This is Y December 2020 Digital Edition

DECEMBER

DA N

WALKER

TALKS SHEFFIELD LIFE,

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 1

2

yorkshire.com

WELCOME

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.

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

3

yorkshire.com

4 yorkshire.com

WELCOME TO

DECEMBER

28

CONTENTS

6 BUSINESS AS UNUSUAL

Inspirational ideas and

dates for your diary.

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.

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).

CAROLYN NICOLL

Editor,

This is Y magazine

40 PALOMA FAITH

New music and Yorkshire

tour dates.

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.

58 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

WANT TO KNOW MORE?

If you want to find out more

about something in our features

click on this symbol.

WELCOMETOYORKSHIRE

@WELCOME2YORKS

#THISISY

yorkshire.com 5

YORKSHIRE HIGHLIGHTS

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

6

yorkshire.com

SEASIDE

SENSATIONS

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.

PHOTO OP

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.

TOUR DE

YORKSHIRE ART

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

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

STOP OPERA

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.

SAY CHEESE!

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.

DARK SKIES

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

yorkshire.com 7

Left: Cooper King Distllery

AMAZ-GIN AWARD

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.

Above: The Hepworth © Marc Atkins 2017.

The Hepworth 100 Years of Contemporary Art

© Danny Lawson/PA Wire

Below: The Escapologist.

CONTEMPORARY

CREATIONS

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.

THE GREAT ESCAPE

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.

8

yorkshire.com

IT’S MAGIC!

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.

MARKET TOWN

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.

HITTING A HIGH NOTE

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.

This page clockwise: North Shires

Harry Potter themed rooms and

the Tan Hill Inn

yorkshire.com 9

INTERVIEW

DAN’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.

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.

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

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.

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)

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

10

yorkshire.com

“I WAS ASKED

TO WRITE AN

AUTOBIOGRAPHY

BUT I WAS FAR

MORE INTERESTED

IN WRITING ABOUT

OTHER PEOPLE”

yorkshire.com 11

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

12

yorkshire.com

IT WAS THE

FIRST TIME I

HAD PLAYED

AT ILKLEY

AND IT

REALLY IS A

WONDERFUL

COURSE

yorkshire.com 13

WINTER

WONDERLAND

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.

14

yorkshire.com

INSPIRATION

LIGHTWATER VALLEY

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.

HAREWOOD HOUSE

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.

CASTLE HOWARD

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.

Harewood Christmas 2019 © Tom Arber.

FOUNTAINS ABBEY

AND STUDLEY ROYAL

WATER GARDEN

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.

yorkshire.com 15

Images this page:

Lightopia at Yorkshire Wildlife Park.

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.

YORK CASTLE MUSEUM

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.

HARLOW CARR GLOW 2020

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.

16

yorkshire.com

CARLTON TOWERS

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.

STOCKELD PARK

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

yorkshire.com 17

YORKSHIRE QUIZ

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).

2 8

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 Ennis-

Hill 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?

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?

7 A railway opened in

1875 with a reported 325

bridges, 27 viaducts, and

14 tunnels? Which was it?

10 A Christmas crooner

dreamt of a White

Christmas and enjoyed

shooting at Dallowgill Moor

in North Yorkshire?

What’s his name?

11 Aysgarth is famous for

its fabulous falls.

But it’s also the home to

England’s largest what?

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?

10

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?

8 Which Yorkshire village is

the location for Darrowby

in the 2020 TV series

All Creatures Great

and Small?

9 Harrogate actor Jim

Carter plays Mr Carson.

In which much-loved TV

series and film?

13 It’s said that the

first Christmas holiday

celebrated in Britain was

in 521AD. In which

Yorkshire city?

14 Eureka!, was the UK’s

first national children’s

museum. Where is it?

18

Images this page:

2: © Will Roberts

8: © Gary Butterfield

10: © Illiya Vjestica

yorkshire.com

ANSWERS:

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

13

20

16

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?

19

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

yorkshire.com 19

WHAT’S ON THE MENU?

PEACE,

LOVE AND

KIM-JOY 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.

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

20

yorkshire.com

CHRISTMAS WITH KIM-JOY

(Quadrille, £15) Photography: Ellis Parrinder

yorkshire.com 21

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.

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)

22

yorkshire.com

IRISH CREAM

SNOWMEN CHOUX

Christmas isn’t complete without

choux pastry filled with the most

delicious Irish cream filling…

plus adorable snowmen too.

MAKES: 18–24

CHOUX PASTRY

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

VANILLA ICING

200g [1 1/2 cups minus 1 Tbsp] icing


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)

ROYAL ICING RECIPE

40g [1 1/2 oz] egg white

(substitute with aquafaba

for a vegan version)

225g [12∕3 cups] icing


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.

TIP FOR THE ICING: 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!

yorkshire.com 23

INSPIRATION

SIMPLY

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.

24

yorkshire.com

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.

HOLDSWORTH HOUSE

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.

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.

yorkshire.com 25

INSPIRATION

SPECTACULAR SEMI-FINALISTS

SWINTON ESTATE

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 &

VERBENA SPA

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.

26

yorkshire.com

We have it

COVERED!

Promoting Yorkshire business news:

In print, online, on our app and now mailed to 500 key Yorkshire businesses.

Available free across the region and available by direct subscription, call for details.

For your personal copy email pr@topicuk.co.uk or call 07711 539047

yorkshire.com 27

28

yorkshire.com

INTERVIEW

CLIMB

EVERY

MOUNTAIN

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.

IThe 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.

Left: Peter Climbing in Pakistan.

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.

yorkshire.com 29

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.

30

yorkshire.com

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.

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.

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.

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.

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 Voices lockdown. from Herriot Country

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.

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

Image: Peter on the summit of Elbrus,

Europe’s highest mountain

yorkshire.com 31

‘TIS THE SEASON TO WATCH

ALL CREATURES

GREAT AND SMALL

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.

The 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

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

32

yorkshire.com

This page: Nicholas Ralph as James Herriot.

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

HOW DOES IT FEEL TO BE PART OF

SUCH A MASSIVE TV HIT SERIES?

NICHOLAS RALPH: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.

RACHEL SHENTON: 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.

NICHOLAS, ALL CREATURES

GREAT AND SMALL WAS YOUR

FIRST TV ROLE …

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.

This Image: © Playground Television (UK) Ltd.

yorkshire.com 33

TELEVISION


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

ARE YOU PREPARED FOR HOW

BIG THE SERIES IS GOING TO

BE INTERNATIONALLY WHEN IT

LAUNCHES IN THE USA IN 2021?

RS: 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).

DID YOU MANAGE TO GET A

SERIES ’WRAP PARTY’ IN BEFORE

LOCKDOWN?

NR: 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.

SO, THE LAST SCENE OF THE

SERIES … WHICH WAS ALSO THE

LAST SCENE YOU FILMED … WITH

THE CHARACTERS JAMES HERRIOT,

MRS HALL, SIEGFRIED AND

TRISTAN FARNON ALL LEAVING

THE DROVER’S ARMS (AKA THE

DEVONSHIRE IN GRASSINGTON) …

WAS EMOTIONAL TO WATCH … HOW

WAS IT TO FILM?

NR: 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.

AND THAT SCENE LEADS ON TO THE

MUCH-ANTICIPATED ALL CREATURES

GREAT AND SMALL CHRISTMAS

SPECIAL …

RS: 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

34

yorkshire.com

AND THERE ARE PLANS FOR

AN ALL CREATURES GREAT

AND SMALL SERIES TWO?

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.

NR: 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

HAVE AN UPLIFTING ENDING

OR IS IT A CLIFFHANGER?

NR & RS: (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.

HAVE YOU KEPT IN TOUCH

WITH THE OTHER CAST

MEMBERS?

NR: It’s just been confirmed that this will be happening

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).

RS: 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.

RS: 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.

NR: There’s a really special friendship bond

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.

Image: ViacomCBS / Photographer: Todd Antony

This Image and above:

© Playground Television (UK) Ltd. / Ed Miller

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


yorkshire.com 35

This page: The Black

Bull at the top of

Haworth Main Street.

Anne Brontë portrait

by Branwell Brontë.

Opposite: The Brontë

Parsonage Museum.

Iam 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.

36

yorkshire.com

ART & CULTURE

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 Brontë.

yorkshire.com 37

THERE IS A REAL JOY

IN KNOWING ANNE’S

REPUTATION HAS NEVER

BEEN GREATER.

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.

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.

38

yorkshire.com

ART & CULTURE

THE BRONTË TRAIL

O

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.

CHECK IN TO

WEAVERS GUESTHOUSE

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

GO TO THE

BRONTË PARSONAGE

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

HAVE A PINT IN

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

TAKE A RIDE ON

THE KEIGHLEY & WORTH

VALLEY RAILWAY

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

WALK ON

THE BRONTË 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’.

yorkshire.com 39

YOU’VE

GOTTA HAVE

FAITH

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.

From 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

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 half-

Spanish 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

40

yorkshire.com

MUSIC

yorkshire.com 41

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

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.

42

yorkshire.com

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

yorkshire.com 43

44

yorkshire.com

yorkshire.com 45

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

• Explore the Yorkshire coast –

there are some beautiful bays

and seaside towns that are

well worth a visit

• 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.”

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

46

yorkshire.com

INSPIRATION

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

yorkshire.com 47

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.

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

48

yorkshire.com

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.

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.

yorkshire.com 49

GARDENS ON FILM

DO YOU WANT TO

KNOW A SECRET?

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.

L

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?

PART OF THE PLOT

“The hero of the film is the natural beauty of the landscape.”

MARC MUNDEN, DIRECTOR

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.

“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.

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

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.

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.

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.

50

yorkshire.com

Top to bottom: Dixie Egerickx

as Mary in the new film.

The beautifully manicured

Helmsley Walled Garden.

yorkshire.com 51

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.”

DIXIE EGERICKX, ACTRESS

© Colin Dilcock

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.

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.

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

52

yorkshire.com

IN THE AREA

HIDDEN GEMS

SECRET

STAY

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.

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

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

TAKE TEA

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

CAPTIVATING

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

yorkshire.com 53

OUTDOORS

SAFARI…

SO GOODY

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.

54

yorkshire.com

Going 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

yorkshire.com 55

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)

SPURN IS A TRULY UNIQUE

PLACE: A LONG STRETCH

OF SAND EXTENDING THREE

AND HALF MILES INTO THE

HUMBER ESTUARY.

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

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.

56

yorkshire.com

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 …

THORNY BECK ALPACAS

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.

UPPERGATE FARM

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.

BIKE AND BOOT

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.

POTTERIC CARR NATURE

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.

yorkshire.com 57

58

yorkshire.com

EXPERIENCE

SENSE-

SATIONAL

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.

PICTURES DAN PRINCE

Left: The excitement and

anticipation of driving off-road.

Above: Amar at The Coniston

Hotel and Spa.

As 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.

yorkshire.com 59

BEING HANDED A

DOUBLE-BARRELLED

SHOTGUN FOR THE FIRST

TIME EVER WAS SURREAL.

60

yorkshire.com

EXPERIENCE

EVEN SOMEONE WHO

IS BLIND CAN SEE

AND FEEL YORKSHIRE’S

BREATHTAKING BEAUTY.

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

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.

yorkshire.com 61

EXPERIENCE

THE SPA WAS

A FULL-ON SENSORY

EXPERIENCE.

Top: The Coniston Spa.

Top right: Amar relaxes in the

outdoor infinity pool. Above:

The sensational Land Rover

off-road experience.

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.

62

yorkshire.com

ACCESS

ALL AREAS

SENSE CHECK

ACCESS ALL

AREAS

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.

SEE 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

VISIT 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

DO 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.

EXPLORE

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

TOURS

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

CURTAIN CALL

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

yorkshire.com 63

INSPIRATION

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.

64

yorkshire.com

INSPIRATION

Image: Winner, Liam Bond.

The 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.”

yorkshire.com 65

INSPIRATION

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.

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.”

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

66

yorkshire.com

Image: Winner, Liam Bond.

yorkshire.com 67

TO THE M6

FOR BIRMINGHAM

AND CUMBRIA

TO LONDON

BY RAIL

TO LONDON

BY RAIL

PLAN YOUR

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.

68

yorkshire.com

GETTING HERE

YORKSHIRE BY RAIL

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)

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.

YORKSHIRE BY ROAD

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).

YORKSHIRE BY

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.

INFORMATION

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.

yorkshire.com 69

Go to yorkshire.com to plan your

next visit, then travel when you can.

70

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

North York Moors National Park © Paul D Hunter/NYMNPA.

yorkshire.com

This is Y December 2020 Digital Edition

You also want an ePaper? Increase the reach of your titles

Delete template?

Save as template?