'I'm lucky enough to live in my favourite part of Yorkshire - there's a quiet majesty to the Moors'
North York Moors Chamber Music Festival celebrates its 18th birthday later this month (August 8-22). The festival director and renowned cellist Jamie Walton lives in the North York Moors with his husband Joel.
This is at Malham Cove, with my father when I was about six years old. He was a passionate walker and clearly succeeded in passing that on, since walking remains a huge part of my life today.
What’s your favourite part of the county?
It is genuinely where I live now – the North York Moors National Park.
That said, the Wolds, Howardian Hills and the Dales all hold a special place in my heart for differing reasons, each with its own expansive character and remarkable variety of terroir.
Yet it is the quiet majesty of the Moors, the magnificent coastline, and the artistic communities that first drew me here.
What’s your idea of a perfect day, or a perfect weekend, out in Yorkshire?
This would have to involve a visit from someone unfamiliar with the area, as I enjoy sharing its sense of wonder.
I’d take them across lesser-known parts of the North York Moors, perhaps ending on the coast for a walk from Kettleness to Sandsend, rewarded with some battered haddock on the beach and a pint of Timothy Taylor’s.
Do you have a favourite walk?
It is often a coin toss between the Yorkshire Wolds Way and the heather-clad ridges, valleys and becks closer to home.
My husband works for the National Park and is heavily involved in maintaining its network of paths, so we often find ourselves out on the moors ‘doing research’, which suits us perfectly.
The newly launched interconnected walks on the Mulgrave Estate, for example, are excellent, linking some of the finest Esk Valley and Cleveland Way scenery.
Which Yorkshire sportsman, past or present, would you like to take for lunch?
His unbelievable fundraising, inspired by the loss of his close friend Rob Burrow to MND, has raised millions whilst demonstrating remarkable loyalty, compassion and humanity.
It is a profoundly moving story—humbling and inspiring in equal measure.
Which Yorkshire stage or screen star, past or present, would you like to take for dinner?
This must be Alan Bennett – understated, yet one of the great forces of British theatre and literature.
I am endlessly tickled by his sharp, observant wit, and would like to know where his perceptive talents first emerged and how.
If you had to name your Yorkshire ‘hidden gem’, what would it be?
It is hardly hidden, yet surprisingly overlooked – Fountains Abbey, on the eastern edge of the Yorkshire Dales. We were married there 15 years ago, so I inevitably feel a strong personal attachment to it.
If you could own something or somewhere in Yorkshire for a day, what would it be?
I would love to curate a full day of culture at Fountains Abbey itself. With carte blanche, I would create a series of interconnected events across the grounds.
What do you think gives Yorkshire its unique identity?
The scale and variety of the landscape is reflected in its people—open, direct, proud and passionate. There is an honesty to Yorkshire folk that feels inseparable from their surroundings.
Do you follow sport in the county, and if so, what?
I’m always hooked on snooker at the Crucible, though I’ve only ever been there for concerts.
I do need to and see the World Championship itself one day but still get great enjoyment from watching it at home with a good bottle of wine and homemade snacks.
Do you have favourite restaurant or pub?
For a special occasion, it would be Pignut & The Hare in Scawton. What Tom and Laurissa Heywood have created in this 13th-century inn is remarkable – a fine-dining, foraged-food experience of real originality.
For pubs, I do have a fondness for The Moors Inn, Appleton-le-Moors. It is only a few doors away (how convenient), always full of locals, and run with genuine warmth.
Do you have a favourite food shop?
We often travel to The Courtyard Dairy near Settle. It is one of my favourite places to browse, and is conveniently opposite an excellent wine shop, bakery and café.
How do you think that Yorkshire has changed in the time that you’ve known it?
I’ve been involved with Yorkshire for over 30 years, ever since I began giving concerts in the region.
The welcome was always very warm, though there was initially some resistance to more challenging repertoire which I foisted upon our audiences.
Over time, I’ve seen a real shift in how music is received, allowing for a more adventurous approach – particularly through our festival, now in its 18th season and continuing to grow.
Audiences have become increasingly open-minded and curious, which is not something you can say everywhere (in fact, it’s very rare).
Who is the Yorkshire person that you most admire?
The writer Roy Clarke, now in his mid-90s, has had an extraordinary career creating comedy classics such as Last of the Summer Wine, Open All Hours and Keeping Up Appearances. His gift for observation is remarkable.
Has Yorkshire influenced your work?
Very much so. The landscape has profoundly shaped my artistic direction through its breadth and depth, and the communities attending our events have encouraged me to communicate more directly and openly.
Name your favourite Yorkshire book/author/artist/CD/performer.
I always return to James Herriot’s All Creatures Great and Small, a childhood favourite long before I considered moving here. It may even have influenced my sense of direction in life, and the 1978 television adaptation certainly reinforced that sense of belonging.
If a stranger to Yorkshire only had time to visit one place, where should it be?
I’d head to the coast, which means you invariably travel over the North York Moors National Park on route. That would immediately give a sense of the region’s character.
North York Moors Chamber Music Festival takes place from August 8 to 22. www.northyorkmoorsfestival.com