The City of York and East Yorkshire

CITY OF YORK AND EAST YORKSHIRE INTRODUCTION
The City of York and East Yorkshire is not a ‘designated’ area like the Peak District or The Yorkshire Dales, nor a natural region in the true sense of the term; instead, it is a magnificent collection of varied and contrasting units that combine to offer an excellent range of interest and attraction. The boundaries extend north-eastwards from York to near Filey, southwards along the coast to Spurn Head, westwards along the Humber to near Goole and then via Market Weighton northwards back to York. The emphasis may be on the incredible City of York but there is also the unspoilt, almost unknown chalk escarpment of the Yorkshire Wolds, the broad-horizoned, flat, farming landscape of the Plain of Holderness, the most fascinating city and port of Hull and the glorious, spectacular Yorkshire coastline. All in all, these landscapes combine perfectly to form a logical region to explore from York, offering an harmonious blend of rural, urban and coastal themes.

HISTORY & HERITAGE
The ancient settlement of York has developed over two millenniums to provide the ultimate ‘living reminder’ of our heritage that it is today. Ancient Britons, Romans, Saxons, Vikings and Normans lived in, and each in their own way contributed to, the appearance and character of this magnificent city. Subsequent centuries have brought further additions and amendments to its structure, as if its inhabitants had been carefully presenting exhibits to some huge museum of the future, a role the city so successfully fills today! There are many treasures to be discovered or explored in this most historic city, but visitors naturally seem to have their own favorites or preferences. There is the awesome and stunningly beautiful York Minster, spectacular City Walls, imposing Clifford’s Tower, quaint narrow streets, tremendous churches and a wealth of exciting museums. Currently, perhaps the best-known is the Jorvik Viking Centre. But not all the preserved history is ‘ancient’ – The National Railway Museum is a reminder that York was every bit as important in the Industrial Revolution as it was in Roman times.

CUSTOMS & CULTURE
As one might expect from this second most important bishopric in England, there is a deep religious culture in the area. As a royal dukedom there is also a background steeped in the history of the English monarchy, especially connected with the Wars of the Roses. In more recent times a Quaker settlement and especially the Rowntree family have been influential in the development of York. A long literary background can be traced back to one of the most influential of English scholars, Alcuin, born in York in 735AD and this tradition continues – W. H. Audin, the leading writer of verse in his time, was also born at York, in 1907. Being a port and long established University town, Hull has played its part in the cultural development of England. William Wilberforce is probably its best known son, but three of Britain’s greatest scientists were also born here and the University has attracted the likes of Dr. Jacob Bronowski and Philip Larkin to its staff. Alan Plater, of ‘Z Cars’ fame is a great supporter of Hull’s theatre.

LANDSCAPES & LANDFORMS
This is a low-lying region possessing the relatively low hills known as the Yorkshire Wolds which protrude as the spectacular coastal cliffs at Flamborough Head. The word ‘wold’ derives from Old English ‘wald’ meaning woodland and so once they must have been heavily wooded. Now though, they are bare and windswept and everywhere people have changed this environment to suit their own purposes. At their highest point, Garrowby Hill, they are just over 240 metres (800 ft) high. The views from up here are truly magnificent across the Vale of York to the far Pennines and to the north across the Vale of Pickering to the North York Moors. This is an area characterised, as Tennyson said, by ‘calm and deep peace’. This is in stark contrast to the drama and magnitude of some of the highest cliffs to be found in England where the chalk of the Wolds meets the sea at Flamborough Head. These spectacular cliffs give way to wide sandy beaches to the south and the ever changing geography of the classic sandspit, Spurn Head, at the mouth of the River Humber.

PLACES TO VISIT & EVENTS
Every museum in York – and there are plenty – is worth a visit, as well as the historical interpretation sites like the Jorvik Centre. Virtually the whole of one of the ‘Discovery Guides’ is devoted to this wonderful location, in which the gothic completeness of York Minister sits in utter splendour. But there is so much more. Vanbrugh managed to create one of England’s greatest architectural masterpieces at Castle Howard and unknown ancient builders placed the three mysterious monoliths known as the ‘Devil’s Arrows’ near to Boroughbridge. Ruined Kirkham Priory is testament to religious builders as is the sublime Minster at Beverley with its world renowned stained glass. Burton Constable Hall, with its grand state rooms is set in 200 sumptuous acres of Capability Brown parkland. Hornsea with its pottery and evocative Mere, grace the coast and further north are the busy, pleasant, tourist towns of Bridlington and Filey. Pocklington, Market Weighton and Driffield are three small towns which characterise this area, which, if left, should possibly be done so at night, via the superbly illuminated, superbly built Humber Bridge, one of the modern great wonders of Britain.

SPORTS & LEISURE
For an area not known for its walking there are a surprising number of long distance walks of which the ‘Wolds Way’ is the best known. Sea fishing is popular especially from Bridlington and facilities for such as bowls, tennis and indoor swimming exist at Hull and York as well as the seaside towns. Horse riding is proving popular along the bare tops of the Wolds, whilst cycling is perfect on the flat Holderness Plain. Ornithologists will simply love this area and the are several reserves dedicated to that activity. But it is York that dominates and the simple pleasure of browsing is nowhere done to more effect than in this magnificent city.