My Yorkshire: Steve Davies

What's your first Yorkshire memory?

This would be in 1975, when I was 16, and I left home in Lancashire to join the Army, and we were all told to travel to Harrogate, and then we'd be taken on from there. It was all very new,

Harrogate station was completely different from the modern one of today, and, initially, I thought: "Well, this is all rather civilised." Then, of course, we were given military transport to Penny Pot, way out on what I thought was the wilds of the moors, and it all took on a different perspective. I fell in love with Yorkshire there and then, and I've been in love with the place ever since.

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

The North York Moors, and the way that you can take a little detour from the main road, and after what only seems like a few yards, you get the feeling of being lost, and away from it all. I'm obsessed with the place. We love going to somewhere like Newtondale Halt, striding off into the distance, and "reappearing" at Goathland.

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

Having a nice meal and a few drinks at the Devonshire Arms at Bolton Abbey. But then, only recently, my wife, Ruth, and I have discovered the delights of Wensleydale, and of Swaledale, and I love the area around Ribblehead, so being in any one of those locations would delight me. But I also have a passion for those traditional-style old tea shops, so the weekend would have to include at least one visit to somewhere like that.

Do you have a favourite walk – or view?

All around Whernside and Ingleborough. Breathtaking. I always say that the best day for me would be the three "Ps" – two Peaks and a pub. I am very fond of the Ribblehead Viaduct. There's a lovely pub called The Station, which is in the middle of nowhere, near the viaduct, and it is always full. A couple of pints after the walk to it and a train home. Perfection.

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

Geoffrey Boycott because he hasn't changed at all. And, unlike so many other so-called pundits, he is informed, knows what he's talking about, and does it entertainingly. He brings his experience of a lifetime at the crease. Like him or loathe him, you have to respect him.

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

Michael Palin – firstly, for just being part of Monty Python, secondly, for being such an informative presenter, a man who never patronises anyone he meets when he's on his travels. And thirdly, because of his passion for railways. Michael Palin has, I think, done us all a great service by explaining so many parts of the world to us, and if I had my way, each of his programmes would be on the school curriculum to teach youngsters the wonders and opportunities out there. I've never met him, but since he's president of the Wensleydale Railway Association, I hope that that day is not long off.

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

Malham Cove. You have to work to get there, but when you do – wow! In winter, it can be spectacular. Did you see the pictures of the frozen waterfall, and the ice climbers going up them with picks? Spectacular!

What do you think gives Yorkshire its unique identity?

The people, no question. And because I am a Lancastrian, perhaps that gives me a different take on them. There is a sense of "linkage" in Yorkshire, I think, that is unique in Britain. We all know that Hull is very different to Halifax, for example, but they are also linked and joined together by Yorkshire glue. Whatever you do to a Yorkshireman, you cannot suppress his (or her) DNA. When they moved the Lancashire-Yorkshire border in the local government reorganisation, the lads in Whitehall hadn't a clue about cultural identity, and they certainly didn't know that it transcends lines on maps.

Do you follow sport in the county, and if so, what?

No, I don't, sadly. But I cannot but admire the dedication and enthusiasm of Yorkshire cricketers at every level of the game. We live near Newton-Le-Willows, and there's no pub there now, or a shop

or a post office. But that village cricket pitch is used time and time again, and the local team are dedicated to their sport.

Do you have a favourite restaurant, or pub?

The Wensleydale Heifer at West Witton, in the high street, gets my vote every time. The food is beyond excellence, the seafood is superb, and I've had the best surf and turf there that I've had anywhere in the world – and I've been about a bit. Great staff, great atmosphere.

Do you have a favourite food shop?

I always send visiting friends off to Bettys, for their cakes and buns and loaves, but I have to say that Ruth and I use a lot of the wonderful butchers' shops that we have around Bedale, where the lads behind the counter know everything about the sourcing and the quality of the meat. They are seriously good, and they know their business. And there's also a fresh fish stall in Richmond market that is superb.

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

Well, I've been here, on and off, since the middle '70s and my last posting was at Catterick, and I have to say that, while there has been terrific progress, it's not been to the detriment of traditions. Yorkshire feels safe, and unthreatened. It markets itself well. Lots of people are batting for this part of the world.

Who is the Yorkshire person that you most admire?

I'm going to go for Captain James Cook who was one of the bravest of men in carving his own destiny and that of his county and country. If you want proof that no-one ever achieves anything without taking risks, he's your man.

Has Yorkshire influenced your work?

In so far as Yorkshire is steeped in the history of steam, yes, of course. I am passionate about steam engines. But it also influenced me in another, rather oblique, way. William Wilberforce, the great emancipator, came from Hull, and I was fortunate enough to be posted to Sierra Leone with the MoD not so long ago, and while I was there, in Freetown, I helped set up their own Railway Museum. So many slaves left that former colony for the US and other destinations, and Bunce Island, just off the coast, is an amazing place – the last sight of land for many of them. It's a World Heritage Site. Hull and Freetown are twinned. So Yorkshire has, indeed, influenced what I do on many, many levels.

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

I'll go for that remarkable photographer, the late Eric Treacy, who was Bishop of Wakefield, and who was also a rail and steam enthusiast. I have a signed picture of his, and I am deeply honoured to own it. He was a huge champion of the Settle – Carlisle Railway, and the battle to keep the line open.

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

I would have to say The National Railway Museum – free and open to all. If I had to pick one place to go in the museum, you'll find me standing in front of the 1901 Wainwright D Class 4-4-0, of the London, Brighton and Chatham Railway. I've only really arrived, but in years to come, if I had to pick a parting gift, she'd be the one. Not that that, of course, is ever remotely likely to happen.

YP MAG 12/6/10