about enduring love, as we’re most used to hearing about the initial parts of a relationship on that first spark, so it’s an area that that’s under-represented. I think there’s a big cultural hole there that I’m aiming to address,” notes Paloma, who isn’t afraid to tackle some difficult subject areas that many would shun. This is most notable on one of the early tracks on the album, Monster, which is a reflection on the darker side of the music business.

There’s certainly a bittersweet edge to one of the album’s standout tracks, the spinetingling ballad If Loving You Were Easy, which would not seem out of place on a James Bond soundtrack – “I was born to do Bond” she asserts, yet is also acutely aware that the more she mentions it, the less likely it will happen. But in spite of whatever occurs, it seems there’s a strong level of support out there for her.

As she explains, she and her other half Leyman Lahcine, a French artist, have endured a lot in recent years, including handling a total of six rounds of fertility treatment. While they may have challenges ahead, including Paloma revealing she’s prone to postnatal depression, they’ve demonstrated a strong degree of resilience.

“I’d pretty much resigned myself to giving up with this latest treatment, and I thought that this just wasn’t going to happen. It felt like it was the last chance saloon and I was thinking to myself, where am I going with this?

“With IVF, I think it’s sad that men don’t really talk about it in public, and it’s one of those things where society always assumes that it is a female issue. It’s something that can be hard on relationships,” she admits, keen to put across the fact that they’ve split their childcare as evenly as possible.

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COAST As if that wasn’t enough to contend with, she’s greatly enjoyed the opportunity to explore acting roles – notably in the Batman series, Pennyworth, which she describes as an ‘amazing experience’ that she would love the chance to repeat.

Clearly, planning for the future is a little hard contending with a pandemic, but the muchtravelled singer is anticipating heading out on the road again for another UK tour next autumn. It’s a prospect she is eagerly awaiting, with performing remaining her grand passion, especially with the added bonus of designing her own sets.

Somehow, beyond being a recording artist, mum and actress, she’s still found time to devote to other personal interests, including being an ambassador for Oxfam and Greenpeace, which are of great significance to her.

“Being an ambassador is fantastic, as I feel like when you’re in my industry, it’s easy to lose sight of the reality about the world. The truth is, there are a lot more pressing things going on out there than singing a pop song, so if I can use my platform for the greater good then I absolutely should and intend to. “I also find it something I get a lot of enjoyment out of and not for superficial reasons that I’ve pursued this career,” she remarks, looking forward amid an uncertain world with a true sense of optimism.

Paloma Faith – Yorkshire 2021 dates scheduled for: 28th Sept - Sheffield City Hall 3rd Oct - Harrogate Convention Centre 7th Oct – Bonus Arena, Hull

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Escape the

Everyday

VisitEngland’s cross-country campaign to showcase England’s loveliest locations saw TV presenter AJ Odudu visiting our great county and highlighting ways to Escape the Everyday in Yorkshire. irthplace of Yorkshire puddings, Marks & Spencer and the Brontë sisters, God’s Own County is a gift that just keeps on giving. From vast stretches of unspoiled countryside, to historic cities and storybook seaside towns, escape to a beautiful slice of England’s biggest county with AJ Odudu as she visits the Yorkshire Dales and discover more things to do further afield.

AJ’s top tips on how to escape the everyday in Yorkshire •

Go for a Sunday roast at a traditional local pub, you’ll get to try some proper Yorkshire puds

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Explore the Yorkshire coast – there are some beautiful bays and seaside towns that are well worth a visit

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Remember to bring your walking boots/comfortable shoes – there’s so much glorious untouched landscape to discover on foot in Yorkshire

AJ’s Yorkshire highlight “We have such amazing National Parks here in the UK and the Yorkshire Dales is just awe-inspiring – the perfect place to just get outdoors and breathe. There are so many ways to explore – biking, walking or just exploring all the villages like Malham and their cosy pubs.

Autumn/Winter is such a great time to visit, the waterfalls are in full swing and you can always find a pocket of the Dales just for yourself.”

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1. Discover natural hidden gems Gordale Scar Deep in the woods near Malham Village is a small yet magical waterfall named Janet’s Foss.

It’s said that the cave behind the tumbling water is the home of Jennet the Queen of Fairies.

The woodland walks that lead to the waterfall are fairy-talelike in themselves, and are great if you’ve got the dog with you.

Make sure you keep an eye out for the tree stumps studded with hundreds of lucky pennies – visitors can add one to the stumps if they want to make a wish to Jennet. What would yours be?

We have such amazing National Parks here in the UK and the Yorkshire Dales is just awe-inspiring 2. Sip on a pint in a proper country pub Malham Yorkshire, like the rest of England, is chock-a-block with pubs, and some of the best are found in the countryside. Take the Lister Arms, for example, surrounded by the spellbinding scenery of the Yorkshire Dales.

Welcoming thirsty travellers for hundreds of years, this 17thcentury coaching inn is still one of Yorkshire’s favourite locals and is famous for its Yorkshire comfort food and a wide selection of ales. Nestle down in one of the armchairs and with a

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I N S P I R AT I O N

pint in hand and admire the historical features, from the mounting block where riders would climb onto their horses, to the low beams and original fireplaces. If all that cosiness gets the better of you, then you’ll be glad to know you can stay the night in one of the pub’s characterful bedrooms.

3. Get lost in never-ending views Malham Cove With miles of untouched countryside, it’s no surprise there are plenty of breathtaking viewpoints in Yorkshire.

One of the most distinctive is Malham Cove, a large limestone formation originally created from glacier water in the last ice age – the top of the cove is pattered with deeply eroded limestone pavement, making it one of the more unique beauty spots in the Yorkshire Dales (and perhaps one of the reasons it featured in Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part 1). Make your way up here for glorious views over the village of Malham and the surrounding Yorkshire Dales National Park.

One of the most distinctive is Malham Cove, a large limestone formation originally created from glacier water

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I KNOW YORKSHIRE BETTER THAN ANY VOGUE EDITOR EVER HAS! Image: Rievaulx Abbey

4. Uncover bygone eras Helmsley From ancient battlefields to industrial feats, Yorkshire has a wealth of history to explore. In a tranquil valley close to the town of Helmsley you’ll find Rievaulx Abbey, once one of England’s most powerful Cistercian monasteries. The impressive ruins are some of the most complete in Britain, and the extensive museum provides a glimpse into its development and the monks who once called it home. Packed with unique archaeological finds, a visit here shines a light on North York Moors’ turbulent religious past.

5. Visit storybook seaside towns Scarborough As well as national parks and medieval cities, Yorkshire is famous for its scenic seaside towns. Scarborough, for example, was Britain’s first-ever seaside resort, and has seen tourists flock here for almost 400 years. It was originally popular for its soothing spa waters, but today you’ll find much more going on. As well as ice cream parlours and amusements, this coastal town has two awardwinning beaches, a medieval castle and, of course, a warm Yorkshire welcome. It’s also aptly nicknamed the Dinosaur Coast, thanks to the fossils you can find scattered along the beaches.

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MUST SEE If peace and tranquillity is what you seek from a family day out in Yorkshire, then Rievaulx Abbey is the perfect choice.

Set in a remote valley in the North York Moors National Park, Rievaulx is one of the most complete, and atmospheric, of England’s abbey ruins. It’s no wonder it’s one of the most popular visitor attractions in the North.

6. Treat yourself to a room with a view Malton Escape to peace, quiet, and luxury at The Private Hill. Set within a farm, this countryside retreat is home to a collection of geodesic domes. Each has cosy twin or super-king beds, a minibar, woodburning stove and transparent windows with views that stretch over 60 miles (don’t worry, there are curtains for when you want a bit of privacy). You’ll also get to enjoy breakfast, afternoon tea and three-course dinners in the romantic Jane’s Dome, meet inquisitive alpacas and explore the local surroundings as you please.

It’s like having a little piece of North Yorkshire to yourself for a few days – pure bliss!

7. Make lots of family memories Hull Child-friendly attractions are definitely not in short supply in Yorkshire. Home to 5,000 underwater animals, The Deep is one of the world’s most spectacular aquariums. Built inside a futuristic building overlooking the Humber Estuary (you may have seen it on a Royal Mail stamp!), the aquarium houses all sorts of sea creatures from jellyfish to seahorses. Visit the Lagoon of Light, with its array of colourful

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fish and coral, get a glimpse into the underwater world of nurse and touch sub-zero walls in the Kingdom of Ice, home to penguins.

8. Indulge in culinary creations Oldstead Gourmet grub is plentiful in Yorkshire, meaning you never have to look far for something good to eat. The Michelinstarred Black Swan at Oldstead, for example, is a top-notch fine-dining restaurant in a tiny village on the edge of the North York Moors. It’s been owned and run by the Banks family since its inception and its head chef, Tommy Banks, also has a sister restaurant, Roots, in York. The tasting menu changes based on what’s available in the garden or can be foraged. Expect plates like scallops with squash and bacon, and damson brandy treacle tart, all washed down with a plum sangria.

9. Dive head first into adventure Yorkshire Dales Get your adrenaline pumping with a gorging and canyoning activity in the Yorkshire Dales. Lost Earth Adventures host two high-octane packages in the western Dales by Beezley Falls, and in the eastern Dales close to Nidderdale. You and your group will have the chance to get hands-on exploring ancient gorges carved out over millions of years, jumping off boulders, scrambling up waterfalls, sliding down rock chutes and taking on ziplines on this epic adventure activity, all in the beautiful surroundings of a national park.

Images top to bottom: The Private Hill, The Black Swan Oldstead, The Deep and Lost Earth Adventures.

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Please note: There are varying restrictions in place across England to help reduce the spread of coronavirus. Please be sure to check the Know before you go page as well as individual attractions’ websites before travelling.

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GARDENS ON FILM

D O YO U WA N T T O K N OW A S E C R E T ?

Set to be a screen sensation, The Secret Garden, based on the classic children’s novel, is a muchloved Yorkshire story.

With a stellar lineup of acting royalty, including multiaward-winning actors Colin Firth and Dame Julie Walters, Carolyn Nicoll caught up with cast and crew.

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et’s set the scene, The Secret Garden is the story of Mary Lennox (Dixie Egerickx), a 10-year-old girl, born in India to wealthy British parents and then sent to England when her mother and father sadly pass away. Life changes forever at her uncle’s home, Misselthwaite Manor on a remote Yorkshire country estate, as Mary, together with her cousin Colin (Edan Hayhurst), uncover family secrets and discover a magical secret garden.

No one can deny the breathtaking beauty of North Yorkshire’s sprawling moorland, historic properties and its heritage railway, so pick your popcorn (sweet, salted or both?), sit back and enjoy scenes caught on camera across this stunning part of the county. Look out for Duncombe Park, Helmsley Walled Garden, the North York Moors National Park, UNESCO World Heritage site Fountains Abbey and Studley Royal Water Garden, as well as the North Yorkshire Moors Railway, already a frequent favourite for film crews, as seen in Harry Potter, Dad’s Army and the recent Downton Abbey, amongst others.

But what can audiences look forward to?

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PA R T O F T H E P L O T “The hero of the film is the natural beauty of the landscape.”

M A R C M U N D E N , D I R E C TO R I love filming in Yorkshire and have filmed two television pieces there before: National Treasure with Julie Walters and Robbie Coltrane (Harrogate, Leeds, Scarborough) and Utopia (Leeds, Harrogate, Halifax). The locations are incredibly adaptable.

I’ve always loved the North York Moors and that is an essential part of the landscape of the film as Mary Lennox is shipped from her homeland of India to live with her uncle in England.

This poor orphaned girl finds herself surrounded by a vast alien country and she asks the housekeeper Mrs Medlock (Dame Julie Walters) “Is that the sea?” as she travels over the moor with its heavy mist and strange muted colours, perfectly conjuring up that sense of awe she feels frightening and beautiful. The hero of the film is the landscape in all its incredible diversity and uncanny natural beauty.

When we saw the garden’s hot borders we knew we had to have them in the film. Mary and Dickon (Amir Wilson) run through the garden as all the flowers around them shoot up and bloom. We were blessed with great weather for the sequence. What you see in the film is digitally enhanced but it was inspired by our first sighting of Helmsley Walled Garden.

Dixie Egerickx is a legend in the making. She is remarkable, intelligent and serious about acting, but also a lot of fun. All the children were very dedicated and into the work so it made it easy, contributing to a great atmosphere. Colin Firth is a warm and incisive collaborator, a brave actor full of ideas and unafraid to play tortured and grieving, the character of Archibald Craven the widower in the film. Julie Walters is funny and brilliant, the best actor of her generation.

“We filmed during a summer of perpetual sunshine.”

ROSIE ALISON, PRODUCER We were determined that Yorkshire must feature in the film, the book is set there and there is a sense in which a ‘Yorkshire of the imagination’ permeates our culture, in a clear line from the Brontës to The Secret Garden, there are many links between Jane Eyre and ’The Secret Garden. We filmed in the county during an amazing summer of perpetual sunshine.

over me and I return for walking holidays on the North York Moors, where we filmed on the North Yorkshire Moors Railway for Mary’s journey to Yorkshire, then on the Roman Road near Goathland for her car journey to the house and on her first morning at ‘Misselthwaite’, as she goes out to explore, she sees over the great park plain, evocative of a remote Yorkshire setting.

It was inspiring to meet the people who run the wonderful hidden jewel of Helmsley Walled Garden. It provides therapeutic solace for those who work there, that sense of the restorative and rejuvenating powers of nature, exemplified in the story The Secret Garden. Fountains Abbey was another location where we created a ‘ruined temple’ section of our secret garden. I grew up in Yorkshire and love it dearly. The stunning landscapes of North Yorkshire still have a great hold

Making a film with children can really enhance the spirit of the shoot. Their excitement at filming was palpable and this lifted everyone’s mood. Dixie Egerickx is a remarkable girl, wise beyond her years and her piercing intelligence shines through in her performance. She completely captured Mary’s complexity, the complicated journey and goes from prickly loner to openhearted friend of Colin and Dickon. When she smiles, she lights up the screen.

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Top to bottom: Dixie Egerickx as Mary in the new film.

The beautifully manicured Helmsley Walled Garden.

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GARDENS

Top: Rosie Alison and Colin Firth.

Right: Dixie with Amir Wilson during filming.

Below: Marc directs Dixie. The natural beauty of Helmsley Walled Garden.

“It was my mum’s favourite childhood book.”

D I X I E E G E R I C K X , AC T R E S S Mary is probably the ultimate anti-heroine of children’s literature, it feels a great privilege to portray her in this new adaptation and a big responsibility too, as Mary is a loved character from many people’s childhoods, making the task of playing her quite daunting! I was aware of The Secret Garden from a young age, as it was my mum’s favourite childhood book and she introduced me to it when I was very small. It is one of the first books I read on my own and even though written in 1911, I think the themes of loss, grief and rejuvenation mean just as much to people today as always.

I had never visited Yorkshire before, but the countryside is beautiful and the people are lovely and friendly. It felt special that we were filming where so much of the original book was set. I stayed in the lovely market town of Helmsley, when the Tour de Yorkshire was racing through and I was able to stand at the edge of the road and cheer on all the cyclists. There was a real party atmosphere and it was so exciting.

© Colin Dilcock

When filming, the paparazzi showed up in the middle of the Yorkshire countryside, but I don’t think they got much because they stood out a mile with their long lenses in the middle of nowhere so everyone just hid.

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Colin and Julie were really fun. It is a real privilege to have worked so closely with them and I learned so much. They are kind, funny and supportive people, as well as being incredible actors.

The Secret Garden a Sky Original, is in cinemas and on Sky Cinema from 23rd October

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IN THE AREA

HIDDEN GEMS

SECRET

S TAY LET US PREY From raptors to owls, plus 300 stunning acres of woodland and parkland to stroll around, the National Centre for Birds of Prey is situated in the magnificent Duncombe Park estate (Misselthwaite Manor in The Secret Garden film). Nestled in the North York Moors National Park, see spectacular flying demonstrations from the largest collection of birds of prey in the north of England. ncbp.co.uk

© Kevin Gibson

If you were asked to imagine the perfect English market town, then it’d probably look a lot like Helmsley! There’s the bustling market square, the dramatic castle ruins, the charming tea rooms, the inviting inns; all surrounded by mile after mile of the beautiful North York Moors. Enjoy a break in the picturesque market town and visit the, not so secret, walled garden.

TA K E T E A

SEE

Step inside and discover Helmsley Walled Garden, built in 1759. Explore the five acre grounds, its double herbaceous hot border running the length of the garden, as seen in The Secret Garden film. Experience the tranquillity of the Garden of Contemplation, the beauty of the Clematis Garden showcasing over 100 different clematis varieties, the vegetable patch and edible flowers in the Kitchen Garden. It’s good enough to eat! helmsleywalledgarden.org.uk

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Charming, traditional and fabulously quintessential, the Black Swan Tearoom, overlooking the town square in Helmsley, serves a delectable English Afternoon Tea which changes seasonally, making best use of the fresh, local produce. Choose from over 20 types of tea, alongside a great selection of coffees.

You can stay over too in the centuries old coaching inn, turned beautiful boutique hotel. blackswan-helmsley.co.uk

C A P T I VAT I N G CASTLE Soaring above this tranquil town are the dramatic ruins of Helmsley Castle. With a 100 foot high tower and substantial medieval, Tudor and Victorian remains, it’s a history lover’s delight. There’s a fantastic visitors centre and plenty of regular activities throughout school holidays - perfect if you want to learn more about the dramatic history of this region. english-heritage.org.uk

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OUTDOORS

S A FA R I …

S O G O O DY As the great outdoors beckon and exploring Yorkshire’s vast, breathtaking, awe-inspiring countryside appeals… now more than ever, Alice Bailey sets the scene for a wonderful wildlife adventure not to be missed.

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G

oing on Safari might conjure up images of heading across one of Africa’s iconic Great Plains, but there’s a different kind of Safari on offer much closer to home.

A trip to Spurn National Nature Reserve at Yorkshire’s very own equivalent to Land’s End will make you feel like you’re on the edge of the world, and while there might not be any big cats to spot there is plenty of other wonderful wildlife and beautiful vistas to enjoy.

A truly unique place, Spurn Point is a stunning stretch of sand extending three and half miles into the Humber Estuary. With a rich maritime and military history, it has evolved over the last 50 years into a renowned and internationally important wildlife haven.

It’s now managed by the Yorkshire Wildlife Trust, the only charity entirely dedicated to conserving, protecting and restoring wildlife and wild places in Yorkshire.

The nature reserve used to be accessible by public road but in 2013, that road was swept away by the worst North Sea tidal surge in 60 years, leaving the reserve cut off and creating the UK’s newest ‘tidal island’. But the beauty of the area was simply too good not to share so the Yorkshire Wildlife Trust looked into the purchase of an allterrain, vehicle suitable for the off road seven-mile round trip to the “far East.”

Enter the Unimog a specially adapted ex-military 4x4 truck – and the “Spurn Safari” was born. The tours take visitors on a unique journey off road and on the beach aboard this special vehicle, while one of the knowledgeable guides explains all about the peninsula’s rich wildlife and its fascinating past.

Now one of the UK’s top migration watch points, spring and autumn prove to be an irresistible draw for birdwatchers, but bracing walks and panoramic sea views are guaranteed all year round. This time of year, as we head into winter, there will be the chance to spot goldcrest, thrushes, starlings, pipits, finches, buntings, long and short-eared owls, skylarks, shore larks, sparrow hawks and kestrels, merlin, buzzards, and the chance to

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Image: Grey seal - Credit Neil Aldridge

see waxwing, great grey and red-backed shrikes is also possible, along with snipe and woodcock, egrets and harbour seals – to name but a few.

Safari goers in the Unimog have the best of both worlds: they are out in the open but safely seated. The vehicle can provide shelter on wet and windy days by lowering seethrough curtains and also acts as a mobile ‘hide’, allowing privileged views of wild deer and birdlife. Its heightened vantage point is also excellent for photography.

Image: Yorkshire Wildlife Trust tour (3 A Mason)

S P U R N I S A T R U LY U N I Q U E P L AC E : A LO N G ST R E TC H OF SAND EXTENDING THREE A N D H A L F M I L E S I N TO T H E H U M B E R E S T U A R Y.

The Safaris have been a catalyst for further development in the area. The three-hour trip also includes a visit to the top of northern England’s tallest lighthouse which was renovated in 2016. There are incredible 360 degree views stretching for miles and miles on a clear day for those who are able to climb to the very top. The growing popularity of the area also led to the development of the Spurn Discovery Centre which opened in 2018, where visitors can enjoy a Yorkshire cuppa and a delicious slice of cake. 13 people are now employed at Spurn, along with 25 active trainees and volunteers.

The “Military Safari” experience features a chance to explore the recently excavated wartime tunnels and bunkers, and is accompanied by a specialist historian for a more in-depth view of the area’s historic significance, regaling the group with stories of dramatic sea rescues and wartime bravery.

This trip has been a favourite of war veterans and their relatives who were stationed at Spurn, and the families who once lived on the peninsula have joined a Safari to see this special place once again.

Since launching in 2014, over 8500 people have been on a ‘Spurn Safari’. As well as being a great way to see ‘the Point’, the Safari also allows those who might not otherwise get the opportunity to enjoy the area, including those with limited mobility, and inter-generational visitors to experience its beauty.

The landscape at Spurn point really is unique and the ‘Spurn Safari’ provides an unrivalled way to be immersed in such a wildlife rich and historic place, with minimal environmental impact.

Image: Spurn 569 Paul Lyons

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And after your visit you may well want to return to do it all again, whether it’s dramatic seas, moody skies or amazing sunsets across the Humber … no two days are the same at Spurn.

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OUTDOORS Top two images: Thorny Beck Alpacas and Bike and Boot.

Images on right: Uppergate Farm and Potteric Carr Nature Reserve.

ANIMAL ANTICS For more outdoor adventures across the county …

T H O R N Y B E C K A L PA C A S

U P P E R G AT E FA R M

Lead your very own alpaca companion on a trekking experience through delightful undulating farmland, forestry and pastures with stunning views of the North Yorkshire coast and the North York Moors. There’s a chance to get involved in feeding time and plenty of photo opportunities to capture the most memorable moments.

Stay in the holiday cottages, superb converted barn, listed farmhouse apartment or luxury yurts on this gorgeous working farm in Hepworth and get involved with the daily animal activities. Guests can enjoy the superb, spacious, heated indoor swimming pool, sauna and steam rooms. There’s extensive woodland and farm walks to enjoy.

B I K E A N D B O OT Check into the dog welcoming Bike and Boot in Scarborough, for a quality break with your best, four-legged, furry friend. There are so many brilliant walks to be enjoyed with your canine companion. Try one of the three trails of different difficulty at Raincliffe Woods The rugged walk at Broxa Forest has plenty of wildlife to spot down by the River Derwent and if you’re lucky a chance to catch a glimpse of the Northern Lights.

Beautiful and bracing Cayton Bay is perfect for a wild walk on the beach. Keep an eye out for fossils while your dog’s out letting off some steam.

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P O T T E R I C C A R R N AT U R E RESERVE With large reedbeds seemingly stretching for miles, the Yorkshire Wildlife Trust’s Potteric Carr is famed for its wetland birds including bitterns. On a network of paths visitors can explore this wildlife utopia and lose themselves in the wooded areas. With excellent facilities including a tearoom, toilets and thirteen viewing hides, guided walks and wild workshop, this exceptional nature reserve offers something for everyone.

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EXPERIENCE

SENSES AT I O N A L When it comes to embracing new experiences, there’s very little off-limits for the Yorkshire-based adventure seeker Amar Latif and even more astounding is, that at the age of 18, Amar lost his sight.

P I C T U R E S DA N P R I N C E

A

Left: The excitement and anticipation of driving off-road.

Above: Amar at The Coniston Hotel and Spa.

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s a youngster in Glasgow, I was diagnosed with retinitis pigmentosa, a genetic disorder of the eyes that causes loss of vision. At school I would crash into things, I’d hit the hurdles or miss the rugby ball in sport. I struggled in lessons and my desk had to be moved to the front of the classroom. In my late teens, as the doctors had predicted, I lost 95 per cent of my sight. Waking up and not being able to see the Madonna poster at the end of my bed or the faces of my parents and siblings, I realised that the day had come. I was blind!

Losing my sight seemed like it was the end of my world. A downward spiral of feeling depressed ensued as I was surrounded by friends enjoying their teenage years, learning to drive and gaining independence.

After several months it dawned on me that I had to switch my mindset and look at things in a positive way. I graduated with a mathematics, statistics and finance degree, spending my third year studying in Canada and sparking my love of travel. Everyone around me was completely shocked at what I’d achieved. Many had said that a blind person couldn’t study to be an accountant, but I went on to be Head of Commercial Finance for British Telecom. Not bad for a bloke who can’t see!

Blindness gave me my love for adventure and travel.

Lack of sight has heightened my curiosity. Some travel companies rejected me when they realised I was a blind person travelling independently, so I set up Traveleyes, my own company taking groups of sighted and blind people on holiday, offering trips to over 70 destinations across the world.

The BBC were looking for people with disabilities to take part in Beyond Boundaries, a TV documentary throwing together strangers with different physical challenges and sending them on a big adventure.

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BEING HANDED A DOUBLE-BARRELLED S H OTG U N FO R T H E F I R ST T I M E E V E R WA S S U R R E A L .

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EXPERIENCE

EVEN SOMEONE WHO IS BLIND CAN SEE A N D F E E L YO R K S H I R E ’ S B R E AT H TA K I N G B E A U T Y.

I got onboard, trekking 220 miles across Nicaragua from the Atlantic to the Pacific coast was a gruelling experience.

Scaling a 5000 foot volcano (stepping two centimetres to the left or to the right would result in a 2000 foot drop), tramping through dense tropical jungle in temperatures of 40°C, was certainly a challenge, with crocodiles and snakes deciding amongst themselves whether they should eat you now or later. Pushing another traveller who was in a wheelchair and sleeping in hammocks was exhausting.

Each morning I thought I can’t do it, I worried that physically I wasn’t capable of tackling the arduous journey ahead. I then realised it had to be power of the mind that would get me through and it then turned into the most wonderful experience.

Work initially brought me to this great county I now call home. I love the breathtaking beauty and even someone who is blind can see and feel it.

I’ve walked the Yorkshire Three Peaks (Pen-y-ghent, Ingleborough and Whernside), 26 amazing miles in 10 hours.

I can’t physically see it but I can feel the wind on my face and I have incredible images of rolling green hills in different shades. Sometimes I think I have a better picture than a sighted person. It’s like reading a book that’s then turned into a film. The picture conjured up in the mind is often far more vivid than when you actually see the cinema interpretation.

Returning from another far-flung destination, I recently headed to The Coniston Hotel Country Estate and Spa

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in the Dales to embrace quiet relaxation, delicious cuisine and to have a lot of fun.

Being handed a double-barrelled shotgun for the first time ever was surreal.

As a blind person it’s crucial to listen to instructions. A helpful instructor explained the importance of taking the correct stance. If you pull the trigger and you’re not in the right position, flying back and toppling over is highly likely. The gun was loaded, I carefully rested it on my shoulder and I was about to fire. Luckily my positioning was bang on and although I was scared, I also had an overwhelming feeling of exhilaration.

For my second go I relaxed into it more, but the jolt is powerful every time and the intense smell of gunpowder made me think of how life must have been in the past, hunting and gathering to survive.

It may seem like a reckless activity, a blind man clay target shooting but with a sighted professional instructor to verbally guide and ensure I was aiming in the right direction, all went to plan.

I didn’t know what an archery bow looked like or how it felt. It reminded me of a violin bow and I was convinced I was going to play music. Surprisingly, the skill of firing an arrow requires a lot of strength and I was relieved that my time at the gym had prepared me well. The bow has to be pulled back gently. My sighted instructor gave me accurate guidance, encouraged me to relax and the sound of the arrow whooshing through the air at top speed and hitting the target with such force is something I will never forget.

Opposite: Amar gets to grips with a shotgun and collects his arrows. Above: Professional instructors guide Amar through the experience. Below: Amar stayed on the beautiful 1,400 acre Dales estate.

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EXPERIENCE

T H E S PA WA S A F U L L- O N S E N S O RY EXPERIENCE.

Top: The Coniston Spa. Top right: Amar relaxes in the outdoor infinity pool. Above: The sensational Land Rover off-road experience.

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The spa was certainly a full-on sensory experience with the intense scent of the beautiful oils and potions. Relaxing in a luxurious room with dimmed lights, the only challenge was to stay awake!

Archery is very onerous and firing guns is a strenuous sport. A good back and head massage is ideal to feel rejuvenated. Just when I thought it couldn’t get any better, I then took a dip into an outdoor infinity Jacuzzi, overlooking The Coniston lake against a backdrop of rolling Yorkshire Dales hills. Bubbling water and the sun on my face was magical and the perfect way to unwind.

Taste is important to me. I think sighted people get distracted if someone puts lovely leaves on a plate, if it looks good you automatically think it will taste good. When you’re blind you can feel and taste and it has to be right, as you have no preconceived idea what it looks like. I had delicious fishcakes with haddock and prawn inside, then the trout on a bed of potatoes was incredibly satisfying. Dessert was ginger rhubarb and custard, a mixture of sensations and tastes, blended together perfectly. Custard is just THE most underrated treat ever!

Being driven off-road is something else when you have no idea what lies ahead.

Riding along in a Land Rover tilted 32°

to one side plays with your mind. I was convinced it was going to go over, but what a sensational experience. Accelerating up steep steps then plummeting with an enormous splash into a lagoon, I could feel the spray of the water. The description of each twist and turn from the experienced driver, added to the excitement and anticipation.

Getting the chance to actually drive a John Deere Gator was incredible. An offroad buggy (often used by farmers) and being guided by the brilliant expert James was so much fun. We had a great rapport and got a descriptive guiding system going ‘9 o’clock...10 o’clock, right back to 12’.

This was all done in a private field and is similar to a business team building activity offered to companies who have awaydays at the hotel. Sighted staff take part in a blindfolded driving experience.

Whatever your disability, if you feel hesitant to get involved in any adventurous activity or trying something new, I know that as soon as I started saying yes and getting involved (after an initial panic), my life changed for the better. Push yourself out of your comfort zone and your world will become bigger and more enjoyable.

It doesn’t have to be a massive daredevil activity, it may just be something a little different that gives you a buzz.

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ACC E S S ALL AREAS

SENSE CHECK

E X P LO R E Cottage in the Dales has the award-winning The Dairy, a luxurious and relaxing 5* holiday let, with accessibility support for guests with mobility, hearing and visual requirements. In the heart of the stunning Yorkshire Dales National Park, it’s an ideal location for exploring the amazing countryside or for simply relaxing in style. cottageinthedales.co.uk

SEE

ACC E S S A L L

AREAS

Between March and October around half a million seabirds gather on the towering chalk cliffs at RSPB Bempton Cliffs (left). Three viewpoints are fully accessible and there are wheelchair bays with higher handrails that don’t restrict the amazing view. A free wheelchair, mobility scooter and all-terrain mobility scooter are available to book in advance and assistance dogs are welcome. rspb.org.uk

TO U R S Enjoy luxury driver-guided excursions to some of Yorkshire’s many picturesque locations. YorTours can provide a fabulous experience, accommodating specific accessibility requirements and designing trips to cater for individual needs. With a unique triple sunroof providing all round visibility, you will be able to enjoy the splendour of Yorkshire in true style and comfort. yortours.co.uk

V I S I T With access, hearing and visual aids available, experience a journey back in time at the JORVIK Viking Centre (top) and witness life as it would have been in 10th century York. The awardwinning attraction is located on the actual site of an astounding archaeological discovery. jorvikvikingcentre.co.uk

Check in and check out some of Yorkshire’s many venues and locations with top disability and accessibility options. A wide range of facilities are open to visitors with visual, hearing, mobility requirements and other additional needs.

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D O Enter one of the world’s most spectacular aquariums, get amongst thousands of sea creatures and learn more about marine conservation at The Deep in Hull (above). There’s a range of services and equipment for visitors with access or additional needs. thedeep.co.uk All information included in This Is Y is for inspiration and all specific locations must be checked online before visiting due to ongoing changes as a result of COVID-19.

C U R TA I N C A L L Offering audio-described, captioned, relaxed, BSL (British Sign Language) plus other specialist productions, are Leeds Playhouse, Sheffield Theatres, Hull Truck Theatre and many more performance venues throughout Yorkshire.

Sheffield Theatres and Leeds Playhouse are also part of the Ramps on the Moon group, who are committed to equal employment and artistic opportunities for disabled performers and creative teams. leedsplayhouse.org.uk sheffieldtheatres.co.uk hulltruck.co.uk

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I N S P I R AT I O N

GOLF HIT Now more than ever, enjoying the outdoors and focusing on health and well-being has never been more important. As keen competitors and sport spectators seek socially distant events during such unprecedented times, and people across the globe look for inspiration to keep fit and get outdoors, Mike Smith chips in and putts Yorkshire’s range of golf greens on the map.

Image: Ian Woonsam.

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I N S P I R AT I O N

Image: Winner, Liam Bond.

T

he COVID-19 pandemic has caused the most significant disruption to the international sporting calendar since World War II, but it did not deter the world’s top golfers travelling to Yorkshire to compete in the inaugural Ian Woosnam Senior Invitational.

Organised by Leeds based SGH Sporting Events and supported by Welcome to Yorkshire, it was the first professional tournament of such stature in the county since Fulford put on the Murphy’s Cup in 1991. Sponsored

by Aberdeen Standard Capital, the high-profile event at Ilkley Golf Club was the initial step towards testing the

viability of staging a bid to host the Solheim Cup, golf’s biennial match contested by the women’s teams of Europe and the United States, possibly as early as 2027.

The Solheim Cup is quickly becoming one of the biggest sporting events in the world and Yorkshire would be a perfect fit with a storied history of hosting major team events in golf. Moortown in Leeds was the first British host of a Ryder Cup in 1929 while Ganton held it in 1949 and Lindrick in the south of the county eight years later.

Back in September, at the inaugural Ian Woosnam Senior Invitational, former European Tour player Liam Bond took the trophy back to South Wales with him following a round of 65, triumphing by a shot from five-time European Senior Tour winner Phil Golding, and by two from Gary Wolstenholme, who won the first of his British Amateur titles at Ganton in 1991.

Bond said he liked his chances after shooting three under par in the pro-am which was his first sighting of the course: “Ilkley really suits my eye as you have to drive the ball well and that is one of my strengths.

I didn’t miss a green until the last hole and that was due to me putting the ball in the right place from the tee.

I’m delighted to have won this event which has been organised brilliantly, and to receive the trophy from Woosie was special.”

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I N S P I R AT I O N

The success of the event has given us just a taster of the kind of things we might see here in Yorkshire in the future and a hint of the boost this could be for tourism. There are so many amazing golf courses in the county with spectacular countryside and coastal backdrops and we want to make sure everyone knows about them.”

Home favourite Mark James, an honorary life member of Ilkley Golf club finished in a tie for 6th on level par, while tournament host and fellow ex-Ryder Cup captain Ian Woosnam carded a three over par round of 72.

It was a fond return to the Broad Acres for Woosnam who said: “It really all started for me here in Yorkshire when I finished second to Greg Norman in the B&H (Benson & Hedges International Open Golf Tournament) at Fulford in 1982. I had eight consecutive birdies in a 62 and nearly beat him at the prize presentation, Greg said, ‘watch out for this guy he can really play’, and that gave me a big boost in confidence. I went out and won my first European Tour event the following week and never looked back.”

This is the first time I have been to Ilkley and it is truly a great course. Yorkshire is a fantastic place to play golf and I look forward to returning next year.”

The two day COVID-19 safe and socially distanced event, saw dozens of Pro-Am teams tee off in stunning sunshine, including footballing stars Ryan Giggs, former Leeds players Robbie Fowler, Tony Dorigo and Lee Sharpe and ex-manager Simon Grayson, alongside cricketer Ryan Sidebottom, former Hull KR and Rhinos player Danny Maguire and BBC TV presenter Dan Walker.

Participants then enjoyed a socially distanced Q&A where 1991 Masters champion Ian Woosnam was joined by Catriona Matthew, who captained Team Europe to victory at the 2019 Solheim Cup in Gleneagles, Scotland, and will again serve as the European captain for the 2021 Solheim Cup, and former US Senior Major winner Greg James.

Welcome to Yorkshire’s Chief Executive James Mason said: “Wow, what a great two days with the backdrop of some stunning Yorkshire scenery.

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James continued: “We know how Golf tourism has benefitted Scotland by almost £290 million a year and while they have 500 plus courses, we have more than 180 here in Yorkshire, many of which are world-class so there is huge potential.

“Golfers tend to also spend as they visit places for a few days, so restaurants, hotels etc all benefit. As we all adapt to life with COVID-19 this event has proved there’s still plenty of fun to be had in the beautiful outdoors of Yorkshire whilst staying safe.”

Next July leading men and women amateurs will compete in the English Men’s and Women’s Amateur championships on the neighbouring Leeds courses at Moortown and Headingley. This will complete a fabulous fortnight of golf in Yorkshire after Alwoodley was confirmed as the venue for the European Ladies’ Amateur Championship between 21st and 24th July.

England Golf’s Director of Championships, James Crampton said: “Moortown and Headingley are two terrific venues and I’m sure the standard of golf on show in 2021 will match the quality of the surroundings.”

“The European Ladies’ Amateur Championship is one of the most prestigious events on the amateur golf calendar and we are delighted to be the host nation and playing at Alwoodley,” added Crampton.

“Both the set-up and the reception that is guaranteed at Alwoodley – a fantastic venue as demonstrated when they successfully staged the 2019 Brabazon Trophy – will, I’m sure, do the event justice.”

“Hopefully, conditions at that time will allow the golfing public to witness some of the world’s best amateur golfers playing for three prestigious titles, over three top-class golf courses in the space of just two weeks.”

For more tee time inspiration

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Image: Winner, Liam Bond.

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TO THE M6 FOR BIRMINGHAM AND CUMBRIA TO LONDON

BY RAIL

TO LONDON

BY RAIL

P L A N YO U R

JOURNEY

Wherever you’re coming from, getting to Yorkshire by rail, road, sea or air couldn’t be easier – and the journey takes you through some of our most stunning scenery on the way.

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GETTING HERE

YO R K S H I R E B Y R A I L You can get to Yorkshire by high-speed train from London or Edinburgh in less than two hours. The Midlands is even nearer to Yorkshire’s cities, and TransPennine services offer direct links from the North West and North East.

For timetables and reservations contact: London North Eastern Railway (www.lner.co.uk) Grand Central (www.grandcentralrail.com) National Rail Enquiries (tel 08457 484950 www.nationalrail.co.uk) East Midlands Trains (www.eastmidlandstrains.co.uk) Hull Trains (www.hulltrains.co.uk) Northern Rail (www.northernrail.org) Supertram Sheffield (www.supertram.com) Transpennine Express (www.tpexpress.co.uk) Metro (www.wymetro.com)

YO R K S H I R E B Y AIR AND SEA The Yorkshire county is served by a number of airports, providing daily flights to and from many destinations.

With excellent transport links, Yorkshire is also easily accessible from many other airports throughout the UK, through high speed train links and an extensive motorway network.

Doncaster Sheffield Airport (tel 0871 2202210 www.flydsa.co.uk) Leeds Bradford Yorkshire’s Airport (tel 0871 2882288 www.leedsbradfordairport.co.uk) Humberside Airport (tel 0844 8877747 www.humbersideairport.com) Manchester Airport (tel 08712 710711 www.manchesterairport.co.uk)

Don’t forget P&O Ferries operate direct overnight links into Yorkshire from Rotterdam, Holland and Zeebrugge, Belgium. For more information go to www.poferries.com.

I N F O R M AT I O N CENTRES Tourist Information Centres can offer plenty of great ideas so you can make the most of your visit. For all the Tourist Information Centres in Yorkshire; www.yorkshire.com/tic.

Find a wide choice of guide books and maps with lots of dedicated walking and cycling routes at Tourist Information Centres across the county, or more ideas from Welcome to Yorkshire at www.yorkshire.com/outdoors.

And you can explore Yorkshire’s hills, moors and valleys on some of Britain’s best loved and most spectacular leisure trains, with lovingly preserved vintage rolling stock and historic steam locomotives.

These include the North Yorkshire Moors Railway, Embsay & Bolton Abbey Steam Railway, Keighley & Worth Valley Railway, Middleton Railway, Wensleydale Railway, Fellsman (for the Settle-Carlisle Railway) and Kirklees Light Railway. To discover more about these super train trips go to www.yorkshire.com.

YO R K S H I R E B Y R O A D Britain’s biggest and fastest highways cross Yorkshire from north to south and east to west, making getting here with your own car or by coach very simple indeed.

The A1 and M1 connect from the north and south, while the M6 and M62 link Yorkshire with the Midlands and the North West and the M18/M180 gives easy access to the coast and countryside of northern Lincolnshire.

For details of the quickest (or the most scenic) driving routes see the AA or RAC websites www.theaa.com and www.rac.co.uk.

Coach and bus companies with services to (and within) Yorkshire include: Arriva (www.arrivabus.co.uk/yorkshire) Transdev Blazefield (www.transdevplc.co.uk) East Yorkshire Motor Services (www.eyms.co.uk) First (www.firstgroup.com) Coastliner (www.yorkbus.co.uk) Dalesbus (www.dalesbus.org) Moorsbus (www.moorsbus.org) Brontë Bus (www.keighleybus.co.uk) Connexions Buses (www.connexionsbuses.com) Find further information on regional and local bus and train services from Traveline Yorkshire (www.yorkshiretravel.net).

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Go to yorkshire.com to plan your next visit, then travel when you can.

Images top to bottom: Cow and Calf Rocks, Ilkley. The Yorkshire Wolds. Peak District National Park.

70 North York Moors National Park Š Paul D Hunter/NYMNPA.

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