York is a city that I have never visited, but one which I have wanted to for some time, I even considered applying to attend university there but decided that maybe the travelling from Devon to York every holiday, and then back again would be costly and too long. So now I am hoping that one day we will go on a little holiday to that part of the UK with the boys, because I know that is filled with so much history and culture and has some amazing rural landscapes too. I would need to find out what is the best accommodation for us as a family too, as staying with children in a city is much differnt than as a couple, because you need to find accommodation which is family friendly and in a suitable locality to the city and all of its amenities. Luckily for me I can find all sorts of places to stay in and around York in one place, as Hotel Direct has all that information ready for me to access at the touch of my keyboard!
With its cobbled streets and old, crooked buildings there are some similarities between places I know here in Devon and the streets of York
Obviously having lived in North Devon most of my life now (about 18 years to be exact), I know the area pretty well and have some inside knowledge of where I can find family friendly places and areas of interest and beauty. However, Yorkshire is a county I have only ever read about or seen on the TV so I wondered how these two counties at almost opposite ends of the country compared with one another .
Food
Devon is famous for its cream teas – fresh scones, generous servings of clotted cream and jam served with a pot of tea is just blissful and something that most visitors to the country treat themselves to when they are staying here. Other well know Devon fayre includes its clotted cream ice creams, homemade pasties, hogs pudding and laver.
Yorkshire is surely the home of the yorkshire pudding the best bit about a roast beef dinner in my opinion! Be they eaten as a savoury or even a sweet dish, by their very name they make you think of the county which they were named after. However, it appears that the humble yorkshire pudding may not have its origins in Yorkshire but Parkin certainly does. This soft cake is traditionally made of oatmeal and black treacle tends to be associated with Bonfire Night. Therefore, I would definately pay a visit to a great little tea shoppe to sample a traditional Yorkshire cuppa and a slice of parkin.
Being a bit of a chocoholic , another must see for a foodie fan like me is to discover the history of Yorkshire chocolate making, as apparently York is the home of the UK’s chocolate making! Fancy that – I have learnt something new.
Beaches
Devon is well known as a holiday resort, surrounded with stunning coastline and beautiful beaches, many with their blue flag awards, and there are a lot to choose from. We tend to not venture too far if we fancy a trip to the seaside and usually head for Instow, Westward Ho! or Crow Point especially because they do no get as busy as the more well know beaches in the area.
I have to be honest, Yorkshire is not a place I associate with beaches as I think more about its moors and its old historical buildings. However, it has many beaches and when I stop to think about it Whitby Bay, famous for its connections to the novel Dracula, is a well know seaside resort
Dialect & History
When I firsrt moved to North Devon I had real trouble trying to understand some of the local residents because their way of talking was quite different to what I had been used to. Calling girls and women maids, boys bays, those trees becomes they trees and so on ,I did, and indeed still do struggle sometime to hear clearly what true Devonian people are saying when I hear them talk.
However, from watching films and TV shows set in Yorkshire, I am also left a little bewildered by some of this county’s phrases and sayings! I think a visit to a good museum to learn more about the history of this dialect and the city itself is another must thing to do when visitingYork.
And ever since I saw an episode of Blue Peter as a child , where they visited the Jorvik Viking Centre , this is another well known attraction in York I want to visit with my boys.
And of course a tour of the walls around the city which is a 3.4km walk, is another must thing to do as these medieval walls are the longest ones in England! After all that walking a trip on the open air sight seeing tour bus would be a fun thing to take the boys on, as they love travelling on a bus and have never been on one without a roof before! So not only would it hopefully keep them happy, it would of course it would offer us a chance to put our feet up and take in the beauty of historic York.
York sounds like a fantastic city to explore with my family, now all I need to do is get saving!
Advertorial
with thanks to these lovely ladies for their tips
It is such a beautiful city to just wander around. We spent a few days there last year and had a lovely time.
Your pictures look lovely and really sells visiting York. Looks like a wonderful place to wander cobbled streets, one of my favourite things to do.
I love the look of the beaches, Whitby Bay looks like a beautiful place.
I think we have so much to offer in Britain, a stunning environment to explore.