It’s that time of the year again – Valentine’s Day – so here’s a few examples of what makes Yorkshire the perfect place to celebrate. No wonder we all love it so much!
With Yorkshire’s diverse landscape including the wild Pennine moorland, rolling Yorkshire Dales, stunning coastline, heather clad North York Moors and dry valleys of the Wolds – Yorkshire has miles of footpaths for romantic walks. Walking with your loved one, or just falling in love with the landscape.
On foot, by car or public transport there’s something for everyone and along the way, there are hundreds of romantic locations. Just think of the ruined abbeys, castles and waterfalls, where artists such as JMW Turner came to capture the vistas or the romantic poets that took inspiration here for their verse.
Perhaps the best-known authors among Yorkshire’s own impressive literary heritage are the Bronte Sisters. Their passion for strong characters, the nature round them and the love between them is the stuff of romance.
Just think of Heathcliffe and Cathy up on the Moors in Wuthering Heights, working up an appetite! No wonder Yorkshire is fast becoming the UK’s unofficial foodie capital. Yorkshire has so many options for a Valentine’s Day dinner – from the 7 Michelin starred restaurants to the endless high-quality Gastro pubs, fresh seafood restaurants along the coast, pop up restaurants and wide selection of international cuisine that reflects Yorkshire’s own diversity. Of course, nothing says Happy Valentine’s Day quite like a box of chocolates and Yorkshire’s chocolate history goes back over two hundred years, with chocolate empires such as Terry’s and Rowntree’s located in York. Nowadays Yorkshire has a host of fine chocolatiers making luxury handcrafted chocolates and sales are sure to boom this month as they are shared between loved ones.
Recently, Yorkshire has also started producing a range of quality sparkling wines that can compete with some of the finest French champagnes. Now, there’s no need to buy French champagne from the shops, you can call in at one of the many Yorkshire vineyards and pick up a bottle of our own fine bubbly!
But perhaps the most romantic place in Yorkshire is the gothic marvel of York Minster and the iconic “Heart of Yorkshire” window at the West End – a stunning masterpiece with delicate curvilinear tracery in the shape of a heart. This has been a popular location for love struck couples over the centuries in what has become England’s answer to the Blarney Stone. Legend has it that those couples who pucker up and kiss their loved one beneath the Heart of Yorkshire window will stay together forever.
Naturally, we think Yorkshire ticks all the boxes when it comes to romance – the perfect place for a romantic break, romantic walk or romantic meal. So, as well as remembering to show your love on Valentine’s Day, remember your love of Yorkshire too!