Scarborough on the North Sea Coast of North Yorkshire is a very popular tourist destination during the summer months. With two main beaches, limestone cliffs and a harbour protected by a rocky headland, this is the largest holiday resort on the Yorkshire coast.
The original settlement of Scarborough would have been in medieval times on the South Bay side of the town. This forms the old district and is the main area for tourists. There is a lively atmosphere, a busy beach and a host of fish and chip shops, cafes, bars and restaurants. The 11th century Scarborough Castle looks down on the town from the cliff tops and there is also a more modern shopping precinct behind the main beach area.
The North Bay side of town with its long sandy beach and plenty of parking is much quieter but with fewer amenities. The North side however is home to Peasholm Park which is reputed to be one of the top 5 parks in Europe. North and South Bay are joined together by Marine Drive with its extensive Victorian Promenade.
Anyone walking along the sea front in Scarborough will have noticed the huge building up on the cliffs. The Grand Hotel which was completed in 1867 was one of the largest hotels in the world. It is still very impressive by todays standards. Ann Bronte died here in 1849. She is buried in the graveyard of St Mary's Church near the castle.
Whilst Scarborough still has an active fishing industry it is relatively small and the working harbour now provides fishing and boat trips for the thousands of visitors. The Scarborough fish market sells locally caught seafood.
Scarborough is diverse enough to offer something for everyone. It has museums, cultural heritage and historic buildings. It also has a wealth of entertainment venues and nearby places to visit. Any trip to North Yorkshire would be incomplete without a visit to Scarborough.
For more photos of Scarborough click here or view on You Tube
Whitby is a coastal town in North Yorkshire which is situated on the mouth of the River Esk. Any first time visitor to Whitby will instantly recognise that this seaside town has a maritime history. With its impressive harbour walls and inland harbour the town has been an important fishing port for centuries. It is also famous for the fact that Captain Cook learned his seamanship here.
A large swing bridge divides the town and the old town is situated on the Abbey side of the harbour. With its quaint houses of brick and stone and narrow roads, the visitor gets a glimpse of what it might have been like in past years. Whitby today is a tourist destination. The town changed from a fishing village to a popular tourist destination during the Georgian period and tourism increased further with the arrival of the ralway in 1839.
There has been a settlement at Whitby since 656 and several earlier monastries which were either destroyed or rebuilt. Whitby is known for its Jet Jewellery. Whitby at its peak in 1790 was the third largest shipbuilder in England. The ship HMS Endeavour that took Captain Cook to Australia and New Zealand was built in Whitby in 1764.
On the Old Town side of Whitby there are 199 steps that lead up to the Church of St. Mary which is famous for giving Bram Stoker the inspiration for his famous book - Dracula. The ruins of St Hilda's Abbey dominates the skyline are cared for by English Heritage for which there is an entrance fee. Interestingly the Abbey also claims to be the inspiration for Dracula.
The town of Whitby with its lobster or crab baskets on the quayside is a typically English seaside town. The main harbour area and old town are a delight to explore and there are plenty of cafes, pubs and restaurants available as well as many small independent shops. A definite 'must visit' location if you find yourself in this part of the world.
For more photos of Whitby click here or view on You Tube
Meanwood used to be a village on the outskirts of Leeds but it is now a suburb on the North West side of the city. The name Meanwood dates back to the 12th century
The 1841 census lists 144 houses in Meanwood of which many were stone cottages which have since been demolished. However there are some interesting older buildings on Monkbridge Road and some back to backs housing in Monkbridge Avenue. This short avenue used to have cobbled streets and outside toilets up until 1970.
In fact, take a walk around this area and you will still see the old cobbled streets and back alleys that have all but gone in most places.
Leeds is an old established and historic English city. It dates back to the 5th century when the area was covered by the Forest of Loidis from which the city gets its name. Leeds is the third largest city in the UK with a population of over 750,000.
From humble beginnings as Manorial Borough in the 13th century, Leeds became an important centre for the Wool trade during the Industrial Revolution. This led to the birth of other industries such as engineering, iron foundries and printing. The population exploded and by the mid 20th century it had experienced phenomenal growth.
By 1801 most of the population of Leeds lived on the outskirts of the city or township as it then was. With shortages of water, poor housing conditions and outbreaks of Cholera the authorities built three new reservoirs and encouraged the development of better housing for the workers who were often housed in damp and crowded back-to-backs.
Leeds today is a vibrant city ranked as a gamma world city and home to three universities, a large legal and financial economy and home to over 30 national and international banks. Call centres have also done well here and provide employment for thousands of workers. Leeds has attracted inward investment and the city centre has been renewed with many large development projects and luxury housing in the city centre.
The retail trade is buoyant here and there are several impressive arcades in the city centre and a host of independent and branded names. There is a busy market and some fine buildings to be admired as well as several museums. You can easily spend more than a day in Leeds. This fine city has a lot to offer. Whilst it does not benefit from the picturesque medieval backdrop that York has to offer it holds its own in terms of a clean modern city with lots to offer the visitor.
For more photos of Leeds click here or view on You Tube
The village of Muston in North Yorkshire is situated just 1.5 miles from the town of Filey. The village is listed as Mustone in the Domesday Book where it was recorded as seven households with just 21 villagers, six small holders and ten plough lands. It was still mainly a farming village in the 1860's when farming went through some particularly hard times and many farmers were poor and some unfortunate souls made destitute.
By 1823 the village population had increaed to some 350 citizens of which fourteen were farmers. The Parish Church was completely rebuilt in 1863 although a church would have been situated here since the 12th century. The current All Saints Church is a Grade II listed building.
The village of Hunmanby in Yorkshire is situated on the edge of the wolds about 3 miles from Filey. The name originates from the Danish, having been entered in the Domesday Book as "Hundemanbi" meaning Hounds Men which actually relates to the hunting of Wolves on the Yorkshire Wolds.
With its own railways station and direct routes to Hull and Scarborough, the village is an old established settlement which would have been an agricultural community until very recent times. Hunmanby Hall dates from the 11th century and the Domesday Book of 1086 refers to the church and its priest which dates it at over 900 years old.
Hunmanby won a Brtain in Bloom award in 2010. You can see old photos of Hunmanby at this website: www.hunmanby.com/
Filey is a small town on the North Yorkshire coast and is situated between Scarborough and Bridlington. Originally a busy fishing village, Filey is now a popular tourist destination in its own right. Filey also benefits from receiving visitors from Scarborough who escape to Filey for some peace and quiet in the summer months when Scarborough can become very crowded with tourists.
The last working fishing trawler in Filey was relocated to Scarborough in 2013 ending a long history of fishing. There is an excellent resource about the Fisherman of Filey and their families. It can be found at:
www.exploringfileyspast.co.uk/
Filey has a 12th century parish church in the north of the town which is a grade I listed building and easily the oldest building in Filey. With is small independent shops and impressive beach, Filey is definitely worth a visit if you find yourself in this neck of the woods.
For photos of Filey click here or view on You Tube
Bridlington is situated along the Gypsey Race River, around 24 miles north of Kingston upon Hull, on the North Sea Coast of Yorkshire. The town still has a working harbour and is noted for its shellfish. This is an old settlement that dates back to the Bronze Age and Roman times.
Whilst Bridlington has a good beach and tourist potential this has not been fully maximised and the town is a poor neighbour by comparison with Scarborough. The emphasis seems to have been on capturing the lower end of the tourist market with amusement arcades and economical eating places along the sea front.
The long promenade, its award winning sandy beaches and the harbour still make this location appealing.
For photos of Bridlington click here or view on You Tube
Wetherby is situated on the River Wharfe, a market town in Yorkshire. It is situated near the city of Leeds. Wetherby is mentioned in the Domesday Book of 1086 under the name of Wedrebi meaning bend of a river. The Wetherby bridge which spans the River Wharfe is a grade II listed structure.
Wetherby was an important staging post. It once housed up to forty coaching inns. Today the town benefits from a healthy tourist trade. In the summer months its streets are full of shoppers and tourists browsing the independent shops or relaxing in the cafes and tea rooms or sampling the culinary delights of the excellent Fish and Chip shops.
For photos of Wetherby click here or view on You Tube
The walled City of York is a popular tourist destination in North Yorkshire. This is the county town of Yorkshire situated by the Rivers Ouse and Foss. York was a Roman city founded in 71 AD. The city was an important strategic defence against the unconquered north and it became the capital of the Roman province.
When the Romans left the city was captured by the Vikings and became an important River Port for Viking trade routes to Northern Europe. The city gets its name from the last Viking ruler Jorvik.
After the Norman Conquest of England the city started to become more prosperous. In medieval times The Shambles, a medieval street and popular tourist destination today would have been full of traders selling wines, cloth, wool, grain and butchers shops.
Guy Fawkes was born in York. The walls and keeps of the old medieval fortifications give York it own unique character. This is the most complete example of its type in England and the city walls are also popular walking routes. Visitors will find plenty to do and see in the city of York.
To appreciate it fully the open top tour bus is recommended. For Railway enthusiasts York has the National Railway Museum. The city is also home to the York Minster which is the largest Gothic Cathedral in Northern Europe.
With its narrow cobbled streets, cafes and tea rooms and abundance of interesting and historic buildings, York is a delight for visitors. The city is well known for its churches and pubs but it is so much more. If you are visiting the UK and want to see a typical English town then you won't go far wrong with York.
For more photos of York click here or view on You Tube
