Landmarks

Index
Landmarks

North Yorkshire is a county of expansive countryside and impressive structures. Both nature and man have left their mark on the landscape, leaving behind a wealth of fascinating landmarks, unique beauty spots and breath-taking viewpoints.

Recent additions of public artworks such as the Coldstone’s Cut above the Valley of Nidderdale compliment the White Horse of Kilburn that looks out over the Vale of York. Many a hilltop features a tower or structure as a memorial to those lost at war, and visible for miles in all directions.

Railways built by Victorian visionaries have provided Yorkshire with tremendous viaducts and bridges that were built for function but in the modern age have become majestic as they reach across gorges or valleys.

During the 18th century, the wealthy developed a penchant for building architectural follies as part of their garden design, physical evidence of their dominance over the land. These extravagant displays of wealth provided work to local people during times of hardship – now they provide interest and intrigue to the rolling landscape as romantic ruins, monuments, temples and towers.

Yorkes Folly or Two Stoops in Nidderdale 1 1

North Yorkshire also has a long history of rural industry and pioneering projects across the hills and valleys. The industries may have died, but there remain a variety of intriguing structures, mysterious ruins and left over reminders of a once heavily worked landscaped.

Remote as many of these iconic places may seem, you are never far from a village pub or tearoom where you can sample local produce, often farmed from the very land you have been exploring.

Discover the landmarks and viewpoints scattered across our district, and the fascinating stories behind them.