Foodie tourists 
to get taste of region’s delights

With a fine array of award-winning food produced locally, a guided cycle trail based on the race’s route through the county at the start of the intercontinental challenge, is being designed to give gastronomes a behind-the-scenes look at Yorkshire’s thriving food industry.

The initiative is being planned by Sue and Aidan Nelson, founders of Yorkshire Food Finder, a guided gourmet tour company which puts foodies in touch with the county’s top producers and chefs.

Mrs Nelson said: “Yorkshire is the only county in England with a larder that betters France for quantity, quality and tradition. So where else could Le Tour possibly start?

“We’re the biggest beer, rapeseed, pork and seafood producer in the UK, and when it comes to beer, Yorkshire is a frothy head above the rest with more than 130 real ale brewers producing more than 920 different beers.”

Like France, Yorkshire is home to thousands of talented artisan food and drink producers who deserve elevated recognition, she said.

“They’re creating fabulous food but without the legendary status enjoyed by producers on the other side of the channel. Our cheese, for example, is spectacular – think of award winners like Barncliffe Brie and Harrogate Blue. Our Givendale and Dexter beef easily give French Charolais a run for their money as do our free-range poultry. Nothing can beat the lamb from Swaledale, Coverdale and the Wolds, or hoggets reared on the Howardian Hills, not to mention the PDO (protected designation of origin) Yorkshire forced rhubarb, or red grouse and liquorice.

“We have some fabulous produce here and we want to showcase the best of Yorkshire food.”

The Nelsons’ idea of promoting all the good food that Yorkshire growers produce was applauded by Gary Verity, chief executive of Welcome to Yorkshire, the tourist board that led the campaign to bring the Grand Départ to the county.

Mr Verity said: “Food was part of our presentation to bring the Grand Départ to Yorkshire showcasing what we can grow on the land, rear on the land and farm from the sea. Yorkshire is famous for its food the world over and so this is a great idea to celebrate our culinary and cycling roots and giving the millions of fans who will flock to the county the opportunity to taste why Yorkshire is so great.”

Over the coming months, Mrs Nelson intends to take advice from Welcome to Yorkshire to agree a route for the food trail and establish how often producers will participate.

The former journalist and her husband, who worked in the railway industry, set up Yorkshire Food Finder last November. They run the business from their home in the village of Wheldrake, near York. So far, they offer 30 artisan food trails and they have proved popular with people from as far away as the United States.

Each trail is the result of hours of reconnaissance and research to identify routes and establish relationships with food producers. Each is centred on a restaurant or pub which welcomes visitors for dinner at the end of their tours..

As many as 12 people can go on each trail, which lasts between six and 10 hours and typically costs about £140-£150 per person.

Mrs Nelson has a clear idea of what the Grand Départ trail will consist of. She said: “We need to speak to the producers that we want to involve. We’re not suggesting that it will definitely be along the route of the Grand Départ but it will be as near to the route as possible and it’s not going to be on the date of the event itself because it is going to be a bit busy but we are developing a route that involves cycling.”

Two legs of the three-legged Grand Départ will take place in Yorkshire, from Leeds to Harrogate on July 5 and between York and Sheffield on July 6, with the third section from Cambridge to Buckingham Palace. Riders from around the world are expected to stay in Yorkshire for up to five days and it is anticipated the event will provide a £100m boost to the region’s economy.