Plenty of reasons to holiday in Yorkshire

With the weather the way it is, there is no reason to need to head on over to Spain or the south of France for your dose of sunshine. And as for things to do, the UK, and in particular, Yorkshire, has a wealth of places to visit and things to see. So whatever you're planning to do with your time in the sunshine, Yorkshire has something for you. Here at United by Design we are proud to work with some of the wonderful attractions situated all around Yorkshire, here are just a few:

Heading to the city?

York is a beautiful city, full of history, as well as beer gardens to sit and soak up the sun in! But if the sun is getting too much, and you're looking for some shade, as well as a place to soak up some culture, then York has some really great options.

York Mansion House sits right in the middle of the city, and for over 300 years has been the official residence of the Lord Mayor of York, one of only two Mansion Houses remaining in the UK, the other one being in London. This beautiful house runs tours Thursday - Sunday, or you can book one of the themed tours for groups of between 10 and 30.

York Mansion House

Another magnificent building in the centre of York is the Merchant Adventurers' Hall. Originally built 650 years ago as a meeting place for Medieval merchants, the building now houses silver, furniture and art collections which help to tell the story of the hall. Throughout summer the house is open every day. The beautiful gardens surrounding the hall are a great place to stop and get out of the hustle and bustle of the shopping areas.

The Undercroft- Merchant Adventurers Hall

And if you're visiting York then you may be looking for a place to stay. It's a lesser known fact that York Conferences offer bed and breakfast facilities within the halls of the York University, for very reasonable rates. The Uni is situated around 2 miles from the city centre with regular buses to and from the centre and the railway station.

Cooling off on the coast?

Situated on the picturesque headland at Flamborough you can find the Yorkshire Wildlife Trust Living Seas Centre. The centre is free to visit and provides you with information about all the work the YWT is doing to protect the marine habitat. You can get involved with seashore safaris, beach cleans, living seas safaris and much more! There's lots for the kids too, the centre has a 'magic floor' and provides marine themed arts and crafts activities, so grab a cuppa while the kids are entertained, then head down onto South Landing beach to get up-close and personal with some of the Yorkshire coastal wildlife.

The Living Seas Centre at South Landing- Flamborough.

If you're heading a bit further south then it's definitely worth checking out Spurn Point.  This unique spit of land is a great place to relax, take in the sea air and witness some of Yorkshire's diverse wildlife; the area is very popular with bird watchers. When the road is open you can drive down the spit, but please check before visiting, sometimes the road is shut due to poor weather.

Lighthouses at Spurn- Credit Kelvin Percival

Prefer the countryside?

The Yorkshire Wildlife Trust guidebook will tell you everything you need to know about all the nature reserves throughout Yorkshire, but there are a couple that we have worked with closely that deserve a special mention.

Potteric Carr, just outside of Doncaster, is great place to spot Kingfishers and other species that enjoy wetland habitats. The Kingfisher Tearooms are a great place to stop before or after a walk around the reserve, and the paths are even suitable for pushchairs. Check out their sightings blog on the website to get an idea of what you might spot when you visit.

Potteric Carr- Credit Paul Carter.

Another wetland habitat worth a visit is Staveley Nature Reserve where otters are spotted regularly. Visit the viewing hides so you can take in the peace and quiet, and observe some of Yorkshire's varied and beautiful wildlife.

Aerial shot of Staveley.

Or are towns more your thing?

One town you must visit is Malton, especially if you are a foodie. Malton hosts an annual Food Lovers Festival, as well as an annual Beer Festival, both of which are popular with locals and tourists alike. There are also monthly Food Lovers Markets, and the town boasts about it's independent food shops, which are supplied by the rich farmland surrounding the town. If you're in to fine dining then you could always book a table at James Martin's restaurant in the Talbot Hotel.  As an added bonus, due to the generosity of our newest client Fitzwilliam Estates, parking in the town centre is free (2 hours), meaning you will have plenty of time to explore and taste some of the delights the town has to offer.

Malton's market square.

As you can see, with all this on your doorstep, (or a few hours drive at most), why would you need to go anywhere else?


Where is your favourite place to visit in Yorkshire? Do you have a favourite attraction? Tweet us @ubd_studio