Ripon is a City in the Borough of Harrogate, North Yorkshire. Historically part of the West Riding of Yorkshire, it is located at the confluence of two tributaries of the River Ure, the Laver and Skell. The city is noted for its main feature which is its cathedral. In the Tudor times Ripon, which strongly relied on its religious institutions, was negatively affected by the English Reformation under the rule of the king Henry VIII.

It's the third smallest city in England by population, being a city by virtue of containing a cathedral and it is close to Studley Royal Park and Fountains Abbey which form a UNESCO World Heritage Site. It has curious unique features such as the Ripon Hornblower and dancing traditions such as the Long Sword dance. It also has a famous eponymous racecourse.

Yorkshire is the largest county in the United Kingdom and it is made up of large subdivisions; North Yorshire, South Yorkshire, West Yorkshire and East Riding of Yorkshire; which administer their own parts of it although the whole is still recognised as a cultural region and geographical territory.

The largest city is Leeds although there are several large-sized cities in the county, such as Sheffield, Huddersfield and Hull and it also contains York, a very beautiful walled city. It is bordered by the counties of Durham, Lincolnshire, Nottinghamshire, Derbyshire, Cheshire, Lancashire and Westmorland.

Yorkshire boasts some wonderful natural areas such as the North York Moors and the Dales National Parks. The Howardian Hills and Nidderdale have been designated as Areas of Outstanding Natural Beauty.

Yorkshire County Cricket Club plays at Headingley in Leeds and there are a number of prominent football clubs in the county such as Leeds United, Sheffield United, Sheffield Wednesday and Middlesbrough.

Every Easter Monday, the World Coal Carrying Championship is carried out at Gawthorpe - competitors have to carry a 50kg sack of coal for around 3/4 of a mile!