Advantages: Free admission. Full of historical information.
Disadvantages: Scant remains. Poor visitor centre.

...Standing amid the scant ruins of Pontefract Castle as it is pummelled by the persistent precipitation that dominates this year in Yorkshire, it is somewhat difficult to imagine that this castle was once one of the strongest and most resilient castles in England. Today, Pontefract Castle stands a little forlorn and forgotten, yet Pontefract Castle was once mighty and played an important part in English history. During the civil wars, the castle was besieged three times and was the last Royalist stronghold only surrendered after Charles 1st was beheaded. It was also a prison for a number of important prisoners and a place of execution; employed as an armoury and finally as a storehouse for liquorice!!! Once heavily fortified and stringently guarded, the castle now lies open to visitors (free of charge) from 8.30 a.m. until dusk. A two... Read review

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Advantages: beautiful landscape, charming house and grounds
Disadvantages: watch out for school trips (can get quite overcrowded)

...Harewood House is a lovely day trip. The grounds are expansive and for those shy of the lengthy walk from the gates to the house, there is a little shuttle that will drive you directly to the house. The house itself has a fanstastic Yorkshire charm about it and the garden out back is quite impressive. As for the inside of the house, it is indeed quaint. Hardly over the top, but rather in my opinion quite conservative. When you walk through the study and various other rooms you can truly imagine people living there. If you're travelling with kids then they'll love the bird garden. The penguins are always a big hit, but personally I felt the habitats for the birds could be better maintained. For tea and snacks there's a cafeteria, as well as the odd ice cream stand here and there. All in all a great day out, particularly... Read review

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Advantages: variety, the people, not expensive, scenery,
Disadvantages: it's quite cold sometimes!

...! Eden Camp Near York..see what it was like to live as a prisoner of the English in the war...a great day out. Lightwater Valley Need I say more? COOL TOWNS Hebden bridge, famous for hippies and other minority groups- very welcoming! Superb veggie restauants and coffee shops galore. Marsden Home to the Mikron Theatre. Near the Standedge tunnel, the longest canal tunnel between Yorkshire and Lancashire. Quite a lot of alternative groups here. Bradford The best curries anywhere. Wonderful selection ranging from cheap and cheerful ..the Kashmir-( mentioned by Bill Bryson in Notes from a Small country)to the Mumtaz Paan House who now make curries for both marks and Spencer and Tesco! Go and have some NOW!! Haworth Where the Brontes came from, and all of the shops refer to them in some way...even the tolilets are Bronte... Read review

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Advantages: Nostalgic, Historical
Disadvantages: Admission Charges, Limited Opening Hours

...is fine during the Summer Months some of them are driven around the Grounds, enabling the visitor to see these in a working situation. On a few Sundays throughout the year the Museum has special open days. On these days the Vehicles are driven outside and joined by other vintage pieces of Transport from similar Museums around the Country. Likewise the South Yorkshire Transport Museum also sometimes loans out some of its own Vehicles for shows and exhibitions elsewhere. From the outside the location is far from attractive. The Transport Museum is located on an Industrial Estate and the building itself is little more than a big tin shed, but I suppose that it serves its purpose.The Museum is large and spacious, as you would expect for something that houses almost thirty different Buses and Trams. The majority of these Buses are double... Read review

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Advantages: Culture, coast, friendly people, good food,
Disadvantages: Rain and cyclists

...of Scarborough/Whitby/Filey can present a challenge as they are very hilly, Bridlington is flat but to me just lacks the lustre of the other resorts. The outlying areas of Flamborough and Bempton are a delight though and well worth a visit for the views. There are plenty of caravan parks, self catering and traditional guest houses along this coast as well as good standard hotels. The fells and moorlands are of equal beauty. Travel from Pickering in age old tradition steam engine style experiencing the breath taking scenery equally in Keighley another part of Yorkshire that is often overlooked experience all the industrial revoulution had to offer. Remember your history lessons and relive the atmosphere visiting Haworth (home of the Brontes), Halifax and its famous Piece Hall where regular events are held, Bradford and its media museum (relive magic... Read review

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Advantages: Free to visit
Disadvantages: Within an urban enviroment, now only ruins

...I thought that that my trusted satellite navigation system had let me down when I recently visited Monk Bretton Priory near Barnsley in South Yorkshire. I knew that I was very close to the remains of this 12th century monastery as I had been following a string of road signs for a couple of miles. Suddenly after a quick left turn onto a housing estate at the back of a row of shops my Sat Nav proudly announced that I had reached my destination. I looked around at the rows of houses and was just about to curse under my breath when I noticed that I was on Abbey Lane, which seemed rather promising. I parked up and peered over a stone wall that ran along the length of this road and there it was, nestled somewhat uncomfortably adjacent to a modern, post war sprawling housing estate. Of course, nine and a half centuries ago when this Cluniac... Read review

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Advantages: Quiet, good value accommodation with excellent breakfast.
Disadvantages: A smallish room, but perfectly adequate for me.

...per night I don't think you will do much better than the Garden House. For pictures of the interior of the Garden House, please see the website mentioned above. Contact details Garden House, 14 Harlow Moor Drive, Harrogate, North Yorkshire. HG2 0JX Tel: 01423 503059... Read review

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Advantages: Lots of history
Disadvantages: Admission charges

...I first discovered Brodsworth Hall quite by chance. I was visiting nearby Cusworth Hall and took a wrong turn, but faced with a huge country mansion in front of me I didn't actually realise for a while that I was heading towards another hall. Once I realised my mistake I headed off in the right direction to Cusworth Hall but the image of this hall nearby always stayed with me. It was about a year later when I was thinking about somewhere to take some friends when I remembered this other hall and off we set. Brodsworth Hall claimed to be one of the best preserved English manor houses in existence but this is a boast that I had heard many times before so when I arrived my expectations were not all that high. First impressions however are usually a good sign and I was right to presume that something that looked so good from the outside... Read review

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Advantages: Lots of history, plenty to see and do
Disadvantages: Admission charges, house closed during Winter

...I have seen the sign to Burton Agnes Hall every time that I have visited Bridlington or Flamborough Head over the years. It is a place that I had always thought that I would like to pay a visit too, but then the fleeting thought would be gone, and forgotten about until my next journey to the East Yorkshire coast. Maybe it is something to do with the lovely, picturesque village of Burton Agnes itself that stirs my imagination every time, for the Hall cannot be seen from the main road that passes close by at all. A few weeks ago I finally made this small detour off the main A165 Hull to Bridlingon road. My visit to Burton Agnes Hall was an interesting experience, albeit a somewhat sad one as this is a place that I always also promised to take my Grandmother too, but unfortunately she is no longer here for me to fulfil that promise... Read review

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Advantages: Rich in history, Beautiful countryside, Georgian architecture
Disadvantages: Difficult and expensive to park

..."Richmond is a town unlike others, a place unique, rich in relics of the past. It is too good to be passed by." Alfred Wainwright. Richmond is a small market town in North Yorkshire, on the edge of the Dales, and if you believe what you read in Lonely Planet guides, then it is one of the great undiscovered towns of England as far as visitors are concerned. This might be a little odd when you consider the popularity of the Dales and that the proximity of the town to the A1 (just 4 miles away) makes it easily accessible as a day trip location from a large part of the North East and Yorkshire. Indeed, I travelled down from Newcastle for the day (lured by the promise of a living history event) and it took me little more than an hour to find the town, although it unfortunately felt like it took me the same amount of time to find... Read review

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