Five festive things to do in December to get in the mood for Christmas

Angels to adventures, steam trains to stately homes with added spice

Looking for ideas of how to make the most of the festive feeling in December? Here are five cracking Christmas ideas from Ryedale, North Yorkshire:

1.0         See Christmas angels in flight

For an awe-inspiring and unforgettable experience, it’s hard to beat the sight of owls flying through woodland lit only by torchlight – like magical Christmas angels – at the special winter owl evenings at Helmsley’s National Bird of Prey Centre, home to the largest collection of birds of prey in the North. The Owl Evenings run every Saturday evening until Christmas, and include a guided tour of the owls, a flying demonstration of the tiny owls by candlelight in Christmas Tree Cottage, mulled wine or hot, spiced apple juice, a two-course meal with coffee. The evening finishes with the large owls flying free in the woodland darkness. The evening starts at 7pm and ends around 9.45pm. Suitable for children aged 8 and over. Tickets cost £30 each. Book early as places are limited! www.ncbp.co.uk

2.0         Discover the TRUE Father of Christmas …

… not Santa Claus, but Charles Dickens. Dickens’ Christmas gift was the iconic Christmas Carol – the origin of so many of our beloved Christmas traditions today – and it was inspired by his happy visits to Malton and travels around Ryedale. The entire town (of Malton) celebrates an annual Dickens Festival in December: highlights of the 2016 festival include star entertainment with guest Miriam Margolyes on 17 December, a festive lunch and talk hosted by leading expert Lucinda Hawksley (author and descendent of Charles Dickens) on 18 December, a Dickens Cookery School, and on 10 December, in the guise of a mutinous down-and-out Victorian travelling theatre, Penny Plain Theatre will perform a fast-moving Christmas miscellany of old carols, mummery, and dance bringing the spirit of a real Victorian Christmas to Malton. Look out too for their hilarious ‘Human Vegetable Machine’ - the forerunner of the fruit machine, which never fails to get bystanders laughing. For more information go to www.maltondickensianfestival.com

3.0         The most magical Christmas adventure for young children? 

The North Yorkshire Moors Railway’s Santa Express is one of the most famous landmarks in Yorkshire’s Advent Calendar and a festive journey that children – and adults alike – will never forget. Embarking from Pickering on weekends throughout December: 3, 4, 10, 11, 17, 18, 20 and 21, the memorable highlight is a face-to-face encounter with Santa in his on-board Grotto, as the steam train journeys across the winter wonderland of the North York Moors. The one-hour ride on board the Santa Express also includes an age appropriate present for each child, an activity sheet and Santa hat for each child, and a mince pie, hot drink and alcoholic tipple for each adult. Tickets for the Santa Specials cost £20 each and pre-booking is essential to guarantee a preferred the time slot and date.  For more information visit http://www.nymr.co.uk/Event/santa-specials-pickering

4.0          Castle Howard adds spice to Christmas with enormous gingerbread replica

A huge architectural gingerbread model of Castle Howard is taking pride of place at the heart of the stately home’s festive celebrations this year, when London-based architectural foodsmiths, Bompas & Parr, recreate Vanbrugh’s original design for the grand estate from gingerbread and icing. Measuring four metres by three metres, the enormous confection will depict the famous house, complete with its dome and the parterre garden envisaged by Vanbrugh, plus many of the architectural features found in the 10,000-acre estate, including the Temple of the Four Winds, Mausoleum and the 7th Earl’s monument. The windows of the house will be illuminated, and just like at the real Castle Howard, and miniature trees will descend from Ray Wood to create a perfect winter scene. The edible artwork can be seen daily from Saturday 19 November until Friday 23 December.

Castle Howard is open daily from 19 November to 23 December from 10.00am (last entry to the House 4pm, 5pm at weekends) with admission prices of £18.95 for adults with concessions available. Under 4s get in free, and family tickets (two adults and up to three children) are available for £47.85. Visitors are advised to book early for sessions with Father Christmas, and the Christmas Afternoon Teas, as availability is limited and they are expected to book up quickly. For more information on all of Castle Howard’s Christmas events, or to prebook, please visit www.castlehoward.co.uk.

5.0         Wonderful winter walking

Ryedale’s market towns offer the best of both worlds when it comes to winter wonderland walks - the beauty and tranquillity of the countryside, never far from home comforts. From each market town, there are hundreds of miles of footpaths and bridleways - through river valleys and woodland, and across moorland – the perfect excuse to burn off excess calories, or just get away from the season’s stresses. A favourite is the route from Helmsley Castle, famed as the Cradle of English Chivalry, wandering through the ancient woodlands of grand Duncombe Hall, to the haunting ruins of Rievaulx Abbey, once of Europe’s largest monasteries (if you’re lucky you might even hear the whispers of a ghostly Christmas Mass). New this year, local walkers have also made a collection of their favourite walks – 20 in total – setting out from Ryedale’s market towns, and posted them up with detailed notes onto iFootpath. Download to mobile phones or tablets, or pick up copies from the Visitor Information Points in Helmsley, Pickering and Malton, or the libraries at Kirkbymoorside and Norton.

Ryedale is a little known area of North Yorkshire, near York, and home to a wondrous lost world of legends, saintly miracles, warrior queens, a river that runs backwards, a Devil’s punchbowl, the Milky Way, and a real-life Atlantis - a beautiful landscape forged by ice and water and, some say, even Noah’s Flood!  It’s also rich in talented artisan craftspeople and tradesfolk producing the kind of award-winning food, drink and gifts that help make Christmas extra special.

Ryedale’s five market towns, Helmsley, Kirkbymoorside, Pickering, Malton and Norton, are nestled between the North York Moors National Park and the Howardian Hills, an official UK ‘Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty’, but easily accessible on day-trips from Leeds or York. For more information about Ryedale’s market towns, visit www.visitryedale.co.uk.

Ends

For more media information please contact:

Nicola Bexon, Pyper PR: 01904 500698 or nicola@pyperyork.co.uk

Samantha Orange, Pyper PR: 01904 500698 or sam@pyperyork.co.uk

Notes to The Editor

Visit Ryedale is supported by Ryedale District Council and over 700 tourism businesses and works in partnership with VisitYork, Visit Hull & East Yorkshire, Welcome to Yorkshire and Visit England.

Visit Ryedale's aim is to market Ryedale and its market towns as a must-see destination to the leisure visitor, and ensure investment to develop the quality of tourism in Ryedale.  Visit Ryedale is responsible for leisure marketing, visitor services (running the district's Visitor Information Points) and ensuring a quality visitor experience.

Key facts: 5 million visitors annually, £209 million total visitor spend, supporting 7,000 jobs.