The recent Bank Holiday weekend meant only one thing: Tour de Yorkshire 2019 was in full swing! Though it started on Thursday 2nd May, there's nothing stopping you following in the footsteps of the likes of Froome and Cavendish by rail or car - whatever your preferred route. We thought we would share with you our favourite highlights of the tour and other hot spots in and around the stunning county.
Selby Abbey
We start with Selby Abbey in North Yorkshire which is the finishing line of stage 1. The abbey was founded after the Norman Conquest, in 1069 by Monk Benedict Auxerre, and has since survived as a parish church. Admission is free to everyone (donations also welcome) and it's just a stone's throw away from Selby train station and town centre - perfect for a day trip!
Harewood House
Harewood House is close by to Bramhope, a passing village on stage 2. Designed by architects John Carr and Robert Adam, and built between 1759 and 1771, it is now a museum and listed as a Grade I building. The house has also been a filming location for many TV programmes and films such as ITV's Victoria, starring Jenna Coleman and Death Comes to Pemberley. Harewood village itself has been a filming location for the popular soap opera Emmerdale since 1996. You are free to explore the grounds at your leisure and visit the café for a spot of lunch. Also, keep an eye out for the deer on your arrival, with the stately home's vast deer park!
Whitby
Whitby is the first seaside town on stage 3 of the Tour de Yorkshire. Renowned for its famous abbey, founded in 657 AD and later destroyed in 1540 by order of King Henry VIII, it stands on the edge of West Cliff with a mammoth 199 steps, attracting visitors from across the whole world. The abbey is also known to have inspired Bram Stoker, who wrote the world-famous Gothic classic Dracula. During your visit to Whitby you could also visit the Captain Cook Memorial Museum, which celebrates the famous mariner's achievements, as well as a personal look at original letters penned by Cook, charts and artefacts. Why not also enjoy a walk by the seafront, with some fish and chips to top it all off?
Scarborough
Our second seaside town on stage 3 is Scarborough, famous for its 12th century castle, which boasts splendid views of the coastline. If you're wanting to get closer to wildlife, then why not visit Sea Life? Scarborough's own aquarium has a vast amount of creatures including penguins, seals, turtles and even jellyfish! Scarborough is also the resting place of author Anne Brontë, who is buried in St Mary's Church graveyard. Scarborough is also the setting for both of her novels, Agnes Grey and The Tenant of Wildfell Hall.
Haworth and Brontë Country
Haworth: The 4th and final stage of the Tour de Yorkshire (Sunday, 5th May). Home of the famous literary Brontë sisters, the parsonage where they lived is now a museum full to the brim with their personal possessions, including Charlotte's very own writing desk, ink set, and wedding bonnet. Surrounding Haworth village are the wild and windy moors of West Yorkshire, known to have inspired the setting of Emily Brontë's masterpiece, Wuthering Heights. There are plenty of leisurely walks to go on in this desolate landscape, and you can really take in the stunning views.
These are just five of many beautiful places in Yorkshire. The landscape is truly beautiful, and we hope these hotspots have given you a taste of what this county has to offer. With another Bank Holiday weekend coming up this month, why not hop on a train and visit somewhere new?
