Richard III Statue

The Richard III Statue sits in Leyburn, a proper focal point for anyone interested in the Wars of the Roses. It's a bronze sculpture that captures the controversial monarch in contemplative pose - and there's something rather moving about standing in front of it, especially if you've read the history or watched the dramatisations.

Leyburn itself is a handsome market town, so you're not just turning up for a statue and leaving. The high street has decent pubs and cafes where you can sit and digest the whole Richard III mythology - was he the villain Shakespeare painted, or was he done over by Tudor propaganda? The statue won't answer that, but it'll make you think about it.

History enthusiasts will get the most from this. Kids might spend five minutes looking at it, then want to move on unless they're already deep into medieval England. Plan to allow maybe thirty minutes if you're taking photos and reading any plaques.

If you're staying at one of the nearby parks - Park Leisure's Yorkshire Dales site is just 1.7 miles away, or Eastfield Glamping Farm if you fancy something more upmarket - Leyburn makes an easy morning stop before heading deeper into the Dales. It's not a sprawling attraction that'll eat up half your day, but as a quiet moment in a proper Yorkshire town, it works well. Free to look at, naturally, and open whenever you fancy wandering past.