This is Yorkshire and the North East.

Big and beautiful, that's the best way to describe England's most diverse region. Romantic moorlands, idyllic villages, buzzing cities, spectacular coastlines, mysterious ruins, industrial splendour, there's so much to see and do - it's difficult to know where to start.

So let's begin with the essentials. The region consists of County Durham, Northumberland, Newcastle & Tyneside, Yorkshire (including Teesside). Each district has its own unique character - you only have to listen to local accents to realise just how unique! What unites these diverse people is a shared sense of down-to-earth resilience and pride. No matter where you live, the welcome is always warm, even if the weather isn't.

It's a region that has seen some tough times over the past 30 years. But the fact that it's come through them with renewed strength and confidence, shows just how progressive it's always been. What else would you expect from the birthplace of the railways?

Here's the low-down.

Housing

The average house price in Yorkshire is £149,954. In the North East it's £138,312. And with up and coming cities such as Hull and Middlesbrough boasting even cheaper houses, the region offers great opportunities for the property investor.

This is England's largest region. So as you'd expect council tax varies greatly. The more affluent counties such as North Yorkshire commonly have higher council tax rates. Contrastingly, the big cities such as Leeds and Newcastle have rates much closer to, or well below the national average.

Schools

Since the time of the Benedictine monks on Holy Island, education has played a major role in the region. Town or country, state schools are first-class. Special mentions should be made to Ripon Grammar in North Yorkshire and Durham Johnstone Comprehensive schools in County Durham. Two of the highest performing in the UK.

Find out about schools in Yorkshire and North East by visiting www.ofsted.gov.uk

Other educational establishments of note are Ampleforth in Yorkshire, perhaps the UK's most famous Catholic public school, and the world-famous Durham University.

City Life

Whatever you want from a city, our region has it. From multicultural Bradford to vibrant Newcastle, all have everything you'd expect from a top European destination. Many cities such as Leeds have undergone large-scale regeneration in recent years. Old factories, mills and warehouses have been transformed into world-class shops, apartments, restaurants and galleries.

Countryside

Not one, but three national parks grace the region: Yorkshire Dales, Yorkshire Moors and Northumberland. All are characterised by wide open skies and dramatic landscapes. And many an author and artist have been inspired by their beauty.

If you're the more adventurous type, then you'll have easy access to some of the best walking and outward-bound activities in the UK.

Transport

All major cities are well-connected to each other. The M1 and A1 (M) motorways means London is a comfortable drive away. York is home to the National Rail Museum - so national train links are exceptional.

The region also boasts the country's latest airport Robin Hood near Doncaster and Sheffield. Newcastle, Leeds/Bradford and Teesside also offer a wide range of flights to the continent and UK. For those who prefer to keep their feet firmly on the ground, Hull and Newcastle offer excellent ferry routes to Northern Europe and Scandinavia.

Religion

All major religions are well-represented here. Communities in Bradford and Leeds practice a particularly diverse range of faiths.

10 things to do in Yorkshire and the North East

Travel back in time and see the birth of the industrial revolution at Beamish Museum in County Durham
Send a chill down your spine in York - England's most haunted city. Then calm your nerves in more pubs per square mile than anywhere else in the UK
Stroll in the footsteps of Emily Bronte's tragic Heathcliffe and Catherine on the moorland near Halifax, W. Yorkshire
Watch Premiership Football and support Middlesbrough FC. 'The Boro' play at the state-of-the-art Riverside Stadium
Go on a pilgrimage to Durham and visit what celebrated travel writer Bill Byson called the most beautiful Cathedral in the world
Let your hair down and experience Newcastle's legendary nightlife - not for the faint hearted!
Sing amusing songs about Australians at Headingly International Test Cricket Ground in Leeds
Go batty in Whitby, the rugged coastal town with the ancient abbey that inspired Bram Stoker to write Dracula
Get a sneak preview of seminal artist David Hockney's latest masterpiece at Salts Mill near his hometown of Bradford
Stroll along the 18kms of Durham Coastal Footpath. Don't forget your bucket and spade; there are pristine sandy beaches at Seaham and Crimdon

For further information on things to do please visit:

www.upmystreet.com

www.visitbritain.com