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Grassington – scene of Channel 4′s new reality TV show Love Thy Neighbour

Wednesday, March 2nd, 2011 by chrisjones

Grassington shop - photograph courtesy of Chris Jones

Robert Bunney in Grassington - photograph courtesy of Chris Jones

UPDATE: 17 March 2011 – after Donna and Louise won last week’s vote, tonight’s show features traveller musicians Kate and Corwen, battling it out with salesman Jay and his wife Steph for a place in the semi final – watch out for Kate and Corwen’s ‘friend’ Dobbin.

Grassington, in the Yorkshire Dales, has long been renowned for its beauty but now it’s set for more fame as it’s the location for a brand new reality TV show on Channel 4 every Thursday for the next 8 weeks starting 3 March at 9 pm.

The show is built around the premise that many people hanker after the “good life” away from the hustle and bustle of towns and cities, but it’s difficult to get a start in the country because of high property prices in the most desirable areas – and the Yorkshire Dales is certainly one of those. So the idea is that families compete to win a £300,000 cottage in Grassington.

But Grassington is a very tight-knit community and to win the cottage the contestants have to convince the locals that they’d make good neighbours, that they’d be committed to the area and that they’d make an active and useful contribution to village life.

Retreat Cafe in Grassington - photograph courtesy of Chris Jones

Over the first six weekly episodes pairs of different families move to the area and then have just five days to make a good impression by throwing themselves into village life. At the end of the week the villagers get together and vote on which of the families should be ejected from the competition. At the end of six weeks the remaining six couples are further whittled down over the last two episodes to determine the eventual winner.

The twist in the tale is that some of the contestants are not necessarily from the same white, middle class, conservative background as the typical Grassington villager with deep local roots spanning generation upon generation. What will the villagers make of people with a different ethnic background or who don’t fit the local norm of husband, wife and 2.3 children? And what will the contestants – many of whom come from inner cities – make of living in a small and very integrated village, where people look out for each other?

Love Thy Neighbour starts Thursday 3 March at 9pm on Channel 4.

More info: www.channel4.com/programmes/love-thy-neighbour

And if you’re keen to see what Grassington’s like and want to visit, check out the Grassington accommodation on Hello Yorkshire.

Grassington Folk Museum - photograph courtesy of Chris Jones

Tags: channel 4, channel 4 love thy neighbour, love thy neighbour, love thy neighbour grassington, reality tv in yorkshire
Posted in Industry News, Yorkshire Ramblings | 1 Comment »

Yorkshire: home to the most romantic ruins in the UK

Wednesday, February 23rd, 2011 by RichFox

UK's most romantic ruin

Yorkshire’s famed for many things, and its beautiful Dales and Moors are home to a host of spectacular views.

And now two very special jewels of Yorkshire’s crown have been named the first and second Most Romantic Ruins in the country in a poll in this month’s Countryfile magazine.

Top of the pile is Whitby Abbey, the magnificent gothic ruin overlooking one of the UK’s favourite seaside towns. As the inspiration for Bram Stoker’s Dracula, the remains of Whitby Abbey are perched on a cliff high above Whitby at the top of 199 famous steps.

Founded in 657, the Abbey has a magnificent wealth of history, including being the spot where the method of calculating Easter in the Roman church was devised in 664.

And as if first place in the Top 10 Romantic Ruins wasn’t enough, a Yorkshire ruin also came in second – Fountains Abbey, which fell victim to Henry VIII’s dissolution of the monasteries, and yet as the UK’s largest abbey ruins, it retains a real majesty and ability to awe all who see it.

Lying in the beautiful grounds of the Studley Royal Water Gardens, and with UNESCO World Heritage status, Fountains Abbey is a must-see.

For accommodation in Whitby for Whitby Abbey, or accommodation in Ripon for Fountains Abbey, check out Hello Yorkshire.

Tags: 2011, bram stoker's dracula, fountains abbey, most romantic ruin in the uk, ripon, whitby, whitby abbey, whitby abbey most romantic ruin, yorkshire dales
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South Riding by Winifred Holtby becomes new BBC drama

Thursday, February 17th, 2011 by chrisjones

South Riding novel by Winifred Holtby

South Riding is BBC 1’s flagship drama for spring 2011, screened in three hour-long episodes on Sundays at 9pm on 20 & 27 February and 6 March.

It’s set in the 1930s and tells the story of Sarah Burton, a Yorkshire-born schoolmistress who has spent the previous 20 years teaching in London and various corners of the British Empire. Sarah returns to Yorkshire and takes up the position of Headmistress at the fictional Kiplington High School for Girls. Sarah’s left-leaning idealism and desire to change the area bring her up against arch conservative landowner and farmer Robert Carne who lives in Maythorpe Hall. Whilst Carne represents all the values that Sarah detests, she finds herself drawn to him.

The story works on several levels – as a representation of how women thought of their place in society and how this was changing, as a way of demonstrating the huge inequalities between rich and poor at the time (Britain was facing an economic crisis), but also as an extremely gripping love story.

The series has been adapted from Winifred Holtby’s 1936 novel by Andrew Davies who has a reputation built on works such as the BBC’s Pride and Prejudice (with Colin Firth & Jennifer Ehle), House of Cards (with Ian Richardson), and Little Dorrit (with Claire Foy), and both films of Helen Fielding’s Bridget Jones (starring Renée Zellweger, Hugh Grant and Colin Firth).

South Riding was filmed in 1937 (starring Ralph Richardson) and a version was also screened by Yorkshire TV in 1974 (starring Dorothy Tutin, Nigel Davenport and Judy Bowker). It was also adapted for radio (BBC R7 – starring Sarah Lancashire and Philip Glenister) in 2007.

The latest adaptation casts Anna Maxwell Martin (who has previously appeared in North & South, Becoming Jane, and Bleak House) as Sarah Burton and David Morrison (Cape Wrath, Sense and Sensibility, Red Riding, and Doctor Who) as Robert Carne.

The author of South Riding, Winifred Holtby, was born in 1898 in Yorkshire in the small village or Rudston between Driffield and Bridlington and attended Queen Margaret’s School in Scarborough (the school subsequently moved to Escrick, York). Winifred met Vera Brittain (mother of the peer Shirley Williams – Baroness Williams of Crosby) whilst studying at Somerville College, Oxford. After she graduated Winifred and Vera moved to London where Holtby became a journalist and novelist. She was a prolific writer and had a number of novels published in her short life. She died in 1935 aged 37 and South Riding, the work for which she is best known, was published posthumously in 1936 and almost immediately won the James Tait Black Memorial Prize.

Although a work of fiction, South Riding draws on Holtby’s love and knowledge of the beautiful Yorkshire countryside.

South Riding book available at Amazon

Tags: 2011, andrew davies south riding, anna maxwell martin, BBC south riding, david morrison, robert carne, sarah burton, south riding, winifred holtby, winifred holtby south riding, yorkshire BBC drama
Posted in Gigs, Concerts & Festivals, Uncategorized, Yorkshire Ramblings | No Comments »

Yorkshire Chippy Bags Best Fish & Chip Shop Award

Tuesday, February 1st, 2011 by RichFox

Fancy a chip?

Fish and Chips at 149, a chippy in the East Yorkshire seaside resort of Bridlington, is celebrating being named the UK’s best fish and chip shop in 2011′s National Fish and Chip Awards.

For over 150 years, the British have enjoyed fish and chips – sometimes wrapped in yesterday’s news, often smothered in salt and vinegar – and for nearly a quarter of a century, the National Fish and Chip Awards have recognised the quality and hard work of chip shop owners the length and breadth of the British Isles.

Yorkshire has long been renown for its splendid fish and chips, whether it be chunky chips served with scraps in Last of the Summer Wine country in Holmfirth, or battered cod from the world-famous Magpie Cafe in Whitby, and now Fish and Chips at 149 has deservedly put Bridlington on the fried fish map.

A great place for a relaxing holiday, there are plenty of Bridlington B&Bs and Bridlington hotels to choose from on Hello Yorkshire. Check them out and be sure to pop down to 149 to sample the best fish and chips in the UK.

The Chocolate Factory in the North York Moors

Tuesday, February 1st, 2011 by chrisjones

Chocolate anyone?

When a pair of North Yorkshire brothers read that Britons top the world for eating chocolate in 2002, an acorn (or rather, a cocoa bean) of an idea was sown. That idea rapidly grew into reality when they opened a chocolate-making business in the kitchen of their parents’ home, using a standard bain-marie as found in many a kitchen to melt the chocolate. Although it was very much home-based, the brothers, Gareth and Chris East, decided to call their company the Chocolate Factory. It is now a thriving family business in the North York Moors.

Stars & Bars

Creating a successful business depends on many factors – having the right idea at the right time, having a product that sells, being prepared to work very hard, having a vision, having the necessary marketing skills, and having the skill to recognise when an opportunity has arisen and seizing the day. It needs a star or two, and Gareth and Chris had just the right blend of skills to make their dream a reality; their hand-made Belgian chocolate products have not just filled a niche waiting to be filled, but added to the demand for the highest quality chocolates and chocolate bars. In fact, demand has been so great that they have moved on from their humble beginnings to owning two shops – one in Thornton Le Dale and one in Hutton Le Hole where they also have their factory.

The Finest Ingredients

Belgian chocolate is prized the world over and the Chocolate Factory imports around 8 tonnes of the finest each year, moulds it and adds the necessary ingredients for a range of delicious fresh chocolates and flavoured chocolate bars – in milk, white and dark. The Chocolate Factory also produces a range of hand-made chocolate figurines, and produces one-off designs for occasions such as when Royal Ascot was held at York Racecourse.

All the highly acclaimed chocolate products from the Chocolate Factory are gluten free and suitable for vegetarians. Only fresh ingredients are used, and there are no artificial colours, flavours or preservatives – it’s no wonder they taste so scrummy.

The Chocolate Factory believe that just because you’re diabetic doesn’t mean you shouldn’t enjoy a treat from time to time, and their range of diabetic chocolates (made with Sorbitol and no sugar) is highly tempting – milk, plain or white chocolate praline, strawberry truffle or coffee cream – both in dark chocolate, white chocolate vanilla cream, and Amaretto or Cointreau liqueur truffles. Mmm!

Visiting the Chocolate Factory

Visitors are welcome to see for themselves how the Chocolate Factory’s delicious products are made at the Hutton Le Hole factory, but please bear in mind that production schedules vary so chocolates won’t necessarily be in the process of being made when you visit.

You can find out about opening times and much more if you visit Gareth and Chris’s website: the Chocolate Factory.

And if you’re after accommodation in the North York Moors including North York Moors holiday cottages and North York Moors bed and breakfasts, take a look at the properties on Hello Yorkshire.

York-born Composer John Barry Dies

Monday, January 31st, 2011 by RichFox

One of Yorkshire’s most famous musical exports – the wonderfully prolific, multi-award winning John Barry – has died of a heart attack aged 77.

Famed for his James Bond themes including Goldfinger, You Only Live Twice and Diamonds Are Forever, Barry created over 90 film scores including Zulu, Born Free (sung by Matt Munro), Out of Africa, Midnight Cowboy and Dances With Wolves.

Born in York in the 30s, Barry’s father ran a cinema business in Yorkshire whilst his mother was a pianist. Barry was a classically trained pianist himself before he turned to jazz, forming the John Barry Seven in the 50s.

His film scores won Barry a number of Oscars and Grammys, and he was named an Honorary Freeman of the City of York on the same day as another York great, Dame Judi Dench, was also given the Freedom of the City.

Tags: composer, film scores, james bond, john barry, judi dench, york, yorkshire
Posted in Yorkshire Ramblings | No Comments »

The Ghost Hunt of York

Wednesday, January 26th, 2011 by chrisjones

Haunted York?`

Recipe for ghost hunters:

• Take one very old city that goes back way beyond the Victorians, beyond the Normans, the Vikings, the Angles and Saxons, and even beyond the Romans

• Add narrow winding streets with strange names like Skeldergate, Goodramgate, The Shambles, Gillygate and, best of all, Whip-Ma-Whop-Ma-Gate

• Mix in stories of intrigue, violent death, and one of the richest histories of any town or city in the UK or, possibly, the world

• Add a pinch about criminals being tortured and executed

• Add a large dash of humour and a few practical jokes

• Stir well and brew for 60-75 minutes under the direction of a “Victorian” tour guide as he leads you through the ginnels, lanes and snickelways of York with spine-chilling tales of treachery and lust

• Be prepared to have your hair raised!

• Serves between 1 and 650 people at a session

The Ghost Hunt of York has been giving visitors a taste of York’s supernatural history very successfully for over ten years and in that time it has led over thousands and thousands of ghost hunters in search of the ghouls, spectres, vampires, wraiths and phantoms. It’s been estimated that there are at least 140 of them in what is said to be the most haunted city in the world.

Whilst it might sound sombre and scary, the Ghost Hunt of York adds a touch of humour, and the 75-minute tour is eminently suitable for kids accompanied by an adult (think of it as “PG” rated). The tour has also been selected to be accessible for wheelchairs and pushchairs. So it’s ideal for a great family outing.

It’s “dead” easy to join the Ghost Hunt of York, just turn up at 7.30pm in the Shambles – the Ghost Hunt runs every night of the year except Christmas Day come rain, come shine, and there’s no need to book in advance. Costs are: Adult £5, Under 16s £3, but you can save £1 per person by clicking here and printing out the page, cutting out the voucher and bringing it with you.

The Ghost Hunt of York is also available for private parties and group bookings (save cash – organise a party!). It’s also a marvellous way of entertaining business clients – give them a very unusual experience and something to really stick in their memory.

You can find out more details here: www.ghosthunt.co.uk
Or you can ring: 01904 608700
Or email: adextrous@mac.com

It’s no wonder that the Ghost Hunt of York is the only walk to win the coveted “City Tour of the Year” award from the York Tourism Bureau.

Glossary:

The entrance gates to the city are called “Bars” as in Bootham Bar, Monkgate Bar, etc.

Confusingly the word “Gate” in York’s street names means street, deriving from an old Norse word.

Gilleygate – a Georgian street – takes its name from the Church of St Giles.

More York tourist information.

If you’re after York accommodation, find York hotels and York bed and breakfast on Hello Yorkshire.

Yorkshire Forced Rhubarb

Wednesday, January 26th, 2011 by chrisjones

Rhubarb, rhubarb, rhubarb

Rhubarb is one of those foods that you either like a lot or you don’t like much at all. While it may not be as popular as it used to be (probably because we have so many other tempting fruits and vegetables from foreign shores to eat nowadays) it is still a large part of the West Yorkshire economy – to the extent that there’s a part of the country long known as the Rhubarb Triangle, which covers the area between the towns of Wakefield, Leeds and Morley. Here rhubarb is “forced”, that is grown in the dark to enhance the flavour.

Indeed, such is the repute of the region’s rhubarb that Yorkshire Forced Rhubarb has been awarded “Protected Designation of Origin” status by the European Commission, which puts it in the same category as Champagne, Parma ham, Camembert cheese and another fine Yorkshire product, Swaledale cheese (Wensleydale cheese is in the early stages of the PDO process).

Yorkshire Forced Rhubarb is grown in long, low, heated sheds where age-old rituals of growing and harvesting rhubarb are carried out in the dark over the cold and gloomy winter nights. It’s said that the rhubarb has to be picked by candlelight - otherwise the plants grow more slowly or stop growing altogether. Forced rhubarb is sweeter and the stems are thinner and tenderer.

The leaves of rhubarb are toxic (they contain oxalic acid) but the stems contain anthocynanins – substances present in many red skinned fruits and vegetables (grapes, apples, etc) that are thought to have medically beneficial effects in relation to:

•ageing and neurological diseases
•bacterial infections
•cancer
•diabetes
•inflammation

Rhubarb originally comes from Siberia and the Russian/Chinese border. It’s a member of the dock family of plants and its name means “foreign rhubarb”, which is somewhat circular, but there you are.

It was first used primarily as a medicine (the roots have been used for their laxative properties for over 5,000 years). It was also used as a dieting aid. Its use as a food only really started once sugar became affordable in the 17th century.

Now rhubarb is used as fruit – stewed with custard or in a pie or crumble – for jams. preserves and sauces, and as a flavouring in a variety of foods and sweets.

Rhubarb is so highly regarded in Yorkshire that Wakefield Council erected a sculpture depicting the plant in Holmfield Park in 2005.

The Council also hold an annual festival to celebrate it. The Wakefield Annual Food, Drink and Rhubarb Festival is held every February - and this year’s event takes place on Friday 25 and Saturday 26 February. This year’s Rhubarb Festival includes cookery demonstrations, a Deliciously Yorkshire market, street entertainment, tours, walks, and a visit to local rhubarb growers.

It’s probably one of the most unusual family-friendly occasions in the calendar.

If you’re planning to attend and need Yorkshire accommodation, like Yorkshire hotels or Yorkshire bed and breakfast, check out the many properties on Hello Yorkshire.

Yorkshire Xtreme Adventures

Friday, January 21st, 2011 by chrisjones

Yorkshire Xtreme Adventures UK

Not everyone wants a sedate and peaceful holiday – well not all the time anyway. And for those who like to combine thrills, skills, fun and huge excitement then Xtreme Adventures based in Felixkirk near Thirsk has to be one of the best places to come to in the country.

Whether it’s 4×4 Off Road Driving or Quad Biking or Clay Pigeon Shooting or riding a Segway, the activities at Xtreme Adventures are also great for kids’ birthday parties, family days out, stag and hen parties, or just individuals who want to try something different or hone their skills.

And it’s an exceptional way for companies to encourage corporate bonding or for providing entertainment for clients or rewards for staff. They’ll love you for it!

4 x 4 off roading

Xtreme Off Road Driving

Two great types of vehicle – the American Hummer H3 and the Land Rover Defender 110. All the power you need and superb handling. The Hummer can take a maximum of four participants and the Land Rover a maximum of six.

You get personal attention, dedicated vehicles for your party (so no sharing), and bespoke packages can be arranged just for you.

And there’s a range of courses to suit all levels of ability and experience – from one hour to four hours.

Quad Biking

Xtreme Quad Biking

Can-Am 400 quad bikes – stable, safe, solidly built, powerful and comfortable.

Full instruction (no more than four riders for each instructor) and training, and a spell in the open countryside. 1-hour and 2-hour treks available.

Junior quad biking – great for birthday parties. 50cc or 90cc Polaris Outlaw Quad Bikes.

VIP trekking – a dedicated instructor just for your group, with extra time and free refreshments.

Segway

Xtreme Segway

Great fun with this American import – you may be used to riding two wheels when it’s one in front of the other, but these two wheels are either side of the platform you stand on and you’ve only got a vertical pole with handles to hang on to. So it’s not exactly as easy as riding a bike – well not at first. But Xtreme’s instructors are on hand to get you started and once you’ve mastered it, Xtreme have got a course designed to challenge you.

Xtreme Clay Pigeon Shooting

30 years of experience in shooting.

Comprehensive instruction by fully qualified and certificated coaches (AMICSI).

Sporting, skeet and simulated game traps.

Participants can shoot light or heavy guns, with hard or soft cartridges. And there’s a wide variety of targets for all ages and abilities.

Hospitality facilities with snacks, drinks, and live action footage of what’s happening around the venue.

With all that on offer, you might, at the end of your visit, feel tired and as if you’ve really stretched yourself, but by golly you’ll have enjoyed your day and you’ll have a string of memories to take away with you.

Check out their website: outdoor adventure activities

Telephone: +44 (0) 1845 537766 or

email: sales@xtremeadventuresuk.com

Xtreme Adventures, Felixkirk, Thirsk YO7 2DP

And if you’re after somewhere to stay nearby, check out the Thirsk accommodation on Hello Yorkshire including Thirsk B&B and Thirsk hotels.

Tags: 4x4 off road driving, Adventures, north yorkshire, thirsk, yorkshire xtreme adventures
Posted in Yorkshire Ramblings | No Comments »

The Ghost Trail of York

Thursday, January 13th, 2011 by chrisjones

York - a haunted city? Photograph courtesy of Richard Fox

Ghosts! Scary things, if you believe in them, and York is, apparently, full of them (the most haunted city in the world, according to the Ghost Research Foundation International – with 140 of these other-worldly creatures).

Now a reasonable person might well think that if you should find yourself in York, on a dark foggy evening, the last thing you would want is to come up against a supernatural being. Well not everyone shares this viewpoint.

Indeed, lots of otherwise rational and sensible people go out of their way to try to find the many spooks and spectres which haunt the cobbled streets and ginnels* of this historic town. If you’re fascinated by the unknown and want to explore the byways and back alleys of York in search of phantoms of the night it’s best to be accompanied by someone who knows their way around – someone who knows where to find them, their history, and the history of the places they haunt.

As it happens, Hello Yorkshire knows just the right set of people – Ghost Trail of York. This is a multi award-winning company that carries out guided tours around York and brings the city’s chilling history to life. If you can spare 70 minutes of your time, you can experience a uniquely hair-raising and witty adventure. Each Ghost Trail of York tour is led by Equity qualified personnel, and is wheelchair and push-chair friendly.

Tours start at 7.30 every night at York Minster (West Doors) except Christmas Day, and charges at the time of writing are adults £4.00, children £2.00 – private bookings, school parties etc, by arrangement.

*ginnel – Yorkshire for a narrow alley.

And if you’re looking for somewhere to stay in York, haunted or otherwise, check out the York hotels and York guest houses available on Hello Yorkshire.

Click here to start searching for holiday accommodation in Yorkshire