Gabby Logan: My favourite Yorkshire places

Gabby Logan will be sharing stories of her teens in Yorkshire, her sporty upbringing and family heartache in tales from her memoir, The First Half, at Ilkley Literature Festival on October 23.

She spoke to Yorkshire Life about the places in Yorkshire that inspire her...

Somewhere in Yorkshire that makes you smile

So much. Harrogate. Leeds. Cow & Calf. The drive from to Harrogate from Knaresborough

A place you love to eat

San Carol Flying Pizza in Street Lane, Roundhay. A real family favourite.

A childhood memory

The Skipton canal - Gabby loved escaping to the town when she was a teenager (Image: prestongeorge)My teenage years being spent in Leeds was a really grounding experience after having moved around a lot. Being in Leeds gave me a sense of belonging for the first time – I was born there but when we came back, I felt like ‘I belong’. Leeds felt like it was big enough to feel like you were somewhere exciting but small enough that there’d always be someone in town that you knew and would bump into; that nice familiarity but exciting when you’re a young person. Lots of opportunities for sport and the arts – you felt like you could never get bored there.

A place to take friends

Leeds is a place called home for Gabby Logan (Image: Getty Images/iStockphoto)Leeds - I’ve got a lot of friends who think ’the north’ is Watford but they get to Leeds and it’s ‘Oh my god it’s amazing!’ In some ways that gets you annoyed but in others you’re very proud, like ‘I’ve been telling you that for years!’

My mum is one of the proudest Leodians ever – she just loves Leeds and wouldn't consider living anywhere else. She is like a Leeds PR machine.

A cultural go-to

LEEDS 2023 – it feels very Leeds-like that after not being able to apply to be city of culture they decided to go it on their own and it felt like the attitude and the passion of the people of Leeds was behind that. Art and culture and entertainment and sport are things that the city has in abundance.

Inspiration outdoors

In Yorkshire you can go to Haworth, you can go to Piece Hall - I used to love going to Skipton because I could get there on the train from near my house – when I was 14 or 15 - could spend a day in Skipton on my own. When I went to uni, a good friend came from Grassington so I’d get the train up there – it’s a beautiful part of the world.

A view that inspires

I love the view from the top of our house near Shadwell ring road of Leeds city skyline