Skipton Castle and Bolton Abbey feature in a new campaign set to attract art lovers from all over the world.

As one of Welcome to Yorkshire’s major initiatives for the year, the tourism organisation is highlighting the work of the famous artist JMW Turner.

And it has put together a trail of all the places where, almost 200 years ago, the artist visited, sketched and turned into masterpieces.

The route covers 70 sites in North, South and East Yorkshire with many – including Bolton Abbey – featuring Turner benches where people can sit and enjoy the same views enjoyed by the artist.

Gary Verity, chief executive of Welcome to Yorkshire, said “The Turner Trail will engage art lovers and novices alike with Yorkshire’s connection to one of Britain’s most famous artistic sons.”

He said as well as featuring the more well-known places where Turner visited, it also included less well-known places – like Skipton Castle.

Turner, arguably the finest British-born artist, visited Craven several times during the early part of the 1800s.

While staying at Farnley Hall, near Otley – the home of his patron, Walter Fawkes – he made several visits to Bolton Abbey and came twice to Skipton.

While at Bolton Abbey, he produced a series of watercolours of the ruins of the 12th century priory and nearby sites, including the Strid, Barden Tower and Addingham Mill. The area left a lasting impression on the artist and later, the art critic John Ruskin commented that Turner was always influenced by the “chanting waves of the Wharfe”.

Turner first came to Bolton Abbey in 1797 on a short visit. He returned again in 1808 and again in 1816 while in search of suitable subjects to illustrate a proposed “A General History of the County of York”.

During his later trip to Bolton Abbey, the sketches he produced were to be used for a watercolour of the abbey.

He visited Skipton around the same time, staying in the town overnight and making sketches of the castle. He eventually settled on a location to the north of the castle, from where he developed detailed sketches and a watercolour study.

The Turner Trail, supported by the Heritage Lottery Fund, was launched at Bolton Castle, Richmondshire, with Yorkshire artist Ashley Jackson Details of the trail can be found at yorkshire.com/turner