The 10 most beautiful places in Yorkshire
As someone who is Yorkshire born and bred, I’ll be the first to admit that I may be biased when I say it is the most beautiful region in the country. But I think the evidence is strongly in my favour. Whether you like rugged coastlines, manicured gardens, blustery moorland or architectural wonders, the four areas that make up Yorkshire have each one in abundance. Finding the most striking places in God’s Own Country is a borderline-impossible task, but there are some parts, both illustrious and not so well known, that stand out from the rest. If you're on the hunt for more, yet lesser-known areas, then look at our guide to the best places to visit Yorkshire.
Getty ImagesKnaresborough
Built into a deep gorge, with a viaduct and its own clifftop castle, the North Yorkshire market town of Knaresborough is attractive from any angle – though the best way to see it might be relaxing in a rowing boat on the pretty River Nidd. It is easily possible to spend a day exploring the stairways embedded in the rockface, strolling through the cobbled passageways and shopping in the quaint square, but Knaresborough has a quirky side too. It’s home to Mother Shipton’s Cave, whose Petrifying Well is the oldest attraction in England where objects are slowly turned to stone by water rich in sulphate and carbonate.
Getty ImagesSwaledale
The undulating, sheep-flecked landscape of Swaledale is no doubt what most people picture when they think of Yorkshire. Located in one of the most northerly and remote parts of the stunning Yorkshire Dales National Park, it is almost luxurious in its authenticity. There are no large towns, but old villages such as the entertainingly named Gunnerside, Muker and Crackpot are set among the rolling dales, providing enticing tearooms and cosy pubs. The views are so stunning that even the least skilled photographer can come away with professional-looking snapshots of verdant pastures, weathered dry-stone walls and glowing buttercup meadows.
Getty ImagesWhitby
You’d be hard-pressed to find an inch of Yorkshire shoreline that isn’t bewitching, but Whitby will always edge out the competition with its ruined abbey and historic whale-bone arch. The North Yorkshire town is part of the Cleveland Way, a magnificent national trail which takes in a huge portion of the region’s coast, including seductive villages such as Robin Hood’s Bay, Staithes and Saltburn-by-the-Sea, and the North York Moors. Whitby is already in perfect balance, where classic waterside charm meets gaudy arcades, sweet shops and some of the UK’s best fish and chips, but the town is also peppered with unique curiosities including the 199 Steps, the lighthouse and jewellers specialising in Whitby jet, an opaque, black precious gemstone.
AlamyYorkshire Sculpture Park
The juxtaposition of modern art and the landscaped gardens of Bretton Park is what makes this West Yorkshire exhibition space exceptional. Home to some of the finest works by regional sculptors Henry Moore, Barbara Hepworth and Damien Hirst, as well as those from international artists, the park offers an open-air feast of magnetic, and often surprising, creations. Elegant buildings on the site include the Underground Gallery, an award-winning piece of sustainable architecture that is almost hidden, recessed into the sloped lawn, and the Weston Visitor Centre, with its impressive glass frontage and wildflower roof, which is a lovely spot for tea and cake.
AlamyIlkley Moor
The wild and rugged natural beauty of Ilkley Moor is legendary, not just as the inspiration for the Yorkshire folk song ‘On Ilkla Moor Baht 'at’, but for the imposing and instantly recognisable Cow and Calf rocks. The views across miles of history-steeped towns and green rolling hills are arresting at any time of year but the place is especially resplendent in late summer when the entire moor is enriched by lush purple heather. Understandably, Ilkley has been a travel destination for centuries, perhaps even millennia – eagle-eyed visitors will spot Neolithic carvings and can visit the White Wells, a Victorian plunge pool.
AlamyWentworth Castle Gardens
Frequently popping up in television period dramas, the Grade I-listed Wentworth Woodhouse is one of the largest houses in Europe and has the longest façade of any British country home. The sprawling Barnsley estate, though perhaps not as well known as its high-profile Yorkshire neighbours Harewood House and Castle Howard, is no less stunning. While the house is captivating, the real beauty lies in Wentworth Castle Gardens, an enchanting mix of outdoor surprises set across 60 acres. This includes the tranquil Victorian flower garden, the ruined Stainborough Castle folly, some of the finest parkland and wildlife-abundant woodland in the area – and even a lake.
AlamyHumber Street and The Deep
Hull has seen its reputation lifted in recent years thanks to investments that have revitalised neglected parts of the city. One of those was Humber Street, now a thriving independent-retail hub and an urban-renewal success story. The thoroughfare, at the heart of the famous Fruit Market district, is now adorned with colourful murals. Adjacent to Humber Street is The Deep aquarium, one of the most architecturally striking buildings in the UK. Reminiscent of a shark projecting out of the Humber Estuary, the glass and aluminium structure is a modern classic, even earning a place on a Royal Mail postage stamp.
AlamyBeverley
There’s no greener town in Yorkshire than Beverley. The centre bumps up against acres of pasture known as Beverley Westwood and, in recent years, it has been a Britain in Bloom finalist and Yorkshire in Bloom award winner. But the East Yorkshire town also has particularly attractive architecture, from the stark and dignified former windmill known as the Black Mill to the grandeur of Beverley Minster, where, from the top of its towers, there are mesmerising panoramas across the flat greenery of the East Riding.
- Eating & DrinkingThe best new restaurants in the world: 2024 Hot List
- Places to StayThe best new hotels in the world: 2024 Hot List
- InspirationAnnouncing the Hot List Winners of 2024
Getty ImagesYorkshire Three Peaks
Each one of these three adjacent mountains has its own individual character. Pen-y-ghent is the lowest, followed by dramatic Ingleborough, with its steep ridges jutting out from the landscape, while smooth Whernside is deceptively the tallest at 2,415ft. On a clear day, the views across the Yorkshire Dales are invigorating and include the 1312ft Ribblehead Viaduct, a masterful feat of Victorian engineering. Less well known is the UK’s highest unbroken waterfall on the south side of Ingleborough, the Gaping Gill. The underground chamber is also the largest in Britain with a natural opening and is big enough to fit a cathedral inside.
Getty ImagesYork
Walking around York is like taking several big steps back in time as a layer of history is unpeeled at every turn, from the grand Victorian train station to the Norman castle, the ruined Benedictine abbey to the city walls originally built by the Romans. However, two very different locations draw the biggest crowds. One of those, as you’d expect, is the jaw-dropping Gothic splendour of York Minster, one of the largest cathedrals in northern Europe. The other is the more understated Shambles, a charming almost-caricature of a medieval street with atmospheric overhanging buildings and maze-like alleyways.
Like this? Now read:
The 20 most beautiful villages in the UK and Ireland