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Culture
This section of my Blog covers Yorkshire's diverse culture. So included in this area I will be writing about everything from Yorkshire's many film and TV locations, Yorkshire's literary heritage, sports teams and their homes, theatre and dance, live music and festivals as well as cultural events.
Plus as there are so many famous Yorkshire Folk who have made their mark on the world - just think of the Bronte Sisters, David Hockney & James Herriot for starters, we will feature people who were born or predominantly lived in the county and who have left their mark on Yorkshire over the last 2,000 years.
I hope you enjoy the blog articles below - please feel free to share the content and let me have any feedback...
The Turner Prize comes to Bradford 2025
the West Yorkshire city of Bradford being honoured with the title of City of Culture 2025. After an eclectic year of cultural and artistic events, the city was rewarded by becoming host of The Turner Prize – the UK’s best known visual arts award.
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3 hours ago5 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
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Oct 303 min read
A loop walk from Grassington via Hebden and Yarnbury Lead Mines
This is a great 8.5 mile walk heading off from the National Parks Centre car park in Grassington, which includes a stretch of riverside walk, a bit of industrial heritage, walking through old lead mines and some great moorland views.
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Oct 184 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.
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Sep 93 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.
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Aug 95 min read
The Arncliffe Circular – a high loop across limestone country in the Dales
Littondale is a lovely little Dale which can be accessed from Wharfedale near Kilnsey Crag or from the high road over Malham Moor. The start point of the walk was the small village of Arncliffe with the quirkly little pub The Falcon Inn sitting on the village green. I often make a stop here on my All Creatures Great & Small Tours as Arncliffe actually plays part of Darrowby in the new TV series and the back of Skeldale House.
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Jul 206 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.
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Apr 223 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
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Apr 12 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
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Mar 275 min read
Scotland Forever – the story behind Leeds City Art Gallery’s iconic painting showing the Battle of Waterloo
When you look at the painting Scotland Forever with its cavalry charge people are surprised to hear that the painting was done by a woman
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Mar 24 min read
Giant Arms in Mandela Gardens, Leeds
The garden is a little sea of tranquillity in the centre of Leeds, and a great place to sit and contemplate or grab a sandwich and catch you
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Feb 243 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
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Jan 305 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
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Jan 284 min read
Tolkien in Yorkshire – did his time here inspire locations in Lord of the Rings?
it’s hard not to believe that his time spent in Yorkshire both recuperating after the war in the East Riding and later living near Headingl
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Dec 19, 20245 min read
Cliffe Castle Museum – a treasure trove of fascinating exhibits in Keighley
I had not been to Cliffe Castle Museum for over a decade, but after a hospital appointment in Keighley at the weekend and with no further pl
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Dec 5, 20245 min read
When the Golf’s Ryder Cup came to Leeds…(the first ever tournament on British soil held in 1929!)
The 2nd Ryder Cup came to Yorkshire and was held at Moortown Golf Club in Leeds. This legacy has meant that Moortown Golf Club still has a t
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Nov 12, 20243 min read
Goathland – a heritage railway station which doubled as Hogsmeade station in the Harry Potter films
2025 marks the start of the Railway 200 which celebrates the 200th anniversary of the modern railway. With this in mind it inspired me to wr
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Nov 11, 20243 min read
The Whitby Krampus Run – a beastly take on Christmas folklore
The Whitby Krampus run started in 2013 and has grown in popularity ever since, where horned creatures from Alpine folklore march through the
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Nov 8, 20242 min read
Staithes Festival of Arts & Heritage 2024 – a stunning celebration on the Yorkshire Coast
I can’t believe this is the 10th Staithes Festival having attended many over the years, and was so pleased to have a gap in my busy...
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Sep 14, 20243 min read
Celebrating All Creatures Great & Small - Companion Book Launch
The official companion to the hit TV series All Creatures Great & Small launches on 26th September in hardback. The book offers a glimpse...
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Sep 14, 20243 min read
J.B. Priestley and his love of the Yorkshire Dales
Find out about Hubberholme and JB Priestley's love of Upper Wharfedale.
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Jul 24, 20243 min read
Tony Cragg Sculptures at Castle Howard – catch them before 22nd September 2024
Renowned sculpture Tony Cragg exhibits huge range of artworks at Castle Howard
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Jun 26, 20246 min read
Why you should consider a University in these Yorkshire cities...
There are plenty of reasons to visit Yorkshire. But have you considered going to university there? If you haven’t, you definitely should.
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Jun 18, 20245 min read
Voyage – commemorating Hull’s trade & seafaring heritage with Iceland
The statue was a tall 6ft figure sitting upon a plinth, staring out across the Humber estuary and called Voyage.
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May 25, 20242 min read
Season 5 of All Creatures Great and Small starts filming straight away in Grassington
Well, there were All Creatures Great and Small fans across the world waiting with baited breath recently as no mention of another series...
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Mar 7, 20244 min read
Janet’s Foss – one of the prettiest waterfalls in Yorkshire & often used as a screen location
The Malham loop walk in the Yorkshire Dales which takes in the stunning limestone amphitheatre of Malham Cove, the glacial meltwater...
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Jan 13, 20243 min read
A lovely loop walk around Grimwith Reservoir from The Craven Arms in Appletreewick
I’d not been to Appletreewick for a couple of years, but having read that The Craven Arms in the village was used for the inside shots of...
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Oct 3, 20233 min read
James Herriot said it was the “Finest View in England” – do you agree?
Well it wasn’t really James Herriot who made the statement, but Yorkshire vet Alf Wight – the author who wrote the famous books under his...
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Oct 1, 20232 min read
York Unlocked Weekend returns for 2023
York Unlocked 2023 on the weekend of 7 and 8 October 2023 will see the doors thrown open to around 70 fabulous buildings FREE of charge....
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Sep 8, 20232 min read
8 Miles to the Pub - the Story of 3 Pensioners Rambling from Derby to Malton...
I have met one of the authors of this book (Steve Mullins) on a couple of occasions at Yorkshire Society events and whilst discussing my...
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Aug 9, 20232 min read
Paul Czainski and the Staithes Painted Illusion Trail
Paul Czainski is a world famous Trompe l’Oeil artist who was born in Yorkshire in 1954, studying at Jacob Kramer College of Art in Leeds....
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Jul 31, 20233 min read
Walking the Six Dales Trail – 38 miles between Otley and Middleham
I had heard what a great walk this was from a couple of friends who had both walked the 6 Dales Trail, so myself and my wife took a...
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Jul 4, 202311 min read
The Day we bumped into James Herriot in Arncliffe
With the new series of All Creatures Great and Small proving so popular, not just in the UK but also across the globe, I have been...
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May 15, 20235 min read
Baugh Fell – a difficult hike up the twelfth highest peak of the #YorkshireDales30
I’m gradually working my way through the #Yorkshire30 – the 30 Highest Peaks in the Yorkshire Dales National Park. Whilst with boundary...
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May 2, 20234 min read
Transforming Grassington into Darrowby for the filming of All Creatures Great & Small
Every year in April or May, the Yorkshire Dales town of Grassington is transformed over a few days into a film set for the popular TV...
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Apr 30, 20238 min read
Toast Art on display in Haworth
I regularly stop at St.Michael & All Angels Church in Haworth on my Bronte tours. The church is next to the Bronte Parsonage Museum, but...
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Apr 21, 20232 min read
Buckden Pike Circular – a hike up Yorkshire’s 7th Highest Peak
As I’m off in May to the Highlands of Scotland for a few days walking with some old friends, it has motivated me for the need to get a...
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Mar 1, 20235 min read
Circle – Richard Farrington’s Giant Charm Bracelet on the Cleveland Way
Whilst not technically in Yorkshire, I am including this artwork in my blog as its position along the Cleveland Way between Saltburn and...
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Feb 20, 20232 min read
Yorkshire Rewilding Network – enabling rewilding throughout Yorkshire
I recently met with the Yorkshire Rewilding Network to find out about the thriving community of members and some of the interesting...
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Jan 3, 20232 min read
All Creatures Great & Small – Filming locations from Series 3
Back in 2021, when series 1 of the remake of All Creatures Great and Small first aired I blogged about the locations used in the TV...
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Dec 30, 20226 min read
The symbolism behind the stunning mural on Bolton Priory’s East Wall
At the heart of the Bolton Abbey Estate lies Bolton Priory (often referred to incorrectly as Bolton Abbey). It was originally the home of...
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Dec 13, 20223 min read
The Dales Detective Agency – gentle murder mysteries set in the Yorkshire Dales
Yorkshire has many links to the classic crime novel – as well as each year in July the Theakston’s Crime Writing Festival being held in...
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Dec 12, 20222 min read
Ravenscar to Robin Hood’s Bay Coastal Loop Walk
This is one of my favourite coastal walks – following the Cinder Track along the old railway line from Ravenscar to Robin Hood’s Bay and...
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Nov 15, 20225 min read
The Tansey Beetle – the Jewel of York
Running driver guiding business, most of my client pick-ups are in York. I must drive past this mural of a bright green beetle, three or...
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Jul 11, 20222 min read
The Norber Erratics and Sulber Nick from Austwick
We headed out from Austwick to explore the surrounding limestone pavement and one of Yorkshire’s other famous geological features – The...
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Jul 4, 20223 min read
Masham and its Swifts...
Masham, the town on the edge of the Dales next to the River Ure, famous for its two breweries is also famous for its swifts! Come May...
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Apr 2, 20222 min read
Huge artwork depicting David Hockney made out of nails in Little Germany
Whilst doing a recce of Little Germany in Bradford with a fellow guide recently, we stumbled upon a huge artwork up on a wall showing one...
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Mar 8, 20221 min read
Dodd Fell, Wether Fell & the old Roman Road
As part of my mission to climb Yorkshire’s 30 Highest Peaks, we had found a route on Jonathan Smith’s great Where2Walk website which...
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Mar 3, 20224 min read
Is Yorkshire the most romantic place to celebrate Valentine’s Day?
With Valentine’s Day just around the corner – I decided to give some thought as to why Love and Yorkshire go hand in hand, plus how and...
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Feb 13, 20223 min read
The Yorkshire Wolds - soon to get Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty and UNESCO Geopark status?
A guest blog article by my friend, Yorkshire Society colleague and acclaimed author Colin Speakman Even amongst people who love...
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Feb 7, 20223 min read
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