Yorkshire – God’s Own Country, so they say.
More than 5.5m people live and work in Yorkshire and, according to Visit Britain, more than 80 million day-trippers flocked to the region last year.
Can you blame them?
We are home to rolling hills, dramatic coastlines, quaint villages, urban metropolises, a language and wit like no other – and some famous folk.
There is no wonder we want to celebrate the region in all its glory and August 1, Yorkshire Day does just that.
In 1985, the Yorkshire Society was formed to host annual Yorkshire Day celebrations, which take place in a different part of the region each year.
Bradford and Ilkley will host Yorkshire Day for 2025 and wherever you are in the county – here are 20 ways to have a ‘reet’ good Yorkshire Day.
1) Fish and Chips at Whitby
Is there anything more quintessentially British than chips at the seaside? With a roll call of award winning chippies and fish restaurants there is nowhere better to tuck in than at Whitby with its proud sea-faring heritage.
2) Fat Rascal at Bettys
Fat Rascals were a sweet treat during the 19th century. Betty’s Tea Rooms in Harrogate introduced its own version in the 1980s. Packed with currants and topped with cherries and almonds, it became a best-seller and is still made by craft bakers in the town.
3) Puffins at Bempton Cliffs
Talk about living on the edge. Puffins are classed as a vulnerable species, but amongst the half a million seabirds which flock to Bempton Cliffs near Bridlington each year. They can be spotted from a cliff top walk or sea cruise.
4) Walk the York City Walls
Built some 900 years ago to protect the city of York from invasion by the Scots – the City Walls have been dubbed the best city walk in Britain. Forming a sightseeing walk of around two miles you can spot some of York’s most famous landmarks, such as York Minster.
5) Have a pint of Black Sheep
After 200 years of brewing tradition in the Yorkshire Dales and a bit of a family feud, the Black Sheep Brewery was established in Masham some 30 years ago. Black Sheep bridges traditional cask ales and craft beers and is one of the most popular tipples in the region’s country pubs.
6) See seals at Boggle Hole
There are not many places you can see seals up close in their natural environment but Yorkshire has a few. In this sea swept cove, nestled between Robin Hood’s Bay and Ravenscar, you will find a colony of around 300 grey and common seals.
7) Watch cricket at Headingley
Yorkshire County Cricket Club was formed in 1863 and Headingley Cricket Ground, dubbed the home of cricket in Yorkshire, has been home to Yorkshire County Cricket Club since 1890. It has hosted test cricket since 1899.
Love a lemon top! NQ 8) Lemon top ice cream at Scarborough
As well as fish and chips, have you even been to the seaside if you didn’t have an ice-cream? A lemon top has long been considered a delicacy in northern sea-side towns and Scarborough is the place to go for one in Yorkshire.
9) Climb the White Horse at Kilburn
White horses possess exceptional properties according to mythology so of course, Yorkshire has its own. Thomas Taylor, a Victorian businessman from Kilburn had seen chalk hill figures in southern England and wanted to create one in his own village. He did so in 1857 and it is the largest white horse in Britain.
10) Take on the Yorkshire Three Peaks
In the Yorkshire Dales, take on the well-known 26 mile route with around 5,200 feet of ascent, and tackle the peaks of Pen-y-Ghent, Whernside and Ingleborough – in under 12 hours. The Peaks are one of the most well-known beauty spots in the region with unrivalled views.
11) Yorkshire Wensleydale Cheese Experience
Cheese-making here dates back to 1150 when French Cisterian Monks first settled in Wensleydale – bringing their own recipe. It began a tradition of artisan cheese-making and now you can watch it being made yourself – and of course, taste it and take some home from Wensleydale Creamery.
12) Follow in the footsteps of the Brontes
From the family home in Haworth where the famous literary siblings lived with their local vicar father, came some of the most celebrated works in English Literature. Now known as The Bronte Parsonage Museum, you can take a tour and explore the rooms in which Jane Eyre, Wuthering Heights, and The Tenant of Wildfell Hall were written.
13) Enjoy a cup of Yorkshire Tea
Around 100 million cups of tea are drunk a day in the UK, and a lot of these will be sipped here in Yorkshire. Since 1977, Taylors of Harrogate, established in 1886, has been producing Yorkshire Tea. It was advertised as a ‘Yorkshire blend for Yorkshire people’, and you won’t struggle to find a pot of it anywhere in the county.
14) Wear a flat cap
For years Yorkshire was the butt of jokes as being the place of flat caps and whippets. Now, flat caps are regarded as a fashion item and widely manufactured by luxury brands. Around Yorkshire you will also still see flat cap flinging competitions.
15) Eat Yorkshire Puddings
The story goes that when flour started being used for cakes and puddings, Yorkshire cooks in the 1700s started using the fat which dropped out to cook a batter pudding. They became known as Yorkshire puddings and have been gracing Sunday dinners ever since.
16) Speak some Yorkshire
The Yorkshire Dialect Society is Britain’s oldest surviving dialect society and has recordings and publications where you can see and hear variations of this wonderful language. The typical Yorkshire dialect often heard on television is from South and West Yorkshire, whereas speech from the North and East Riding has more Scandinavian influence – see Sir Patrick Stewart’s guide.
17) Embrace some Yorkshire culture
Yorkshire has produced some of the finest music, television, film and literature you will find. Too many to mention here but why not indulge in some Yorkshire favourites? The film Kes, for example, was filmed in Barnsley, Gentleman Jack has made Shibden Hall famous – and Calderdale sets the scene for Happy Valley.
18) Enjoy a brass band
Yorkshire’s mining history allowed brass band culture to thrive as it was considered a form of recreation away from the pit and built community spirit. The pits may have gone but the music plays on. Brass band concerts and pop up performances take place around the county throughout the summer.
19) Sing On Ilkla Moor Baht’at
Considered the official anthem of Yorkshire, On Ilkla Moor Baht’at is a folk song sung in Yorkshire dialect. As part of the Yorkshire Day events in Ilkley with processions, guests and dignitaries there will be rousing renditions of the tune for people to join in.
20) Join the official Yorkshire Day 2025 hosts
Bradford and Ilkley are official hosts for Yorkshire Day 2025, the same year Bradford is the UK’s City of Culture. Yorkshire Symphony Orchestra presents Yorkshire Calling as one of the headline events. Being held at new venue Bradford Live, on August 1, it is a celebration of all things Yorkshire with music, poetry, readings and opera.
bradford2025.co.uk
