Places to Visit by Region

Yorkshire’s civil administration is divided into metropolitan and county council areas but when planning a visit it is more practical to split the original county into regions that are suitable for tours or short trips.

The regions we have used here are based on the writings and paintings of Gordon Cochrane Home (1878-1969) who created the book “Yorkshire - Coast & Moorland Scenes” - first published in 1904. This was later expanded to become “Yorkshire - Painted And Described” - first published in 1908.

In the early 1900’s the preferred places were the towns and villages of “Old Yorkshire”, the ancient monuments and romantic, unspoilt scenery. Little consideration was given the relatively “modern” 19th century developments - such as Victorian churches, art galleries and town halls.

Certainly nothing industrial was considered - including the railways and 18th century canals. How different to today’s perception that industrial sites form important components of the regions heritage.

The regions are -

• ALONG the ESK VALLEY - Aislaby, Grosmont

• ALONG the HUMBER - Spurn Head, Patrington, Hedon, Hull, North Cave, Wressle, Hemingbrough

• BEVERLEY

• CITY of YORK

• CLEVELAND HILLS

• DERWENT and the HOWARDIAN HILLS

• FILEY to SPURN HEAD

• GUISBOROUGH and the SKELTON VALLEY

• KNARESBOROUGH and HARROGATE

• PICKERING to RIEVAULX ABBEY

• PICKERING to WHITBY

• RICHMOND

• RIPON and FOUNTAINS ABBEY

• SETTLE and the INGLETON FELLS

• SKIPTON, MALHAM and GORDALE

• SWALEDALE

• WENSLEYDALE

• WEST RIDING MANUFACTURING DISTRICTS - restricted to Selby, Kirstall Abbey, Haworth with a brief reference to Sheffield in 1908 but today extended to include Keighley, Bingley, Saltaire, Leeds, Wakefield, Halifax, Huddersfield, Pontefract, Barnsley, Doncaster, Rotherham, etc

• WHARFEDALE

• WHITBY

• WHITBY to REDCAR

• WHITBY to SCARBOROUGH

Both of Gordon Home’s Yorkshire books are also available free at Project Gutenburg