Where's the best place in Yorkshire for a picnic?

If anyone should know, you’d expect it to be a local couple who specialise in producing gift hampers.

And sure enough, Dean and Ellie Bell – who run their online business Hampers By Dellie from their home in Bishopthorpe – have come up with their top 5 Yorkshire picnic spots.

Their list, compiled in time for Yorkshire Day on August 1 using a combination of Tripadvisor data and resident interviews, includes popular Lover’s Leap at Brimham Rocks, Aysgarth Falls – and the Studley Royal Water Garden.

“We are so lucky in Yorkshire to have such beautiful countryside attractions, which all offer stunning backdrops for a picnic,” said Dean. “It was a challenge to narrow this down. However, we believe that the five viewpoints we have listed are truly the most picturesque in the county.”

Here is Dean and Ellie’s list in full. But of course every Yorkshire man and woman will have their own favourite picnic spots. Let the discussion begin…

1. The ‘Surprise View’ at Studley Royal Water Garden, near Ripon

This can be reached by following the signs for High Ride and clambering up a hill from the Water Garden.

Bec Evans, Visitor Experience Manager at the park, said: “It’s a spot which really shows the place as a complete landscape.

“The view features the sweep of the River Skell as it makes its way into Studley Royal and the amazing sight of the abbey ruins in the distance.”

2. Lover’s Leap at Brimham Rocks, near Harrogate

The incredible viewpoint from Lover’s Leap provides an opportunity for picnickers to gaze in wonder across the beautiful landscape at Brimham Rocks.

“It’s an area of outstanding natural beauty and you can see for miles around you from this vantage point,” said Jenni Shepherd, Senior Marketing Officer at the park.

3. Grass Overlooking the Upper Falls, Aysgarth Falls, Yorkshire Dales

This can easily be accessed by the whole family, via a well signposted tranquil route.

The upper falls viewpoint is just a five-minute stroll from the main visitor car park at the Aysgarth Visitor Centre. It provides a breath-taking view but also the soothing background sound of falling water as you tuck into your sandwiches.

4. Thornton Force Waterfalls View at The Ingleton Waterfalls Trail, Yorkshire Dales

At Thornton Force you can take a well-deserved rest around the edges of the plunge basin and simply enjoy the majestic view of the water.

The Yorkshire Dales-based Ingleton Waterfalls Trail is loved for its spectacular waterfalls and woodland scenery. This can be enjoyed via a four-and-a-half-mile circular walk, which starts and ends in the idyllic village of Ingleton.

5. The Large Two Forms overlook at Yorkshire Sculpture Park, near Wakefield

The Yorkshire Sculpture Park, near Wakefield, offers a rich tapestry of outdoor art set against a stunning countryside backdrop. There are 100 sculptures and installations to discover, within 500 acres of park.

The hill overlooking the Large Two Forms sculpture is ideal for picnics.

visitor experience manager Helen Jones said: “Here you can be inspired by a truly Yorkshire landscape complete with rolling hills, shady trees and grazing sheep, as well as the Henry Moore sculptures that will surround you.”