Hide and seek

PETER Ward is doing an excellent job of selling his home town. "Pock is unique. It's got a catchment area of its own. People just pop into Pock. There's everything you need in Pock."

Pock is, of course, Pocklington, and Peter Ward is the proprietor of one of its leading cafs, Peter Ward's Coffee House & Tea Rooms. He opened it in September 1997 when he was just 22 - but by then he had six years of experience under his apron.

"I got a part time job when I was 14 washing pots in Bettys in York," he explained.

"I moved up to waiting and was fully trained in the kitchen. It was good experience. I also worked at Penny's for about seven or eight months."

He came to the irrefutable conclusion that he was never going to make much money in the tea room business working for other people. So when a caf closed in Waterloo Street in Pocklington, his home town, Peter jumped at the chance of reviving its fortunes.

Since then business has been brisk. "We do snacks. Scrambled eggs and smoked salmon - that's stolen a bit from Bettys," he admits.

"We use Taylor's coffees and teas, we do baguettes, jacket potatoes and omelettes. We bake our own scones every day."

He has built his business on word of mouth. And that's how it ended up in new guidebook The Hidden Places of Yorkshire.

"You can only get into that by being recommended. We got seven written recommendations.

"For seven people to take the time out to write a letter - I was quite shocked, and impressed."

Not everyone immediately considers Pocklington as a day-out destination. Which is a shame, because the town boasts plenty of history. It was the last place in England to burn a witch, for example (it's friendlier now). The splendid 15th century church has been called the cathedral of the Wolds. Nearby you can find Burnby Hall and Gardens and Londesborough Park. And then there's Peter and his tea rooms.

All of the above are chronicled in The Hidden Places of Yorkshire. The idea behind the guide, one of a series, is to contain all the usual destinations, such as York Minster, while promoting more secluded visitor attractions and places to stay, eat and drink that are easy to miss.

"We wanted to cover all the major attractions wherever we could, but also include places that weren't so well known that might have a nice story attached," said David Gerrard, the book's editor.

David used to work for Yorkshire TV and he has produced several books on the region before devoting four months to this latest volume. For the last ten years he has lived in Wensleydale.

"It's stupendous scenery. I just love this part of the world. It has a character very much of its own.

"There's so much history here. I live close to three major castles, Middleham, Richmond and Bolton."

The Hidden Places of Yorkshire includes visitor attractions, pubs, restaurants and tearooms across the region. They are cross referenced to three indices to make for easy use.

We have picked out a few from the book that are off the obvious, beaten path of the tourist. Any one might make an alternative destination during the summer hols.

WHILE on the coast, David recommends visitors stop at Whitby Glass, Sandgate, and The Sutcliffe Gallery, Flowergate, both in Whitby. Visitors are welcome to call in to watch the craftsmen fashion glass into the famous "lucky duck" talisman at Whitby Glass; at the gallery they can admire the Victorian photographs of Frank Meadow Sutcliffe.

Over in Robin Hood's Bay, take a look at the town's most extraordinary building, the Fyling Hall Pigsty. Built by Squire Barry in the 1880s so his pigs could live in style, it is now rented out to holidaymakers.

Moving down the coast, Bridlington's Bayle Museum is said to vividly bring to life the long history of the resort. On its outskirts you will find the Bondville Miniature Village, "one of the finest model villages in the country", including more than 1,000 hand-made and painted characters.

Leave Bridlington on the A166 and you come to Carnaby and the John Bull - World of Rock. "The older generation will particularly revel in the smell of the old-fashioned way of making toffee and the interesting bygone displays," David predicts.

Across to the Dales, and in Reeth, west of Richmond, you will find the Swaledale Folk Museum and the Reeth Craft Workshops, showing artefacts from the village old and new. In nearby Hudswell, on the walk between the village and the river, you can find a horizontal crack in the limestone known in legend as King Arthur's Oven.

On David Gerrard's doorstep is the Wensleydale Cheese Experience. Found in the town of Hawes, you can sample the fare and learn of its history.

Thirsty travellers should make a beeline for Masham, five miles south-west of Bedale. It boasts two breweries, Theakston's and Black Sheep, both with visitor centres.

Coming south, Ripley Castle, at Ripley near Harrogate, has been home to the Ingilby family for more than 600 years. The castle is open to the public and set in an outstanding Capability Brown landscape. Although it was a Royalist stronghold, Oliver Cromwell rested here after the Battle of Marston Moor - under the armed guard of Trooper Jane Ingilby.

Another nearby castle worth a look is the one at Spofforth, six miles south east of Harrogate. The guide notes that it is "an historic building whose sight stirs the imagination despite its ruined state".

In Knaresborough, as well as visiting that tourists' favourite Mother Shipton's Cave, the guide recommends dropping by Ye Oldest Chymists' Shop, which dates back to 1720. It's owned by John Farrah, of Harrogate toffee fame, and stocks the Pickles range of over-the-counter medicines and the famous Knares-borough Lavender Water.

In the brewery town of Tadcaster, the guide suggests visitors visit The Ark, the 15th century building that hosts the Town Council offices, before taking some refreshment at Guy's Bistro, run by Gaetano and Maria Vicari in the main street.

And if you are feeling tired after that lot, have a look in the Ripon Workhouse to see the Victorian Hard Times Gallery. Then visit the Ripon Prison and Police Museum which gives an insight into the life of the 19th century prisoner. Drop by at Peter Ward's Tearoom on the way home for a home-made scone and you'll soon feel a lot better about being a 21st century traveller.

The Hidden Places of Yorkshire, edited by David Gerrard, is published by Travel Publishing, price £7.99

PICTURE: Bridlington's Bondville Miniature Village, "one of the finest model villages in the country"