…strong in the arm, thick in the…  well, there are some clichés about Yorkshire that we may not agree with but as Yorkshire folk, the oft-used nickname of God’s Own County has to be one of them.

We feel incredibly lucky to live and work in such a beautiful part of the country, which just happens to be the biggest county in the UK, so we thought we’d trawl the internet for some facts and figures on what makes our home county so great.

• The Shambles in York was voted as Britain’s most picturesque street in the 2010 Google Street Awards.
• Yorkshire is home to over 80 real ale breweries producing almost a third of the UK’s beer
• Yorkshire is famous for its rhubarb, boasting some of the largest producers in the UK. Placed between Leeds, Wakefield and Bradford they have become known worldwide as the rhubarb triangle. Forced Yorkshire rhubarb gained EU protected status in 2010.
• There are six Michelin Star restaurants in Yorkshire, more than any other region outside of London.
• Described as “Britain’s greatest living artist”, West Yorkshire-born David Hockney now resides in the East Riding seaside town of Bridlington (which is practically next door to Bannisters’ HQ!).
• Scarborough Spa is Britain’s first seaside resort and has been welcoming families for over 360 years.
• The Yorkshire Dales is home to Britain’s highest pub, the Tan Hill Inn, at 1,732ft above sea level.
• Yorkshire Day is held on 1st August every year to celebrate Yorkshire’s unique culture and dialect.
• Gunpowder plotter Guy Fawkes was born in the city of York in 1570.

Okay, so that last one may not be not be something to be proud of but how many people get an annual event named after them?

Jo

Sources: www.yorkshire.com; www.godsowncounty.co.uk; http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Yorkshire

Image: Scarborough, courtesy of Welcome To Yorkshire