Sir John Lawton: 'I'm the President of the Yorkshire Wildlife Trust - and this is my favourite hidden gem to visit'

We lived just over the border, in Lancashire – in an area that had been part of Yorkshire, but which was snatched away in boundary changes.

I must have been about six when we had an outing in my dad’s Rover car and we parked up somewhere close to the Ribblehead Viaduct, which was, and is, such a brilliant and evocative piece of construction, and we had a picnic. I can vividly recall watching a steam train crossing it, and the plume of smoke that floated in its wake.

What’s your favourite part of the county?

When we first came to live here, in 1971, we soon discovered the beauty of Swaledale and Arkengarthdale, and we’ve been walking there ever since. It’s that wonderful combination of hay meadows, wooded hillsides, and its industrial history.

What’s your idea of a perfect weekend in Yorkshire?

Finding a really nice cottage to rent for a few days, in the Dales, the North York Moors, or the along the coast, or perhaps a good little hotel (of which there are many) and just enjoying the peace and the countryside. If there’s a nice pub in the vicinity, so much the better.

Do you have a favourite walk?

We love walking along the Pocklington Canal – nice and flat for Dot and me, these days – and plenty of wildlife. There’s also the splendid Melbourne Arms along the way, as a convenient resting place.

Which Yorkshire stage or screen star would you like to take for dinner?

Since she is such a great supporter of the Yorkshire Wildlife Trust, it must be Dame Judi Dench, a remarkable lady of so many talents. I’ve never met her, but it would be such a delight if I did.

I think that she’d be interested to hear that, when I joined the Trust, in the very early seventies, there were about 3,000 members – Dame Judi is now one of some 40,000 people throughout the county, and beyond.

What’s your Yorkshire ‘hidden gem’?

The Lower Derwent Valley Nature Reserve, which is a beautiful area made up of a series of managed flood meadows, pastures, and woodlands – there’s a vast number of plant species, and populations of overwintering and breeding bird.

If you could own one thing in Yorkshire for a day, what would it be?

I’m going to have to ask for some assistance here, from a friendly and knowledgeable boat owner, because I’d love to take a voyage out from somewhere like Whitby or Bridlington, to watch whales and porpoises out in the North Sea.

I have some boating skills, because I was a warden on the Farne Islands for a time, but that was far back in my youth, and I’d need someone to help me out, these days. In fact, thinking about it, this idea has to be one of my goals for this year.

What do you think gives Yorkshire its unique identity?

Is it really unique? I believe that it is really it’s rich variety that makes it special…. Spurn Point is as different from the Dales as the Wolds are from the former industrialised areas. We have great cities, and remarkable open areas. And everywhere you can see evidence of our industrial past.

I pointed out to some colleagues recently that if you drew a line from Spurn Point to the Northwest corner of Yorkshire, the next border would be 220 miles away. If you did that from somewhere in Kent, those 220 miles would take you through five or six counties. That’s the scale of Yorkshire.

Do you have a favourite restaurant, or pub?

It’s strange, isn’t it, that your loyalties and your favourite change over the years. Pubs open – and close – and so do good restaurants. We both love meals out these days at two York venues, great traditional Indian food at Kalpakavadi, on Fossgate, and terrific tapas at Tabanca, on Walmgate.

Do you have a favourite food shop?

Dot and I do like nice food, cooked well, but we’re not foodies, and there’s a difference. York market is great, and there are some nice specialist shops for things like bread. Shop local when and where you can.

How do you think that Yorkshire has changed, for better or for worse, in the time that you’ve known it?

There’s a lot more concern for preserving heritage – just as we got to York in 1971, there were great plans to build a ring-road that would have been adjacent to the city walls, and many fine buildings would have been bulldozed. Thank heavens that never happened.

There’s more concern and support for wildlife and conservation, making many places both secure – and safe. In York, the Museum’s Trust has done amazing work that we can be proud of. And, of course, there’s so much diversity, and that enriches our communities.

Who is the Yorkshire person that you most admire?

Before those boundary changes I mentioned, my grandfather, George Lawton, was born in the county, and, while he died when I was quite young, I still remember this truly kind man, an immensely proud Yorkshireman. He was a great engineer, and he died far too soon.

Has Yorkshire influenced your work?

In every way. Conservation, preservation, making people aware of what lies within reach. I’ve loved every moment of it, and I still love opening doors and making people aware.

Name your favourite Yorkshire book/author/artist/CD/performer.

James Herriot (aka Alf Wight) – a remarkable storyteller, with the ability to draw characters that leap from the page. Truly “feelgood” stuff, but there’s nothing wrong with that.

If a stranger to Yorkshire only had time to visit one place, it would be?

Flamborough Head, and Bempton Cliffs – it’s a wildlife spectacular, probably the best in the world for all sorts of wonderful birds.

The Reeth Lecture, Making Space for Nature, by Sir John Lawton, Saturday May 31. www.swalefest.org