Tour of Yorkshire, England
June 7 - 12, 2025

Preface

Early last year we were looking at cruises that would go around the British Isles. We weren’t finding anything that appealed to us, since most of the ports were to bigger cities. We then looked at what Overseas Adventure Travel (OAT) offered. We toured with OAT five previous times and thoroughly enjoyed how they delve into the culture of the places they visit. They had an itinerary that covered a lot of Scotland, which is a country I only spent one short rainy port day in 2004. Cathy went to Scotland many years ago on a golf outing, so she didn’t see many tourist attractions. The stops in England, Wales, Orkney Islands and Isle of Skye were also very appealing. Another major attraction of doing this tour was that we could visit our dear friends Paul and Gail who live in Yorkshire, a most beautiful part of England.

We were flying on British Airways from Miami to London with an hour and 55-minute layover before our flight to Manchester. With it being a 5:00 PM flight, I always worry more about delays. Morning flights seem to have less delays. As usual, we arrived a bit more than three hours early for the international flight. With BA being an American Airlines travel partner, we were able to go to their Flagship lounge. AA only has five of these lounges in the country. It was very nice; it even had a ceviche bar.

We saw that the arriving flight was delayed, so I worried. I read about lots of areas for delays when arriving and connecting at Heathrow. Fortunately, our flight wasn’t delayed much. We were flying on the two-level Airbus A380-800. I saw several reviews about how bad the business class seats were on this BA plane. The main complaint was the seat arrangement. We were fortunate to be on the upper deck, so there were less seats. It was a 2-3-2 configuration rather than the 2-4-2 on the lower deck. Whichever deck you were on, you still had to crawl over someone to get to the aisle if you were on the window or middle seats.

We were assigned seats that were one row apart, which would allow me to climb over Cathy instead of a stranger. BA charges business class customers if they want to select their seats before the flight and it wasn’t cheap.

But that also meant that I would be staring directly at a stranger for the whole flight. The check in desk tried to get our seats together, but couldn’t, so she told us to just ask the person next to us to change. Fortunately, he agreed to and I was able to look across to Cathy for the flight.

The seat did have a wide area for feet, but the platform had to be pulled down when needed. There was also almost no storage area around the seats unless, like me, you have a window seat on the upper deck with bins by the windows.

We had very strong tail winds and arrived early. Our connecting flight was in terminal 5, the same one we landed in, which made it an easier connection. My concern about delays at security and immigration were not an issue. It was super-fast. The new system they recently implemented for non-Brits seemed to work great. We had time to go to the BA lounge at Heathrow before our one-hour flight to Manchester. When we landed, Paul and Gail were waiting for us as we exited the baggage claim area. Our vacation had officially started.

Day 1

I have known Paul and Gail since 2013. I met them on a Baltic cruise two months after I retired. Although we chatted extensively on our Cruise Critic roll call for many months before the cruise. We have been on several cruises together since and have visited each other’s home several times. They are very dear friends, with whom we video call regularly and always look forward to being with.

After they picked us up at the Manchester airport, we returned to their home in the very nice city of Leeds. With us having traveled all night, we just wanted to chill for the rest of the day. We were enjoying the cooler English weather, especially since it wasn’t raining. After a delicious light lunch, we caught up on things and discussed our plans for the next four days.

Their daughter’s family came over to see us, which I was thrilled about. I hadn’t seen them since 2016. We had a very nice visit, so much so that I never took any photos. After a nice walk around the neighborhood, Gail made a wonderful dinner for us. It is so nice to have friends that are excellent cooks! We went to bed early to catch up on our lack of sleep and time zone change.

Day 2

After a great night’s sleep, we were ready see the sights of Yorkshire. We headed to the town of Wensleydale. It is an hour and forty-five-minute drive. But the scenery and small villages we passed through were most enjoyable. We first visited the Wensleydale Creamery, which is well known for their delicious cheeses, especially their Wensleydale cheese varieties.

This particular type of cheese was developed by French Cistercian monks who settled in Northern England and made the cheese in their monastery. When the monastery was dissolved, the local farmers continued to make it. The shop has a huge selection of cheeses to sample. And they are all so good. I thought I was in heaven. One of the most popular is the Wensleydale with cranberries. It is a winner!

After over sampling the cheeses, we went through the museum and factory tour section. With it being a Sunday, the factory was closed, so there wasn’t much to see going on. The museum has a demonstration room where they show how the cheese is made, but we didn’t want to wait for it, so we continued on.

The next section was for kids. The cartoon characters Wallace & Gromit are very popular in the UK. Wallace and his dog Gromit love Wensleydale cheese and mention it frequently in their productions. It has been a major reason for the resurgence of the Wensleydale cheese.

As a result, they are featured in the museum, and everyone can take their photos with them. We couldn’t pass up the opportunity.

We next passed by the empty factory. I would have like to see it in production, but tasting the end products kept me from being too disappointed.

After leaving the creamery, we drove over to the town of Hawes. We love walking around quaint towns, even in the colder weather. We stopped at the Hawes Waterfall.

Down the street was a very narrow stone building. Close by was another small stream going through town.

We came to a river with weirs. They are always fascinating to me and just a pleasure to watch. There was a small mill with a screw drive to pull in water.

Another reason to go to the Wensleydale area was to have Sunday dinner at a wonderful restaurant called the Wensleydale Heifer. Paul and Gail have told us about it for a long time, so we were looking forward to finally eating there. I liked the cute sign.

The restaurant is part of the hotel that is known for their various theme rooms. Below are some of them that are shown on a display. Since the proprieter offered to show us around, I also put in some real photos we were able to take while they were cleaning up the rooms.

The restaurant was full as it usually is on Sunday for their special Sunday Dinner.

Since Paul’s birthday was just a few days earlier, there was a balloon at our table. I also took a photo of the painting I liked behind the table after we got up.

The service was very good and the food outstanding.

Chicken Liver Parfait 70's Style Prawn Cocktail

Salt Aged Roast Pork Belly Grand Reserve 35 Day Aged Roast Sirloin

Assortment of Vegetables/Sides

The desserts were just too good!

I got a kick out of the painting next to the reception desk. Most appropriate for a restaurant called the heifer.

It was an enjoyable day. We looked forward to the next ones. That evening we were introduced to a most entertaining TV show, Clarkson’s Farm on Amazon Prime. The star of the show, Jeremy Clarkson, is television personality and author who specializes in motoring. He is also the host of Britain’s Who Wants to be a Millionaire. He has owned the farm since 2008 but decided that he wanted to try his hand at farming in 2019 after his contractor retired. The show is very funny and entertaining. It also shows the challenges of the farmer. It is a difficult life. He does have some hands that assist, but he does get very involved. We watched an episode or two every night.

Day 3

For our second Yorkshire touring day, we were going to the town of Knaresborough. It was just about a 30-minute drive. As we came into town, I liked the name of the Café called Six Poor Folk.

Our first stop was at the ruins of the Knaresborough Castle. A castle has stood on these grounds since 1129 AD. It played a big part in history when its owner, who took part in the murder of Archbishop Thomas Beckett in 1170 AD, fled to the castle. Even though it is in ruins, they are very nice ruins. It is quite an impressive structure.

As we walked around, we saw different views of the castle.

The best view though is looking down at the bridge in town. It is a special place.

Behind the castle is a memorial and gorgeous forest.

We drove back into the quaint town. I liked the signage on one of the buildings.

I also thought the sheep on the woolen’s shop was an interesting decoration. It certainly got my attention.

In the town’s market square there were a couple statues. One is of Blind Jack John Metcalf. He was blind from the age of six and was one of the first professional road builders. He was also an accomplished diver, swimmer, card player and fiddler. He was one special guy.

The other is of Mother Shipton, a prophetess and soothsayer. Some considered her a witch. She was born in a nearby cave, which is now an amusement park called Mother Shipton’s Cave.

We next walked down toward the river. There were some nice homes along the path.

We then saw a different view of the bridge from river level.

We decided that it would be nice to stop for a drink along the river with a view of the bridge. We were able to get the perfect table. We ordered a delicious mocha café.

After our break, we walked around town some more before heading back to Leeds. On the way there we stopped at the Milk Churn Farm Café and Gelateria. It came highly recommended, so we couldn’t refuse. They did have delicious ice cream. We walked around the farm and saw some milk producers chatting with each other.

That evening Gail made another wonderful dinner for us.

Day 4

We were going to visit the city of York for the day. It was only about a 30-minute drive, so it was very convenient. One of the issues that York has is parking. It is a very popular tourist town, and parking is very expensive if you can even find a lot close to where you want to go. Instead, we went to one of their convenient car parks outside the city. The little shuttle bus that leaves every 15 minutes only cost us £6.5 each. For British seniors it is free. It is a very nice service. Paul took a photo of us on the bus.

The bus dropped us off close to Clifford’s Tower. It was part of York Castle. It is an interesting looking building sitting on a large mound. It has a rather dark past though due to the 1190 AD Massacre at Clifford’s Tower. 150 Jews died during the mob attack. Many took their own lives rather than renounce their faith or be murdered by the mob that was trying to get to them.

We next walked toward the Shambles area. It is the most popular area of York. On the way we saw an umbrellaed street and most attractive building.

Just outside the main area is the Shambles outdoor market.

The Shambles has narrow streets and medieval buildings dating back to the 14th century. Even the streets outside the main area are a pleasure to walk.

The main street was really crowded.

There are shops that sell Harry Potter type items, probably because the street looks like Diagon Alley in the movies. We even found some brooms parked near a shop.

At the end of the street, we came across the York Birds of Prey Center. Some handlers had some of their birds on display. They were a very popular photo opp.

Our next destination was to York Minster. It is the cathedral of York. The first church on the site was constructed in 627 AD. The current building was built between 1220 to 1472. It is a very large cathedral. I liked the chapter house on the east side.

Each side of the exterior was different and beautiful.

Once inside, there was a statue of Queen Elizabeth II.

It is a massive and beautiful building with so much to take in, and so much stained glass.

The chapter house was surrounded by stained glass windows.

The rose window area on the south precept was being renovated, so only part of it was visible from the interior. I had to knock the exposure way down to get the actuall colors in the window.

There were several effigy statues around the church. They always fascinate me.

The choir area was spectacular with the huge ornate organ and lovely woodwork.

The view of the organ from the other side was amazing too.

We saw an unusual object on the ground. It was a cope chest that is used for storing the cloaks used by the clergy. This particular one dates back to the 14th century.

We then came to the great east window, the largest expanse of medieval stained glass in the country. It recently underwent a ten-year renovation to bring it back to its original glory. It is most impressive.

After leaving York Minster, we continued our walk. We passed by the home where Guy Fawkes was born. He was involved in the failed gunpowder plot of 1605 to blow up the parliament. Although Americans might not know his name, they probably recognize his likeness that is used on masks.

That night we went to Murgatroyds restaurant. They are known for their fish and chips. It was a most delicious dinner.

Day 5

We went to the town of Haworth today. The ride there was incredibly beautiful with green hills, stone walls and lots of sheep. Unfortunately, I couldn’t get photos through the car windows, but I knew that I would see lots more of this scenery in the upcoming tour we would be joining the next day. We stopped at a parking lot close to the main town where we would be walking. Next to the entrance was a beautiful green antique MG-TC. What a beauty!

The owner of the car, Edward Evans, was doing a fund raiser where instead of paying for parking, you could purchase his new book for £10. Paul was familiar with the author and was pleased to get the new book.

He told us that it was a 1947 model, which pleased me, since I am also a 1947 model. A great year to be born.

This is a very popular tourist area because it is where the Brontë sisters lived while writing their novels in the Haworth Parsonage, where their father was the church parson. There were lots of tourists joining us in this visit. I can understand why, since it is an absolutely charming area.

We came to an old red phone booth. Cathy had to check it out.

A lady asked if we wanted a group photo by the phone booth. We couldn’t pass it up.

Our next stop was to the Church of St. Michael and All Angels. This is at the site of the original building where Patrick Brontë was the parson for 41 years between 1820 - 1861. The tower is part of the original building.

The interior had a very nice wood ceiling and lots of lovely stained glass.

Behind the church was a very full cemetery.

Next door to the church is the parsonage where the Brontë family lived.

Patrick Brontë and his wife Maria had six children. Two daughters died at ages 10 and 11. They also had one son and three other daughters. All died in their 30’s. The three daughters gained recognition as writers and poets writing under male pseudonyms. The Brontë sisters most famous works were Charlotte – Jane Eyre, Emily – Wuthering Heights and Anne – The Tenant of Wildfell Hall. The Brontë sisters taught school in the parsonage.

We walked back to the main town enjoying the sights.

Having visited Haworth before, I knew that it was a steep climb down and back up the hill to see more of the quaint town. We were up for it. It was worth the exercise.

By the time we were finished exploring Haworth it was lunch time. Rather than eating in Haworth, we were going to a different town on the way back home, Ilkley. There were different shopping opportunities there and most importantly, Bettys Café Tea Room. We have eaten at Bettys every time we visited Yorkshire. We first went to the one in York, then Harrogate and now Ilkley. It is a very popular place with delicious food. They also have a shop where they sell their wonderful pastries and other items.

Cathy and I had a couple of delicious items for lunch. I ordered a croque monsieur and Cathy had a rösti with salmon and asparagus.

The highlight is always Bettys Fat Rascal, a yummy scone that is made to look like a face. They are best when warmed with lots of butter. They are always a treat. But having them with our friends makes them even better.

After leaving Bettys, we continued our walk through town.

We were surprised to see a classic Jensen Interceptor Mark III in the parking lot.

We saw the same car in the Haworth parking lot but hadn’t taken photos of it. This model was built in the early 1970’s before they went out of business in 1975.

It had been a most enjoyable touring day, but it was a sad one since we knew we would be leaving our friends the next morning for our tour. Gail made another outstanding dinner for us. We also were able to watch the last two episodes of the first season of Clarkson’s Farm. We would continue to watch the other seasons when we returned home.

The next morning, we said our goodbyes and were picked up by our usual transfer service www.welcomepickups.com. We have used this company many times and enjoy their drivers, vehicles and dependability. The 98-mile drive took just under two hours to our hotel.

The OAT tour review that followed our stay in Yorkshire can be found at: LINK