Pontefract

Norman castle where Richard II met a nasty end. In the Civil Wars it withstood Cromwell’s assaults but after surrendering was demolished to prevent future trouble.

Local history from castle to cake. The shoe that Charlie Chaplin ate in The Gold Rush was made of Pontefract liquorice.

Exhibiting Castleford from Bronze Age and Roman times, through its industrial heyday to the present. And of course Henry Moore.

This has flat-racing April to October. The course encloses a park with a large duck pond. Inside the course railings is a paved track for racecourse vehicles, so even in wet weather this is a good walking and running circuit of 2 miles 1 furlong. The bottom end of the park is marshy with a bird hide, and a tunnel cuts under the M62 to give access to J32 / Xscape.

A big entertainment complex at Junction 32 of M62, midway between Pontefract and Castleford. Attractions include the Cineworld multi-cinema, indoor wall-climbing, bowling, trampolining, indoor golf and, yes, skiing on real snow. Plus a dozen bars and food outlets, J32 retail park adjacent, and a Premier Inn.

You get to drive real diggers and play silly games with them, like knocking over skittles.