7 Reasons to Own a Holiday Home in Yorkshire

The Yorkshire Coast

Where better to start than with the Yorkshire coast, one of the county's most attractive areas (and that’s saying something!). You’ll find everything from unspoilt beauty to interesting history and local points of interest. Here are just some of the things you can expect.

Dinosaur Coast

Yorkshire is against tough competition from the Jurassic Coast, but its coastline is a prime spot for fossil hunters of all ages. Rock formations date back to the Jurassic Period and are surprisingly full of fossils.

Some of the best locations include Staithes, Robin Hood’s Bay, Saltburn, and Boggle Hole. These are on the East Yorkshire coast, so our Sand le Mere Holiday Park is perfectly situated for any avid fossil hunters.

The best part is that fossil hunting is completely free, making it a great family day out. So grab yourself a picnic and a brush and get hunting!

Beaches

The Yorkshire coast has some amazing beaches, 3 of which are Blue Flag Beaches. These are Saltburn-by-the-Sea, Whitby, and Scarborough’s North Bay.

But there are plenty of other great beaches to choose from, including:

• Filey Beach
• Robin Hood’s Bay
• Runswick Bay
• Bridlington
• Fraisthorpe

This is just a taste of what Yorkshire has to offer. Use your holiday home as a base to go out and explore the best Yorkshire beaches. You never know, you might find some hidden gems!

Coastal Destinations

Sometimes, nothing beats a day out at a British beach. Luckily, Yorkshire understands this all too well, so there are plenty of coastal villages catering to your sea and sand needs.

Scarborough has plenty of attractions, including donkey rides and traditional games. Or if you fancy something a bit more relaxed, Filey or Withernsea might be the place for you. Then there’s Robin Hood’s Bay, which has some of the most incredible scenery you’ll find on the Yorkshire coast.

The bottom line is that Yorkshire holiday homes provide great connections to the coastline, whether you’re based in East or West Yorkshire. Our Sand le Mere Holiday Park is on the east coast, right next to the beach. Our Bowland Fell Holiday Park is only an hour’s drive from England’s west coast, and not too far from Blackpool!

Local History

It probably won’t surprise you that an area like Yorkshire has a lot of local history. There’s obviously too much to list here, but some highlights include:

Whitby

Whitby is a pretty amazing destination. It’s close to the North York Moors and has everything you’d expect from a quaint seaside town.

But its main draw (for history buffs, at least) is Whitby Abbey. Located on the top of a cliff, it’s one of the most famous landmarks in the area. It also served as inspiration for the novel Dracula – some of the book is set there.

Historic Houses

Historic great houses are a fun day out for the whole family. Whether you enjoy the history, walking around the gardens, or simply want a nice destination for a coffee, Yorkshire has plenty of old manors to offer.

Some highlights include:

• Allerton Castle
• Markenfield Hall
• Bramham Park
• Sutton Park
• Burton Agnes Hall

There’s obviously plenty more history in Yorkshire, but we don’t want to spoil too much for you. Part of the fun of owning a holiday home in Yorkshire is discovering it for yourself!

Affordability

Owning a holiday home can be cost-effective. If you like the area and know you’ll enjoy visiting time and time again, it makes perfect sense to purchase a holiday home. 

Plus, the benefit of owning a holiday caravan at one of our parks is that the whole family can visit whenever they want! Holiday homes make great family sharing options, as you don’t need to arrange bookings. Just pack the car and off you go!

But it’s worth mentioning that Yorkshire, on the whole, is a fairly inexpensive place to visit. Sure, there are outliers like York and Leeds, but you’ll find the areas around our Yorkshire holiday parks to be very affordable. Considering you’re already keeping the cost down by buying your own holiday home, this is just the icing on the cake!

Scenery

Sure, the Yorkshire coast is a pretty beautiful destination, but we can’t ignore everything the area offers further inland. If you’re into the great outdoors and a good hike, you could do a lot worse than Yorkshire.

Among the many great options are:

Forest of Bowland

Also known as Bowland Fell, it’s an area just west of the Yorkshire Dales. It’ll probably come as no surprise that our Bowland Fell Holiday Park is right on the outskirts.

The Forest of Bowland is an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty consisting of hills, moors, fells, and, shockingly, forests. You’ll find loads of options for walking trails for people of all abilities, and it makes for a great day out if you appreciate the outdoors.

There’s also a visitor’s centre in Beacon Fell Country Park and a museum in Clitheroe Castle in Lancashire.

Yorkshire Dales National Park

The Yorkshire Dales National Park is one of the most famous landmarks in the area. It’s part of the Pennines and is enjoyed by hikers for its rambling landscape, variety of terrain, and sheer beauty.

There are plenty of quaint villages dotted around the park, many of which still rely on farming. Tourism is growing in the area, but it’s easy to avoid this if it’s not your thing. You’ll also find numerous waterfalls in the Dales, which are definitely worth visiting. Plus, they make great swimming spots in the summer if you want refreshing!

The Dales also include some of the best hiking trails in Yorkshire. The Ingleton Waterfalls Trail is a particular highlight if you’d like to see some amazing countryside. There’s also the Pinewoods if you fancy something shorter and more easy-going, or the Wainstones for some pretty interesting local scenery.

Convenience

Yorkshire might be a large area, but the flipside of this is that it’s very well connected. There’s a 670-mile network of A-roads and motorways across East Yorkshire and West Yorkshire that join its towns and cities together, along with connecting it to the rest of the UK.

What’s more, its rail connections are pretty good, too. There are also 4 major airports in the area, making it a prime jumping-off point for holidays abroad.

Our parks of Bowland Fell and Sand-le-Mere are conveniently located near access roads that’ll get you to main arterial routes in no time at all. While this might not be the biggest selling point of Yorkshire holiday homes, the combination of rural homes and well-connected towns and cities definitely can’t be overlooked.

Activities

Yorkshire definitely isn’t short of attractions and activities for people of all ages. They range from simple days out at a park or town to annual events that draw crowds from across the country.

Some of our favourites include:

Village Fetes

Can you get more English than a village fete? Probably not. There’s too many to list here, but a simple search in the local area will show you how many options you have. You’ll find agricultural fairs, country fairs, beer festivals, and even the odd sci-fi festival!

Most begin in late spring and last through the summer, so you’re almost bound to have a few to visit regardless of when you stay and for how long.

Zoos and Animal Parks

Yorkshire is home to a great range of animal parks. There are famous spots such as Yorkshire Wildlife Park and Filey Bird Garden, but also hidden gems like Bridlington Animal Park. No matter your age, seeing some animals is always a great day out.

Ingleborough Show Caves

Ingleborough Show Caves are a sight to behold. Formed over more than 450 million years, they’re an extensive cave network that you can walk around to learn more about geology. The site hosts various other events and there’s also a nature trail. Just make sure you wear sensible shoes!

Yorkshire Fossil Festival

You could hardly lay claim to the title of Dinosaur Coast and not host an annual fossil festival. Well, Yorkshire has put its money where its mouth is and aims to get people interested in the world of dinosaurs and fossils.

Typically taking place in Scarborough, the event is obviously aimed at younger people, but there’s plenty for adults to enjoy, too. So, if you like old rocks, this is the day out for you!

Great food and drink

Perhaps one of the most enticing reasons to choose Yorkshire as your holiday home destination is its amazing food and drink. No matter how many times you come to visit, you’ll find plenty of new spots. In fact, it’ll quickly become difficult to choose your favourite.

A big trend among the hottest spots in Yorkshire is, of course, celebrating British cuisine. Whether it’s dressing up the humble Yorkshire pudding or making use of local delicacies like rhubarb and Wensleydale cheese, options abound in Yorkshire.

Some of the many great options include:

The Black Swan

Located in Olstead, the Black Swan is a Michelin-starred restaurant. It focuses on seasonal, local produce done to perhaps the highest standard you’ll find. Unsurprisingly, waiting lists are long, but the benefit of owning a holiday home in Yorkshire is that you can come whenever you want!

Roots

Roots is the sister restaurant of the Black Swan and is located in York. Again, the food is amazing and it’s the proud holder of a Michelin star. Its vibe is less pub food and more haute cuisine, but it’s still down to earth.

Yorkshire Dales Food and Drink Festival

Of course, restaurants aren’t the only culinary draw in Yorkshire. If you’re there in the summer, the Yorkshire Dales Food and Drink Festival is definitely worth visiting. It includes live cookery demonstrations (often from celebrity chefs), live entertainment, and, of course, great food and drink.

The event is held at Funkirk Farm in Skipton, which is a convenient 30-minute drive from our Bowland Fell Holiday Park. We highly recommend arranging a taxi so you can enjoy the extensive range of alcohols on offer!

Pontefract Liquorice Festival

This is perhaps a more divisive food festival to attend. Located in Pontefract, near Wakefield in West Yorkshire, the Pontefract Liquorice Festival celebrates all things liquorice. It might not be to everyone’s tastes, but if you enjoy this black sweet, the festival should be right up your alley.

Seafood Restaurants

Unsurprisingly, the Yorkshire coast lends itself to high-quality seafood restaurants. There are too many to list here, but it shouldn’t be difficult for you to find the gems on offer.

However, some highlights include The Wensleydale Heifer, located in West Witton. It’s known for interesting takes on seafood classics and is a must-visit if you want to experience something new.

There’s also Wayfarer Bistro in Robin Hood’s Bay. It keeps things more old-school but done to a very high standard. Their cod dishes are particular highlights, but you shouldn’t overlook the scallops!