From the Humber to the dales, Yorkshire has a wealth of spots worth visiting during your time here. They don’t call it God’s Own Country for nothing, and you should make the most of if while you’re here.
Harrogate
A £5 return train journey away from Leeds is the beautiful spa town of Harrogate. If a lovely day out away from the hustle and the bustle of the city is what you are after, Harrogate is the place to go. The award-winning Betty’s Tearooms is a must for lunch, serving the best afternoon tea in Yorkshire. If you fancy a spot of relaxation, visit the Turkish baths with its steam rooms, mud baths and a wide variety of treatments. Harrogate is the place to go for a relaxing day off university work.
York
The City of York is a must see for anyone wishing to explore Yorkshire. The York Minster, one of the largest cathedrals in Northern Europe, is a beautiful example of Gothic architecture, and for a small price you can experience all of its beauty in a guided tour. For those of you wanting to experience York nightlife, a good place to start would be Coney Street, offering a variety of bars and pubs for all tastes. Shopping in the city is equally impressive – the York Designer Outlet offers the biggest brands at a fraction of their regular price.
Sheffield
Whether you have a few hours or a whole day to spend, then our Yorkshire neighbour may fit the bill. The city of Sheffield is only 40 minutes away by train, and is friendly to the student purse strings. Weather permitting, there are many parks and gardens in Sheffield that are worth exploring. The Botanical Gardens are Grade II listed by English Heritage, offering fifteen themed areas and boasting over 5000 plant varieties. To round off your day, why not go to a show? Sheffield’s theatre prices are not like those of the London West End, and in fact often cost less than a cinema ticket. For students, Sheffield theatres run a ‘Live for Five’ promotion, whereby you can get tickets to many shows for £5.
Haworth
Lovers of literature will be in their element in the West Yorkshire town of Haworth, once the home of the Brontë sisters. The quaint village is an easy day trip from Leeds reached by jumping on a train to Keighley and the bus (or steam train) to Haworth. The Brontë Parsonage, at the top of a steep hill, is the town’s main attraction. The Brontë’s former home acts as a museum and archive of the life and works of Charlotte, Emily, Anne and their drunken brother Branwell.
Whitby
Further afield, and harder to reach than most places in Yorkshire, Whitby is a trip worth making. Although not exactly a large town, Whitby offers everything you could want, from a trip to the seaside and more. Chippies and amusement arcades wrangle for space along the seafront with the more historic Whitby Abbey and quiet, second-hand boutiques. Being the landing place of Britain’s most successful Eastern European migrant, Dracula, a variety of vampire-related novelties can be found in this gem of the Yorkshire Riviera.
Emily Murray, Sofia Dedyukhina, Katie Dawtry and Ellie Cosgrave