Revealed: Yorkshire's most nostalgic holiday memories

Yorkshire folk have revealed what they are most nostalgic about when it comes to seaside holidays.
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The research revealed almost a quarter of Yorkshire residents (23%) put writing out a postcard at the top of the list of things they miss most, while 22 per cent said they miss sticks of rock and candy floss.

And it seems digital photos taken on smartphones just don’t cut it for some people - 20 per cent of those hailing from Yorkshire said they missed flicking through a photo album.

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The digital age may have changed the way we record our memories, but the survey also revealed some Yorkshire residents choose to take time out from technology while they are on holiday. Almost a fifth (18%) admitted they have enforced a tech ban in a bid to encourage the family to spend as much quality time together as possible during breaks away.

The research also revealed we can be creatures of habit when it comes to choosing where we want to go on holiday. Thirty-eight per cent of Yorkshire residents admitted they had been back to the same destinations up to six times, while another 23 per cent said they had visited the same places on up to nine different occasions. Another 11 per cent said they’d returned to the same place more than 10 times.

When it came to our favourite British holiday pastimes, 15 per cent of people in Yorkshire said memories of playing outside filled them with nostalgia, while 13 per cent said they enjoyed looking back on long walks with their families.

And it seems many of us love to revisit the destinations we were taken to as a child. More than a third (36%) said they had taken their partner or children to a place they visited with their families, while 14 per cent admitted they had tried to recreate an experience from their childhood.

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The research, conducted by Hull-based holiday home manufacturers Willerby, also revealed the sense that is most likely to trigger happy holiday memories. Almost a quarter (24%) said the smell of a salty beach or fish and chips transported them back to their childhood, while 23 per cent said a traditional British dish such as a Sunday roast took them back to treasured weekends spent around the dinner table with their families. Other nostalgia triggers for Yorkshire residents included the sound of seagulls and the sight of a sunny beach.

Kirsten Bolton, Willerby marketing director, said: “It is heartwarming to see how many of our favourite holiday pastimes have withstood the test of time, and it is clear how valuable holidays are in forming our life experiences and our happiest memories.

“Our day to day lives are so busy that often holidays are our only chance to sit back and spend quality time with our loved ones. It is lovely to see how some people from Yorkshire, home to some of the most stunning beach and walking destinations in Britain, have made the decision to share their happy memories by attempting to recreate them with their own children.

“Although social media is a great way for us to stay in touch with friends and family while we are away, it would be great to see the postcard tradition revived.”