YouTube influencer from Taiwan showcases beauty of Yorkshire to Far East and has attracted over 340,000 views in four months

Shangting Peng, a creative director from Taiwan, set up a YouTube channel called Courts and Shambles in May this year where she has posted video tours of her exploring various towns and villages in Yorkshire.

The channel has more than 13,000 subscribers and the videos have collectively attracted 347,642 views.

From the historic city of York and gothic town of Whitby to the submerged village of Thruscross Reservoir and ruins of Fountains Abbey, Ms Peng has travelled all over the region to showcase its beauty to the Far East.

She told The Yorkshire Post what inspired her to do this.

“Every time someone I know is coming to the UK, they’ll say something like, ‘I’ll be in London tomorrow, shall we meet?’,” She said.

“It’s as if everywhere else outside of London is part of Greater London, and it doesn’t take me two and a half hours to get there.

“But it’s not their fault, people in the world often associate England to just London and I would love love love to be part of the force on changing that perception, even if I can only contribute just a little sprinkle.

“Second, I would also love to introduce more of the British food and local produce to the Far East.

“I definitely get the feeling that the world is so curious about British food; my most popular short video is about steak pie. My personal favourites are pork pie, fish and chips obviously and Sunday dinner.”

Yorkshire’s history and unique stories are elements that Ms Peng likes the most about the region.

“I am most drawn to the tales of this ancient region,” she said.

“I have followed the footsteps of Dracula coming up the shore and climbing the 199 steps to the St Mary’s churchyard in Whitby.

“I explored Mother Shipton’s cave alongside her tragic [upbringing], I was moved by the heartbreaking [tales] of Fountains Abbey and looked into a mysterious disappearance worthy of an Agatha Christie’s novel - her own vanishing that leads to a still operating hotel in Harrogate.

“I try to capture this on my channel so that anyone in the world can be bewitched by Yorkshire's magic, just as I have been.”

Ms Peng describes herself as introverted but said that the people in Yorkshire help her come out of her shell.

She shared the challenges she’s encountered on her journey.

“I’m a bit of an introverted type, I’ll need to conquer my shyness, and Yorkshire people do make it easy for me,” she said.

“I sometimes struggle slightly [to understand] the beautiful ancient Yorkshire accent, and use of words influenced by geology and history, for example the confusion between dinner and tea meaning different meals here which I’ve talked about on my channel.

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“But I think I can understand most of the conversation, plus the little surprises can turn into fun memories.

“After summer I’ll be fighting with the weather. I've been trying to film during sunny days, since Yorkshire is glorious in the sun.

“I’ll have to figure out what to do on colder, rainier days; what’s the plan, perhaps it’ll be time to venture back in the city again, a full circle.”

There is one thing about the region that stood out to her.

“From my humble observation, the scenery is top of mind,” Ms Peng said.

“The region is vast, offering a range of experiences from ocean views to the Dales, bustling metropolises to ancient cities, and one of the most important cultural landmarks in the world - York.

“A combination of the rich history and captivating tales are major reasons why I’m in love with Yorkshire.

“I’m a hybrid between a local and an outsider, I think I can give a unique perspective to tell the Yorkshire story.

“A fresh observation for the Yorkshire people, but for the Far East people, something deeper and I hope, a more meaningful, heartfelt love letter of this land I live on.”

Yorkshire has offered plenty of unexpected opportunities for Ms Peng.

“One common experience across all the Yorkshire places I've featured on my channel is that 100 per cent it brings me pleasant surprises.

“Because of my job, I often work in major cities, where surprises can sometimes occur that us Far East people are not used to.

“However, when I’m in the countryside of Yorkshire, for Courts & Shambles, I find it perfect for Far East tourists - charming, friendly, safe, and with amazing scenery you do not see in the Far East.”

Ms Peng shared the place she was drawn to the most.

“There are just too many! I love going to York, Harrogate, and Scarborough,” she said.

“If I had to narrow it down based on my channel’s history, Ripon stands out. It was one of those days where everything went beautifully, with a combination of many small magical occurrences.

“I got to talk to The Wakeman, stumbled upon a lunchtime concert in the cathedral, visited a workhouse museum to learn more about the Victorian era (which fascinates me the most), enjoyed a canal cruise with no other passengers, and the food portion was gorgeously massive!

“The city itself exudes friendliness, and I can easily see myself living there.”