Some signs of a revival but remote Yorkshire moors and dales remain deserted and desperate

However, remote pubs, cafes and guest houses continued to feel the pinch as visitors chose to avoid the areas affected by foot-and-mouth in favour of the larger centres.

Over 1,500 people visited the World of James Herriot in Thirsk over the long weekend. This represented a 6pc increase on last year's numbers.

Centre manager, Ms Anne Keville, said: "We did very well, very well indeed. We're doing this kids go free scheme throughout April and I think that really encouraged people to come.

"We gave out over 400 Easter trails to children throughout the weekend."

Visitors also flocked to Newby Hall, near Ripon, where on Easter Monday the estate attracted record numbers, and figures over the whole weekend were up 15pc on last year.

Mr Robin Alexander, of Newby Hall, said: "We had well over 4,000 visitors over Easter, with 1,700 on Easter Monday alone, which was a record for any bank holiday."

People were queueing to go on the miniature railway at the hall, while children enjoyed easter egg painting, woodland egg hunts, as well as music from the Hudiksvall marching band from Sweden.

However, businesses within the North Yorkshire Moors National Park had a more mixed experience during the bank holiday weekend.

Mr Bill Breakell of the national park explained that while places like Helmsley, Osmotherley and the coastal towns saw lots of visitors, other remote areas remained quiet.

"While some places did very well, other more remote areas continued to feel the pinch, as a lack of visitors means a lack of spending," he said.

"The North York Moors railway and the Ryedale Folk Museum did well, but our own visitor centres saw considerably less people compared to last Easter.

"That is a result of the continued reluctance of people to get out into the countryside, when their concern may be misplaced.

"Remote pubs and tea rooms off the beaten track continue to suffer. The fact the majority of footpaths are closed has left people at a loss for what to do, their confidence has been sapped by this crisis."

The tourist industry in the Yorkshire Dales faced mixed fortunes over the Easter weekend as visitors packed Richmond but stayed away from the countryside.

In Swaledale and neighbouring Wensleydale, which has several confirmed foot-and-mouth cases, business in shops, cafes and pubs was down by an estimated 50pc.

Accommodation providers across Richmondshire district were worst hit as most visitors appeared to be day-trippers.

A spokeswoman for the district council tourism department said Richmond tourist information centre had 1,763 visitors - just 30 fewer than last Easter - and the town was busy throughout the four-day break.

Leyburn TIC, however, showed a marked drop in callers - down from 1,750 last year to 1,228 this year.

"The Saxons and Normans event at Richmond castle brought a few people in and quite a lot came on the guided town walks we organised on Sunday," she said. "The cold weather would have put some people off - but last year's Easter weekend was cold, too."

English Heritage said 3,500 people had visited the castle over the four days - 13pc up on the previous Easter weekend.

A spokesman said: "In the Yorkshire region as a whole, we were on a par with last year with about 21,000 people over the four days. This was in spite of the fact that two of our properties - Middleham castle and Mount Grace priory - were closed. The coast was especially busy with Scarborough castle 18pc up and Whitby abbey 28pc up."

Cancellation of the Good Friday racehorse trainers' open day at Middleham brought a dip in trade to lower Wensleydale, while the upper dale suffered the knock-on effects of smoking foot-and-mouth pyres.

Mrs Kate Empsall, chairman of upper Wensleydale business and tourism association, said: "Trade was 50pc down. Some accommodation providers in Hawes had no bookings at all and the tourist information centre did not book one single bed night on Saturday.

"Some shops seemed fairly busy with customers but they weren't necessarily spending a lot. Quite a lot of people were having meals in pubs and cafes, which was good, but generally it was a poor weekend for business.

"The weather didn't help - it was cold and people couldn't amble. The area is completely deserted of walkers."

A survey of 40 businesses in the upper dale revealed all had seen a downturn in trade since the beginning of March, when the first local foot-and-mouth case was confirmed.

Hawes auction mart had suffered worst with a complete cessation of trade and four full time and 37 part time workers laid off.

An educational resource centre's trade was down 90pc, other accommodation providers were also severely affected, the hardware and ironmongery trade was down 50pc and the grocery and food sector had seen a 30-40pc drop in trade.

Tory leader and Richmond MP Mr William Hague and his wife, Ffion, were among the handful of visitors who did opt for upper Wensleydale. They spent Saturday shopping in Hawes and visited Bainbridge.

In Swaledale, business was also down about 50pc. Coun Richard Good, chairman of the upper Swaledale and Arkengarthdale business association, said: "It was very, very quiet and most people saw a dramatic drop in trade compared to last Easter, which wasn't a good weekend because it was snowy and cold."

The chairmen of the four business associations in the area - upper Wensleydale, upper Swaledale and Arkengarthdale, Leyburn and Richmond - had written to Chancellor Mr Gordon Brown to press for interest-free loans to help businesses suffering because of the foot-and-mouth crisis.

"We need them now, in weeks not months, because it is cash flow that is the problem, and we suggest they are paid back over a long period of time to allow businesses to recover," said Coun Good.

Dr Mike Nicholls, chairman of Richmond business and tourism association, said waiving of business rates, deferment of some VAT payments and small business loans at 8pc interest were insufficient to help many businesses weather the crisis.

A survey of businesses in the town showed a drop in turnover for accommodation providers of between 30 and 90pc.

"Several of these are not small businesses and will have losses well in excess of £20,000 by the end of June," he said.

All four associations have applied to Yorkshire Forward for grant aid to help them attract visitors back to the area following the foot-and-mouth crisis.

Some signs of a recovery in countryside tourism were reported at a Pennine dales tourist information centre.

Between Good Friday and Easter Monday there were nearly 400 visitors to the Middleton in Teesdale office, only 27 down on the same period last year. Staff were able to supply up-to-date information about what attractions were open, what events were on and make suggestions for tarmac tourism.

Local accommodation providers were relieved to welcome a few guests, and at least three guest houses in the village were fully booked and turning people away. Mr Andrew Milnes of Brunswick House put together a special three-day break, offering three nights' bed, breakfast and evening meal for £84.

"It seems to be paying off, in that his bookings diary has some entries," said Ms Judith Mashiter, manager of the tourist centre. "But it's going to be an uphill battle."

Despite every effort to provide alternatives to footpath walking, some visitors disappointed by the restrictions received the message that the countryside was open with disbelief. At least one guest house and one inn reported that parties booked for a three-night stay left after two nights as they ran out of things to do. Many B&Bs have no bookings at all for the coming months.

One item proving popular is an audio tour guide called Lead On! A Corner of Teesdale. The cassette guides car passengers around the Coldberry and Newbiggin areas, a route of about 11 miles, providing background information about the lead mining heritage of the area, with excerpts of poetry in local dialect, band music, pipes, drums and a choir.

The tape was produced as a community effort, organised by the Middleton Mental Health Group and Middleton Plus, and is available at £3.99 from various shops in the village and from the tourist centre in Market Place.

The Middleton centre yesterday celebrated its first anniversary with the cutting of a cake. The celebrations, albeit somewhat subdued because of the current crisis, were held to mark the achievements of the first year and to join with local accommodation providers in looking to the future.

Ms Mashiter said it had been a busy year, with over 15,000 visitors. "Given the current crisis facing many of our neighbouring businesses, we would like to offer whatever help we can to them in promoting the area, its facilities and attractions, shops, accommodation and eating places," she added.

In Barnard Castle, Mrs Mary Hunt, manager of the tourist information centre, said the office had been busy over the Easter period. Visitor numbers for Good Friday had been the same as last year, Easter Saturday had not been far out, but Sunday and Monday had been quieter.

"There has been a buzz about. An Easter alternative market and events at the Bowes museum helped to swell visitor numbers, and these new ideas might be a way forward for other years," she added.

The Bowes museum had its busiest day of the year on Easter Monday, with 770 visitors; a family treasure hunt in the grounds proving an added attraction. Marketing manager Dr Anne Allen said numbers held up well in view of the foot-and-mouth crisis and she was delighted with the figures, especially in view of the cold weather on Monday.

An Easter market, organised by farmers' market co-ordinator Cathie Tinn, also proved popular. Mrs Tinn said stallholders had reported a steady day, with one selling jams and chutneys having sold out. Visitors had not been disappointed to find it was not a traditional farmers' market, in fact many had expressed their sympathies and support for the farming community.

Two Cleveland attractions bucked the trend and notched up record visitor numbers over Easter.

Despite worries over foot- and-mouth and poor weather, attendances soared at Kirkleatham Museum and the Margrove Heritage Centre, near Guisborough.

Redcar and Cleveland council's museums service is celebrating the fact that double the number of visitors turned up at the centres to see what is on offer.

More than 2,000 people enjoyed a Napoleonic re-enactment at Kirkleatham during the Easter break.

Museums education officer Mr Mark Simmons said: "As well as record numbers over the holiday, our Meccano and Tudor exhibitions have also drawn a record number of visitors - 17,500 since late January.

"And as these displays run until Sunday, there is still time for visitors to catch them both before they finish."

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