My Yorkshire: Sarah Beth Briggs

What's your first Yorkshire memory?

Eating fish and chips sitting on the bonnet of my maternal grandfather's car in Wetherby was always a great treat, and I don't think that they ever tasted better – but maybe distance lends enchantment? Also feeding the ducks at York University with my paternal grandfather is something that also sticks in my mind.

What's your favourite part of the county – and why?

I love York city centre, it's so steeped in history. I still believe that the beauty of York can compare favourably with any town in the UK. But I also love the Moors and the Dales, so I feel thoroughly spoiled having this great town and countryside mix right there on my on my doorstep.

What's your idea of a perfect day, or a perfect weekend, out in Yorkshire?

A combination of great company, magnificent scenery and walking and scrumptious food. Yorkshire boasts some fabulous dining pubs, so a day out would have to finish at one of those (maybe the General Tarleton at Ferrensby near Knaresborough on my way home) but before that, a walk with a friend/friends (not forgetting the essential spaniel at my side!) in the heart of the North York Moors.

Do you have a favourite walk – or view?

Too many to mention – but the walk from White Horse Bank to Sutton Bank is fairly spectacular, and it still leaves me in awe every time I make it. The strange thing is that one always sees something new, something different.

Which Yorkshire sportsman, past or present, would you like to take for lunch?

I regret to say that I'm not a terribly sporty person, but I do love tennis, and watching Wimbledon on the TV is always a treat when time allows. Indeed, I've had a longstanding ambition to go to Wimbledon – being there would be very special. So – in view of that, I'll take Roger Taylor, who made his way to his first Wimbledon semi-final before I was even thought of.

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

It would have to be the adorable, much-admired and multi-talented Dame Judi Dench. One of the great actresses of all time, and superb in everything from Shakespeare to what used to be one of the few sitcoms that really struck a chord with me As Time Goes By where she starred alongside Geoffrey Palmer. She is superb in everything she attempts. And she was also an ex-pupil of my old school, The Mount – another strong reason why I couldn't choose anyone else.

If you had to name your Yorkshire hidden gem, what would it be?

St Mary's Church in Lastingham with its eleventh century crypt is very atmospheric, and combining that with a walk over the moor to Lastingham itself is so special. Whether it qualifies as a hidden gem I'm not so sure, but it's never over-populated with crowds when I go there.

What do you think gives Yorkshire its unique identity?

Perhaps the fact that it is so large, and because of that, it has an amazing diversity. Yorkshire has everything from the beautiful coastline to the wildness of the Moors and the more gentle beauty of the Dales and the Wolds. And then we have wonderfully historic towns, towns that ooze cultural excellence, and so the list goes on. So much variation and all contained within one great county.

Do you have a favourite restaurant, or pub?

I'm a real foodie – it's a great passion, so if I really had to pick an all-time favourite (but it's one for a very special occasion) I'd go for the Yorke Arms at Ramsgill in Nidderdale. The menu is always superb, the atmosphere second to none, and the people who run the pub are so welcoming. It puts a smile on my face even thinking about it.

Do you have a favourite food shop?

It just has to be Hunter's in Helmsley. It is dangerous to let me loose in there for too long. In York, Henshelwoods delicatessen in the market makes the best crab pate that I've found anywhere. Delicious.

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

Many of the best things haven't changed at all, and that's what makes them remain so special. But there have been some very positive changes. A couple of examples of great changes I've seen are the pedestrianisation of the centre of York which has made the city centre a far better place to be and the improvement, beyond all recognition, of one of my very favourite beauty spots that I've been visiting regularly since early childhood – Fountains Abbey. The National Trust has done a fantastic job, somewhere that all Yorkshirefolk, indeed, the nation, can be proud of.

Who is the Yorkshire person that you most admire?

I'm not one for celebrity culture, so tend simply to have admiration for anyone who does any job terrifically well. So rather than picking someone famous here, I would choose to pick someone who has had a great impact on my life. I met my friend Una Heathcote (she's fondly known to us all as Tilly) as a young child through my late piano teacher, Prof Denis Matthews. Understanding a great deal about the music profession from her longstanding friendship with Denis made her empathise totally with the ups and downs of a freelance musician's life and over the years she has become the truest friend and supporter that anyone could wish to have. At 84, she still travels all over to support my musical ventures and her encouragement has been a huge inspiration. In her working life she was a nurse, before becoming the Matron of the Purey Cust (now Nuffield) Hospital in York. In that capacity she gave so much to others and she continues to do so – with friends all over the country loving and admiring her. She is a remarkable woman.

Has Yorkshire influenced your work?

Yes indeed. I like the no-nonsense attitude that Yorkshire people have. It's not easy to have airs and graces as an acquired "Yorkshire lass", and in an artistic world, it's always good to have one's feet firmly kept on the ground.

Name your favourite Yorkshire

book/author/artist/CD/performer.

Lynne Dawson is one of the world's leading sopranos and a particular favourite of mine. Millions remember her from her moving performance of Libera Me from Verdi's Requiem at the funeral of Diana, Princess of Wales.

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

I guess it would have to be York itself. To visit the Minster, walk along the Bar Walls, wander down Stonegate and the Shambles and take in the atmosphere of one of the most beautiful medieval cities can't be a bad introduction to the county.

Details of Sarah Beth Briggs's concert appearances can be found at www.sarahbethbriggs.co.uk

YP MAG 19/6/10