Welcome to Saltaire – BD18

Posted by brian in Welcome To - series | Yorkshire History and Heritage - (2 Comments)

Aire I saw elba

As a UNESCO World Heritage site a visit to Saltaire is a must. This is due to the present amenities and  Saltaire’s extremely interesting past. Set alongside the river Aire from which it gets part of its name Saltaire also has the Leeds Liverpool canal running through it’s heart.

  1. Sir Titus Salt, a Victorian mill owner, built  Saltaire as a model town and endowed it with many employee friendly features. Workers cottages  built and named after Salt family members, Alma,  Ada, Mary, Constance , Helen,  Fanny, Grace Streets are now occupied by West Yorkshire commuters. I guess the  names seemed modern  in the 19th century.
  2. The former mill now houses a small museum, retail emporium, art gallery, 3 eating establishments and workspace.
  3. Shipley glen tramway is just across the river and canal bridges and runs up to picturesque Shipley Glen. Even if the tram is not running the glen is a good place to take children with rocks to climb, woods to explore, Brackenhall Countryside Centre to visit and a tea house.
  4. Roberts Park is squeezed between the river and the canal and has 2 cricket pitches  to deposit balls into either waterway.
  5. “1853 Gallery” which houses a collection of the works of the famous local artist David Hockney.
  6. Victoria hall and exhibition   premises hold a range of events. the Antiques Road Show was fillemed here last month..
  7. The United Reform round church based on Italian architecture and built by Titus Salt in 1859.
  8. The old tramsheds are now a restaurant and entertainment venue but it is easy to see where the old Trolley buses stopped when they reached their Saltaire destination. Another licensed and thus irreverent location is called Don’t Tell Titus.
  9. Walks include paths on the ‘Dalesway Bradford Link’  that lead up to Dick Hudsons and over Ilkley moor to the official start.
  10. Salts Walks is a demonstration of the local enterprise culture which keeps the community spirit live and thriving. See Saltaire Festival 2010. and Saltaire Arts Trail

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Welcome to Harrogate – HG1

Posted by brian in Our Yorkshire | Welcome To - series - (1 Comments)

Cloud conference

Harrogate is ‘a bit county’ with a long reputation as a Yorkshire Spa and tourist attraction. For a day trip or as a base for a Yorkshire holiday you are sure of a good welcome.

Top Ten Harrogate Activities and Attractions

  1. Harlow Carr gardens are managed by the Royal Horticultural Society. They have a superb new Alpine house and modern eco-library as well as the gardens and woods to visit. At Harlow Carr they hold national collections of Rhubarb, ferns Polypodium and Dryopteris plus Fuchsia of the Quelusia section.
  2. The Great Yorkshire Show is held at the show grounds in July every year 13-15th in 2010. It claims to be ‘the country’s leading agricultural event’ and us Yorkshire folk have long believed that to be so.
  3. The Royal Pump room is now a museum containing ancient Egyptian treasures including a Mummy cast, Mummy masks, canopic jars, jewellery and more. After a look around you can see the sulphur wells and taste the strongest sulphur water in Europe! Hard to believe this was why Victorians came to Harrogate to take this water! Ugh!
  4. The Valley Gardens lead up the hill from the pump room and as well as some immaculate and interesting council parks and garden layouts there are the caps of several wells that produced a variety of Spa water.
  5. The modern International Exhibition centre hold a variety of events in October for example Harrogate Antique Fair, Rotary 1040 Conference, CGP Annual Conference 2010, Association for Perioperative Practice, and the not to be missed Institute of Revenues Rating & Valuation Conference.
  6. There are 3 good performance venues, The Royal Hall with it’s elaborate decor, perfect acoustics and great location my personal favourite. The International centre main hall and the Harrogate Theatre
  7. The sumptuous council run Turkish Bath is a great place to unwind and have a bit of pampering see details
  8. Harrogate has many fine hotels and a variety of accommodation. Pick a time when there is no special event in the town and you will get a good Yorkshire deal.
  9. As a centre for touring the dales, Fountains Abbey or other beauty spots there are good bus, train and coach trips.
  10. After shopping or walking the ‘Stray’ you can always queue at Bettys cafe for a cup of Yorkshire  tea

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Welcome to Hovingham – YO62

Posted by brian in Villages, Towns and Cities | Welcome To - series - (1 Comments)

Hovingham is in great farming country on the North Yorkshire Moors. Whilst farmers are notoriously hard to please it must be a joy to work here with the animals and crops.

  1. The parish is large containing Coulton, Scackleton, and six other townships. Hovingham, formerly a market town, is situated in the vale of Ryedale.
  2. There were three mineral springs, yielding respectively sulphurous, chalybeate, and clear water. Originally Hovingham was the site of a Roman bath.
  3. Ancient parish information is available from the local historian.
  4. Hovinham Hall, for 440 years, has been the home of the Worsley family. The Palladian house was built in 1770 and is open through June.
  5. Hovingham Womens Fellowship is just one of the community activities in the area. Make a note of Market day on 12th June 2010.
  6. Sport is taken seriously with Tennis, Cricket, Bowls and Table Tennis clubs all active.
  7. A full community plan can be downloaded from this pdf.
  8. Gardens in Hovingham will be open to the public on the 11th July 2010.
  9. All Saints Church (above) was rebuilt in 1860   retaining its Anglo-Saxon tower and a number of other early features including a Saxon west doorway and a 10th century Saxon wheel cross inset over the south belfry.
  10. The Worsley Arms is the only hotel in Hovingham but there is a shop and tearoom situated on the green. Walking is a popular activity and you can enjoy the magnificent North Yorkshire countryside

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Fly Fishing in Yorkshire

Posted by brian in Our Yorkshire | Yorkshire Sport and Pastimes - (0 Comments)

wharfe-in-spring

Fly Fishing

Yorkshire Anglers is a commercial club with 35 acres of water in two resevoirs and over a mile of the river Wharfe. 15 miles from Leeds this intimate private fishery has brown trout and rainbow trout weighing 1.25 lbs and occassionally much more. ‘The waters leased by Yorkshire Anglers are hidden gems, tucked away in the midst of typically beautiful Yorkshire scenery and are a refreshing tonic to the numerous ‘muddy puddles’ masquerading as fly fishing lakes. The two reservoirs and a stretch of the River Wharfe provide ample scope for the discerning fly-fisher to test his skills against fish which very quickly wise up and start feeding naturally.’

Fly fishing lessons are on offer  with Steve Rhodes and the Yorkshire based  Go Fly Fishing . Yorkshire has some of the most famous fly fishing locations in the UK with the equally  limestone Rivers Wharfe, Ure and Aire in the Yorkshire Dales where Grayling and Trout are available. From fly tying to lessons on technique would make an interesting day out or a fine present. (more…)

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