Travelling to Yorkshire

[mechtilde]

-hike in the Moors Great idea! http://www.ramblers.org.uk/ and http://www.naturalengland.org.uk/ourwork/enjoying/countrysidecode/default.aspx have some helpful info. Be aware that it can get muddy, so good boots and waterproofs are essential. Very good maps are available published by the Ordanance Survey- often referred to as OS maps.

-eat really good food- There are plenty of places you can get that! Go for independent places, there are lots of good restaurants, tearooms and pubs serving food.

see the beautiful countryside- Plenty of that around! The North York Moors are spectacular, and the Yorkshire Wolds are worth a visit too. Both are easily accessible if you are staying in the Thirsk area, and the Pennines aren't that far off either. The Plain of York is a bit odd- very flat and not quite what you'd think Yorkshire was like.

visit the World of James Herriot That's in Thirsk http://www.worldofjamesherriot.org/

-see unique places I'll do a list in another post for that.

-avoid large crowds Some places are best visited midweek- I'll make a note about those.

-SO wants to drink in a pub There are plenty of those! You go to the bar to order. Beer is served by the pint or half pint, although there are plenty of other drinks available of you don't fancy beer. Then you take your own drinks over to a table. You don't usually tip the barman, but you might say "And get one for yourself", and they take the cost of their own drink out of the money you give them. He might like visiting the Black Sheep Brewery at Masham. Also, lots of pubs serve food nowadays.

One other thing has occured to me- credit cards are widely accepted, but usually only Visa or Mastercard. Amex isn't widely taken here, so you might need to make arrangements for that. There are cashpoints in most places, even in some villages.

[jaxsue]

I'm so jealous! Ever since jr. high, when I devoured the James Herriot books, I've wanted to visit Yorkshire. And recently I found that I have roots there - all the way back to 1550 (maybe longer...will continue searching). If you visit Birkin or meet anyone named Poskitt, please let me know. 

[veryfluffy]

-SO wants to drink in a pub There are plenty of those! You go to the bar to order. Beer is served by the pint or half pint, although there are plenty of other drinks available of you don't fancy beer. Then you take your own drinks over to a table. You don't usually tip the barman, but you might say "And get one for yourself", and they take the cost of their own drink out of the money you give them. He might like visiting the Black Sheep Brewery at Masham. Also, lots of pubs serve food nowadays.

I often read this one, but in all the time I have lived in England I have probably seen it done once. Please don't think it is in any way standard or obligatory to say "and one for yourself" -- it's the sort of thing you might possibly do if you had been drinking in a group, or had several rounds, and the barman/barmaid was being particularly chatty or helpful, and you were feeling generous. Tipping of any kind is just not expected in a pub.

A pint of beer is now around £3.00, so if you are just buying two drinks, that would be a heckuva tip to offer someone. Please keep in mind that the people serving in the pub are either the owners of the establishment, or if they are staff they are being paid at least the minimum wage of £6.08 per hour (£4.98 if they are between 18 and 20, and of course the legal drinking age and for working in a pub is 18).

[Ferrets]

You don't usually tip the barman, but you might say "And get one for yourself", and they take the cost of their own drink out of the money you give them. He might like visiting the Black Sheep Brewery at Masham. Also, lots of pubs serve food nowadays.

I often read this one, but in all the time I have lived in England I have probably seen it done once. Please don't think it is in any way standard or obligatory to say "and one for yourself" -- it's the sort of thing you might possibly do if you had been drinking in a group, or had several rounds, and the barman/barmaid was being particularly chatty or helpful, and you were feeling generous. Tipping of any kind is just not expected in a pub.

^ Agreed. It's a nice thing to do, but absolutely not necessary as such.

When I worked in a pub, we'd get quite a few drinks bought for us by customers* but the vast majority of these were from various of the daily regulars (plus the occasional person who was feeling particularly utterly, blissfully rat-arsed and in harmony with the world philanthropic). I always appreciated them as a lovely bonus, but they was never expected.

_{*Couldn't drink alcohol on shift, of course; we'd take the money for whatever drink, print out the receipt, mark which one was ours, and stick all such receipts on a nail behind the bar, to be claimed when we were off duty.}

[Barney girl]

Some people have referred to using public transport. Don't rely on that as it's being cut back hugely at the moment. I come originally from a dale just north of Yorkshire (until re-organisation half of it was in Yorkshire!). There is now going to be no bus service to villages on the south  side of the dale and once a week in one direction the other side. Any tourists either need cars or to be on organised coach trips. I would imagine much of Yorkshire will be hit the same way.
That said, if you're going to the Yorkshire Dales don't miss the Durham Dales - much quieter and very beautiful (and of course I'm not biased  )