Where the heart is
Nicola Lazenby and her family head to Yorkshire to explore an area that’s close to home
In York you're surrounded by history. See the birthplace of Guy Fawkes, visit Betty’s for afternoon tea or marvel at the architecture of the Shambles
Sat with the setting sun shining over the trees and sipping a glass of wine, we realised the beauty of the area close to where we live. This week was a ‘close to home’ week so that my husband could still go to work (he was saving his holiday days for when he could actually use them). After I fastened in the kids and checked we had everything we needed, I completed the 20-minute ride to Pocklington, East Yorkshire. Next came the task of setting up on my own! Not that easy with a six-year-old and a threeyear-old. However, with small jobs for them to do, we managed just fine.
Our home for the week was a small campsite nestled at the foot of the Yorkshire Wolds outside the market town of Pocklington. The Mile campsite is a petite, family-run site with a farm shop, outdoor play area, indoor soft play area, café (with amazing bacon sandwiches delivered to your pitch), and heated facilities.
Positioned in the centre of the site, which offers hardstanding and grass pitches with electric hook-up, we had ample room to set up the Swingball and have a game of tennis.
The site's owner, Colin, keeps all the areas pristine and safe, allowing the children to ride their bikes or watch the horses, freely and safely. A 20-minute car journey sees you reaching the outskirts of the historic city of York.
A tip here is to take one of the many park and rides (Grimston Bar, Designer Outlet or Monks Cross) for £3.30 for adults and free for children as parking in the city centre can be £2.50 an hour.
The city offers visitors many opportunities to experience its history. Clifford's Tower was our first stop. It's an English Heritage site which dates back to the time of William the Conqueror and has had many different uses over the years, including a prison. From the top
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the new. If you aren’t feeling fit, jump on a tour boat or hire your own and discover how the river shaped the city. You also have the option to upgrade your tickets to include the open-top bus tour.
The Jorvik Centre, situated in the centre of the city, offers you a unique opportunity to experience the sights, sounds and smells of the Viking era. Maybe a nose peg is a good idea. At the Jorvik Ccentre, you can find out about the Coppergate dig, which uncovered some of the most famous discoveries of modern archaeology.
Fully immersive displays allow the visitor to feel the history. Travel around 10th century York on the time capsule, experiencing the dynamic city as it was. You can visit the houses of Jorvik, meet their inhabitants and explore the artefacts which were discovered and inspired the development of Jorvik. If you visit during February half term, the Viking festival is a must.
As you stroll through York you are surrounded by history. See the birthplace of Guy Fawkes, visit Betty’s for afternoon tea or marvel at the architecture of the Shambles. Meander through the famous Shambles Market, listening to buskers and grab a bargain. At Christmas time, York hosts a festive market with traditional stalls, mulled wine and of course mince pies!
A short drive outside of York is the Yorkshire Air Museum where you can explore numerous aircraft. Check its website, as you may even see planes take off. Throughout the year, events are held on the site, which is a memorial to the Allied air forces. Here you step back in time and experience a real WW2 airfield. Tickets are again valid for a year with plenty of reasons to return.
Not far from The Mile campsite is the tiny picturesque village of Millington, home to Millington Woods, a stunning wood nestled away in the Yorkshire Wolds valley. The walk around the woods is no more than two miles and offers shade as well as a chance to get back to nature. Explore the dens made from branches or use some branches to make your own. See who can build the best den. Take the 170 steps to the high viewpoint to soak up the breathtaking views over the wood and across the wolds.
Finally, visit the small market town of Market Weighton. Take a walk along the disused railway line to visit the nature reserve or have a rest at St Helen’s Well
with its natural spring water. Then stroll or bike to Kiplingcotes Station, the origin of the Kiplingcotes Derby. In town, follow the Giant Bradley trail and see if you can find all of his footprints, his statue and his home. Giant Bradley or William Bradley remains the tallest man to have been born in Britain. He stood a jaw-dropping 7ft 9in tall and had a specially adapted house – now home to the shop, Bright Ideas. See if you can find his stone – rumour has it he carried it to the nearby village of Goodmanham as a bet or a wager. He won, of course!
If you are a nature-loving historian you will see why artists like Robert E Fuller (a wildlife artist with a gallery near Thixendale) and David Hockney have created artwork based around the Wolds and the wildlife in the area.
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Taking a stroll along the banks of the River Ouse in the historic city of York, you can see the old mixed with the new