The Yorkshire Wolds stretch and arc from the chalk cliffs of Flamborough Head to the banks of the Humber Estuary at Hessle. It is some of the most picturesque and unspoilt landscape in the country - a true hidden gem just waiting to be discovered. From bustling market towns such as Beverley, Driffield, Pocklington and Market Weighton to countless pretty villages with their well-kept village greens, pubs, ponds and churches, the Yorkshire Wolds offer miles of beautiful scenery, peaceful riverside walks, woodlands teaming with wildlife and a gently undulating patchwork quilt of farmland brimming with crops and wild flowers of every description.
The rolling hills of the Yorkshire Wolds are ideal for discovering by bicycle or walking and the best way to make the most of the area is to follow ‘The Wolds Way’ - a 79 mile unbroken National Trail which captures the unrivalled beauty of the region and takes in many hidden villages well off the beaten track.
Driffield - ‘The Capital of The Wolds’ - is a thriving market town with charming Victorian buildings and shops and is also home to one of the largest agricultural shows in the country. At the western edge of the Wolds is Pocklington, with it’s narrow interesting streets dominated by the splendid 15th century church, and offering lovely walks along the canal, it is an understated, quiet town which is the epitome of the whole region. A visit to Pocklington is not complete without seeing Burnby Hall & Gardens which house Europe’s largest collection of water lillies - over 5,000 different species!
Market Weighton is a 750 year old market town that once regularly held the largest sheep fair in England and was home to William Bradley, ‘The Yorkshire Giant’, who at seven feet nine inches, was the tallest Englishman ever recorded. Market Weighton is in easy reach of many public footpaths and rights of way which pass through the town, including the Yorkshire Wolds Way, The Minster Way and the Humber Way as well as the North Sea Cycle Route.
By far the most popular and most visited town in East Yorkshire is Beverley. This busy market town with it’s chic shops, fine Medieval & Georgian architecture is arguably one of the most beautiful towns in Britain. The famous Beverley Minster was founded in the 8th century and is one of the best examples of a cathedral size Gothic church in Europe. Beverley race course must be one of the most attractive courses in the country, set as it is among the open space of Beverley Westwood, and with attractions such as the city of Hull and the East Yorkshire coast within easy reach, Beverley is both fascinating & memorable and is the perfect base for discovering the beauty of the Yorkshire Wolds.