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Hoffman Lime Kiln – England’s best preserved lime kiln just outside Settle
But, The Hoffman Lime Kiln just outside Settle between Langliffe and Stainforth is on a completely different scale and size, whilst being a great location to explore especially going inside the large lime kiln itself. England’s best preserved lime kiln just outside Settle
timbarber
Jun 26 min read


How the Yorkshire institution that is Betty’s came about…
Most people up North are familiar with the Yorkshire institution which is Betty’s Café & Tearoom, with their traditional posh afternoon teas, immaculate silver service, fat rascals and amazing cakes! Now with café’s at 5 locations around the region I thought I would shed some light on the story behind the brand.
timbarber
May 283 min read


Bavette – a wonderful authentic French restaurant in Horsforth
It’s not often a restaurant in Leeds gets reviewed in the Sunday Times and receives a 5 star review, let alone a little neighbourhood bistro in an out of town suburb. But quite recently Camilla Long from the publication visited with her husband on a stop over as she headed further up North and gave Bavette a glowing review!
timbarber
May 34 min read


Walmgate Bar and York’s only surviving Barbican
All these Bars would have once had a Barbican. This was an extra level of fortification to help create a barrier before a primary gateway into the city. It comes from the French word “Barbacane” – which means fortified outpost. In Medieval city gateways they usually took the form of narrow walled passageway (known as a funnel), where if attackers breached the first outer gateway, the defenders could attack them from above on the surrounding outer walls. This passageway was so
timbarber
Apr 304 min read


The Terrible Knitters of Dent
Dent and the surrounding area was traditionally a farming area, predominantly rearing livestock such as sheep and cows. But a close second in terms of bringing income into the locality was Knitting.
timbarber
Mar 243 min read


The Sedgwick Trail – a walk along the Dent Fault
The lecture covered the basics of geology, showed geological maps of the wider area particularly along the Dent fault and then went into more detail about what was happening along the Dent fault. It was a fascinating insight into the area and how the underlying geology had affected the landscape.
timbarber
Feb 146 min read


The Piece Hall in Halifax – the world’s only remaining Georgian Cloth Hall
The Piece Hall - The building is Grade 1 listed and an incredible piece of architecture, but in the 1970’s there were plans to demolish it. So, I thought I would do a short blog about The Piece Hall’s past as it now plays such a large part in attracting visitors to Halifax
timbarber
Dec 11, 20255 min read


The Story of Undercliffe Cemetery and its historic burial monuments
It is unlike any other cemetery I have been to, with the opulence and grandeur of the special memorials towering along pathways, with many showing the grime of the industrial revolution when mills and factories billowed out smoke from the city to the outlying areas.
timbarber
Nov 7, 20254 min read


Luminescence – a winter light trail at Swinton Park
I was lucky enough to be invited to a soft launch of the new winter light trail on the Swinton Park Estate.
This mile long illuminated trail within the hotel grounds opens to the general public on 6th November and runs through until 22nd February 2026
timbarber
Oct 30, 20253 min read


The Cottingley Fairies – the photographs that fooled the world for 60 years
The 5 images which were sold at auction were taken between 1917 and 1920 by two young Yorkshire lasses in the village of Cottingley, a suburb of Bradford between Bingley and Shipley. The girls, 16 year old Elsie Wright and her 9 year old cousin Frances Griffiths and it is amazing that these children were able to create such realistic fake photographs, that many people at the time were convinced they were real.
timbarber
Sep 9, 20253 min read


A woodland walk around Kirkdale from St.Gregory’s Minster
Whilst on a short break on the Yorkshire Coast, my wife and I decided to take an afternoon hike and spotted a walk in the latest copy of the North York Moors Association newsletter which sounded interesting as it included a visit to St.Gregory’s Minster and was close to Kirkdale Cave.
timbarber
Aug 9, 20255 min read


Hull’s Beverley Gate’s and its key part in the English Civil War
Hull’s Beverley Gate’s - the history behind the site is fascinating, because the location played a crucial part in how the English Civil War in the 1600’s unfolded.
timbarber
May 23, 20253 min read


The Himalayan Garden & Sculpture Park – a beautiful collection of rare plants and artworks
The gardens are inspired by the Himalayan regions which includes part of China, Vietnam and Northern India. As well as the huge array of plants, the garden includes three small lakes in the valley bottom and various bridges and even a pagoda to really give it the Himalayan theme.
timbarber
Apr 22, 20253 min read


Leeds General Infirmary and the old George Street entrance
The first Leeds Infirmary was built in 1771 in what is now Infirmary Street, but in 1863, construction started on a new LGI on George Stree
timbarber
Apr 1, 20252 min read


How Whitby played a major part in the inspiration for Bram Stoker’s gothic horror novel Dracula
There is a whole industry in Whitby centred around the myth of the blood sucking Count Dracula. Find out how iWhitby inspired Bram Stoker
timbarber
Mar 27, 20255 min read


Sri Lankan Tapas in Ilkley
It was about time to finally get around to trying out Brook’s in Ilkley and their Sri Lankan food offering.
timbarber
Feb 25, 20253 min read


A Brief history of Clifford's Tower in York
We are talking about Clifford’s Tower, which has played a major part in the history of York for nearly a thousand years.
timbarber
Feb 7, 20253 min read


A bluffers guide to Yorkshire dry stone walls...
One of the most obvious, dominant features of the Yorkshire Dales is the dry stone wall. Built without mortar and stable because of their un
timbarber
Jan 30, 20255 min read


Leeds Discovery Centre - exploring the hidden treasures which can't fit into Leeds City Museum
To house these extra exhibits, a purpose built display storage facility was built in 2007 funded by Leeds City Council and a National Lotter
timbarber
Jan 28, 20254 min read


A relaxing short stay at The Feversham Arms in Helmsley
As I was coming up to Helmsley with my wife to visit a new restaurant called Pignut, we decided to book in for the night so we could enjoy
timbarber
Dec 8, 20243 min read
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