But there is one rural area which has been described as the “forgotten slice” of the county by The Telegraph’s Rachel Everett – can you guess where?
It’s none other than the Howardian Hills which have been praised “equally as breathtaking” as the Dales and highlighted for its “fudge-stone villages” as well as a Tuscany-inspired boutique vineyard nearby.
The hills are named after the Howard family, who still own land locally.
Why is the Howardian Hills one of the best places to visit?
@yorkshirefi A beautiful spring walk in Yorkshire #yorkshire #yorkshirewalks #nunnington #aonb #englishcountryside #naturetok #naturesounds #howardianhills ♬ original sound – Yorkshirefi
Everett shared: “Crowned an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty in 1987, later renamed a National Landscape, the Howardian Hills National Landscape covers 79 sq miles of wild and wonderful countryside, sandwiched between the Yorkshire Wolds and the North York Moors National Park.
“The famed Yorkshire Dales National Park is often the first stop for most visitors to this corner of England – featuring the magnificent yet, now, well-trodden areas of Wensleydale, Swaledale and Wharfedale.
“By comparison, the Howardian Hills’ kaleidoscope patchwork of green sits quietly under the radar of mass tourism and it is equally as breathtaking; there are sweeping, golden summer pastures; undulating, deep-forested hills with inspiring high-up views; grand estates and ancient, valley-rimmed Cistercian abbey ruins; fudge-stone villages and market towns that lead to bluebell-filled woods and babbling brooks.”
She added: “And friendly village shops that open for you, to lend you baking parchment for your kids’ tea.
“This is authentic Yorkshire, away from the tour buses – my mother grew up as the eldest of eight in Helmsley – and it is an exquisite destination for truly escaping city life.”
But what about when it comes to food? It ranks pretty highly too as The Good Food Guide named Helmsley and the Howardian Hills as the most exciting food destination in the UK earlier this year.
Everett said: “Culinary superstars have worked their magic with a more sustainable, regenerative food movement, putting it firmly on the Michelin map.”
To accompany its culinary achievements, the area surrounding the Howardian Hills is also home to multiple vineyards, explains The Telegraph writer.
“Taking cues from Tuscany, Dunesforde is a four-acre, family-run, boutique vineyard just beyond the Hills,” she continued.
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“The acclaimed site grows four grape varieties most visitors are surprised to see in North Yorkshire: pinot gris, bacchus, solaris and pinot noir précoce.
“Based at the foot of the bordering Yorkshire Wolds, 12-acre Ryedale Vineyards was voted one of the 12 best vineyards to visit in the UK – there are 15,000 vines and a vast 18 grape varieties.”
Everett also put the spotlight on Yorkshire Lavender which has a “Provençal feel” in summer.
“The family-owned lavender farm has well-kept gardens and a specialist plant nursery, plus a play area for little ones.”
