LATEST FROM THE WHITE SHIRE

A few years ago, Lyn and I stayed at Fairview Apartment for a long weekend. The apartment is beside The Mile Farm Shop, just outside Pocklington, making it a convenient base for exploring the town and the surrounding East Yorkshire countryside. We found the accommodation to be excellent value for money.

On our recent visit to East Yorkshire, our friends booked us into The Plough Inn in Hayton, around three miles from Pocklington. As they had arranged the accommodation, Lyn and I had no idea what to expect until we arrived. Our first impression was slightly unusual. From the outside, The Plough Inn appeared to be more of a Chinese restaurant and takeaway than a hotel.

n 2018, Lyn and I stayed at Chapel House in Pocklington with our grandson, who was a toddler at the time. Built in 1857 and later converted into holiday accommodation, Chapel House is full of character. It was a lovely, quirky place to stay and offered something completely different from a conventional cottage or apartment.

I’ve been meaning to visit Dona’s Caffè and Deli in Pontefract for a while, and yesterday I finally got the chance to call in with a friend. I’m pleased to say it was well worth the visit. Dona’s is on Baghill Lane, just after you turn onto the road from the town centre end. There’s some parking directly outside, and although it might not be the sort of location where you’d expect to find a lovely little café and deli, don’t let that put you off.

We've visited Middleham a few times over the years, including a stay at the Richard III pub a few years ago. It's a small, traditional North Yorkshire town, and in some ways it feels like stepping back in time. There's not a great deal in the way of shops, so it's certainly not somewhere you'd go for a day of shopping. But if you enjoy history, walking and exploring the countryside, it's well worth a visit.

Our 2.89-mile Middleham circular walk follows North Yorkshire countryside and the River Cover valley. Easy overall, with a few tricky woodland sections, free town-centre parking and cafés near the castle.

Our Thoughts on Pocklington – A Yorkshire Wolds Favourite We've visited Pocklington several times over the years, and it's a town we always enjoy coming back to. The Yorkshire Wolds are a bit of a hidden gem. So many people drive straight past on their way to the coast without realising what they're missing. Beautiful countryside, rolling chalk hills, lovely villages and some cracking walks, all without the crowds you get in other parts of Yorkshire. But don't tell everyone.

Yorkshire has no shortage of places to go for a night out, but finding everything in one place can be surprisingly difficult. A gig might be listed on a pub Facebook page, a comedy night on a theatre website, an open mic hidden on a community calendar and a small village-hall show almost impossible to find unless you already know about it.

Pontefract is more than just another Yorkshire town to us. We live in nearby Ackworth, so it's our local town, somewhere we've visited countless times over the years for shopping, a drink, a wander around or simply an afternoon out. We've got some lovely memories of Pontefract, and it's a place that has played an important part in our lives.

Mick and I called into Castle Keep Tea Room while exploring Middleham and discovered a lovely, cosy spot for coffee beside the castle. Here's what we thought, what the tea room serves and details of its separate B&B accommodation.

Lyn and I called into Castle Keep Tea Room in Middleham for a coffee and found a lovely, cosy independent tea room. Discover our visit and its bed and breakfast accommodation.

Discover 20 verified events already featured on The White Shire for Saturday 17 and Sunday 18 October 2026, with five picks each from West, North, South and East Yorkshire. Local markets, family activities, live music and autumn days out.

Finding a gift that feels genuinely personal isn't always easy. Whether you're celebrating a new baby, searching for a birthday present or choosing something special for Christmas, a personalised gift can turn an everyday occasion into a lasting memory. Creative Mama Gift Shop is a small, family-run business based in Hull, East Yorkshire, offering personalised gifts, wooden decorations and keepsakes for a wide range of occasions.

20 Yorkshire events, markets, live performances and family days out across all four regions Looking for something to do in Yorkshire this weekend? Saturday 10 and Sunday 11 October 2026 offer everything from village markets and autumn wildlife activities to comedy, live music, heritage celebrations and one of Yorkshire's biggest travelling fairs.

Yorkshire has no shortage of cafés, but there is a big difference between somewhere that simply serves coffee and somewhere where coffee is actually part of the reason to go. That is what we want our Independent Coffee Shops in Yorkshire page to be about.

Find Halloween events in Yorkshire in 2026, from pumpkin festivals and spooky woodland trails to family days out across West, North, South and East Yorkshire.

On Sunday, Lyn and I headed over to Cusworth Hall in Doncaster for what turned out to be a really enjoyable few hours. We’d gone because the Craft & Makers Market at Cusworth Hall was taking place, with stalls both outside and inside the Hall. It was one of those events that suited the setting perfectly — plenty to wander around, local makers to browse and a relaxed atmosphere rather than something that felt overcrowded or over-organised.

Henshaws Christmas Craft Fair and Fun Day comes to Knaresborough on 21 November 2026, with artisan gifts, festive food, Santa’s Grotto, wreath making and family crafts.

Looking for something to do in Yorkshire this weekend? Saturday 10 and Sunday 11 October bring a particularly good mix of autumn events, local markets, wildlife activities, live music, comedy and family days out across the county. As always, we’ve looked beyond the biggest venues as well.