The second Tour de Yorkshire takes place on 29th April to 1st May, the route is over 500km and takes in all four Yorkshire counties. We give you the lowdown on some of our favourite locations along the route

STAGE 1 - FRIDAY 29TH APRIL 2016

Beverley The splendid minster, market cross, the 15th century North Bar and street names such as Toll Gavel, Butcher Row, Ladygate, Hengate are evocative of medieval Beverley.

Bubwith Many contenders vie for the title of Yorkshires food capital. Harrogate has the tearoom market cornered, Leeds trendy restaurant scene is booming, Whitby seafish is superb and you'll not better Bradford curries and Malton is a famous foodie destination. Bubwith is Yorkshire's hidden gem for food lovers, stop off at JA Mounfield & Son to try one of their award winning pies.

Market Weighton The town – christened ‘The Heart of East Yorkshire’ is the birthplace of Yorkshire Giant William Bradley, the tallest recorded British man that ever lived

Tadcaster Tadcater suffered greatly in the recents floods, the bridge that joins both halves of the town partially collapsed. The route runs close the 300 year old bridge that is currently undergoing a £3million pound restoration. The Market town has a long association with the brewing industry with the John Smith's and Samuel Smith and former Bass breweries located there.

Wetherby Famous for its racecourse, Wetherby sits on the river Wharfe, which forms part of the boundary between West and North Yorkshire, has a name of Celtic origin which means twisting or winding

Knaresborough Knaresborough is famous for lofty viaduct spanning the River Nidd which flows through the town. The town attracts many day visitors who call in at Knaresborough Castle and the quirky Mother Shipton’s Cave. The Courthouse Museum, in one of the castle’s oldest surviving buildings, is also something of a tourist treasure and gives an important glimpse into the town’s history. The riverside walks are a favourite with everyone who visits or lives in the town.

Pateley Bridge Pateley Bridge sits at the centre of Nidderdale most of which is designated an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty. It's a good base to stay and explore Nidderdale and the Yorkshire Dales, and nearby Brimham Rocks and Fountains Abbey but it is also a very good shopping destination, don't miss the Oldest Sweet Shop in England.

Grassington This lovely market town in Wharfedale in the Yorkshire Dales always attracts many thousands of visitors each year but still manages to keep its charm. The unique independent shops that sit around Grassington’s cobbled market square and line the steep streets and alleyways to the town hall, work for both residents and tourists alike.

Settle The finishing line of the first day is in Settle, which lies of the western edge of the Yorkshire Dales. The market town has had a long list of incarnations from isolated farming community via market place, quarrying centre to mill town and now it has reinvented itself as a major tourist hub for the Dales.

STAGE 2 - SATURDAY 30TH APRIL 2016

Otley Day 2 starts off in Otley, and there's plenty to do and see if you decide to stay over after the Tour starts to head south. There is plenty of history and architecture to take in and you may also recognise a few filming locations from Emmerdale and Heartbeat.

Harewood When Edwin Lascelles commissioned Harewood House in the late 18th century amid the rolling countryside between Harrogate and Leeds he created not only one of England’s finest stately homes but also magnificent grounds and parkland. The route runs north of the grounds before heading east again, but the house and grounds are well worth exploring and good for walking.

Pontefract With Leeds and Wakefield in close proximity, Pontefract has to fight hard for its share of trade and its independent shops, cafes and restaurants are important weapons in the battle. Coupled with the town’s historic buildings they help give Pontefract its distinctive identity.

Conisbrough Conisbrough, a former mining town, has not one but two of South Yorkshire's most significant buildings, Conisbrough Castle, which was the inspiration for Sir Walter Scott's classic novel Ivanhoe, and St Peter's Church, which is the oldest building in South Yorkshire.

Bawtry Although usual proceedings will be somewhat disrupted by the Tour, Bawtry is well worth a visit all year round. The farmers market trades on the first and third Saturday of the month at The Courtyard, The White Hart is the oldest surviving pub in Bawtry, dating back to 1689. Enjoy real ale here after a stroll around the town and its surrounding countryside.

Sherburn in Elmet The Battle of Sherburn in Elmet took place on October 15th 1645 during the English Civil War, and nearby Towton was the site of one of the bloodiest battles in Wars of the Roses. These days it is a bustling place of shops, pubs, businesses, community groups and societies and a popular haunt of motorcyclists out for a Sunday ride.

Wentbridge Nearby Wentbridge House is worth a visit if you're looking for a luxury break, four-star country house hotel, which sits in 20 prime acres of the Went Valley near Pontefract.

Doncaster St Leger is the usual place to go to in Doncaster when it comes to racing, The oldest of English racing’s five Classics, the race was first run in 1776 and is the showpiece of a four-day meeting that attracts thousands of visitors in September. Doncaster Market is well worth a visit, it boasts of four indoor markets; The Fish Market, The International Food Hall, The Corn Exchange, The Wool Market and 400 shops, stalls and stands.

STAGE 3 - SUNDAY 1ST MAY 2016

Middlesbrough Day three starts in Middlesbrough, often described as Industrial, steely and rugged; this doesn't do justice to the growing arts and culture movement in the town.

Stokesley Stokesley is officially in the North Yorkshire district of Hambleton, but it’s just two miles south of the Tees border and just ten miles from Middlesbrough town centre. Award winning Chapters Hotel & Restaurant has been a favourite of ours in the past decade.

Northallerton Northallerton can boast of one of the finest high streets in the county, although there are many other things to do than just shopping. The town sits at the entrance to Wensleydale, and there are the nearby Mount Grace Priory and Cod Beck Reservoir, that make worthy detours.

Sutton Bank One of the great successes of the Tour de Yorkshire and the Grand Depart was highlighting the abundance of cycling opportunities in the county. More than 28 miles of dedicated trails around Sutton Bank National Park Centre have been developed including three off-road trails, a skills park for younger children and six road routes.

Robin Hood's Bay Robin Hood's Bay is one of Yorkshire's great coastal locations, if you can survive the perilously steep climb into and out of this fantastic bay, you’re in for a real treat as this is Yorkshire’s coastline at its most elemental and wild. Surrounded by huddles of former fishing cottages that tumble down to the water’s edge, it’s a timeless gem. Take our walk from Scarborough to Saltburn which passes through Robin Hood's Bay and the beautiful East Coast.

Great Ayton Great Ayton is in the shadow of the iconic Roseberry Topping, At a little over 1,000ft, it may not be the tallest hill in Yorkshire but its arguably the most charmingly named and arguably the most photogenic too.

Thirsk Thirsk marked the 800th anniversary of the signing of the Magna Carta earlier this year with a series of events and the town remains steeped in history. While Thirsk has always been a market town based on trade it has reinvigorated itself as a popular shopping destination in recent times, with a range of new businesses setting up in the centre.

Helmsley Helmsley in North Yorkshire beat off stiff competition from the likes of Chipping Norton in the Cotswolds and Colne in Lancashire at the recent Great British High Street awards, taking the coveted top spot in the market town category. An ideal base to explore the North York Moors, but there is plenty to see and do in the town, award winning delis and hotels, a historic castle, a walled garden and much more

Hutton-le-Hole The picturesque village of Hutton-le-Hole in the heart of the North York Moors National Park offers fine moorland walking and picnicking on the village green amongst other things. It's also home to the Ryedale Folk Museum that has a host of exhibitions and special events all year round, it's a great place for walking the dog.

Glaisdale The Esk Valley Railway running from Whitby to Middlesbrough is recognised as one of the most scenic in England and the 400-year-old Beggar’s Bridge is known as one of Yorkshire’s most romantic monuments.

Whitby Whitby, the archetypal northern coastal resort; you can marvel at the iconic beach huts or sample some traditional fish and chips from the Fusco family.

Scarborough The grand finale of the second Tour de Yorkshire will be on the iconic Scarborough sea front. One thing you must do when visiting Scarborough is to try out one of the many famous food stalls on the harbourside. Bonnets of Scarborough cafe and restaurant is much loved by residents, visitors and tourists alike.

For more details on the Tour de Yorkshire visit the official website at letour.yorkshire.com

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