My summer holiday

In a previous Boar Travel article, I wrote about my desperate desire to visit Harrogate when restrictions eased. All I knew about the town was its apparent magnificence, its majestic existence as a location of exquisite beauty. And boy it did deliver that and more. Over my five days, I was in constant awe at the stunning natural and human creations dotted around the area.

What is so noticeable about Harrogate is its celebration of the past

What is so noticeable about Harrogate is its celebration of the past. Architecturally, this is evident with a large number of historic buildings that are divine. The windows, brickwork, and structure of such creations means they all blend in with such natural ease and compliment the environment. I found the Turkish Baths did this particularly well. Inside the buildings, be it the Royal Pump Room Museum or the Mercer Art Gallery, an understanding of time that existed before today is at the beating heart of Harrogate.

Alongside this, the natural world is just as much a sight to behold. Numerous green spaces – the Valley Gardens, the Stray – offer an opportunity for relaxation and a pure appreciation for the world around us. Where I felt most alive though was watching the sunset on the Yorkshire Valleys. Hailing from Cambridge, I am used to purely flat lands. In Harrogate, the opposite couldn’t be more true. Gazing at the sun and sky with its range of colours as each day ended, I felt moved, connected to the planet, and utterly at peace.