Skipton Castle, North Yorkshire, England

At this point, I must declare an association with Skipton: I spent six weeks here in 2000 because of work. Not only did that allow me to explore the town but I also got out into the nearby countryside too. One of those explorations of Skipton took me in to see its castle, a structure that is part medieval and part seventeenth century. The latter remains used as a place of dwelling so it is the former that you can visit. The castle was restored following the English Civil War (during which it was besieged) by Lady Anne Clifford and it retains its formidable gates that give a sense of what lies beyond them. They are topped by the Clifford family motto of Desormais, or Henceforth, and looking at the photo may just cause you to make at least some of the letters.