Yorkshire in winter: 8 sights that look better when it's colder

"The weather outside is frightful," the old song goes, "but the fire is so delightful." Yes, in the winter months, it can be tempting to stay indoors – fire or no fire.

But here in Yorkshire, no winter is complete without some time spent outdoors. There's something about the landscape, in its varied beauty, that comes alive in the wintry air.

 
Whether it's historical monuments cutting imposing shapes against the sky, snow-topped peaks or ice-cold fountains, Yorkshire in winter is an enchanting place to be.

So, wrap up warm – it's time to blow away the cobwebs with a bracing winter walk.


1. Castle Howard

This English country house in Henderskelfe, North Yorkshire, can be visited all year round – but it's especially splendid in winter.

You might recognise it from TV and film adaptations of Brideshead Revisited . It's an evergreen attraction even among the bare trees

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Its lakes, gardens, mausoleum, fountains and Temple of the Four Winds all have a ghostly beauty in the colder months.


2. The Three Peaks

Ingleborough, Whernside and Ribblehead: three of the most remarkable peaks in Yorkshire and, dare we say it, the world.

Every year, thousands of intrepid hikers take on these mighty mountains, whether to raise funds for charity or simply stretch their legs.

The ascents are as challenging as the views are stunning. If you do tackle them this winter, make sure the weather is good and that you're wearing suitable gear.

If the weather is bad enough that you have to put your crampons away, the peaks are still worth admiring from a distance. Under snow, they're positively Alpine.


3. Malham Cove

Around 80 feet above the village of Malham is a huge limestone pavement. Time has worn away the limestone to create a pitted, ridged, almost alien landscape.

The pavement is unique and the views to die for. And in winter, there's something bleakly comforting about this vast natural amphitheatre.

Stepping over the clints (blocks) and grykes (gaps), you could be forgiven for thinking you've stepped into the prehistoric past.

It's a jewel of the Yorkshire landscape that pops up in poems, films and TV. In the BBC series The Trip , for instance, Steve Coogan goes for a walk along the Cove on a gorgeous day – only for it to be ruined by a fellow hiker keen to give him a science lesson.

Drivers take note: you can't park next to the footpath up the cove. Instead, park at the Yorkshire Dales National Park Authority car park and walk through the village to the foot of the cliff.


4. Bolton Castle

Wensleydale isn't just famous for its cheese. It's also home to Bolton Castle, a 14th-century stronghold that has outlived many a king and queen of England.

Despite being damaged in the English Civil War and partially falling into ruin, the castle stands strong, still in the hands of the Scrope family after all these years.

In the winter months, Bolton Castle is closed to visitors and open only for weddings and private events. Nevertheless, it's well worth admiring from a distance when the winter winds are blowing and (fingers crossed) the snow is falling.


5. Sewerby Hall

Sewerby Hall is a popular attraction here in Yorkshire. Poised on a clifftop overlooking the seaside town of Bridlington, its Georgian country house and acres of landscaped gardens attract more than 150,000 visitors a year.

The grounds are well worth a stroll at any time of the year. In winter, however, the whole place has a timeless, romantic quality that has to be seen to be believed.

And if you do need to warm up, the hall is home to the Museum of East Yorkshire and the Coastguard Museum.

6. Fountains Abbey

The comedian Stewart Lee recently revealed that he experienced a "time slip" at our next destination, the ruins of Fountains Abbey.

"I went into the abbey," he said, "the main part of the abbey, and for a few seconds, out of nowhere, it knitted itself together around me. It was full of monks facing away from me towards the altar. The walls were all filled in, the stained-glass windows were back, and interestingly, the walls had frescoes on them."

However you explain this experience, it's no surprise that Fountains Abbey should inspire such a vision. These bare ruins evoke a lost way of life: "Bare ruined choirs," in Shakespeare's words, "where late the sweet birds sang."

The grounds of Fountains Abbey aren't just good for monks, comedians and poets. They're also a great place for dogs to explore. Just make sure you keep your four-legged friend on a short lead at all times.


7. The Stanza Stones Trail

Follow the 47-mile-long Stanza Stones Trail from Marsden to Ilkley, and you can find six poems written by Poet Laureate Simon Armitage carved into stone.

The first poem in Marsden Quarry is inscribed into a stone wall. Carved in 2012, the letters are already slowly turning green with lichen. There against the deep-coloured rock is a poem called, simply, "Snow":

The sky has delivered its blank missive. The moor in coma. Snow, like water asleep, a coded muteness to baffle all noise, to stall movement, still time.

If you're looking for a hike with a difference, the Stanza Stones Trail could be just what you're looking for this winter.


8. Stump Cross Cavern s

Look, we're biased – but we reckon Stump Cross Caverns looks gorgeous all year around.

Still, there is something undeniably Christmassy about the caves themselves that makes the surrounding areas something of a winter wonderland, too.

Perhaps it's those stalactites hanging from the cave roof or the flowstone gleaming like marzipan. Whatever the reason, it can feel like a natural destination after a brisk winter walk across the moors.


Looking for a rainy day activity in Yorkshire ? Escape the winter showers at Stump Cross Caverns and discover a magical world hidden deep underground. Book your tickets online to get the best price.