Lonely Planet names England second best country to visit in 2020 - with Yorkshire an essential stop-off

But they are being recommended to global travellers by the leading guide book firm, Lonely Planet, as England was named the world’s second best tourism destination in 2020 due to its “timeless treasures”.

Lonely Planet ranked England as number two on its list of places to visit next year, behind only Bhutan.

And the Best in Travel 2020 entry on England flags up the Yorkshire Dales, York and the North York Moors as essential parts of a two-week itinerary in England.

The list says despite Brexit uncertainties, “one constant amid all the confusion has been the timeless treasures that England is famous for - the historic castles and cathedrals, the quaint villages and rolling countryside, and of course, the seaside”.

It recommends a fortnight’s trip starting in the Lake District, with travellers then heading for the Yorkshire Dales, with its “gentle” valleys and “cute” villages.

Advising visitors to taste some Wensleydale cheese, it also suggests a stop in York, with its “unrivalled history” and a chance to try a slice of a Fat Rascal from Bettys Tearooms, before exploring the North York Moors by train.

It states: “The North York Moors’ bleak beauty is best enjoyed on a steam-train ride - then keep walking to Robin Hood’s Bay - the end of the Coast to Coast walk.”

Ian Robson, the owner of Whitby’s Magpie Cafe, which has starred in numerous TV programmes including the current Channel 5 series Caravanning with Shane Richie, said eating fish and chips was “definitely part of the British experience” for tourists.

Mr Robson, who has been at the cafe for 40 years, estimates his business sells more than 400,000 portions of fish and chips a year, with the Chinese and Japanese the two biggest nationality visitors.

Lonely Planet also noted that new sections of the England Coast Path are continuing to open, making it easier for people to explore the country’s coastline.

Once complete, it will be one of the world’s longest continuous walking trails at nearly 3,000 miles.

Number-one ranked Bhutan in the Himalayas plans to become the first fully organic nation by 2020. Others in the top five are North Macedonia in south-east Europe, the Caribbean island of Aruba and Africa’s eSwatini.

The new chairman of the Welcome to Yorkshire tourism agency, Peter Box, suggested Lonely Planet could have spread its net wider.

He added: “It’s great to see North Yorkshire so highly regarded in the Lonely Planet itinerary, and rightly so, it’s a truly spectacular part of the world.

“But there are even more timeless treasures to be discovered throughout the rest of the county too, from the Yorkshire Nature Triangle and the Hockney Trail in the Yorkshire Wolds,

Wentworth Woodhouse in South Yorkshire, and architectural gems like The Piece Hall in West Yorkshire, to name but a few.”

Tom Hall, Lonely Planet VP of Experience, said Yorkshire was “a great place for an English coastal adventure”.