York Book of Ideas
Take a look at the city of York & its
surroundings through new eyes with ideas and
inspiration for journalists and travel writers
Introduction
Welcome to the York Book of Ideas, a press pack with a difference.
This pack has been put together to provide inspiration for journalists and travel writers who are
looking for fresh ideas and reasons to write about York. You may already know that York o ffers over
30 visitor attractions from the world famous JORVIK Viking Centre to the National Railway Museum
(the largest railway museum in the UK), as well as a vibrant year-round festival programme and
superb shopping.
And of course, York is a historical gem, but it is much more than that – it is a vibrant, changing city
which appeals to culture vultures and thrill seekers, to couples looking for a relaxed escape as well as
those looking for fantastic nightlife within walking distance of their hotel. It is a small city with so
much packed in, much of which has already been written about, but with a huge amount more
remaining to be discovered. We hope this pack will help you inspire your readers and viewers to
choose York for their next adventure.
2018 will be an exciting year for York with new events coming to the city, such as Bloom! and the
new biennial international arts festival - the York Mediale. York Mansion House will open its doors to
the public again after the biggest restoration since it was built. And a not-so-lovable car park will be
transformed into Shakespeare’s Rose Theatre – Europe’s first ever Pop-Up Shakespearean theatre.
We hope you enjoy your stay in York – the Original City Adventure - and we’d be delighted to assist
you with your accommodation arrangements and York Passes so that you can get a feel for the city
and the full York experience.
We look forward to welcoming you soon!
Kay, Katie and Ana in the communications team…..
We try to keep our information up to date but sometimes things change. Please check all details on the provided websites.
York – The Original City Adventure – Start
planning your adventure today!
From sniffing out the Vikings at JORVIK, listening to evensong at York Minster, taking a step back in
time to the age of steam at the National Railway Museum, bagging top brand names at York
Designer Outlet, making chocolate at York’s Chocolate Story to mountain biking in nearby Dalby
Forest to exploring the city’s rich heritage, there’s an adventure for everyone in York and North
Yorkshire…
New themes in York for 2018:
York – The Original City Adventure Imagine a city full of culture, art, history and heritage...York has it all. There has never been a
better or more exciting year to visit a city filled with world-class attractions. Whether you’re
a thrill-seeker or a history lover, there’s an adventure for everyone in York.
#onlyinyork – new marketing campaign In 2018 Visit York will launch a new campaign theme, #onlyinyork, to complement our
headline campaign – ‘York- the original city adventure’. We’re keen to hear from travel writers
and travel bloggers who are interested in writing about experiences you can have or places
you can visit that are #onlyinyork. We’ve highlighted some of them in this press kit with the hashtag #onlyinyork
Bloom! Celebrating the 250th Anniversary of the Ancient Society
of York Florists – the oldest florists’ society in the world The Ancient Society of York Florists (ASYF) is reputedly the oldest horticultural society in the
world – with its records dating back to 1768. It is also only society retaining the word 'florists'
in its title, which refers back to the time when only florists' flowers were accepted as exhibits,
a florist being a person who grew flowers for their beauty and not a seller of cut flowers as it
is today. This year it is celebrating its 250th anniversary for which the NEW horticultural festival
Bloom! will be held in York from 5 to 8 July 2018 to celebrate plants, flowers and all things green.
Organisations already supporting the festival include: Askham Bryan College, Castle Howard,
English Heritage, York Minster, York’s hotels, restaurants and bars, Shambles Market, York
Minster, city of York council, York Museum’s Trust, York Civic Trust, universities and colleges,
The Fifth Quarter (Bootham and Gillygate Traders Association), Indie York, the Harrogate
Flower Festival, the North of England Horticultural Society, York City Centre Churches, the Great Yorkshire Fringe and the York Mediale.
Year of Grandeur at York Mansion House 2018 will be a Year of Grandeur for York’s Mansion House, after undergoing the biggest
restoration since it was built in 1732. Standing in the heart of our vibrant city, the Mansion
House is the earliest purpose built house for a Lord Mayor still in existence. Past the grandeur
of the prominent green doors and beautiful facade lies an inspiring, i nteractive environment
where visitors can experience the story of York’s past and present and see how every Lord
Mayor from the middle ages to the present day has danced, dined and entertained.
York Castle Museum’s 80th Anniversary This year York Castle Museum celebrates its 80th anniversary. The opening will be marked
with special events and a display of the museum’s founder Dr Kirk’s earliest, most unusual and
fascinating objects. York Castle Museum was founded in 1938 and is famous for its collections
of both military and social history, and costumes with over 100,000 items to display. Castle
Museum features a series of period rooms that reveal domestic interiors from various times, Jacobean, Georgian and Victorian.
Beyond York – 250th anniversary of Captain Cook’s legendary first
voyage This year will commemorate Captain James Cook’s legendary first voyage of discovery on HMS
Bark Endeavour to the Pacific, Australia and New Zealand. Cook’s expedition set off from
Plymouth in August 1768, but Cook spent his early life and career at Great Ayton, Staithes and
Whitby in Yorkshire, where the Endeavour was built. Whitby’s Captain Cook Memorial
Museum will host some events celebrating the anniversary, while the HM Bark Endeavour,
one of only two full-scale replicas of Captain Cook’s ship, will berth in Whitby and re -open as a tourist attraction in time for the anniversary.
New attractions, exhibitions & galleries to see in 2018
For a small city, it can be surprising how many new things there are to see and do in York. Below is a
list of some of the most significant new attractions, exhibitions and shows opening this year.
Mansion House re-opening York Mansion House has recently (Dec 17) undergone its biggest restoration since it was built in 1732.
Visitors are invited to experience the story of York’s past and present and see how every Lord Mayor
from the middle ages to the present day has danced, dined and entertained. Visitors will be able to
uncover civic secrets hidden within its impressive walls, marvel at the extensive gold and silver collections and discover what life was like downstairs in the fully restored Georgian kitchen.
Marinella Senatore: York Symphony – York Art Gallery 23 September 2017 – 7 May 2018
Through a series of workshops and conversations collecting individual stories in York, Italian artist
Marinella Senatore has created a new Symphony which celebrates the city. Well-known in Europe and
the US for her collaborative process of making new artworks through public participation, Senatore
uses a range of media including video, collage and text to allow her projects to speak within a range of contexts.
Sara Radstone: More than Words – York Art Gallery 17 November 2017 – 10 June 2018
The Centre of Ceramic Art (CoCA) presents a moving retrospective exhibition of work by British artist
Sara Radstone. Through her work with ceramics, Sara explores a range of ideas concerned with memory, history, landscape, humanity, loss and absence.
Designed by Martin Smith, the exhibition follows the quiet progression of Sara’s life in ceramics
beginning with early works created as she sought to reinterpret the vessel form. Following her
struggles and successes with the material, the exhibition tracks the evolution of Sara’s ideas as she
moved from vessels to freestanding sculptures, wall-based multiples and installations. Her journey has
often been circuitous as she has revisited earlier ideas and sought to resolve or re -imagine earlier
thoughts. Her work seeks to illustrate how thoughts, process and diverse sources give rise to ‘things’
and how they inhabit space. Sara has also created new work in response to the gallery space which is shown for the first time.
#onlyinyork Tim Peake’s spacecraft – National Railway Museum 17 January – 8 March 2018
The National Railway Museum is ready to host the historic Soyuz capsule used by Major Tim Peake on
his record-breaking space voyage as part of a new exhibition. Museum visitors are invited to see the
Soyuz TMA-19M spacecraft – complete with scorch marks - and experience Tim Peake’s descent to
Earth in a state-of-the art virtual reality experience (13+), brought to York by Samsung and the Science
Museum Group. Part of a national tour, this is the last chance to see Soyuz in the region and an adventure not to be missed.
1914: When the World Changed Forever – York Castle Museum Until the end of 2018
The terror of total war and its revolutionary impact on life around the world is explored in this major
exhibition marking the centenary of the First World War. From the pre-war golden age of peace and
prosperity visitors are sent to the recruitment office and travel via train to the horrors of the frontline
– from rats to foot rot, shell shock to gas warfare. Back home, daily life in Britain was changing beyond
recognition while around the world millions would die as Europe’s empires clashed in the first truly
global conflict.
The exhibition is the central part of a £1.7 million project at the museum, with the majority of the
funding from the Heritage Lottery Fund (HLF). The exhibition opened June 28, 2017 – 100 years to the
day that Archduke Franz Ferdinand was assassinated, which then sparked a chain of events which led
to the outbreak of war.
Times of Change: Women and Confectionery – York’s Chocolate Story 8 March 2018 – Early 2019
Since the confectionery industry began in the 17th Century, women have played a major part in
shaping it. From Mary Tuke – who created a successful cocoa business against all adversity and paved
the way for companies such as Rowntree’s – to Mary Ann Craven’s humbugs and French almonds. The
products they made and the businesses they created became world-wide phenomena. Throughout
the centuries, many women played their part in making the industry what it is today. Often overlooked
in the history of chocolate, these people created some iconic innovations that can still be seen across the planet.
This new exhibition will be made up of unique historical artefacts and fascinating testimony from those
tenacious women who worked in the industry. Guests will discover how workplace dynamics changed
forever when the men were called to fight in both world wars, and how it wasn’t that long ago that
marriage could act as a serious career-hindrance. For centuries, women have been the unsung heroes
of York’s sweet heritage. Times of Change: Women and Confectionery launches on International
Women’s Day (8th March) and will coincide with the 100th anniversary of women gaining the right to vote.
Yorkshire’s Jurassic World – Yorkshire Museum Opens March 24 2018
Museum’s visitors are invited to take an epic journey through 150 million years of Yorkshire to discover
lost giants and the changing worlds they inhabited in this brand new major exhibition. From the depths
of the deepest seas to the ancient coasts and tropical shallows; curious visitors will see the dinosaurs
and sea monsters that once roamed our vast and ever-changing landscapes, as well as rediscover our
prehistoric predecessors through the most fascinating remains in the region, the latest re search and
ground-breaking technology as they step into Yorkshire’s Jurassic World.
From Journeyman to King’s Carver: The Genesis and Genius of
Grinling Gibbons – Fairfax House 14 April – 14 September 2018
Following a major fundraising appeal, Fairfax House in York has saved for the nation a rare 17th
century wooden sculpture by the acknowledged ‘Michelangelo of Wood’, Grinling Gibbons. Saved
from international export and potential obscurity in a private collection, this magnificent work now
forms part of the permanent collection at Fairfax House. To celebrate the ‘home -coming’ of this
exquisite piece of craftsmanship and to illuminate the extraordinary skill of Grinling Gibbons’, Fairfax
House will be mounting a major new exhibition in 2018, From Journeyman to King’s Carver: The
Genesis and Genius of Grinling Gibbons. Opening on the 370th anniversary of Grinling Gibbons’ birth, this exhibition also marks the 350th year of his arrival in York.
Drawing on new research and bringing together artworks and sculpture by the hand of this iconic
individual from across the country (including St Paul’s Cathedral, Hampton Court Palace, the Sir John
Soane Museum, V&A to name just a few), From Journeyman to King’s Carver celebrates Grinling
Gibbons’ unequalled talent, his visionary genius, and his ability to transform the medium of wood into
something magical. It will explore his development from an obscure journeyman through to becoming the country’s most celebrated master-carver, working for the King himself.
Sea is the Limit – York Art Gallery May – September 2018 (exact dates to be confirmed)
A new exhibition coming soon… watch www.yorkartgallety.org.uk for details.
Friends of York Art Gallery 70th Anniversary May – September (exact dates to be confirmed)
A new exhibition coming soon… watch www.yorkartgallety.org.uk for details.
Aesthetica Art Prize – York Art Gallery 18 May – 30 Sept 2018
Hosted by Aesthetica Magazine, the Aesthetica Art Prize is a celebration of excellence in art from
across the world. It offers both emerging and established artists the opportunity to showcase their
work to a wider audience, and further their engagement with the international art world. The award
attracts thousands of entries in a range of innovative media from locations as diverse as Australia,
Germany, India, Japan, Malaysia, the Netherlands, the UK and the USA.
#onlyinyork Shakespeare’s Rose Theatre – Europe’s first ever pop-up
Shakespearean Theatre comes to York 25 June – 2 September 2018
Plans are afoot to bring a thrilling and unique theatrical experience to York in 2018, when Europe’s
first ever temporary Shakespearean Theatre will be constructed. Inspired by the original and legendary
Rose Theatre in London, which was built in 1587, this new Elizabethan-style theatre will sit beside the
iconic, 13th Century Clifford’s Tower in the heart of the historic city of York. Four of William
Shakespeare’s greatest plays (Macbeth, A Midsummer Night’s Dream, Romeo & Juliet, Richard III) will
be performed in repertory in the inaugural, 10-week season in summer 2018. The intimate
environment, as in Shakespeare’s day, will immerse the audience in the action on stage, making the experience an interactive one. www.shakespearesrosetheatre.com
A Personal Collection of Vivienne Westwood Shoes – York Castle
Museum 13 July 2018 – 28 April 2019
A touring exhibition from The Civic, Barnsley - A Personal Collection of Vivienne Westwood Shoes, this
ultimate indulgence shows how a private collector has built this collection over the last 15 years,
choosing them for their innovative attitude towards design and most importantly their passion.
Vivienne Westwood is best known as the creator of punk and new wave fashions as well as for opening
the ‘Sex’ boutique with Malcolm McLaren in the 1970s. This collection of shoes spans the decades from that time.
#onlyinyork York Mediale 27 September – 6 October 2018
Founded as a major international event to celebrate York’s designation as a UNESCO City of Media
Arts, the first biennial York Mediale will take place in autumn 2018. The festival will celebrate,
showcase and demonstrate the world’s leading artists and technologists, and bring the beautiful city
to life with mind blowing art, performances, workshops and installations. Engaging over 100,000
people in cutting edge media arts, the festival will provide a platform for innovative art and technology
to tell York’s stories in places people least expect it. www.cityofmediaarts.com/mediale
Mediale – Strata – York Art Gallery 29 September 2018 – 13 January 2019
An exhibition of cutting edge digital art to coincide with the York Mediale, bringing together leading digital artists from around the world. More details to follow soon…
The BFG in Pictures – York Art Gallery 12 October 2018 – 24 February 2019
The BFG in Pictures is a touring exhibition from House of Illustration – an exhibition of original Quentin
Blake illustrations, prepared for Roald Dahl’s classic story ‘The BFG’. The exhibition contains 40 original
artworks, including unpublished illustrations of The BFG which have never been exhibited in public before.
The illustrations were included in first designs but were not used when the book was published for
the first time in 1982. They provide a unique insight into the character development of one of the
most iconic characters in children's literature. These unpublished illustrations are exhibited alongside
the final illustrations for the book, providing a fascinating insight into the collaboration between author and illustrator, and a glimpse of a BFG that might have been...
Celebrating the end of ‘The Great War’ – Mansion House November 2018
Celebrating the end of ‘The Great War’ is an exhibition highlighting the role of York’s Mansion House
during World War One. Taking visitors on a journey through the house and how it adapted to solely
entertain returning soldiers, their personal accounts and the welcoming of thousands of Belgian
refugees. This is an opportunity to discover the story of the chocolate tins that will be on display for
all to see then head down to the kitchen for a taste of the times. There will be a series of talks, a themed afternoon tea and much more closer to the time.
NEW YorkPass Trail – Georgian Mystery with a YorkPass The Georgian love of gossip and scandal has inspired a new way for residents and visitors alike to
explore the city of York, with the launch of a new mystery prize trail. The Georgian Trail takes visitors
on a circular route around the city centre, enabling them to start at any point, and highlighting points
of interest along the way. Georgian Trailers can use their York Pass to visit key attractions around the
city to solve the Mysterious Case of Emily Price – a local socialite whose fate is shrouded in scandal.
Clues are hidden inside six attractions and outside famous landmarks. www.yorkpass.com/trail
Yorkshire Tour de Phantome Series of paranormal-themed visits and tours has been launched in October 2017 and are attracting
even more visitors to scenic lands of North York Moors and the Yorkshire Coast. Those looking for
spiritual adventure can walk in the footsteps of saints and sinners, and discover the stories of folklore
characters like witches, hobgoblins and spirits of local legends. There are 5 blood-chilling stages within
the Yorkshire tour de Phantome, with each route designed to take in some of the most picturesque
sights of Yorkshire along with iconic venues with significant paranormal history.
www.iscoveryorkshirecoast.com
York Food Scene News
Sara Danesin Medio Supper Club Food enthusiasts are invited to meet Sara Danesin Medio - the MasterChef Finalist 2011 and now a
well-known Chef and Food Consultant – in the heart of the city of York for a supper club evening. Sara
uses region’s amazing variety of ingredients such as Whitby Crab which she skilfully fashions into
seafood ravioli, superb game like wood pigeon, partridge and grouse which are beautifully crafted into
stunning looking dishes. Dinner will prove to be an unforgettable experience with food served in a
relaxed setting of Sara’s beautiful Victorian house against the backdrop of York Minster. The venue is
an experience that is as much about culinary delights as social interaction. The evening features a four
course tasting menu and an opportunity to meet like-minded people from across the city and beyond. For enquiries please email: [email protected] or [email protected]
The Ivy Collection spreads its roots to the North of England The famous Ivy Collection restaurant has expanded to the North of England landing their new branch
in York in December 2017. York was handpicked due to its vibrant dining culture and thriving tourist
trade. Located next to York’s famous Mansion House, home to the Lord Mayor of York, The Ivy St
Helen’s Square is a refreshing addition to York’s already exciting food and drink scene. The brasserie
features an all-day dining menu and is open from morning until after midnight every day of the week.
With a bar, terrace and interiors designed by Martin Brudnizki Design Studio, the restaurant has a quintessentially British feel and display art representing its York location. www.theivyyork.com
Investment News for 2018
Clifford’s Tower to close for redevelopment early 2018 Plans have been revealed by English Heritage that show the planned development of Clifford’s Tower,
including a visitor centre and viewing platform. It is planned that the Visitor centre will provide access
to a currently hidden 19th century wall that has been inaccessible since 1935. The proposals include
the construction of a timber structure that will enclose much of the tower’s interior and act as a
viewing platform and activity space. The designs were created by Hugh Broughton Architects in
collaboration with conservation specialists, Martin Ashley Architects, after having won a design competition in January 2015. www.english-heritage.org.uk/visit/places/cliffords-tower-york
York Community Stadium York Community Stadium project involves the creation of a unique combination of sporting, health,
educational facilities. The ‘core’ facility will be an 8,000 all seater stadium which will be shared by
York City Football Club and York City Knights Rugby League Club. The Community Stadium will provide
a high quality new home for York City Football Club and York City Knights Rugby League Club and build
on links to the new leisure facilities provided at the site, which will include newly improved swimming
facilities, gym, dance studio and a sports hall with spectator seating. www.yorkcommunitystadium.co.uk
The Grand Hotel & Spa 100 bedroom expansion A £15 million development project commenced in 2017 at The Grand Hotel & Spa in York – Yorkshire’s
only 5-star hotel – that will see the award-winning venue double its number of guest rooms. The Grade
II listed building will be connected to the adjacent Roman House, creating over 100 additional
bedrooms along with new spaces for meetings and corporate hospitality. Existing guest rooms will all
be refurbished and the Spa will be enlarged with the creation of additional treatment rooms. Due for
completion end of 2017. www.thegrandyork.co.uk
In Other News Growing new audiences for England’s Heritage Product wi th the Discover England Fund:
Using new technology to bring heritage to life this project has been developed to increase the appeal of England’s heritage with the under 35s in the US. Twelve iconic heritage sites and experiences, one in each of England’s Heritage Cities (www.heritagecities.com), have been interpreted using augmented reality. A brand new APP created for the Minster, making the most of many untold and hidden stories brings the Minster to life usi ng AR and video footage. The APP has had over 4,500 downloads to date.
Growing Manchester as an International Gateway to the North, led by Marketing Manchester. This project will increase the volume of visitors coming through Manchester Airport by creating itineraries that showcase the city, and excursions that open up the North of England. Working with destinations, travel trade and the tourism industry and targeting the US market, Marketing Manchester will lead a partnership to maximise the potential of the North of England as an international destination and gateway to the North.
Horseracing – The Sport of Kings. Cheshire West and Chester Council will be leading the project to create experience-led itineraries for visitors from the Middle East, incorporating world-famous race-courses (Ascot, Newmarket, York and Chester) with luxury accommodation offers, in heritage locations.
Key Festivals and Events in 2018…
York has a jam packed programme of events and festivals. See below for more details .
JANUARY 13 Jan York Book Fair 27 – 28 Jan York Residents Festival
FEBRUARY 12 – 18 Feb 34th JORVIK Viking Festival
MARCH 15 – 26 Mar York Literature Festival
3 - 4, 6 - 8, 10 - 11 Mar 60163 Tornado storms into the North Yorkshire Moors Railway 31 Mar – 2 Apr York Model Railway Show
APRIL 30 Mar – 2 Apr York Easter Festival
30 Mar – 2 Apr York Chocolate Festival 16 – 22 Apr York Fashion Week
14 – 15, 21 – 22 Apr York Open Studios 21 – 22 Apr Festival of Vintage
MAY 3 – 6 May Tour de Yorkshire
JUNE 1 – 3 Jun Eboracum Roman Festival
5 – 17 Jun York Festival of Ideas
9 – 10 Jun York Food and Drink Taster Festival 25 Jun – 2 Sep Shakespeare’s Rose Theatre
30 Jun Proms at York Museum Gardens
JULY 5 – 8 Jul Bloom! 6 – 14 Jul York Early Music Festival
7 Jul – 1 Sep York River Art Market 14 – 15 Jul 60’s Fest at North Yorkshire Moors Railway
9 – 29 Jul The Great Yorkshire Fringe 29 Jul Ryedale Rumble
SEPTEMBER 9, 12, 16 Sep York Mystery Plays on Wagons
15 – 16 Sep York National Book Fair
21 – 30 Sep York Food and Drink Festival 28 – 30 Sep York International Balloon Fiesta
OCTOBER 12 – 14 Oct Railway in Wartime at North Yorkshire Moors Railway
27 Sep – 6 Oct York Mediale 27 Oct – 4 Nov Future Engineers at the National Railway Museum
NOVEMBER 7 – 11 Nov Aesthetica Short Film Festival (ASFF)
DECEMBER 16 Nov – 22 Dec York Christmas Festival and St Nicholas Fair
8 – 16 Dec York Early Music Christmas Festival
JANUARY York Book Fair: 13 January 2018
The UK’s largest one day book fair where over 100 booksellers from all over the country gather to
showcase over 40,000 antiquarian, rare and second hand books on every subject. This one day event also offers a wide selection of prints, maps and ephemera.
York Residents Festival: 27 – 28 January 2018
York Residents’ Festival is a chance for local people to explore the city and be a tourist for the weekend
– for free! Organised by Visit York in partnership with the City of York Council, this annual Festival is
our way of saying a HUGE ‘thank you’ for the warm welcome the residents of York give to York’s 7
million visitors. It’s a great way to discover York’s visitor attractions for free and wine and dine using
our discounted offers. This year people will have the chance to explore behind the scenes at places
not usually open to the public and take advantage of some great dining offers.
FEBRUARY #onlyinyork 34th JORVIK Viking Festival: 12 – 18 February 2018
Recognised as the largest Viking Festival in Europe, the annual JORVIK Viking Festival is a citywide
celebration of York’s rich Norse heritage. The festival’s programme of family friendly events, lectures,
guided walks and battle re-enactments attracts over 40,000 visitors from across the globe, with many
returning year after year to take part and enjoy the atmosphere. Inspired by the ancient Viking
celebration of ‘Jolablot’ - a Norse festival that heralded the end of winter hardships and the coming
of spring, this 1,000 year old tradition was long forgotten until York Archaeological Trust, the owners
of JORVIK Viking Centre, brought it back to life in the 1980s.
Returning to York every February Half Term, JORVIK Viking Festival has become a firm fixture in the
York festival calendar. With a wide range of hands-on events and living history on offer throughout
the week, visitors are sure to come face to face with the Vikings of JORVIK during their visit. Other
events planned for the festival include talks and presentations by local experts and visiting authors,
crafting workshops where participants can help make props to go into the new JORVIK displays, city tours and a host of fringe events, from pub walks to films, throughout the city.
MARCH York Literature Festival: 15 – 26 March 2018
In 2018 York Literature Festival will feature a wide range of author-related events, poetry, talks,
workshops and so much more. Over 40 events across the city will see York focus on the written and
spoken word, with some well-known names heading to York to take part. This year highlights will
include a 'History and Historical Fiction Series', some events focused around the theme of 'Speculative
Worlds' and a celebration of 200 Years of Frankenstein. The 2018 festival will also include a number
of other events, such as a dedicated performance strand at York Theatre Royal, the return of the York
Literature Festival HUB celebrating the incredible talent of York, as well as a variety of creative writing
workshops. Venues include York Theatre Royal, York Explore Library, York St John University and St
Peter's School.
60163 Tornado storms into the North Yorkshire Moors Railway: 3 – 4, 6 – 8, 10 – 11 March 2018
Legendary locomotive, 60163 Tornado, will storm in the North Yorkshire Moors Railway in March of
2018. This stunning Peppercorn A1 Pacific class engine has been on a whirlwind of tours since she
began moving under her own steam in 2008 and this year talent spotting teams were quick to select
her to be used in the latest film about a friendly bear from deepest darkest Peru, 'Paddington Bear 2'!
York Model Railway Show: 31 March – 2 April 2018
York Easter Show has expanded to become the North's premier event and, at three days, one of the
longer running Model Railway Shows in the Country. The exact total and blend of exhibitors varies
from year to year but they aim for a total of between 110 and 130 stands including around 40 working
layouts will fill in the Knavesmire Stand at the York Racecourse.
APRIL York Easter Festival: 30 March – 2 April 2018
York has so many activities for all over the Easter Holiday, from egg hunts, special exhibitions and
workshops to outdoor activities. York Minster is the perfect backdrop to experience the spiritual side
of Easter. With a list of concerts and choral music as well as Easter services you will have a truly
inspiring Easter experience.
York Chocolate Festival: 30 March – 2 April 2018; York - Britain’s Home of Chocolate
This Easter themed weekend will give visitors a delicious chocolatey experience in preparation for the
main Food and Drink Festival taking place in Autumn. While other northern cities made their wealth
from wool, cotton and steel, York went its own sweet way and built a city from chocolate. Its rivers
brought in the vital ingredients, while the railways transported the final products at speed around the
country. York has a rich chocolate history with some of the biggest chocolate producers beginning
their production here: Rowntree’s create Kit Kat, Smarties and Aero, while Terry’s came up with the Chocolate Orange. www.yorkchocolatefestival.co.uk
York Fashion Week - Fashion city York: 16 – 22 April
Fashion City York is proud to bring York Fashion Week to the city. The whole city centre will be taken
over with runways, live windows, lectures and more – showcasing York’s fashion scene. From high
street brands and independent retailers, right through to international designers – York Fashion Week is the perfect celebration of fashion, style and creativity.
York Open Studios: 14 – 15 April & 21 – 22 April 2018
York Open Studios is a not-for-profit organisation run by a committee of volunteers for the benefit of
York residents, artists and visitors. Open over two weekends in the spring, organisation aims to
promote, celebrate and encourage participation in the visual arts. York Open Studios offers the chance
to visit artists and makers in their own studios and workshops, discover their passions and inspiration,
share their knowledge and support their engagement with the local community. With studios,
workshops and exhibitions open all over the city, York Open Studios has become a major event and over the years has introduced hundreds of artists to the public.
Festival of Vintage: 21 – 22 April 2018
The ultimate Vintage Festival Celebrating Vintage Music, Vintage Fashion & Vintage Life in the 1930's-
1960's. Visitors are invited to join in with the spirit of the Festival by wearing Vintage Attire and enter the daily Best Dressed Competition.
MAY Tour de Yorkshire: 3 – 6 May 2018
A four-day Tour de Yorkshire has been included in the 2018 Europe Tour calendar between Thursday
3rd and Sunday 6th May. The news will bring far-reaching benefits to the county and further enhance
Yorkshire’s reputation as a world-class cycling destination. The Tour de Yorkshire was launched in 2015
following the hugely successful Tour de France Grand Départ 12 months previously, and it has since
grown to become one of the sport’s best-supported and most exciting races.
JUNE #onlyinyork Eboracum Roman Festival: 1 – 3 June 2018
After the two consecutive years of success of the Eboracum Roman Festival, the festival will return to
York on 1 to 3 June 2018 with a packed programme of displays, exhibits, events and activities suitable
for all ages. There’ll be military parades, siege weapon demonstrations and guided walks. A Roman
camp in the Museum Gardens will showcase domestic Roman life with stalls selling themed gifts.
The Yorkshire Museum is home to some of Britain’s most significant Roman treasures, and there’ll be
activities and workshops in the museum throughout the festival. The museum holds the bones and
skulls of six people who came to Eboracum from all over the Empire, whose remains and possessions
tell us much about how they lived. Other highlights include a sculpture of the head of Constantine and the tombstone of a French soldier for the famous Ninth Legion.
York Festival of Ideas: 5 – 17 June 2018
York Festival of Ideas, organised by the university of York, will return with a wide range of talks and
events on various topics from 5 to 17 June 2018, with the theme ‘Imagining the Impossible’. With
mostly free events, including talks, performances and exhibitions, the Festival delivers events for all
ages and interests. The Festival is now the largest free festival in the UK. Full programme details will
be available in May 2018.
York Taster Festival: 9 – 10 June 2018
An assortment of cuisines from Jamaican to Thai, Greek to Indian, will be available to sample during
the York Taster Festival – better known as the little sister of the York Food and Drink Festival that takes
place in September. Taster might be small, but is still filled with a myriad of different flavours to try.
At the St. Sampson’s Square visitors and residents will be able to participate in food and cocktail
demonstrations, hands on workshops and speciality tastings. While the Parliament Street will offer the best shopping opportunities for locally produced foods, and some fantastic street food.
#onlyinyork Shakespeare’s Rose Theatre: 25 June – 2 September 2018
Inspired by the original and legendary Rose Theatre in London, which was built in 1587, this new
Elizabethan-style theatre will sit beside the iconic, 13th Century Clifford’s Tower in the heart of the
historic city of York. Four of William Shakespeare’s greatest plays (Macbeth, A Midsummer Night’s
Dream, Romeo & Juliet, Richard III) will be performed in repertory in the inaugural, 10-week season in summer 2018.
Proms at York Museum Gardens: 30 June 2018
York Museum Gardens will be the stunning backdrop to the inaugural York Proms, an open air picnic
concert celebrating the most popular classical music ever written with a rousing proms finale,
champagne, strawberries and much more. The new event will also raise money for the York Museums
Trust, which operates York Museum Gardens along with York Castle Museum, the Yorkshire Museum,
York Art Gallery and York St Mary’s in York.
JULY #onlyinyork Bloom! Festival: 5 – 8 July 2018
In celebration of the 250th anniversary of the Ancient Society of York Florists, the oldest florists’
society still in existence in the world, a new festival, Bloom!, is being planned for historic York in 2018.
The new four-day festival, from 5-8 July, celebrating horticulture and flowers in York, will mark this
milestone with events and installations right across the city. The Ancient Society of York Florists is the
oldest existing horticultural society, predating any other, with records dating back to 1768, when the
society was founded. It is the only society retaining the word 'florists' in its title, which refers back to
the time when only florists' flowers were accepted as exhibits - a florist being a person who grew
flowers for their beauty and not a seller of cut flowers as it is today.
York Early Music Festival: 6 – 14 July 2018
The internationally acclaimed York Early Music Festival had a bumper year in 2017, when it cel ebrated
its 40th anniversary. Attracting the best musicians and performers from around the world to present
musical performances from the 12th - 18th centuries, the 2018 Festival takes place in historic venues
in the medieval City of York. The theme for 2018 is Power and Politics and highlights include Brecon
Baroque directed by violinist Rachel Podger, Gallicantus directed by Gabriel Crouch with the Rose
Consort of Viols and The Sixteen directed by Harry Christophers. There is also a strong focus on
emerging young talent, showcasing ensembles including Prisma; Voces Suaves; Rumorum and BarrocoTout.
Ryedale Rumble: 29 July 2018
The very popular Ryedale Rumble is making its long awaited return to the Sportive calendar on July
29th 2018. Now being run by Ryedale School PTA, to help raise funds for our small but outstanding
school, the Rumble has a few changes of route but essentially is still the same exhilarating and arduous
challenge that it always was. The Ryedale Rumble allows riders of all abilities to e xplore areas of the North York Moors national park, while raising money for Ryedale’s leading secondary school.
York River Art Market: 7 July – 1 September
York River Art Market is a Summer time, city centre, river side arts event which runs each Saturday
10:30am-6pm from 7 July until 1 September. Situated alongside the river Ouse on Dame Judy Dench
Walk, behind the historic Museum Gardens and visible from Lendal Bridge. Artists from all over
Yorkshire and beyond display their unique artworks along the rai lings by the river, creating a wonderful atmosphere which many have compared to the Parisian Left Bank art markets.
York Maze (dates to be confirmed…)
Created from over one million living, growing maize plants, York Maze is not just the largest maze in
the UK it’s an award winning fun filled, day out in the country. With over 20 different rides, attractions and shows to enjoy York Maze offers an amazing fun-filled full family day out.
60’s Fest at North Yorkshire Moors Railway: 14 – 15 July
Visitors are invited to step back to the swinging 60's with live music at all stations along the railway
and a mix of period locomotives and vehicles. Featuring headline 60s acts, alongside the best in local
and regional musicians, the event also includes a showcase of classic 60s cars, memorabilia shops, 60s
hairdos and fancy dress, as well as children’s rides. This year Pickering Station will host a Pop Pirate Radio show, hall of legends exhibit and 60s fashion show.
The Great Yorkshire Fringe: 9 – 29 July 2018
Following a remarkable success, The Great Yorkshire Fringe festival is returning to the heart of
Yorkshire this summer. Starting July 9th, the festival will fill the historic city centre of York with
comedians, musicians, food and drink enthusiasts, as well as residents and visitors, young both in body
and soul. The festival will be back for three weeks from 9 to 29 of July 2018 for another year of music, comedy and theatre. For more information visit www.greatyorkshirefringe.com
SEPTEMBER #onlyinyork York Mystery Plays on Wagons: 9, 12, 16 September 2018
The York Mystery Plays will be staged again in 2018 on pageant wagons in the city’s streets. The York
Mystery Plays are a cultural treasure that the city is rightly proud of. Beyond the religious significance,
they represent the values of community and togetherness as they draw on the talents of local people,
who gladly give their time to present these iconic plays to the people of Yorkshire and beyond. In 2018
for the first time an additional torch-lit evening performance will be held.
York National Book Fair: 14 – 15 September 2018
From modest beginnings with just 20 exhibitors at the White Swan Inn in York in 1974, the York Book
Fair has grown into the largest rare and collectable books fair in the UK. Held over two days, over 220
of the country's leading booksellers offer a breath-taking diversity of books, as well as posters,
ephemera, manuscripts, maps and prints, ranging in price from just a few pounds up to tens of
thousands of pounds. Besides booksellers there will also be bookbinders, paper resto rers, calligraphers and others in the associated trades’ area.
York Food and Drink Festival: 21 – 30 September 2018
York Food and Drink Festival will offer day and evening events from wine tastings, talks and food
tastings to cookery demonstrations and hands on workshops in some of the city’s iconic historic
buildings. A more detailed programme to be confirmed in 2018. www.yorkfoodfestival.com
#onlyinyork York International Balloon Fiesta: 28 – 30 September 2018
The skies of York will be transformed once again this year when the city welcomes its second hot air
balloon festival following the success of last year’s flight. A total of more that 40 hot air balloons, from
all across the UK, will fly across York while a fun packed festival -style weekend takes place below.
Visitors and residents can watch the balloons lift off from the Knavesmire while they explore the
funfair complete with Victorian inspired rides, live music, a beer tent and tasty street food stalls from Yorkshire vendors.
OCTOBER #onlyinyork York Mediale: 27 September – 6 October 2018
Founded as a major international event to celebrate York’s designation as a UNESCO City of Media
Arts, the first biennial York Mediale will take place in autumn 2018. The festival will celebrate,
showcase and demonstrate the world’s leading artists and technologists, and bring the beautiful city
to life with mind blowing art, performances, workshops and installations. Engaging over 100,000
people in cutting edge media arts, the festival will provide a platform for innovative art and technology
to tell York’s stories in places people least expect it. www.cityofmediaarts.com/mediale
Railway in Wartime at North Yorkshire Moors Railway: 12 – 14 October 2018
Visitors and residents alike are invited to relive the amazing spirit and camaraderie of World War II
and enjoy the various re-enactments, entertainment and vehicle displays along the line at Pickering, Le Visham, Goathland and Grosmont Stations.
Future Engineers at the National Railway Museum: 27 October – 4 November (half term)
Taking place over October half term, this popular event returns for a third year promising a bigger and
better programme of free, interactive family activities themed around engineering.
Part of the national ‘year of engineering’, Future Engineers brings together the biggest names in
engineering and the exciting challenges for the next generation of engineers. Last year’s programme
reached more than 40,000 people and highlights included an engineering gameshow, an edu-rapper,
a resident poet and much more.
Future Engineers is suitable for the whole family and includes live demonstrations, hands-on activities and science shows alongside the engineering legends of the steam age such as Mallard.
NOVEMBER Aesthetica Short Film Festival (ASFF): 7 – 11 November 2018
The BAFTA Qualifying Aesthetica Short Film Festival (ASFF) is organised by Aesthetica, an international
art and culture publication. The festival was launched in 2011 and takes place annually at the
beginning of November in York. ASFF champions outstanding filmmaking talent and expands audience
choice by showcasing 300 stunning films from across the world in 18 of the city’s most iconic venues.
The films span a diverse range of genres, including advertising, animation, artists’ film, comedy, dance,
documentary, drama, experimental, fashion, music video and thriller. 2018 will be the festival’s eighth
year and will be celebrated with an even bigger programme of films and networking opportunities that make the festival a must-attend event for all filmmakers and film fans.
DECEMBER York Christmas Festival and St Nicholas Fair: 16 Nov – 22 Dec 2018
York Christmas Festival takes place annually, now extended to run from mid-November to 23rd
December. The popular St Nicholas Fair in Parliament Street will run for the full 35 days too, with
extended opening times. Snug wooden chalets, dressed with pretty garlands and twinkling lights will
line Parliament Street and extend into St Sampson’s Square. Adding to the festive atmosphere,
stallholders will be selling a range of gifts including jewellery such as Whitby jet, ceramics, homewares,
crafts and Yorkshire produce such as locally made wines and cheeses. www.visityork.org/christmas
York Early Music Christmas Festival: 8 – 16 Dec 2018
York Early Music Christmas Festival is a key part of the Christmas calendar in York, showcasing
beautiful festive early music and performing in the atmospheric surroundings of St Margaret's Church, Walmgate. More details to follow in 2018.
York Races – Various dates
Visit one of the finest racecourses in the country:
Dante Festival – three days of racing in May: 16 – 18 may 2018
May Spring Meeting – York’s first Saturday of 2018: 26 May 2018
June Meeting with Macmillan Charity Raceday: 15 June 2018
Summer Music Saturday: 30 June 2018
John Smith’s Cup Meeting – York’s informal party highlight: 13 July 2018
Music Showcase Weekend – live music & racing combined: 27 – 28 July 2018
Welcome to Yorkshire Ebor Festival inc. Ladies Day: 22 – 25 August 2018
The Press Family Raceday – a Sunday with the family: 9 September 2018
October Finale – last chance to come to York in 2018: 12 – 13 October 2018
#onlyinyork 10 THINGS THAT MAKE YORK SPECIAL
1. York is home to the largest Gothic cathedral in Northern Europe: York Minster. This massive
structure took 250 years to build, from 1220 until its consecration in 1472.
2. York is home to one of the largest railway museums in the world, where visitors can witness the
Tim Peak’s Spacecraft and view the only Japanese Bullet ‘Shinkansen’ train outside of Japan.
3. The best racecourse in Great Britain is right here in York. York Races run from May to October
and attract thousands of visitors each year. Did you know the Romans started racing in York in
208 AD?
4. The biggest Festival of Food and Drink in Great Britain takes place for ten days here in
September.
5. You can visit JORVIK – the only attraction of its kind that is based on a real archaeological dig.
York was the trading hub of the Viking world and the authenticity of JORVIK makes it unique. It
attracts millions of tourists and has become one of Britain’s top visitor attractions.
6. Britain’s Home of Chocolate has a long history of chocolate making since 1725. Both Rowntree’s
(now Nestlé) and Terry’s (now owned by Mondelēz International) started here, and Kit Kat is the
biggest seller, with around 5 million Kit Kats being produced in York every day. Visit York’s
Chocolate Story to find out more!
7. We have two of the country’s most beautiful national parks right on our doorstep – the Yorkshire
Dales and the North York Moors. The North York Moors Steam Railway at Goathland was the
location for the first Harry Potter film.
8. The Treasurer’s House in York was in the Guinness Book of Records for having the ‘Ghosts of
Greatest Longevity’. Built over the main Roman thoroughfare leading into York, the house was
the site of a remarkable apparition in the 1950s when ghostly centurions wandered through the
cellar along the Roman road. This is just one of the sightings in York and it’s been named
Europe’s most haunted city. There are a number of ghost walks to choose from.
9. York has the longest and best preserved city walls in England.
10. Finally don’t forget there are a lot of new things in the city. If you haven’t visited for a year or
two you will find a multitude of new bars, cafés and award-winning restaurants.
THE CULTURE VULTURE’S ADVENTURE
1. Marvel at astonishing artwork and ceramics at York Art Gallery – now also home to the Centre
of Ceramic Art.
2. Strut the catwalk with York Castle Museum’s ‘Shaping the Body’ exhibition
3. Immerse yourself in York's past at the Yorkshire Museum
4. See if you can catch the famous Flying Scotsman at the National Railway Museum that is going
on a tour around the UK this year
5. Enjoy recreated Viking-age streets for the sights, sounds and smells of JORVIK Viking Centre
6. Envisage life in the air force at the Yorkshire Air Museum
7. Imagine yourself in “Brideshead Revisited” at Castle Howard
8. Discover the York Guilds at the Merchant Adventurers’ Hall
9. Seek out the cat statues located on York’s historic buildings
10. Walk the entire length of the medieval city walls
11. Spoil yourself with designer goods at York Designer Outlet
12. Roar with laughter at the Great Yorkshire Fringe Festival (July)
13. Relax in York's Botanical Museum Gardens
14. Place your bets on a world class winner at York Racecourse
THE FOODIE’S ADVENTURE
1. Cook up a feast at the York Cookery School
2. Indulge in champagne afternoon tea
3. Decorate a chocolate lollipop at York’s Chocolate Story
4. Learn how real ale is made on a tour of York Brewery
5. Tickle your taste buds at the York Food and Drink Festival
6. Experience award-winning afternoon tea at the National Railway Museum’s Countess of York
7. Discover shops full of delicious treats on the Shambles
8. Treat yourself to fresh Yorkshire produce at Shambles Market
9. Try fine real ale and Yorkshire puds at the Walmgate Ale House
10. Head to the Star Inn the City for a menu of renowned local dishes
11. Conspire with fellow plotters as you dine at the Guy Fawkes Inn
12. Enjoy fine fodder at the Hairy Fig deli & café, Fossgate
13. Learn some cooking tricks from MasterChef finalist Sara Danesin Medio
14. Master the art of making delicious chocolates from scratch at York Cocoa House
15. Take in views of the city walls in the Lamb & Lion beer garden
THE HISTORY LOVER’S ADVENTURE
1. Get lost in the city’s ginnels and snickelways
2. Be enthralled at York Minster’s Evensong
3. Solve the Georgian Mystery with the YorkPass trail
4. Steal a kiss under the Heart of Yorkshire window at York Minster
5. Experience the era of steam at the North Yorkshire Moors Railway and National Railway
Museum
6. See world heritage at Fountains Abbey & Studley Royal
7. Join the quest to find the missing diamond jewels at Fairfax House
8. Dress up as a vicious Viking at the JORVIK Viking Festival (in February)
9. Be an explorer at Whitby's Captain Cook Memorial Museum
10. Journey into over 2000 years of horrible history at York Dungeon
11. Check out all things Roman at the Roman Bath House
12. Peek through York Cold War Bunker’s blast-proof doors
13. Hide inside a priest hole at England's oldest living convent
14. Explore Byland Abbey, once one of the great northern monasteries
15. Immerse yourself in the story of York Minster on a guided tour
THE THRILL SEEKER’S ADVENTURE
1. Place your bets at York Racecourse and watch your winning horse come in
2. Discover the darker side of York on the Ghost Bus Tour
3. Explore York from the river in your own motorboat at York City Cruises
4. Meander across bridleways and tracks on a rural cycling tour
5. Lose your way in Europe’s biggest maize York Maze
6. Scare yourself on a ghost walk in Europe’s most haunted city
7. Roam through hidden streets with York Cycling Tours
8. Fly through the trees at Dalby Forest on a zip-wire at Go Ape
9. Come face to face with sharks at The Deep in Hull
10. See falcons fly overhead at the National Centre for Birds of Prey
11. Challenge yourself on the high ropes at the Web Adventure Park
12. Get your bounce on at Energi York trampoline park
13. Beat the clock in a live room escape game at Gr8 Escape
14. Enter the cockpit of an F1 car at York Motorsports Village
15. Board a York City Cruises Ghost Cruise if you dare….
16. Boost your adrenaline on a day out with Lost Earth Adventures
17. Experience astronaut Tim Peake’s dramatic journey back to earth in brand-new VR simulator
at the National Railway Museum
19 ideas for your stay in York...
In this section, we look at different travellers and their motivations for looking for a different holiday
destination, and then explain why York is perfect for each of them. This is just to whet your appetite!
1. York’s English Gardens
Outdoor inspiration, from window box to stately home
York and its surroundings have so many gardens from fields of lavender to banks of daffodils, cottage
gardens to vegetable plots, and bluebell woods to wide open parklands. To combine green fingered
delights with some of the best views of Yorkshire – all within an hour’s drive of the centre of York
visit…
…the UK’s biggest National Collection of hardy Waterlilies at Burnby Hall Gardens.
…the UK’s longest and one of Europe’s longest double herbaceous borders at Newby Hall and
Gardens.
…one of England's most comprehensive collections of modern roses (over 2,000 varieties),
plus an Arboretum linked to Kew Gardens at Castle Howard.
…RHS Harlow Carr, the most northern of the RHS’ four gardens. Visit the ‘Gardens Through
Time’, the Alpine House or the Kitchen Garden.
…York’s own Botanical Gardens and also Goddard’s garden – at the former home of chocolate
entrepreneur, Noel Terry.
…the multi Award-Winning Yorkshire Lavender Farm. The farm awaits for everyone to relax in
the spectacular hillside plot of nearly 60 acres, within the Howardian Hills Area of Outstanding
Natural Beauty.
…Rowntree Park designed by Frederick Rowntree which occupies 30 acres on the south bank
of the River Ouse, designed around a large lake, with grassland, trees and colourful
flowerbeds. The park also includes a memorial to the workers of the Rowntree factory who
fought in the First World War.
…Bishopthorpe Palace gardens, which were established in the 11th century beside the River
Ouse. The historical features include an almost 800 year old fishpond, a folly, rare trees and
spectacular displays of spring flowers and rhododendrons. There’s also a Garden of
Remembrance for Diana, Princess of Wales. The Palace Gardens are not open to the public,
but can be hired for private functions.
...the penguins at Harewood House! There aren’t many gardens in the UK where you can see
penguins walking around, but there is one near York – Harewood Gardens have penguins,
owls, flamingos and even parrots! It truly is a sanctuary to exotic species.
…Stillingfleet Lodge Gardens. Stillingfleet offers a variety of workshops and talks on how to
manage and create beautiful gardens.
For a different take on gardening you could visit the Rose Window at York Minster.
2. York for culture vultures
York has been the cultural heart of England for over 2000 years. With a year round programme of
festivals and events, there’s something for everyone around every corner…
The streets surrounding York Minster, King’s Manor and St William’s College are steeped in an
unmistakeably intellectual, academic atmosphere. This has been a place of historians, of
archaeological and religious study, of choristers, of book publishing, of scholarly endeavour -
for hundreds of years.
York’s museums (Yorkshire Museum and York Castle Museum) display the city’s wealth of
historical and artistic treasures, from Roman times to York’s genteel Georgian days.
York Art Gallery is remarkable for its collection of important European paintings spanning
seven centuries, with works by Bellotto, Reynolds, Lowry and York-born William Etty.
The Centre of Ceramic Arts (CoCA) is the new gallery home to a collection of more than 5,000
examples of British Studio Ceramics from throughout the twentieth century right up to the
present day.
Cultural offerings range from medieval music in the Minster to challenging drama, world music
and innovative venues and showcases for new artists of all kinds.
The packed programmes at the Grand Opera House and York Theatre Royal range from grand
opera and classical ballet to Stomp and Soul Explosion.
Concerts at the National Centre for Early Music feature folk, jazz, 20th century and world
music as well as Britain’s premier festival of early music every year.
Events and festivals reflect the cultural nature of any city and York is no exception. The Festival
of Ideas features more than enough talks and discussions on various topics from science and
human nature to literature and history. York Minster services and concerts, the annual York
Early Music Festival and even the many buskers on York’s streets all make York a perfect place
for music lovers.
City Screen York is one of Britain’s Picture House cinemas. As well as screening arthouse,
independent and quality mainstream films, the Basement Bar hosts diverse music, poetry and
comedy events plus a regular film quiz night.
Art of Protest Gallery is a place where the cultural production born of this reality break
through to everyday conversations outside of the established art arenas. It pushes these
conversations beyond the borders of country, religion, class and social media groups, and
illuminates the common ground that we all stand on through the prism of visual culture.
3. City of UNESCO Media Arts
The city of York received one of the world’s most sought-after accolades in 2014…and for good
reason!
With an emphasis on ensuring everybody in the city benefits from the ‘UNESCO City of Media Arts’
designation, York is currently putting into action an ambitious and inclusive plan to encourage even
more participation and enjoyment of the arts in many different forms.
York is already a leading destination for creative and digital businesses: it is the largest growth area of
the city’s economy, benefiting from significant investment in supporting infrastructure in recent years,
including the £20 million Ron Cooke Hub for creative enterprise and the new £30 million Heslington
Studios at the University of York. This attracts both extraordinary entrepreneurs and outstanding
talent, helping to create the thriving cultural scene for which it is famed. In October 2018 a new
international media arts festival – Mediale – is taking place to celebrate York’s UNESCO city of media
arts accreditation.
If you fancy using your iPad or smartphone instead of old maps and guides, there are more than
enough apps to use in York:
York Museums Trust has three free history trails apps for your mobile.
English Heritage Cities App – developers have placed special “trigger points” that uncover
augmented-reality displays - showing features on the smartphone screen ‘on site’ at the
historic venues around the country - 3D reconstructions, and 360-degree panoramas that tell
the unique stories associated with the sites, which includes York Minster.
CityConnect Wi-Fi in York is a free public Wi-Fi service that is available 24/7, 365 days a year
and has been designed and managed by Pinnacl Solutions.
‘Cycle Yorkshire Ride the Routes’ is an innovative mobile app designed around the Yorkshire
stages of the Tour de France Grand Départ in Yorkshire. It encompasses information on the
routes, hints and tips on how to cycle specific sections and general rural cycling road safety
advice.
The York Churches app shows the whereabouts of all York's churches on a GPS-enabled map,
plus a quick intro to them, their history and crucially their current life.
4. York for history buffs
‘The history of York is the history of England’– King George VI
It’s true; little things really do say a lot as York’s collection of curious objects demonstrates. The
fascinating facts they reveal speak volumes about the ancient city, which is home to many of the
country’s rarest treasures.
Captain Scott of the Antarctic’s tin of cocoa - this treasured home comfort was found beside
the frozen explorer’s remains. It survived one of the world’s most famed and daring
expeditions and is now back in the city it was made in. See it at York’s Chocolate Story.
Unusual artefacts made by German and Turkish prisoners of war - including a glass bead snake
from WWI, a ship in a bottle, a cigarette case made of aluminium and a duck toy. See them at
Eden Camp Modern History Theme Museum which is housed within an original prisoner of
war camp.
The York Helmet - the most outstanding object of the Anglo-Saxon period to survive in Europe.
Dated to approximately 750 to 775AD, this iron and brass helmet was discovered when struck
by the claw of a mechanical digger – luckily the operator stopped to check what had been hit.
See it at the Yorkshire Museum.
The Horn of Ulf - The Chapter of York, which remains the guardian of York Minster, was given
the land on which York Minster and its precincts stand by a Viking nobleman called Ulf, who
owned a significant estate around York. As a symbolic deed of trust, he presented the Chapter
with a large and ornate ivory horn, the Horn of Ulf. See it in the Minster’s new Undercroft
exhibition.
The National Railway Museum houses the world’s finest collection of royal carriages including
Queen Victoria’s last surviving saloon car. Built in 1869 this carriage is lavishly furnished and
included luxuries such as an onboard toilet (which she never used).
The only known surviving example of a Viking-age knitted sock is on display at JORVIK Viking
Centre (form 8 April), alongside a host of everyday items and relics that provide an unrivalled
insight into Viking life.
A Roman hairpiece from the late 3rd to early 4th century – this exceptionally rare hairpiece
was discovered in York and probably belonged to a girl who was in her mid-teens when she
died. The bun of auburn hair was found with two jet hairpins in a stone coffin.
One of the finest pieces of Gothic jewellery found in Britain – the Middleham jewel and ring.
A member of the powerful Neville family whose home was based at Middleham Castle may
possibly have had this fantastic jewellery made by one of London’s famous goldsmiths. See it
at the Yorkshire Museum.
5. York and famous historical characters
Septimius Severus, the African-born Roman emperor, died in Eboracum in 211. Septimius was
an intimate friend of Marcus Aurelius and Commodus. Some say he may have e ven had a part
in Commodus’ murder!
Guy Fawkes, the famous Gunpowder Plotter was born and baptised in York. He was baptised
at St Michael le Belfrey church in 1570, which still stands there, right across the road from
York Minster.
Margaret Clitherow, wife of a Shambles butcher, was crushed to death for harbouring Catholic
priests in 1586. Today her house is a shrine (located in the Shambles) and Margaret is revered
as a martyr. Her hand, which was cut off after her death, is kept in the Bar Convent Museum.
Constantine the Great, the first Christian Roman Emperor was declared emperor in York
306AD.
George Hudson, the Railway King was born near York in 1800 and was a Councillor, Alderman,
Member of Parliament and Lord Mayor of York.
Dick Turpin, the famous dashing highwayman, was imprisoned and stayed at the Castle
Museum until being hanged at York Racecourse in 1739.
Alcuin, the famous Anglo-Saxon scholar, was educated at York’s cathedral school around 750,
he was a major figure of York’s ‘Dark Ages’.
Eric Bloodaxe, a Viking warrior and the King of York, ruled over York for 14 years until being
expelled in 954 and later murdered. He was most certainly representative of the bloodiest
characters in York’s bloody history.
6. York has over 48 medieval churches
A treasure-trove of medieval churches and their stories
‘York has England’s finest set of medieval town churches. It has also been successful in bringing them back to
life … and … they remain a wonderful complement to York Minster, evoking some sense of an English city in the
late Middle Ages, each neighbourhood owing allegiance to an often tiny place of worship, enclosed by lanes
and alleys.’
From England’s Thousand Best Churches, by Simon Jenkins.
Yes, throughout times York has had more than 48 churches, some of them long gone. Today, 19
medieval churches are still standing and regular services continue to be held in the majority of them.
The following gives a flavour of what you can see:
York Minster - second in importance only to Canterbury Cathedral in the Church of England,
its spires dominate York’s skyline. The largest Gothic cathedral in Northern Europe, taking 250
years to build, and nearly 200 feet high, it has more original medieval stained glass than any
other church in England (the East Window is the size of a tennis court), and endless examples
of master craftsmanship.
Holy Trinity, Goodramgate: truly a hidden gem, the second oldest of York’s medieval churches
with original box pews and rare 15th century stained glass.
Holy Trinity, Micklegate: once a substantial priory. The city’s stocks remain in the churchyard
today.
All Saints, Pavement: outstanding features include a 13th century knocker on the door, a 15th
century lectern and a 17th century pulpit from which John Wesley preached.
All Saints, North Street: has the finest medieval stained glass of all York’s churches, in
particular the window from 1425 which depicts the 15 signs of the end of the world, which
was at that time expected to occur in 1500.
St Michael-le-Belfrey, High Petergate: home to the baptismal record of Guy Fawkes.
The Spurriergate Centre is the only café with a full peel of bells.
…And some you can’t see anymore:
All Saints, Fishergate was built in or before the 11th century and fell into disuse after the
dissolution of the Monasteries. By 1549 the church had disappeared.
Holy Trinity on King’s Square was rebuilt in the 19th century, but closed in 1886. It housed a
small flock of sheep in 1896 and was then demolished in 1937. You can still see some of the
gravestones from its churchyard near the top of the Shambles.
St Benet was built on the corner of Swinegate and back Swinegate in 1154 and was demolished
around 1300.
St George on Fishergate was in a ruinous state by 1644. Its churchyard along with Dick Turpin’s
gravestone has survived.
St Wilfrid church used to be on Blake Street. The church was suppressed in 1585, but the name
was revived in 1760 for a Roman Catholic chapel on a different site and in 1802 it was rebuilt
in Duncombe Place where the present St Wilfrid replaced it in 1864.
7. Taste York
Visit great restaurants… with plenty to fill in the time between meals, too!
Yorkshire folk take their food and drink seriously which is probably why Yorkshire now boasts the
largest number of Michelin-starred restaurants than any other county in England outside of London.
So it’s no surprise that as Yorkshire’s ancient capital, York flies the flag for good food and drink in
the region:
One of York’s ‘Foodie Streets’ is Fossgate (you’ll find lots of independent restaurants here)
York Food and Drink Festival, held every September is the largest event of its kind in the UK,
and a massive showcase for the restaurants, hotels, shops and food manufacturing
companies.
The Yorkshire pudding has been voted the top Yorkshire icon (above the Minster and the
Yorkshire Dales: Dalesman Survey 2014) – you can learn how to make one on a cookery course
in York.
York’s world-renowned tea rooms Bettys Café Tea Rooms – are simply the place to sample a
Yorkshire Fat Rascal and a ‘proper’ cup of tea.
York has around 40 Fair Trade cafés and restaurants.
York’s award-winning food and drink suppliers include The Balloon Tree and Demijohn.
York’s award-winning chefs include Roux-trained Michael Hjort at Melton’s and Andrew Pern
at Star Inn The City.
Visit the Countess of York - officially the UK’s best afternoon tea (Visit England) inside a
beautifully restored carriage at the National Railway Museum
If you can’t go to Italy, Italy will come to you... at Roberto Italian Gelato café near Monkgate
Bar on Goodramgate.
Anyone who fancies a true gourmet pint should visit one of the many beer houses including
the House of Trembling Madness (a medieval drinking hall) and Stein Bier Keller (German beer
keller).
You can take a tour of the local craft breweries with Brew York
Find the exotic looking black cheddar at the independent cheese shop on Gillygate – Love
Cheese. If black cheddar is not really your thing there is a core selection of around 65 cheeses
which are kept in stock all the time. This covers the classics such a Keen's Mature Cheddar,
Brie De Meaux, Cropwell Bishop Stilton and around 25 delicious Yorkshire cheeses!
For more information about food and drinks in York please see our Taste York media pack or
www.visityork.org/food
8. York for chocoholics
York – Britain’s home of Chocolate is the perfect place for chocoholics!
When it comes to chocolate, there really is no place like York. You can literally eat, breathe and sleep
it. York’s reputation as the city of chocolate dates back to the 20th century when two of the most
famous names in chocolate set up shop: Joseph Rowntree went on to create Kit Kat, Smarties and
Aero, and Joseph Terry the Chocolate Orange and All Gold collection. Today York’s love of chocolate
is as strong as ever and can be experienced in numerous attractions, restaurants and shops around
the city. If you’re seeking extra helpings of cocoa there’s even an annual spring chocolate festival
complete with a ‘chocolate market’ showcasing local chocolate makers’ creations, and also chocolate
tastings and workshops.
York’s unique chocolate experiences include:
York’s Chocolate Story - one of York’s biggest visitor attractions celebrates the mouth-
watering story of chocolate and confectionery in York. Discover chocolate's origins, how to
make it and how to taste it like an expert.
York Chocolate Trail - a chocolate-themed walking trail with sweet treats at every turn.
Following the footsteps of Joseph Rowntree on the Rowntree Trail.
Chocolate-making workshop – York offers a range of practical courses from the city’s experts
including chocolatier Sophie Jewett at York Cocoa House. Learn how to make your own
chocolate to show off and share.
Goddard’s – home to the Terry family - visit this former arts and crafts-style family home built
in the 1920s with a perfect view from the beautifully secluded gardens across the Knavesmire
to the former iconic Terry’s chocolate factory.
Book your hotel stay with one of the hotels offering a Chocolate Break, you can choose from
Hotel Indigo or The Limes.
You can often breathe in the scent of chocolate as you walk through the streets – York’s
chocoriffic experience that has absolute ly no calories! If you’d like to track the delicious
chocolate smell follow @YorkChocAroma on Twitter and see maps highlighting the likely
coverage based on wind speed and direction.
For more information on chocolate please see our Chocolate York media kit or
www.visityork.org/chocolate
9. York for music lovers
York’s thriving music scene includes big name acts and local artists
York has many strings to its bow when it comes to music and can play along to anyone’s favourite
tune. As well as musical events such as the annual York Early Music Festival and York Minster’s services
and concerts all mentioned in the cultural ideas section of this pack, a big part of York’s music scene
belongs to its diverse range of street performers and bands who make music free and accessible across
the city and its pubs, clubs and restaurants. These include:
The red piano playing busker who has had more than 230,000 hits on YouTube seen playing
one of his original tunes, ‘Chokin' Boogie’
‘Encouraging the Loony’ plays at the Victoria Vaults on the first Tuesday of every month. This
‘loud and proud’ band performs a mix of comedy and ‘going for it’ music, playing everything
from boogie-woogie to Rachmaninov, Tom Jones to The Beatles, and Led Zeppelin to Herbie
Hancock and Scot Joplin.
Ed Alleyne-Johnson is a British electric violinist and prolific busker. He has been busking since
he was a Fine Art student at Oxford University in the early 1980s and uses an electric violin
that he carved with a kitchen knife, a custom pedal-board, and an amplifier which he modified
to run off rechargeable batteries. This setup has enabled him to perform on the street in
almost every major city in Europe, and across the United States and Canada.
The Voice contestant Beth McCarthy is one of York’s popular buskers.
Music at the National Centre for Early Music ranges from folk, jazz, 20th century and world
music, plus Britain’s premier festival of early music every year.
The Nook is a small cosy café that changes into a bohemian bar with great cocktails (and good
prices!) with open-mic evenings every Friday, where young Yorkies share their talent with
everyone in the café.
Ryedale Jazz Festival takes place in venues across Pickering and is run by Ryedale Jazz Society,
which was founded with the aim of introducing traditional jazz to younger audiences as well
as ensuring that enthusiasts have opportunities to enjoy performers from all over the country.
On a final musical note, Yorkshire’s favourite spring sound is birds singing. In a poll of over
2,000 people, of those living in Yorkshire, the National Trust found that 70% declared that
birdsong was their favourite sound of spring.
10. York for film lovers
Choose one of York’s cinemas for a memorable film experience:
City Screen York is one of Britain’s Picture House cinemas. As well as screening arthouse,
independent and quality mainstream films, the Basement Bar also hosts a regular film quiz
night.
Brandy Brown’s Cinema at 1331 is a luxurious attic cinema full of atmosphere with all of the
mod cons. There are 18 fully reclining leather armchairs and several comfy beanbags. The
cinema can also be hired out for private screenings!
Famous actors from York:
Dame Judi Dench, one of the finest, best-known and best-loved English actresses, was born in
York in 1934. She attended the Mount School.
David Bradley, the cadaverous caretaker Argus Filch in the Harry Potter films, is from York.
David has also had a glittering theatre career and played God in the 1976 York Mystery Plays.
Mark Addy, the insecure security guard Dave in The Full Monty, Fred Flintstone in 'Flintstones
in Las Vegas’, and more recently the King of the Iron Throne in Game of Thrones was born and
bred in York.
Ian Kelsey, best known as Dave Glover in the popular English soap television programme
Emmerdale or as Dr Patrick Spiller in Casualty was born in York in 1972.
Filmed in York:
The Water Babies (1978) – City of York
Brideshead Revisited (1981, 2008) – Castle Howard
Elizabeth (1998) – York Minster
Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone (2001) – York Railway Station
Mansfield Park (2007) – Newby Hall
Death Comes to Pemberley (2013) – Castle Howard, York Minster, St William’s College,
Treasurer’s House, York Castle Museum, County Court House, Harewood House
Jonathan Strange and Mr Norrell (2015) – York Minster, St William’s College
Victoria (2016) - Castle Howard, Harewood House
Girlfriends (2017) – By Kay Mellor – TV Drama
11. York and Crafts
York has many hidden crafty shops, cafés and even a trail to follow!
At Shambles Market you can find something to use to be crafty yourself, or get wonderful and
original hand-made presents.
The Viking Loom stocks an eclectic mix of products embracing quality, colour, shape, texture
and variety. Our favourites are the top quality beads from all over Europe in all sorts of colours
and shapes. They also have a wide selection of different fabrics delivered regularly.
Grace & Jacobs is a small business offering beautiful textiles and materials, wool, jelly rolls and
much more.
Did you just love Jack Sparrow’s jacket buttons in the Pirates of the Caribbean? Look no further
than Coppergate in York. Duttons for Buttons equipped the whole Pirates of the Caribbean
with buttons!
Ramshambles offers a variety of York wool for knitters.
The Arts Shop has craft and art material for the professional, serious amateurs and for leisure
painters.
York Art Gallery is remarkable for its collection of important European paintings spanning
seven centuries, with works by Bellotto, Reynolds, Lowry and York-born William Etty.
The Centre of Ceramic Arts (CoCA) is the new gallery home to a collection of more than 5,000
examples of British Studio Ceramics from throughout the twentieth century right up to the
present day.
York is brilliant for inspiration, nestled in the streets around the city are so many crafty shops
offering everything from knitting to stitching and from papercrafts to beading. To find all the
shops download the York Crafters Trail on www.visityork.org or pick one up from the Visitor
Information Centre on 1 Museum Street.
12. York for bookworms
York is like a literary classic – a page turner you just can’t put down
You can’t judge a book by its cover but a novel way of learning about York is through its rich literary
connections.
Walk the walls and hear the Minster Bells in the footsteps of Grace Trewe in ‘Times Echo’ by
Pamela Hartshorne.
Stay a night at the Bloomsbury Guesthouse which is named after The Bloomsbury Literary
Group who met in York between 1904 up to 1939/the Second World War.
2017 - Celebrate 110 years since the birth of W.H. Auden, who was born in York
See the real-life Museum which inspired Ruby Lennox’s character in Kate Atkinson’s ‘Behind
the Scenes at the Museum’ and stop for a coffee in Bettys which won the praise of fictional
detective Jackson Brodie in another of Kate Atkinson's books ‘Started Early, Took My Dog’.
Immerse yourself in the stories of ‘The Sweethearts, York’s Chocolate Girls’ at York’s
Chocolate Story, by Lynn Russell and Neil Hanson.
Look for the perfect dress in the vintage shops of York and fulfil the dream of Ella Moreno in
Sophie’s Nicholls’ novel ‘The Dress’, perhaps the dress you choose will have its own story!
Soak up the riverside views from Skeldergate Bridge, an area of the city described in great
detail by Wilkie Collins, a friend of Charles Dickens, in his novel ‘No Name’.
Stroll down Stonegate, one of York’s prettiest streets, where the first two volumes of Sterne’s
landmark ‘Tristram Shandy’ were printed, and look out for the printer’s Red Devil which sits
on number 33, a former printers, and serves as a lasting reminder of when Stonegate was
famous as a centre of books and publishing in the 16th century.
See the building on Piccadilly where Neville Shute, who wrote a number of famous novels
including ‘On The Beach’ and ‘A Town Like Alice’, worked as an aeroplane designer.
Follow in the footsteps of the Henry VIII royal progress to York, and see the sights that remain
a reminder of the turbulent history at what is left of St Mary’s Abbey in York Museum Gardens,
as depicted in C J Sansom’s historical mystery ‘Sovereign’, the third novel in his ‘Matthew
Shardlake Series’.
Explore the birthplace of Daniel Defoe's world-famous character Robinson Crusoe who was
born in York in 1632.Books can also be used in York like an archaeological tool to peel away
layer upon layer of the city’s history and reveal hidden literary treasures such as:
One of the highest concentrations of rare, second-hand, and antiquarian booksellers in the
country
Europe's largest annual National Book Fair, held each September at York Racecourse
York Literature Festival (March)
The mystery of the Great Lost Library of Alcuin
York Minster’s library, one of the oldest in the country, which includes the York Gospels, over
1000 years old and still used today. Stained-glass windows were also the medieval equivalent
of a book, making stories from the Bible accessible for their congregations – and York Minster
has more than most, with 65% of the UK’s medieval stained-glass and some of the world’s
most important examples of stained-glass artistry
Did you know? York's literary connections:
Famous literary visitors to York include Charles Dickens, Wilkie Collins, Daniel Defoe, Virginia
Woolf, and the Brontë sisters.
Authors born or educated in York include Kate Atkinson, Margaret Drabble, AS Byatt and WH
Auden.
Authors who have made York their home include John Baker, Fiona Shaw, Matt Haig, Pamela
Hartshorne and Kate Lock. Numerous poets currently inhabit the city, including Oz Hardwick,
Carole Bromley, Anneliese Emmans-Dean, Henry Raby, Steve Nash and Abi Curtis.
Current York authors of note include: Matt Haig, who has found commercial success with ‘The
Radleys’, a book about a family of vampires who live in Bishopthorpe and was commended by
Stephen Fry on Twitter in 2014 for his book ‘The Humans’; John Baker, who has written various
novels set in York, usually of a crime nature; Nuala Casey, who has had two crime novels
published recently; Sophie Coulombeau, whose debut novel ‘Rites’ came out in 2012; and Jack
Mapanje, who hails from Malawi but now lives in New Earswick. His autobiography ‘And
Crocodiles Are Hungry at Night’ was published in 2011. His poetry has been published by
Bloodaxe books, one of the UK's leading poetry publishers.
Jack Sheffield has written a nostalgic humorous story Silent Night about a headmaster Jack
returning for an eighth year to the village primary school in Ragley-on-the-Forest (an
amalgamation of Huby and Sutton-on-the-Forest) in 1984. It is the era of the miner’s strike,
Trivial Pursuit, Band Aid and Cabbage Patch Dolls. Their school choir is to sing a carol in a
church in York, and is going to be on television. Helping to keep his excited children, not to
mention their parents, under control during these momentous events taxes Jack and his staff
to the limit. And at the same time, Jack has his own problems to deal with.
13. York for shopaholics
A centre of trade since Roman times, York still excels at providing retail therapy for shopaholics of
every type
With more than 2,000 shops, shopping is one of York’s main attractions . The fantastic range of unique
independent and designer shops so perfectly intertwined with magnificent attractions, pedestrianised
streets and peaceful havens make shopping in York an experience in itself. The city centre has a vast
array of shops – many of them unique to York – selling everything from fine china and heraldic art to
handcrafted souvenirs, unusual books, antiques and designer clothes. And, of course, they sit
alongside York’s magnificent historical buildings, so shopping and sightseeing are easily combined.
The Coppergate Centre is the only shopping centre within the city walls, home to not only the JORVIK
Viking Centre, but York’s premier department store, Fenwick, which features a host of designer labels
from MAC cosmetics to Mulberry handbags and the latest fashions from Paul Smith to Vivienne
Westwood. There are bargains galore at the city centre’s only Primark, and specialist stores from The
Whisky Shop to Castle Fine Art.
Just outside the city is York Designer Outlet (over 120 stores with up to 50% off all the labels you love,
including Armani Collections, Coast, LK Bennett, Hobbs and Jaeger) and Monks Cross shopping for a
huge TX Maxx, Outfit and Laura Ashley.
York’s shopping streets at a glance:
The Shambles - one of the best preserved medieval shopping streets in Europe and awarded
the title of most picturesque street in Britain in the Google Street View Awards. Some of the
beautiful old buildings still have exterior wooden shelves, reminders of when cuts of meat
were served from the open windows.
Stonegate - leads to the Minster from St Helen’s Square, and was originally the ‘Via Pretoria’,
or principal road of Roman York. One of York’s prettiest streets, it boasts some fantastic
medieval and Georgian architecture.
Swinegate Quarter - a stone’s throw from the Minster, in the former medieval swine -market
and red light district, this area is made up of Little Stonegate, Back Swinegate and Grape Lane
(for obvious reasons once known as Grope Lane). Cobbled streets, snickleways, the city’s
oldest print works and the famous medieval Barley Hall add to its character.
Goodramgate – dates from the 14th century and is home to the oldest row of houses in York,
and possibly the country.
Petergate - named after the Minster, which is dedicated to St Peter. It started life as one of
the main streets through a massive fortress housing 5,600 Roman soldiers in AD71.
Coney Street - York’s most modern shopping street runs along the course of a former Roman
road, which lay just outside the Roman fortress and almost parallel to the eastern bank of the
River Ouse.
Fossgate - home of the fish market in medieval times it was also known as Tricksters Lane after
the unscrupulous traders who set up shops there. These days it is far more respectable,
although it retains a certain bohemian charm. Mysterious tunnels in Fossgate, discovered
when a pub was demolished in the early 1960s, are now thought to be the Roman Sewer
System.
Shops to try:
Northern Antiques - Northern Antiques of York specialises in quality antique pottery,
porcelain, glass and silver and other antiques, dealing primarily in 17th, 18th and early 19th
century stock, with a range of antiques to suit most tastes and budgets.
Kathe Wohlfahrt - Käthe Wohlfahrt boasts an extensive range of products are candles,
Christmas tree decorations, nativity scenes and nutcrackers. All products are made from hand
and with only limited numbers available, stock sells out very quickly. The shop is open all year
long and boasts the world's largest selection of traditional German Christmas ornaments.
Love Thy Interiors – A family run business offering beautiful furniture and stunning accessories
for your home.
Hairy Fig – ‘Purveyors of Fine Fodder’ - quirky deli with lots of local produce to buy.
Monkbar Chocolatiers – Artisan chocolatiers - chocolates are made on the premises and
customers can see the various stages of production.
York Antiques Centre – featuring five showrooms spread over three floors and over one
hundred dealers from all over the country, the shop stocks a hugely diverse range of antiques
and vintage items, catering for all tastes and covering many periods from Ancient Rome to
Georgian, Victorian, Edwardian, Art Deco through to contemporary.
Red House Antiques Centre - 18th century former town house, situated in the heart of the city
centre at Duncombe Place. It is a Grade 2 listed building which was constructed in 1700 for Sir
William Robinson, Lord Mayor of York, and is reputed to be designed by William Etty.
Occupying 3 floors Red House offers 10 showrooms on 3 floors, including a dedicated vintage
room in the attic.
Minstergate Books – you can find anything in there from old country maps to the newest copy
of number one crime thrillers.
Stonegate Teddy Bears - The finest Teddy Bears available, featuring the ever popular Charlie
Bear collection and the stunning Steiff range, there are bears for every taste.
The Inkwell – a small shop specialising in vinyl records and pop culture oddities. A true
hipster’s must see.
Via Vecchia is a small Italian bakery on Shambles, offering delicious fresh bread and pastries.
According to McGee is a quirky art gallery offering works by local artists.
Yorkshire Soap Company offers mouthwatering-looking soaps and bath bombs. With its
magical and delicate interior Yorkshire Soap Company offers a true experience.
The Imaginarium is part of the Yorkshire Soap Company and full of the most interesting and
bizarre trinkets and decorations one could imagine. Much like at the Yorkshire Soap Company,
one can feel like Alice in Wonderland after entering to the shop and consider it being one of
the best experiences in York.
Bowler Vintage is offering beautiful vintage clothing and accessories for men and women.
Rafi’s Spicebox is a small family run business offering a wide select ion of spices and mixes for
curries. Rafi’s has become so popular they’ve had to open another shop in Harrogate.
The Shop that Must Not Be Named - Located in The Shambles - the inspiration for Diagon Alley
- The Shop That Must Not Be Named stocks everything from wands to scarves to potions, it is
a spot not to be missed by any Harry Potter and magic fans from around the globe.
14. York for intrepid explorers!
Underground York
There’s more to York than meets the eye – there’s the subterranean side. York has more underground
experiences than any other heritage city of its size, so do more than scratch the surface and plunge
yourself into York’s hidden depths:
Descend to the Viking-Age city of Jorvik as it stood nearly 1,000 years ago at the JORVIK Viking
Centre.
Explore the Undercroft and Treasury beneath York Minster at Revealing York Minster – the
biggest visitor attraction within a cathedral in the country and one of York’s newest
attractions.
Enter the blast-proof doors of the York Cold War Bunker and investigate the more unusual
side of York’s heritage and the secret history of Britain’s Cold War. The Cold War Bunker is the
most modern and spine-chilling of English Heritage’s properties.
Enjoy afternoon tea at Bettys Café Tea Rooms in the basement Bettys Bar - a favourite war-
time haunt of thousands of airmen stationed around York and marvel at the ‘Bettys Mirror’,
on which many of them engraved their signatures with a diamond pen; a fitting tribute to their
bravery.
The dungeon-like underground atmosphere of Lendal Cellars is cool and strangely comforting
– it makes a great place for a pub lunch or quick drink with friends.
Follow in the footsteps of Charles Dickens at the Me rchant Adventurers’ Hall – Dickens
repeatedly visited the Undercroft drawn by the romanticism of the ‘Gloomy Basement’!
Be entertained at the underground comedy club at The Basement at City Screen or on a tour
of the underground cellar at the Treasurer’s House.
15. York for ghost hunters
A ghost around every corner in Europe’s Most Haunted City...
With its history of conflict York boasts more than its fair share of ghoulies, ghosties and things that go
bump in the night. In fact, sometimes it seems as though a ghostly figure with a score to settle is in
residence in just about every street or ginnel in town.
York’s unique ghostly experiences include:
The title of Europe’s Most Haunted City: in 2006 the International Ghost Research Foundation
declared York to be the most haunted city in Europe.
The Legendary Legionnaires, Mad Alice, The Grey Lady, The Funeral Guest, The Headless Earl
and Marmaduke Buckle – these are just some of the creepy characters to look out for on your
ghost tours through York.
The chance to see a ghost at The Treasurer’s House – if you’re lucky...or should that be
unlucky?
Bleeding walls – the walls at Clifford’s Tower are said to bleed. This is thought to be connected
to the massacre of Jews who fled there for safety in the 12th century.
Ghost walks galore: there’s a different ghost walk for every night of the week including the
Original Ghost Walk of York, which has been running for more than 30 years and is believed
to be the first exclusive ghost walk in the world!
Rest a while at the Golden Fleece – York’s most haunted guest house and also a public house.
The Ghost Bus Tour has rolled into town with a fantastic show – a mixture of comedy, horror
and history, giving visitors a new view of York’s ghostly present.
16. York for lovers
York on one knee – the ultimate city of romance
If you’re looking for somewhere romantic, York spells it out:
R ailways are an important part of York’s heritage. The city boasts a beautiful, Victorian railway
station – could there be a more slushy setting for farewells or reunions? York is also home to
the world’s greatest railway museum. Here you can marry on the platform alongside
beautifully restored royal carriages
O’ Tell Me The Truth About Love, wrote WH Auden in his famous poem of the same name.
Auden was born in York on 21 February 1907.
M ajestic and imposing, York Minster is the largest Gothic cathedral north of the Alps. Did any
building in Britain ever inspire such feelings from the heart as this architectural masterpiece?
The Duke of Kent married Miss Katherine Worsley here in June 1961; this was the first Royal
wedding in York Minster since King Edward III married Philippa of Hainault there in 1328.
A lmost half of all wedding ceremonies that take place in York are for couples who do not live
here. This could have something to do with the fact that York has previously appeared in The
Independent newspaper’s 50 Best Places in the World to be Married.
N ovelists, past and present, have taken York and its evocative surroundings as inspiration for
their work. Within a short drive of the city lie the romantic Yorkshire Moors where Emily
Brontë penned her novel Wuthering Heights, the story of unrivalled love between Cathy and
Heathcliff.
T wo Love Lanes can be found in York, double the quota in most cities. One is behind The
Mount, the other alongside the Ouse in Fulford.
I dyllic gardens provide the perfect setting for your wedding pictures and can be found close
to the city centre or at many of our approved venues. Take a walk around Museum Gardens
near the Yorkshire Museum or visit Dean’s Park behind the Minster.
C ivil weddings and partnerships in York take place in arguably some of the most romantic
venues in the country – medieval guildhalls, unique attractions and stately homes. Nearly
1,000 civil weddings take place in York every year
Y um! York is the home of chocolate – how better to say ‘I love you’ than with a handmade
box of chocolates?
O ne of the biggest collections of Valentine cards in the UK can be found in the York Castle
Museum. A thousand or more messages of love are in the archives – including possibly the
oldest printed Valentine’s card in the world. This was published on 12 January 1797 by John
Fairburn of 146 Minories, London.
R ide through the city in a romantic horse and carriage. Tours leave from near the Minster.
K iss your partner below the West Window of York Minster and you’ll remain together forever,
according to local superstition. Look up at the window to see the heart-shape worked into the
tracery, known as the ‘Heart of Yorkshire’.
17. York for family and wallet-friendly staycations
York’s got everything for the whole family
Promise your children a trip to a city famed for Kit Kats, Viking warriors, spooky ghosts, highwaymen,
Guy Fawkes and railways and you should have them eating out of your hand. Add some traditional
Yorkshire thrift and you’ve got the perfect place for a family break.
What’s good about York for you and your family?
Most of the historic streets in the city centre are traffic-free.
The city is so compact you can walk from one attraction to the next quite easily, even with
younger children.
The National Railway Museum is free to enter and has a play area for under-fives and plenty
of things to see and do for the whole family
There is a wide range of accommodation, where family rooms are available, from luxury self-
catering apartments offering great value without compromising on quality to the city centre
YHA – ideal for school groups or families on a budget.
For pure family fun of the ‘run off energy’ type, you can’t beat Creepy Crawlies, where you
will find one of the biggest four lane Astra slides in the country, six different play zones, an
outdoor adventure park, animal farm, plus an award-winning café!
Must-sees include:
JORVIK Viking Centre
National Railway Museum
York Minster
York Designer Outlet (for designer shopping)
York’s Chocolate Story
York Castle Museum
Yorkshire Museum
Lots of free must-see things to see and do too:
Visit Dick Turpin’s grave or Guy Fawkes’ birthplace, have a picnic in the botanical gardens –
Museum Gardens – or take a riverside walk.
Visit the National Railway Museum: home to the world’s largest collection of railway artefacts
including the famous Mallard and Japanese bullet train.
Walk the City Walls: At 3.4 kilometres long they are the longest medieval city walls in England.
Play in the parks: Museum Gardens, Rowntrees’ Park, York Designer Outlet’s covered play
area.
Go on a free city walking tour: You’ll get fresh air, exercise, fun and history all in one go! Try
the Five Walks of Rowntree York: From Chocolate comes Change. The Rowntree Society has
produced a 48-page book detailing new walks that incorporate the City Centre, Clifton, Out of
Town, Haxby Road and New Earswick – including a total of 60 stopping points and 8 hours of
walking in all.
Save more:
...with a York Pass. Once purchased the York Pass offers you a choice of free entry into over
30 York attractions and tours, as well as restaurant and shopping offers. You can buy a one,
two, three or six-day pass, making it a superb addition to your leisure break.
…by using the Park and Ride. If you’re driving, it is easy and straightforward to leave your car
at one of the several Park and Ride sites around the city and hop on a bus. Parking is free and
the buses are frequent
18. Becoming a Yorkie
Experience York like a local – forget the guidebook, this is an unconventional city…
York is one of those places that however many times you’ve been and however well you think you
know it, there’s always something new to discover that will surprise and del ight you. Just think what
new nuggets of information you’ve yet to find out…
For example did you know…
… that the Merchant Adventurers’ Hall has a coded letter from King Henry VIII about piracy in
the North Sea? The code could not be broken until the 1960s!
… one of the memorials in the Minster is dedicated to Jane Hodson, wife of a chancellor to the
Minster, who died in 1636, aged 38, presumably of exhaustion, having given birth to 24
children…
… a little red devil sits outside No 33 Stonegate, not because the inhabitants were diabolical,
but because the building was once a printer’s (‘Printer’s devils’ were errand -boys who had to
carry hot metal type).
… about York’s unusual walking tours: the Historic Toilet Tour, the Graveyard, Coffin and
Plague tour, the Guy Fawkes Trail and the Bloody Execution Tour.
… a contributing factor to York’s churchyards overflowing when the plague hit in 1604 was
because the mayor foolishly ordered the killing of all the cats and dogs – therefore leaving no
predators for the plague-carrying rats!
… The Black Swan at Peasholme Green - an inn and hostelry since the 18th century - still retains
its original outer door complete with Black Death spy hole, used to check that whoever was
knocking was not infected with plague.
… The Bar Convent, the oldest living convent in England, established in 1686, has a beautiful
neo-classical chapel dating from 1769 which has a priest’s hiding hole and eight separate exits
to facilitate the escape of the congregation in the event of a raid during the time Catholicism
was outlawed in Britain. Long serving Nun, Sister Agatha, has been stationed at the Bar
Convent since the 1970’s and released a book in 2017 about her experiences. ‘A Nun’s Story’
is a multi-faceted tale of sacrifice, heart break, bravery and sheer determination. From saving
her close-to-bankrupt convent with help from John Paul Getty, to meeting a murderer on a
train, the Sister’s life has been nothing but extraordinary. Agatha is now a recognized public
speaker and has begun to share her story worldwide, inspiring all who hear it.
… Andrew Martin, who was born and grew up in York, has written a dozen novels, most of
which feature scenes set in York? Martin – whose father worked for British Rail, in the office
on Station Rise that is now The Grand Hotel and Spa – is best known for his award winning
series of nine novels about Jim Stringer, an Edwardian Railwayman. From the third book in the
series onwards, Jim is based at York station, and the following titles have many York scenes:
The Lost Luggage Porter, Death on a Branch Line, Murder at Deviation Junction and The Last
Train to Scarborough. He is also the author of The Bobby Dazzlers, a stand-alone crime novel
set in York. All of the above are published by Faber and Faber. In July 2017, Martin’s novel,
Soot, will be published by Corsair (Little, Brown). It is set in York in 1799, and concerns the
murder of a Silhouette painter.
… The Yorkshire Air Museum is unique in being both a memorial and a museum? It is based
on the site of what is now the largest original WWII Bomber Command Station open to the
public, RAF Elvington. Its Memorial Gardens provide a peaceful place for visitors to reflect on
the sacrifice of the 55,800 airmen of Bomber Command who lost their lives during WWII.
19. York for sports enthusiasts
A visit is sure to quicken your pulse
Sports enthusiasts of the armchair or participant variety will be cheered on by York’s diverse range of
amateur and professional sporting events and activities:
If golf is your passion, stay for a week and play at a different course each day. York has seven
golf clubs, including the course at Fulford which is home to 23 international and European
professional tour events and the only 27-hole golf complex in the York area. In addition,
Heworth golf club has four-par three holes which are rated as the toughest par threes in the
York Union of Golf Clubs
If you fancy golfing from a different angle, try Footgolf at York Golf Range! Footgolf is a
combination of soccer and golf. There’s a separate nine hole footgolf course with holes
ranging from 39 yards to 91 yards. AND it’s family-friendly, being suitable for everyone from
the age of 5!
Push your physical and mental limits in a Rat Race Adventure Sports event. The team also sells
a wide range of bikes, accessories and all things extreme sports-related.
One of sport's most important tournaments, Snooker's WilliamHill.com UK Championship, has
been hosted at the York Barbican for several years.
Cheer on your winning horse at York Racecourse – one of the premier tracks in Europe having
recently won Flat Racecourse of the Year Award.
Head for the heights at Web Adventure Park (high wire).
There are many reasons to cycle in York:
You can reach the parts of the city you can’t get to on a bus tour, taking in popular sights as
well as hidden gems. For example, York Cycling Tours’ tour of York covers eight miles of the
city in two hours.
The facilities for cyclists are unbeatable, such as the high quality cycle retailers for accessories
and repairs, cycle parking at popular visitor destinations, combined cycling/pedestrian routes,
signalled crossings, advanced stop lines at traffic signals and Bike and Ride – in conjunction
with the Park and Ride scheme.
Affordable bike hire – you can collect a bike or have one delivered to you – from Cycle Heaven
(York Railway Station) and Get Cycling.
The New Walk runs along the east bank of the River Ouse from Tower Gardens to Millennium
Bridge, a distance of about 1.2km (3/4 mile).
York is linked to several regional, national and international cycle networks that reach from
Scotland to Sweden.
York Bike Belles, York’s NEW cycling community for women
Your Bike Shed, a café where cycling and café culture meet in one relaxed and friendly
environment by Micklegate Bar. Get your bike fixed or serviced, pick up a spare part and enjoy
fantastic coffee and nutritious locally sourced food.
Cycle York’s Solar System, tour the planets by bike on York’s Scale model of the solar system.
The scale model of the solar system is spread out along 10.2km (6.4 miles) of the old East
Coast main railway line. The scale of the model is 575,872,239:1, which means that a single
stride will take the cyclists about 500,000 km. Parking is available at the Askham Bar Park and
Ride, which has direct access onto the cycle path.
Beyond York
Beningbrough Hall & Gardens, York
Beningbrough Hall is a Georgian mansion, which was built in 1716. It contains one of the most
impressive baroque interiors in England. Inside the house visitors can view some ex ceptional wood
carvings, an unusual central corridor running the full length of the house and over 100 pictures on
loan from the National Portrait Gallery. There is also a delightful garden, which is surrounded by water
meadows. The gardens comprise an American garden, a Victorian conservatory, box-edged rose
gardens, a lily pool and a walled garden. www.nationaltrust.org.uk/main/w-
beningbroughhallandgardens
Brontë Parsonage Museum
The three Brontë sisters Emily, Charlotte and Anne spent a large part of their lives in the West
Yorkshire village of Haworth, where they lived with their father at the Parsonage. Their writings were
heavily influenced by the surrounding Pennine moorlands, especially the area known as Top Withens,
renamed by Emily as Wuthering Heights, in the book of the same name. The Parsonage is now an
intimate museum cared for by the Brontë Society. Rooms are furnished as in the Brontë’s day, with
displays of their personal treasures, their pictures, books and manuscripts.
Castle Howard
Castle Howard is a spectacular 18th century palace, which has been home to the Howard family for
300 years. The construction of this magnificent palace took more than 100 years and spanned the
lifetime of three earls and numerous architects and craftsmen. As the house was built and decorated,
the grounds were filled with lakes, temples, monuments and a grand mausoleum. Indoors, furniture,
paintings, sculptures and a host of other treasures were assembled by successive generations after
their tours of the Continent. Castle Howard is today still home to the Howard family.
www.castlehoward.co.uk
Eden Camp Modern History Theme Museum
This award-winning museum is situated on the site of an original Prisoner of War Camp, built in 1942.
It transports visitors back in time to wartime Britain with exhibits and reconstructed scenes. New areas
of the museum include a Garden of Remembrance, War Newspaper Reading Room and an exhibition
entitled Conflicts Since 1945 and WWI. www.edencamp.co.uk
Fountains Abbey & Studley Royal Estate
Fountains Abbey with Studley Royal Water Garden, four miles west of Ripon in North Yorkshire, is of
outstanding historic and aesthetic importance. It is one of the best preserved and largest abbey
remains in Britain and is set in the beautiful parkland of Studley Royal by the river Skell. The abbey
was founded in 1132 by 13 Benedictine monks seeking a simpler life. They later became Cistercian
monks. The garden is a stunning panorama of elegant ornamental lakes, temples, follies and statues,
ponds, cascades, bridges and tunnels. The visitor can explore over 10 historic buildings, incl uding a
superb Victorian church, the dramatic remains of a Cistercian Abbey and also a medieval deer park,
home to 500 Red, Fallow and Sika deer. www.fountainsabbey.org.uk
Newby Hall
The family home of Mr and Mrs Richard Compton has featured in the BBC programme “Heirs and
Graces”. This is one of England’s renowned Adam houses, an exceptional example of 18th century
interior decoration, recently restored to its original beauty. Newby Hall is famous for its collection of
classical statuary, one of the most important private collections in Britain. One piece from the
collection, the Jenkins Venus, hit the headlines when it was sold at Christie's for a staggering £7.9
million, setting a new world record for an antiquity sold at auction, and helping to provide the funds
for Newby Hall’s restoration. Newby Hall’s contents also include the Gobelins Tapestry Room and an
excellent Chippendale furniture collection. Award-winning gardens include England’s longest double
herbaceous borders and an adventure garden for children, sculpture park and miniature railway.
www.newbyhall.com
Sutton Park
Situated in the heart of the immaculately well-kept village of Sutton-on-the-Forest, Sutton Park is a
charming, early Georgian house built in 1730, overlooking beautiful parkland. This is the home of Sir
Reginald and Lady Sheffield and their family. The house contains beautiful 18th century furniture,
paintings mostly from Buckingham House, now Buckingham Palace, and an important collection of
porcelain. Award-winning gardens contain a Georgian icehouse. www.statelyhome.co.uk
Captain Cook Memorial Museum, Whitby
Captain Cook spent the first nine years of his seafaring career in Whitby, and is commemorated in the
17th century house where he lodged. The Museum, meticulously restored, houses an important
collection of authentic material. Letters illustrate Cook’s friendship with his master Captain Walker,
the Admiralty’s disputes with the botanists Banks and Forster, and the sorrow of King George at Cook’s
death. www.cookmuseumwhitby.co.uk
North Yorkshire Moors Railway
The North Yorkshire Moors Railway operates steam trains along an 18-mile line between the market
town of Pickering and the village of Grosmont. The line runs through the heart of the North York Moors
National Park and passes through wide-ranging scenery, from wooded valleys to heather clad
moorland. It also calls at villages along the way and offers access to unspoilt countryside for walkers
and cyclists. Its most famous stop these days is undoubtedly Goathland station, which played the part
of Hogwarts Station in the Harry Potter films, and is also best known as Heartbeat Country as the
station and village provide the setting for the popular TV series. The NYMR is one of the earliest and
most historic lines in the North of England. Its origins go back well over a century and a half, when it
was an important trade link between Pickering and Whitby. www.nymr.co.uk
The International Centre for Birds of Prey
See the birds flying free at the wonderful Duncombe Park in Helmsley .
There is a large collection of exotic and spectacular birds of prey. There are three flying
demonstrations every day (two in the winter) and very often, there will be opportunities to see the
birds being trained on the flying field. It’s possible to see a special bird or species if phoned in advance.
Taking photos is allowed and without restrictions, which gives everyone an opportunity to take
wonderful pictures of all the birds in the park. In high winds there is a sheltered area of woodland for
the flying demos and in wet weather there are demos inside Christmas Tree Cottage. Whatever the
weather – visitors can always see birds flying! www.icbp-duncombe.org
Yorkshire Air Museum
Following on from the most successful year for attracting visitors that the Yorkshire Air Museum has
witnessed in its 30-year history, the museum will expand its programme of live aircraft engine runs
during their Thunder and Rolling Thunder Days. The Museum’s international reputation continues to
grow and the Memorial was very proud to secure the medals of 13 French pilots who served with the
RAF during the Battle of Britain to be presented to their families in Paris in November in 2014. YAM
is pleased to once again have been voted by readers of ‘Going Places’ tourism magazine as the ‘Top
Specialist Attraction in the UK’ and TripAdvisor comments regularly rank the Museum in the top 3 of
all York Museums. www.yorkshireairmuseum.org
Helmsley Walled Garden
Dating back to 1759, Helmsley Walled Garden nestles at the bottom of the North York Moors between
the Grade One listed landscape of Duncombe Park and the scheduled ancient monument of Helmsley
Castle. The garden was a major employer during most of its history, but following the First World War,
it was leased as a commercial enterprise and was run as such until 1984. In 1984, it was abandoned
and fell into dereliction. The restoration began in 1994 to restore the garden back to its original
Victorian beauty and productivity. Local woman Alison Ticehurst wanted to create a beautiful garden
for visitors to enjoy as well as provide horticultural therapy for local people in need. Today the aim of
Helmsley Walled Garden is to conserve and restore the fabric of this historically important walled
garden and return it to full productivity using environmentally sustainable techniques. Gardens and
gardening carry with them a wide range of therapeutic benefits for people and so the garden provides
a horticultural therapy service to local people with a range of disabilities.
www.helmsleywalledgarden.org.uk
Go Ape: Activity Park in Dalby Forest
Enjoy Hill-to-Hill zip wires with Stunning Views of the Vale of Pickering. Go Ape: Activity Park has Tree
Top Adventure and Forest Segways as an alternative way of enjoying a day in the Great Yorkshire
Forest. The team at Go Ape: Activity Park will brief all of the guests for safety before flying down the
zip-wires, leaping off the Tarzan Swing and tackling the crossings whilst enjoying some of Britain’s
most breath-taking scenery. As an alternative there is an option to try out the latest invention in green
technology – a self-balancing electric Segway. From two legs to two wheels - for the ultimate forest
Segway adventure on rugged all-terrain. www.goape.co.uk/days-out/dalby
The World of James Herriot
The famous museum attraction is located in Thirsk, North Yorkshire. The museum exhibits the life and
books of the 20th century veterinarian and author James Herriot (1916-1995). Visit the 1940s period
house with veterinary science exhibits, which was the original practice of James Herriot, at 23 Kirkgate,
known as "Skeldale House" in the books. When James Herriot died in 1995, Hambleton District Council
bought the house and started a £1.4 million restoration programme. Go behind the scenes of the BBC
series “All Creatures Great & Small” and experience what’s involved in the making of a TV program. In
the foldyard enjoy an exclusive short film featuring previously unseen footage and interviews with
friends, family and cast members. There are plenty of fun activities in the Interactive Gallery, which is
a great place to end the tour of the Centre. They also house the largest collection of Herriot
memorabilia in the world – from books, posters and letters to ornaments and collectables.
www.worldofjamesherriot.com .
See more: www.visityork.org/beyond-york.aspx
Ryedale
Ryedale is nestled quietly along the tip of York’s north eastern boundaries, within a 30-minute drive
of York. It is a land of legend and mythology: where giants once ruled (Hole of Horcum), the River Rye
runs backwards (Derwent at Howsham) and the land ends (at Sutton Bank cliff-face). A place of lost
kingdoms (stronghold of the Brigantes, one of the largest and last free tribes in ancient England. It is
also a place where you can see the footprints of people from across seven millennia from 5000BC,
revealed in ancient excavations) – standing stones, castles and abbeys, mighty country houses,
deserted medieval villages, ancient drovers’ and miners’ trails. Ryedale has the best of British weather:
sitting partly within the UK’s driest/least rainy national park, there’s a good chance you won’t see your
umbrella during your holiday (official MetOffice stats). This unique microclimate has created a vision
of the English landscape you may have thought was lost in time - lush rolling farmland, big skies on
the rolling chalk wolds, miles of purple heather, dramatic river gorges, woodland stretching to the
horizon. This is a rare place: a place you can hear yourself breathe; a place you can see not just stars,
but the Milky Way (the area has official Dark Skies status, Milky Way class); a place officially designated
‘An Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty’ (Howardian Hills).
Ryedale's market towns all have something different to enjoy. Helmsley is one of North Yorkshire’s
most popular market towns housing some unique boutiques and acting as the starting point for the
Cleveland Way National Trail. Kirkbymoorside - "Church dwellings beside the moor" - this small market
town has a wide main street, cobbled on either side and flanked by fine Georgian houses and
welcoming hostelries. Malton has long been regarded as the centre of Ryedale; it is a market town full
of activity, with a street market on Saturdays and a livestock market twice a week. The market town
of Pickering is the official gateway to the North York Moors National Park. From here you can explore
the breathtaking scenery aboard England’s longest steam railway, the North Yorkshire Moors Railway.
The picturesque villages of Ryedale are one of the district’s best assets. Whether visiting the moorland
in the north, the beck side villages in the middle of Ryedale or those nestling amongst the rolling hills
in the south, you will be equally rewarded. Some of the country’s best-known villages are in Ryedale,
such as Thornton-le-Dale and Hutton-le-Hole, but many others have something special to offer.
Distinctive landmarks of these villages include thatched cottages, sundials, village stocks, duck ponds
and village greens.
See more: www.visityork.org/ryedale.aspx