A guide to Yorkshire County

Yorkshire is a popular tourist destination in the UK. The county offers diverse options for visitors, from pretty coastal towns to bleak moorland, to bustling cities. This article offers a brief guide to what Yorkshire has to offer.

Cities

Yorkshire often conjures up the image of rolling hillsides and plentiful sheep, but the county is also home to a number of larger cities.York City is the county town and is a historical city with a lot to see and do. York Minster with the famous rose window and York Castle are popular attractions. The Jorvik centre offers fun exhibits about Viking age York. The city streets, including 'the shambles' are pleasant places to visit and do some shopping while you are away.
Leeds is a large, cosmopolitan city with excellent shopping and a busy nightlife. Cultural highlights Cultural highlights include the opera house and ballet company as well as art galleries and museums, including the military displays at the Royal Armouries.
Sheffield is an industrial city, with plenty to offer in terms of shopping; both in the centre and the Meadowhall out of town mall; as well as all the bars, restaurants and entertainment venues that you would expect of a Yorkshire city.

Coast

Whitby Yorkshire has a long stretch of coastline with plenty to see and do. Whitby is an attractive harbour town, with fresh fish on offer. It is home to the abbey where Bram Stoker set the famous 'Dracula' story. Scarborough Scarborough is a traditional seaside resort with beach, funfair and sealife centre.
Flamborough head and Bempton cliffs are a rugged piece of coastline, with caves, cliffs and rockpools to explore, and the cliffs are home to a range of birdlife from Puffins to Guillemots. Ravenscar Ravenscar and the surrounding 'dinosaur coast' is a haven for fossil hunters. The 'Ravenscar trail' is a walk with sites of interest for those interested in prehistoric times, and fossils can frequently be found among the rocks in this area. The Yorkshire coastline has much to offer in the way of quaint seaside towns and deserted beaches, suitable for walking and exploring, or for days on the beach with a young family.

Countryside

The Yorkshire countryside is what attracts many visitors to the county.The Yorkshire Dales, have rolling hills, dry stone walls and pleasant market towns such as Leyburn and Grassington. The area is ideal for walking as well as being an excellent location for caving and potholing. The North Yorkshire Moors National Park offers spectacular moorland landscape with heather and gorse covered hills. It is a good venue for cycling, walking and horse-riding, and is home to the North Yorkshire Moors Steam Railway.