From Yorkshire With Love

From Yorkshire With Love

It’s hard to believe that there was a time in my life when I absolutely couldn’t wait to escape this place. That place in question is Richmond in North Yorkshire.

As a small child, Richmond was my universe. As a teen, it was the bane of my life. As an adult, it is home. And I feel so lucky to be able to call it that.

Richmond in North Yorkshire

The charming market town nestled within the Yorkshire Dales, Richmond in North Yorkshire – the first and original of all Richmonds in the worlds (and the best, in my humble opinion) –  is such a magical place.

Granted, I’ve had to take a step back to see how lovely it really is, but I can now fully appreciate it for what it is. For almost 30 years, this is where I grew up and although I no longer live there, I am never too far from home.

As far as cute little English towns go, Richmond is pretty darn cute.

The old Yorkshire market town was founded by the Normans in 1071, its stubbornness to embrace change is the very reason why Richmond has been able to preserve it’s heritage all these years. It’s a place steeped in history, and urban myths and legends; it’s full of character, old traditions, and high on community spirit.

Every corner of town has its little quirks from the gothic buildings, listed Georgian properties to it’s quaint cobbled streets.

When I stay at my parents house, I love nothing more than to wake up at 6am on a Summer’s morning for a blissful long walk to take in the fresh air of the picturesque Yorkshire countryside.

I don’t know why I have this sudden sense of sentiment. I didn’t always wax lyrical about the town I grew up in, but every love affair has it’s ups and downs, right?!

The thing is, with a place like Richmond, you have to outgrow it to be able return and see it’s true beauty. Otherwise, there’s a risk you’ll will be stuck with the small town mentality and I think that’s the part I struggled with as a teenager. After all, as a small town where people know everyone and everything, it can get claustrophobic. It can get too crowded and uncomfortable.

I constantly looked forward to the day I could escape and grow as an individual instead of feeling stuck. Stuck in the same place, stuck in the same social circle, seeing the same faces, doing the same thing, living the same routine and forever being defined by the trivial mistakes you had made as a teen. I’m too demanding of a person to stick around for too long, but I sure miss it when I’m not there.

The truth is, the older I get, the more I appreciate it. I’m lucky that I was able to spend a large part of my life (and more importantly, my childhood) in Richmond. Let’s face it, there are worse places to grow up as a child.

While 95% of Richmond’s population is almost as ancient as the town itself* – (*Not an official statistic, by the way), it is also, as you can imagine, not the most diverse place in the world, but it is extremely charming and and incredibly welcoming.

Tourist flock to Richmond from all over the world and Richmonders are genuinely welcome you with open arms and their unique sense of Yorkshire charm, you’ll fall in love with the place and will want to visit time and time again.

What do you love about your hometown? Take a look at where else I have visited lately💋

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