My Summer of Surprises in Yorkshire

I didn’t want to go. I really didn’t want to go. My partner and I had the whole summer together. We were free from work, responsibility and commitments. So why would we go to Yorkshire? Why not cruise Croatia’s coast, become bohemians in Barcelona or hang with hipsters in Helsinki? Why the north of England? Why Yorkshire?

My partner has always been charmed by the supposed harmony and beauty of ‘The North’. But to me it always meant wet, boring countryside and dirty-looking industrial cities. Not somewhere to go out of choice. Not when we had comfy couches, reliable Wi-Fi and a backlog of brilliant box sets to wade through. Why head north? Why even leave the apartment?

But the decision had been made. We were going. For weeks. I was allowed to pick where we were staying, at least. I did some research. It turns out there are loads of townhouses and cottages in Yorkshire to rent out for an extended stay, so I plumped for a charming little number in the North Yorkshire Moors and prepared to leave the Blu-ray Special Edition of Game Of Thrones behind.

I imagined the weeks ahead would be spent in some kind of dreary yet romantic poverty akin to the ‘holiday’ scenes from the movie Withnail & I. Thankfully, our cottage was all a lot more civilised than that. I have to admit, it was actually pretty amazing; cosy, rustic and charming. Very homely. I might even go as far as perfect. After all, we didn’t want for anything. I was starting to reconsider. 

However, it wasn’t until I went to the North Yorkshire Moors that I was fully a member of the pro-Yorkshire party. These moorlands blew my mind. It was wild, untamed countryside; spectacular and yet understated at the same time. It’s the muse of painters like Turner and Hockney, with mile after mile of rolling heather moorland, ancient trees and beautiful coastal cliffs. I’m not an emotional guy, but I was genuinely moved. It was epic, and we had it all to ourselves. The nearby Yorkshire Dales and Peak District are slightly different, but have that same tranquil vibe. When you’re so used to city spaces and the constant noise of the internet you forget just how quiet and peaceful the world can be. Without Wi-Fi, I was liberated from all of my social media accounts, my email, even Instagram. After a few days, I properly relaxed. It’s so refreshing to not be constantly updating other people on your daily occurrences. I almost felt like I’d step back in time and I really revelled in the serenity of disconnection.

I soon learned what my partner has seemingly always known: the north of England has its own identity. The people who live there have been shaped by the landscape, the weather and history. They have their own culture. Yorkshire feels like a country in its own right. In fact, if Yorkshire had been a country at the 2012 Olympics, it would have finished 12th in the medal table. Not too shabby.

On the back of their Olympic success Yorkshire is buzzing right now. But the pride in Yorkshire has been running deep long before the Olympics showed up, and for good reason; it’s packed full of brilliant stuff to do. Historical stuff, for example, like castles and ruins. We checked out the dramatic ruins of Whitby Abbey and the still-very-intact

Bolton Castle, an awesome fantasy world fortress. Suddenly Game of Thrones didn’t feel so far away.

When it comes to eating and drinking, you’re spoilt for choice. I had thought that the high point of Yorkshire cuisine would be the Yorkshire pudding. I was wrong. Yorkshire has six Michelin-starred restaurants – more than any other county in the UK. It’s a hotbed of fine dining, although our wallets weren’t up to trying them all. Most nights we opted for a quality gastropub, choosing to chomp down on locally sourced meat and fresh, seasonal vegetables. We usually washed all that down with some seriously tasty ale from a local brewery. It was hop heaven.

This was basically a trip of smashed preconceptions. My image of Yorkshire cities as smog-covered steel factories was destroyed. York is absolutely beautiful, an old-school diamond. And city centres in Sheffield and Leeds have enjoyed years of investment and redevelopment, and are now packed with cool bars and slick clubs. I’m by no means stating that Yorkshire is backward because these cities are as cosmopolitan as you can get. That said, despite the urban transformation we often ended up in more ‘earthy’ venues like Sheffield’s indie-rock club The Leadmill. After all, the countryside vibe is contagious.

On sunny days, we headed to the coast. Due to my appalling grasp of geography, I didn’t even know Yorkshire had a coast (idiot). But it does. And it’s great; properly quaint by-the-seaside magic. Places like Scarborough and Bridlington used to be considered buzz-killers, but now they’re riding a wave of retro, nostalgia-coolness. They’re sort of back in vogue.

So that was our summer. We did Yorkshire. It’s perfect for a city break or long weekend away in the country, but to really get under the skin of the place, it’s a good idea to get into it for the long haul and enjoy everything this huge county has to offer. You won’t regret it. You won’t wish you were on Croatia’s Dalmatian Coast. And you won’t even miss your couch and favourite TV shows.

Gareth

My name is Gareth Leonard, a Marketing Director turned World Traveler with a passion for slow, meaningful travel. I have been traveling the world full-time for the past 9+ years and document it all on Instagram and YouTube. Come join me!