Spring in Yorkshire

When you hear the word Yorkshire what springs to mind? And if they say Spring?

Do you see open Dales, thriving market towns, Wetherby, Skipton, Knaresborough?  Spas such as Harrogate and Scarborough?  Beautiful coastline and stunning beaches? Ancient cities York and Ripon?  Industrial cities? Leeds, Sheffield, Bradford? Ancient castles, Knaresborough, Skipton, Scarborough and Spofforth?  Great country estates, Castle Howard, Harewood, Ripley to name but a few? Do you picture Lowry or Wordsworth when we mention Yorkshire?

The truth is Yorkshire has all this and so much more! It is the biggest county with a relatively small population.  Once you leave the cities it is easy to reach sparsely populated rural areas and beautiful small towns and villages, many off the beaten track.

In spring our lanes are lined with daffodils. Later it’s wild flowers.  In Harrogate the Stray sports carpets of crocus and lines of daffodils underneath the cherry trees.  Spectacular at this time of the year.  In York the banks in front of the Norman walls are covered in daffodils.  They make the sunshine no matter the weather.

Cyclists love the undulating roads and cycle paths. When driving in the Dales you do need to be mindful of horses, tractors and general farm and slow-moving vehicles.  The pace of life in the Dales is slow.  The weather dictates and lives follow the seasons. 

Harrogate with its shops, Turkish Baths, restaurants, night clubs and cafes is central to the Dales people and also to the 1000s of tourists and business people who descend every year for all the events, conferences and shows the town hosts.  We are delighted to welcome back live events.  

The Great Yorkshire Show is our showcase for Yorkshire life, from farming to horticulture, from show jumping to engineering, from bees to high fashion and of course locally produced food.  It’s a great event for everyone.  

This year it is from 13th-15th July.  Accommodation tends to book out!  It's a real showstopper!