Hyde Park, Leeds

The somewhat distressed Victorian red brick terraces of the inner city suburb of Hyde Park are popular with students. But the area is also home to a long-standing and ethnically diverse community of locals.

Cornucopia, Call Lane, Leeds

Painted in 1990 by Graeme Willson, the Cornucopia mural pays tribute to the neighbouring historic Corn Exchange.

Portland Crescent, Leeds

 

The concrete and steel campus of Leeds Beckett university sits right on the edge of the Victorian city centre, creating an arresting mish-mash of architectural styles. 

Lyddon Terrace, Leeds

 

Part of the campus of the University of Leeds,  cobbled Lyddon Terrace includes a row of listed red brick houses (nos.15, 17 and 19), dating from 1839. 

Lyddon Terrace, University of Leeds, Yorkshire

 

The Cleveland Way, Burniston to Cloughton, Yorkshire

The stretch between Burniston and Cloughton is one of the most open sections of the Cleveland Way, affording wide views of the landscape and Scarborough's castle and sea front in the distance.

The Cleveland Way, near Cloughton, Yorkshire

The view south from a spectacular stretch of the Cleveland Way. Scarborough Castle is in the distance

Olive Tree, Tower Street, York

Image from the Olive Tree's web site

A dated Mediterranean restaurant, the Olive Tree has prints of naked Greek gods on its walls and the staff wear white shirts and even ties. Nevertheless, it is a pleasant place to eat near the centre of York. There is a lengthy, largely-Italian a la carte menu with pizza, pasta and other safe dishes, such as chargrilled fillet of salmon and roast lamb. There is also a set menu, which is about £12 for two courses, but the dishes are smaller. You seem to be able to pick and mix from the two menus. Among the starters, the salmon roulade (£6.85) with cream cheese is chunky and refreshing. It is served with a slice of crusty garlic bread and a small salad. For a main course, the Moroccan lamb stew (from the set menu), containing chickpeas, olives and couscous is tasty enough, but could be a lot bigger. The service is friendly and attentive - the waiters keep bringing you jugs of tap water, while the compact wine list is keenly-priced with bottles starting at about £16. 7/10

Coffee at Grays Court, Chapter House Street, York

It would be hard to find a more refined location for morning coffee than Gray's Court, an upmarket boutique hotel in a fine historic building in the shadow of York Minster. You can reach the gardens by taking some steps down from the city walls. There are a handful of outdoor tables dotted around the expansive and immaculate lawn. If you take a seat, one of the demure waitresses will take your order. The decent filter coffee arrives in a small caftiere. Make sure you explore inside - Gray's Court has a clutch of lovingly-restored historic rooms, including a fine Jacobean oak-panelled gallery. 8/10

Black Swan, Peasholme Green, York

A distinctive timber-framed pub with lead-paned windows standing in a desolate corner of York's medieval centre, the Black Swan is well worth seeking out. Its ancient rooms are dark and atmospheric, seemingly blackened by the ages. Ideal for a winter's night, but less appealing on a summer afternoon.  There is a beer garden, but it is small and a bit uncomfortable - you have to sit on fixed benches attached to tables.  Don't let that put you off - the food is hearty and the beer well cared for. Great value for £9.25, the steak and stilton pie, with fluffy pastry, is very large and very rich - the succulent meat somehow overwhelms the cheese. It is served with peas and a rich gravy that is ideal for dipping the chubby chips in. The other pies are also very substantial and can be served with mash and vegetables, if you prefer. Even the sandwiches are bulging with rich red meat, such as three slices of thickly-cut ham. On draught, the Black Swan has Theakston's XB, a very smooth pint, as well as Golden Pippin, which has more flavour, but isn't quite as drinkable. If you prefer something sweeter, there are giant bottles of pear cider. Almost untouched by the ravages of time, the Black Swan is a perfect pit stop for anyone walking York's medieval walls. 8/10

Walking York city walls

Largely intact Medieval stone walls still encircle much of the historic city of York. At one of the well-preserved four gatehouses, you can climb some steps and join the walk along the ramparts. The best (and most popular with tourists) stretch runs clockwise from Bootham Bar, affording fine views of York's majestic Minster and the serene gardens around the Deanery, Grays Court Hotel and the Treasurers House on one side and the elegant old buildings of York St. John University on the other. You'll probably encounter a few pedestrian jams, but there are towers where you can stop and soak up the history.  The next stretch, beyond Monk Bar, is more peaceful and less scenic.  After a gap, protected by the River Foss, the walls start-up again in the gritty backwater around Walmgate. The final stretch, which starts on the other side of the River Ouse, is more rewarding. Punctuated by the imposing Mickelgate, this section of the walls overlooks steep grassy banks running down to handsome Victorian terraces. As you pass the railway station, you'll get more picturesque views of the Ouse river and the Minster, as you make your way back to Bootham Bar. Although the higher ramparts are mostly guarded by railings, kids should be watched in places. If you need a break during the two mile plus circuit, some of the atmospheric gatehouses have shops and mini museums. These city walls are a bit special.  9/10

The House of the Trembling Madness, Stonegate,York

A quirky pub above a beer shop, the bohemian House of the Trembling Madness is somewhat out of keeping with the posh shops on Stonegate. Although there are signs warning you that the pub doesn't have a kitchen, the menu is appealing for anyone who likes their meat. It offers stews, platters, pies and sausages, all at very reasonable prices. The steak and ghost ale pie (£8.50), served with mash and peas, is very tasty and very filling. You might struggle to finish it. The platters also offer a generous selection of good grub, such as serrano ham, smoked venison and smoked lemon and thyme trout. As you would expect, there is a broad and eclectic selection of draught beers, such as Belgium's Kwak (8%) and Wales' Gwynt Y Ddraig Black Dragon Cider (7.2%). With its timber-framed ceiling and walls, decorated with stuffed animal heads, the House of Trembling Madness fittingly calls itself a medieval drinking hall. 8/10

Cinder cycle track, Scarborough to Whitby

The defunct railway line between Scarborough and Whitby now serves as a superb, seaside cycle track. The round trip of about 50 miles takes in some spectacular coastal scenery, particularly on the stretch between Ravenscar, perched high on a cliff top, and the precipitous village of Robin Hood's Bay. Along the route, you'll pass several former stations, now serving as picturesque cafes or homes, complete with original platforms, benches and rail signage. Although some stretches of the track cut through patches of lush green forest, others provide far-reaching views across the moors and the sea. As you approach Whitby, you get glimpses of the distant Abbey before crossing a tall viaduct with fine views of the river far below. Although there are no steep hills, there are some lengthy climbs, compensated for by fun descents. Even on a summer Saturday afternoon, the Cinder Track only attracts a smattering of cyclists and pedestrians, so you can usually blast downhill. It gets bumpy in places and it is probably best to use a mountain bike. You can hire a respectable hardtail model from Letsbike.net, which will deliver bikes to hotels around Scarborough. They charge £22 for a day's hire - if the sun is out, it's worth every penny. 9/10

Scarborough Seaside, Yorkshire

Scarborough's South Bay basks in the evening sunlight

The Blacksmith's Arms Inn, Cloughton, Yorkshire

Images from the web site of the Blacksmith's Arms

An old fashioned inn that has made few concessions to the modern age, the Blacksmith's Arms seems to be run by would-be librarians. The atmosphere is quiet and middle-aged, but authentic and friendly. The menu is mainly classic pub fare, with fish playing a star role on a Thursday evening. If you aren't really hungry, the fish cakes are pretty good for around eight quid. They pack some zing and are served with a small bowl of fat chips and a simple, but tasty egg, tomato and cucumber salad. The beers on tap include hand-pulled Tetley's and Srumpy Jack cider. In the bars, the oak-beamed ceilings are low, the maroon carpet has a diamond pattern and the white walls have large stone fireplaces and are decorated with Blacksmith paraphernalia. The restaurant is more formal, with white table cloths and smart chairs. 7/10

Lunch at the Walled Garden, Scampston Hall, Malton, North Yorkshire

In an ultra-modern, glass-panelled building overlooking the meticulously-tended walled-garden, Scampston Hall's restaurant is a relaxed eatery with big wooden tables, bare brick walls, framed pressed flowers, bustling, jovial staff and very posh toilets. Prepared with care and attention, the light lunches are pretty good, but pretty light. For just under eight quid, the 'Scampston Florentine' consists of ham, spinach and a poached egg topped with Yorkshire rarebit. It is fresh and wholesome food with a good mix of flavours, but not very substantial. If you are hungry, a better bet is the Gardeners Lunch (£11.25), which is a mix of top notch ham, some fine cheeses, root vegetable slaw, red onion marmalade and decent bread.  The rustic food goes very well with a glass of the pear cider from the nearby Wolds. The kids menu (£5.75) is very short and very simple. They can choose a sausage in a bun followed by a large cookie and a glass of milk or a cheese and ham sandwich, served with raw carrots and cherry tomatoes, followed by a small tub of ice cream and some fruit juice. The very fresh and healthy food just about justifies the highish prices and smallish portions. 7/10

Magpie Cafe, Whitby, Yorkshire

On a Saturday in summer, you will often have to queue in the rain to get into the near-legendary Magpie Cafe. The top-notch seafood is certainly worth a wait in the wet, but you should aim to get there by noon to be sure of a table in time for lunch.  Spread over several floors of an atmospheric white-washed nineteenth-century harbour-side building, the Magpie is a cramped, but enjoyable, place to eat. From the big windows, there are views across the harbour, towards the ruined Abbey and the narrow winding staircase is lined with arresting old black and white photos of Whitby. Service by the mostly middle-aged locals is very professional, friendly and accommodating. The waitresses will bring colouring sheets for kids and they don't rush you, despite the pressure of people standing on the steps waiting for a table.

Creamy and delicious
The massive menu is awash with local seafood and includes options to suit just about every pocket and stomach. The Magpie fish pie is superb for a tenner. Creamy mash potato and cheese strained into fine strands sits on top of prawns, big hunks of salmon and white fish swimming in a creamy and delicious tarragon sauce. If you want to push the boat out, shell out seventeen quid for the hot seafood pot, stuffed with ultra-fresh clams, crevettes, scallops, mussels, salmon and haddock cooked and served in wine and butter. Very large, very filling and very good. The Magpie isn't overrated. 9/10

Panorama Restaurant, Raven Hall, Ravenscar

Appropriately-named, 200-year-old Raven Hall sits brooding on a high clifftop overlooking a sweeping arc of coastline leading up to the red roofs of the old smugglers' village of Robin Hood's Bay. Inside is something of a time warp with old leather chairs in the foyer and smart white tablecloths and napkins in the spacious wood-panelled dining room. But it is the beautiful view of the vintage coastal countryside through the huge windows that will catch and hold your eye. White shirts and black ties fail to conceal some of the waiters' inexperience and unfamiliarity with the Panorama's repertoire. But the food itself is more polished and reasonable value, given the majestic view. On the fairly-conservative set menu, one course is about £16, two courses £22 and three courses £27. There is typically a choice of three or four starters, such as soup and a smallish bowl of unremarkable mussels in a mild curry sauce.  Among the three or four main courses on offer recently, the sea bass was excellent, while the chicken and duck dishes were tasty enough and the accompanying vegetables nicely-cooked. The children's menu (good value at £8.50 for three courses) has pasta, fish stars and other stock favourites, but young diners can also choose one of the adult starters. When you sit down, there are large jugs of iced water waiting for you on the table, But you may want to check-out the sizable wine list or order a draught beer, such as Tetley's or Fosters, from the bar. Fair food in a fine setting. 7/10

Dusk, New Street, York

An incongruously bohemian cafe-bar in amongst the chain stores and restaurants in the heart of touristy York, Dusk is squarely aimed at the student market. It has a laid-back vibe, battered toilets, free Wi-Fi, cheap drinks for students and soulful music. As well as the main bar, there is also a large seating area upstairs and a handful of tables on the pavement outside. Quiet during the day, Dusk is reputed to get lively in the evenings. 6/10

Slug & Lettuce, Low Ousegate, York

A very roomy bar with large windows overlooking the river, York's branch of the Slug & Lettuce chain is popular with local office workers and tourists, particularly on Monday lunchtimes when food is half price. Inside, there are bare brick walls, inoffensive Ikea-style fittings and decor, plus loads of tables and chairs. The creamy and cheesy fish pie, served with some willowy green beans and crispy ciabatta, is good comfort food, while the ultimate burger (about a tenner) is a generous "mini-skyscraper" of meat, cheese, onion rings, mushrooms, bacon and bread. Served with chips, it should fill you up. Fosters, John Smith and other mainstream beers are on tap, while cheerful young locals wait on tables. Not exactly the place to soak up York's history, but a respectable pit-stop. 6/10