When I was growing up, many a family day out was spent at the Yorkshire coast, enjoying the traditions of fish and chips, two pence slot machines and fairground rides.

But it’s only recently I discovered the Yorkshire Wolds – a picture-perfect arc of chalk hills and plunging valleys, below the North York Moors, which runs from the coast at Flamborough, towards Malton and then south to the Humber Bridge.

The Yorkshire Wolds Way is the highlight of the area, a 79-mile National Trail walking route which it’s recommended should take five to six days to walk. Our visit to the Wolds was just for a night, combined with a trip to the coast, but it seems you cannot pick a bad place to visit in the Wolds.

Driving through it combines views of stunning coastlines and a seemingly endless supply of winding roads, which are surrounded by rolling fields as they pass through small welcoming villages with friendly local pubs.

It’s a part of the country we’ve undoubtedly driven through before, without stopping to explore and appreciate.

The attraction of the Wolds, for me, was the easy pace of life. Even in Driffield – referred to as the ‘king’ or ‘heartbeat’ of the Wolds, depending on which tourism literature you read – the atmosphere is relaxed and although busy, the town has a sleepy charm.

Attractions include haunted pubs, award-winning markets, the 500-year-old, 110ft tower at All Saints’ Church and the nearby stately home Burton Agnes Hall.

The ancient town of Beverley is another place which pulls in visitors keen to explore its churches and cobbled streets. During the festive period it will make the most of its historic market status with the Beverley Festival of Christmas on December 8, which will feature more than 100 stalls, performances and a fairground.

We started our trip with a night near Bridlington, staying in Bempton close to the towering cliffs of the same name and Flamborough. The cliffs are home to thousands of seabirds during the summer and a year-round cliff path walk, with five viewing points to pause and take in the stunning panoramas.

It was cold and windy, meaning the cliffs were pretty deserted, but having them to ourselves made exploring more enjoyable.

From there we headed into Bridlington and after a few failed attempts to grab a teddy in the arcade, we took a stroll along the promenade, past The Spa concert venue and ended up on the south beach.

Even in the height of summer, this sprawling beach doesn’t seem to get overcrowded and with its one small shop selling ice creams and bucket and spades, it reminds me of the kind of place Enid Blyton’s Famous Five would get up to adventures.

Our next stop was Hornsea, where we pottered around some of the small, quirky shops and hunted out Christmas gifts before visiting Yorkshire’s largest fresh water lake at Hornsea Mere.

The two-and-a-half mile-long Mere was formed by a large glacier left behind after the last Ice Age. We read about it in a Welcome to Yorkshire leaflet we picked up in Bridlington, but despite knowing what we were looking for, it took a few laps around some residential areas before we found it.

Again, on a cold autumn day we found we had the place pretty much to ourselves. A lakeside cafe was closed the day we went, and it wasn’t the weather for hiring a boat, but even in the grey weather, the lake was worth a visit.

More than 250 species of bird are resident at the lake and surrounding area and we were greeted by a large flock of ducks when we arrived. They followed us as we walked around the lake and pecked around our feet as we sat, enjoying the quiet.

After a brief stop at the Hornsea Freeport shopping outlet, a 45-minute drive took us to our B&B for the night, Wold Cottage near the small village of Wold Newton.

The accommodation was originally a Georgian city gentleman’s country retreat and sits in 300 acres of farmland. We were warmly welcomed and sat and read by the fire, with tea and homemade cakes, before heading out for an evening meal in the local, the Anvil Arms.

Armed with a torch we walked along windy roads in the pitch black, before being greeted as if we were life-long regulars at the pub.

The evening was spent chatting to villagers, including a woman in her 80s, who went to the pub every night. She was such a regular that one evening when she missed a visit, the police were called and broke her door down.

We may have taken the gentle option when it came to picking what to do in the Wolds, but it’s amazing how a couple of days exploring and relaxing such a calming place, so close to home, can recharge the batteries.

Factfile

  • The Yorkshire Wolds boasts natural wonders including the Bempton Cliffs Nature Reserve with its white cliffs and the Danes Dyke Beach.
  • Driffield annually holds the largest Agricultural show in Britain.
  • The Yorkshire Wolds inspired a series of artworks that span 50 years of David Hockney’s fascination with the area.
  • More details of Wold Cottage, which won Welcome To Yorkshire’s Best Bed and Breakfast 2012 prize, can be found at woldcottage.co.uk or by calling (01262) 470696.
  • For more information, visit yorkshire.com.