Posted on October 18, 2011 by Fiona Hilliard

Beautiful: North Yorkshire

Foreign tourists and business travellers have a tendency to favour the south of England, primarily London, meaning that they miss out on a whole host of fantastic attractions, historic sites and great value hotels available in the north.

Even those visitors who are brave enough to venture a little farther than the confines of the capital still tend to linger in the south of the country, perhaps visiting Stonehenge and the city of Bath on day-long coach tours!

And the hardy souls who do travel north tend to stop only in the obvious places such as the iconic cities of York, Durham and Edinburgh. While all three are undeniably beautiful cities brimming with history, culture and fantastic shopping – essential ingredients for many tourists – there is so much more on offer in the north that simply never gets seen by the majority of UK visitors.

For those attracted to city life then the cities of Manchester, Liverpool, Leeds and Newcastle have all been revitalised and extensively redeveloped over the last two decades, offering modern alternatives to the London experience. Certainly northern businesses are thriving in these cities that prove popular locations for meetings and conferences.

But, when it comes to natural beauty then The North Yorkshire Moors, The Dales and The Lake District are all within easy reach of York, Durham and Edinburgh, and contain some of the country’s most stunning countryside. For those who enjoy trekking through superb vistas while enjoying crisp, fresh air, then these destinations have much to offer.

For example, on the north eastern fringe of the Yorkshire Moors is the beautiful fishing port of Whitby, home to spectacular coastal scenery and the inspiration for Bram Stoker’s Dracula. With a skyline dominated by the ruins of St. Hilda’s Abbey on the East Cliff, the town’s quayside features quaint narrow streets and simply oozes history. It was here that famed mariner Captain Cook learned his trade and where there is now a museum dedicated to his memory.

Within easy reach are the more commercial seaside resorts of Scarborough, Bridlington and Filey, or travel a few miles inland to the Yorkshire Dales and discover the expansive Malham Cove. Standing a colossal 260 feet high this impressive limestone feature was a roaring waterfall at the end of the last ice age and is so high that it would have dwarfed modern-day Niagara Falls at a mere 167 feet high!

On the opposite north west coast of England is the Lake District, England’s largest national park that provides a compelling combination of picturesque lakes and mountains. Indeed, it is here that you will find Wastwater, England’s deepest lake, and also the country’s highest peak known as Scafell Pike – which at a majestic 3,209 feet provides a stiff test for walkers.

But, it’s not just tourists that fail to capitalise on the beauty and value offered by the glorious north, many businesses not based in the region insist on holding their meetings in London, where hotel rooms can be the size of shoeboxes and indeed cost as much as a pair of Jimmy Choos for a night’s stay!

Instead astute businessmen could meet at luxurious hotels in the north of England that offer all the same comforts, double the bedroom space and are considerably cheaper than similar establishments in London. And the same logic applies to canny tourists. Check out the North of England and see what you’ve been missing!

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