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Festivals you won’t want to miss in 2024
North Yorkshire’s calendar is jam packed with special events and festivals this year, from Food and Drink festivals which celebrate the Yorkshire way of life, to thrilling live music performances, exciting sporting events, art-led spectaculars and much more. Beam -...
February Half Term in North Yorkshire
If you are looking for lots of fun things to do this February half term to keep the children entertained, you will find lots of exciting activities, events and days out in North Yorkshire.Whether you are planning to enjoy some fresh air and exercise in the great...
North Yorkshire Ideas for 2024
Once those bells have chimed to ring in the New Year, there are two ways to approach things - you can either ease yourself in gently or throw yourself into it with a New Year, new you attitude. Whichever approach you favour we’ve got a wealth of options for you to...
Christmas in North Yorkshire
North Yorkshire always offers a warm welcome to visitors and never more so than in the run up to Christmas. The many market towns and villages are decorated and illuminated for the season and there are a wide range of attractions, events and activities to enjoy. There...
Winter Walks in North Yorkshire
Looking for a gentle stroll to stretch your legs? Or are you after a harder hike with challenging terrain? Maybe you want to explore a little off the beaten track? Whatever kind of walk you’re looking for, we’ve got you covered. Now is the perfect time to grab your...
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North Yorkshire Ideas for 2024
Once those bells have chimed to ring in the New Year, there are two ways to approach things – you can either ease yourself in gently or throw yourself into it with a New Year, new you attitude. Whichever approach you favour we’ve got a wealth of options for you to consider.
You can keep the Christmas magic going with a visit to a pantomime, and of course, many illumination events run through the dark evenings of January. The winter illuminations at Stockeld Park near Harrogate run until 8 January and many towns and villages keep their Christmas lights switched on as ‘winter’ lights to brighten our days.
If you’ve had a hectic festive season, you may be looking for activities and experiences to boost your mind and restore your energy levels.
You could head over to the coast for an invigorating seaside walk to blow those festive cobwebs away. Get everyone out of the house to stretch their legs and take in the sea air. And after all that exercise, you’ll have earned a treat or two whether that is a slice of cake or an indulgent hot chocolate a local café. In fact, why not let someone else cook tea and head out for a meal?
For an outdoor adventure head to Hambleton and take on a new challenge, get your adrenaline pumping or simply try something new whether than is walking, hiking, riding, or exploring. There are days out for everyone to enjoy and places to explore on foot, bike or horseback with miles of trails and tracks across this stunning area.
For bustling market towns, charming villages, stunning medieval architecture, and beautiful countryside just waiting to be explored, visit the Selby district. There are ancient woodlands, waterways, and protected nature reserves to explore. Or uncover the stories of people who have made this area their home over the centuries by delving into history and heritage to find a new perspective.
You may be ready to ditch the tinsel and glitter and indulge in a little retail therapy of course. If this is the case our high streets are ready and waiting, whether you’re looking for bargains from a national retailer or something a little different from a local independent trader. Big or small retailers across the county will be offering bargains to tempt you.
And once all that retail therapy is done and dusted, what else to do but treat yourself to coffee and cake in a café or even a tipple in a local pub. You’ve earned it!
Tadcaster
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Leyburn
At the heart of Wensleydale lies the beautiful town of Leyburn, a year-round destination for exploring, with traditional pubs, a wealth of independent shops and plenty of great places to eat and drink. This traditional market town sits on the northern bank of the River Ure and is a haven for antique hunters, being home to one of the largest auction houses outside London.
Explore Leyburn
You can also browse for treasures and bargains at the weekly market that fills the town’s pretty main square, around which you will find several galleries featuring work by local and national artists.
In and amongst the historic streets you will also find many pubs cafés and restaurants serving delicious dales food and drink.
Leyburn and its surrounding towns including Middleham and Aysgarth are the perfect base for exploring lower Wensleydale and its incredible scenery with a host of great walking routes. If you want to give your feet a rest you can always hop on the popular heritage Wensleydale railway that travels from Leeming Bar to Leyburn.
A town of the dales
Landscape highlights include Leyburn Shawl, a limestone terrace with extensive views over the dale and named after the legend that Mary Queen of Scots dropped her shawl on the hill while fleeing imprisonment in nearby Bolton Castle.
Another nearby castle with a royal connection is Middleham Castle, the childhood home of Richard III.
Whether you’re walking, exploring or watching the world go by, Leyburn is a perfect spot for you.
Explore the places that make
NORTH Yorkshire
Masham
The home of brewing in the Yorkshire Dales.
Northallerton
The county town of North Yorkshire
Bedale
A charming Georgian market town
Tadcaster
The brewery town with Roman origins
Leyburn
The Heart of Wensleydale
Hawes
The heart of Upper Wensleydale
Settle
The bustling spirit of the Dales
Whitby
Discover maritime heritage
Thirsk
The heart of Herriot Country
Skipton
The gateway to the Southern Dales
Selby
The historic town with history at its heart
Scarborough
The original seaside resort
Ripon
The little city with a big welcome
Richmond
A Town of Yorkshire Dales History
Pickering
Where the Moors meet the Forest
Malton
Yorkshire’s Food Capital
Knaresborough
Iconic historic medieval market town
Helmsley
A breath of fresh air
Harrogate
Yorkshire’s original spa town
Filey
Relaxation on the coast
Hawes
Welcome to Hawes, this intricate market town in the upper reaches of Wensleydale, a treasure trove of independent shops, cafes and crafts.
Hawes is a magical market town with plenty to do and lots of walks for all abilities in the surrounding dale, the town features plenty of traditional shops and places to eat and is a popular base to head out for a walk, ramble or cycle ride.
Visit the Dales Countryside Museum to learn about the history of life in the Dales or the Wensleydale Creamery – home to Yorkshire’s most famous cheese, beloved by Wallace and Gromit.
Nearby there is a chance to see red squirrels in a special viewing area in the heart of the Widdale Red Squirrel Reserve, and with luck you may also see roe deer.
The nearby Buttertubs Pass is a well-known serpentine road that meanders through a lush landscape of sheer cliffs and stunning sights. Popular with drivers, an acclaimed challenge for cyclists and a photographer’s dream, the tapestry of fields, rugged cliffs and stunning skies will linger in the memory long after your visit.
Not far away, Hardraw Force is the single highest drop waterfall in England where Turner paused to paint, and Wordsworth stopped to write, just one of the many sights to enjoy in this beautiful area.
So if you are visiting the Yorkshire Dales, add Hawes to your itinerary to true rural Yorkshire experience.
Explore the places that make
NORTH Yorkshire
Masham
The home of brewing in the Yorkshire Dales.
Northallerton
The county town of North Yorkshire
Bedale
A charming Georgian market town
Tadcaster
The brewery town with Roman origins
Leyburn
The Heart of Wensleydale
Hawes
The heart of Upper Wensleydale
Settle
The bustling spirit of the Dales
Whitby
Discover maritime heritage
Thirsk
The heart of Herriot Country
Skipton
The gateway to the Southern Dales
Selby
The historic town with history at its heart
Scarborough
The original seaside resort
Ripon
The little city with a big welcome
Richmond
A Town of Yorkshire Dales History
Pickering
Where the Moors meet the Forest
Malton
Yorkshire’s Food Capital
Knaresborough
Iconic historic medieval market town
Helmsley
A breath of fresh air
Harrogate
Yorkshire’s original spa town
Filey
Relaxation on the coast
Settle
Settle is a bustling, traditional market town in the Yorkshire Dales, surrounded by fabulous landscapes, rich heritage and unspoilt villages.
Sitting just below the Castleburg Crag, Settle is a fantastic place to stay for those wanting to explore the dramatic hillscapes of the Yorkshire Dales.
Settle, a town of tradition
Settle’s weekly market takes place every Tuesday with a broad mix of stalls and traders. Here you find baked goods, fresh produce, fish, preserves, crafts, home goods and much more.
The streets of Settle and a thriving range of independent shops offer a choice of country wear and fashions, gifts and a host of delicious treats to enjoy or take home.
Settle is also home to a host of great places to eat and drink. There are cosy cafes, bustling tea rooms, welcoming pubs and award-winning restaurants offering the perfect follow-up to a day exploring the fells.
Settle and its surrounding area have an incredible heritage, visible in the attractive 17th and 18th-century streets and ginnels, the echoes of the town’s agricultural and industrial heritage, and the famous Settle to Carlisle railway. This railway line is not a Heritage line but a part of the national network. It is famed both for the incredible landscape it traverses and the feats of engineering that were required for it to do so, such as the Ribblehead Viaduct.
In the nearby area are many natural wonders such as the magnificent Three Peaks of Yorkshire – Whernside, Ingleborough and Pen-y-Ghent – as well as the spectacular Malham Cove, Goredale Scar and Malham Tarn.
And just a stone’s throw away are some of the grandest and most picturesque of North Yorkshire’s waterfalls – Stainforth Foss, Catrigg Foss and Janet’s Foss. Wherever you go there are glorious views to admire and enjoy.
Explore the places that make
NORTH Yorkshire
Masham
The home of brewing in the Yorkshire Dales.
Northallerton
The county town of North Yorkshire
Bedale
A charming Georgian market town
Tadcaster
The brewery town with Roman origins
Leyburn
The Heart of Wensleydale
Hawes
The heart of Upper Wensleydale
Settle
The bustling spirit of the Dales
Whitby
Discover maritime heritage
Thirsk
The heart of Herriot Country
Skipton
The gateway to the Southern Dales
Selby
The historic town with history at its heart
Scarborough
The original seaside resort
Ripon
The little city with a big welcome
Richmond
A Town of Yorkshire Dales History
Pickering
Where the Moors meet the Forest
Malton
Yorkshire’s Food Capital
Knaresborough
Iconic historic medieval market town
Helmsley
A breath of fresh air
Harrogate
Yorkshire’s original spa town
Filey
Relaxation on the coast
Outdoors
North Yorkshire is the perfect place to embrace the great outdoors in all its splendour. Whatever your passion the North Yorkshire landscape is the perfect canvas on which to plan your break. Whether you prefer to get about on foot, by bike, or dangling from cliffs and trees, we have just the thing for you.
This land was made for walking
Immerse yourself in the natural world through a variety of walks that range from easy-to-follow routes perfect for a carefree amble with friends to the personal challenge of ascending great peaks or completing a long distance route.
Take a picnic from one of Yorkshire’s great bakeries and enjoy it at a stunning landmark or viewing point or pack the binoculars for a walk that will showcase the amazing animal and birdlife that calls North Yorkshire home.
Raise your pulse with a challenging bike ride to see incredible views. Cyclists have long known that North Yorkshire has a tremendous offering, whether you prefer the road bike or the mountain bike, you will never regret getting some North Yorkshire under your tyres.
A riding paradise
This county has hosted the Tour de France, UCI stage races, the World Championships, and two UCI Mountain Bike World Cup races. Find epic climbs, long sweeping descents, challenging traverses and far-reaching time-trail sections when you ride North Yorkshire’s roads and trails.
And when the ride is over, you can find delicious feasts to match your adventure in one of our country pubs and local restaurants.
The home of adventure
Adventure activities have a true home in North Yorkshire – here you can clamber through the forest canopy on a tree top challenge and zip through the treetops as gravity does the work. Explore the caves and ravines of a limestone gorge or tackle one of the only Via Ferrata courses in the country travelling along the cliff edge using only the iron foot and hand holds.
However you like to get your exhilaration, North Yorkshire is the place that has it all.
Discover more outdoors across
NORTH YORKSHIRE
Outdoors and Adventure
on the Yorkshire Coast
Outdoors at the
Heart of Yorkshire
Explore the Outdoors
in the Harrogate area
Experience the Outdoors
in Hambleton
Experience more of
NORTH YORKSHIRE
History and Heritage
Today North Yorkshire is home to historic landmarks that span the duration of human activity on the landscape and so evocatively tell the county’s story.
Towns with stories to tell
There are historic market towns and cities aplenty with castles, historic buildings and listed churches at their heart. Each of these buildings represents a step in the journey of each town.
There are famous landmarks that dominate the landscape including the ruins of several abbeys left to crumble by Henry VIII and magnificent stately homes built by some of North Yorkshire’s famous families.
Discover the people who made the place
Helping to tell the stories of the shifts in power and wealth, and the people who prospered or suffered as a result is the diverse selection of museums. Run by dedicated and passionate volunteers and staff these museums highlight the heritage of the county in interactive and immersive ways.
Over the year fantastic heritage events take place across the county including Viking battle re-enactments, 1940s nostalgia weekends and steam rallies featuring the powerful machines of the past.
Discover more history & heritage across
NORTH YORKSHIRE
Yorkshire Coast
Heart of Yorkshire
around Harrogate
around Hambleton
Experience more of
NORTH YORKSHIRE
Wellness
If you are looking for a break that will improve your wellbeing, kick start those serotonin levels and improve your health too, then head to North Yorkshire.
Whether your idea of a restorative boost is to embrace the great outdoors and blow the cobwebs away, or indulge in sublime relaxation and physical rejuvenation in a luxurious spa – North Yorkshire is the place to feel good.
Choose between beautiful moorland, towering peaks and rolling landscape of the lush dales. You could go walking every day for a year and never tread the same trails.
You can take some time out for yourself to relax and unwind by visiting one of the county’s luxurious spa retreats. Melt away stress and ease your worries with a soothing visit that will leave you refreshed. Indulge in blissful relaxation therapies, blissful beauty treatments and a reviving massage.
Enjoy the restful presence of water, whether on a riverside walk or enjoying one of the many routes that encompass one of the reservoirs that can be found amongst the North Yorkshire hills. On the stunning Yorkshire coast, you can enjoy a peaceful walk along the sea whilst watching the tide gently retreat to the sound of seabirds as they seek the freshly revealed morsels.
North Yorkshire is full of ways to relax and the perfect place to find your wellbeing remedy.
Discover more wellness across
NORTH YORKSHIRE
Wellness on the
Yorkshire Coast
Wellness in the
Heart of Yorkshire
Feel Good in and
around Harrogate
Experience more of
NORTH YORKSHIRE
Gardens
North Yorkshire is home to an abundance of sensational gardens. There are stunning signature horticultural spaces, traditional cottage borders, hidden gems, wildlife havens and award-winning garden designs by acclaimed designers, within the beautiful natural landscape of the county.
Gardens of all kinds
The gardens of North Yorkshire can be found surrounding stately homes, set in lovely parkland or enhancing renowned historical sites. There are formal spaces with tightly formed shapes and carefully manicured lawns as well as herbaceous borders and riotous displays of colour. There are working herb and vegetable plots that burst with fresh produce supplied to local cafes, bars and restaurants. Discover how the professionals get the biggest leeks, the rosiest apples and the juiciest tomatoes, and take those tips home to your own veg petch or allotment.
Enchanting woodland planting, stunning sculpture parks, tranquil wildflower meadows and bold contemporary designs offer year-round seasonal displays to pique the interest of any plantsman or woman.
Gardens for the senses
The heady scents of colourful herbaceous borders stimulate the senses and are inspirational all year. Beautifully restored grounds tell the story of the horticulture of yesteryear at castles and historic houses across the region.
North Yorkshire is a treasure trove of green spaces, perfect to inspire gardening enthusiasts old and new. A visit to a North Yorkshire garden is not only a fantastic day out but will also help you plan your perfect plot or recreate a spectacular floral display in your garden. Discover new ideas for companion planting or the perfect flowers to bring your own growing space to life.
So feast your senses on the botanical wonders on offer and wander through our many green and pleasant garden spaces.
Discover more gardens across
NORTH YORKSHIRE
Gardens on the
North Yorkshire Coast
Gardens in and
around Harrogate
Gardens around
Thirsk & Hambleton
Experience more of
NORTH YORKSHIRE
Food and Drink
The Food in North Yorkshire is buffet of multi-cultural culinary delights with great food firmly on the menu during your visit.
Our vibrant towns are home to many fantastic food and drink producers, retailers and venues serving local produce and international cuisine.
Whether you want to sample something scrumptious and sweet or are looking for a tasty savoury treat, you’ll find something to tempt your taste buds.
Bursting with food and flavour
North Yorkshire is a county of producers, farmers, brewers, artisans and cheesemakers. To explore the food and flavours of the county is to explore its landscape, its people and its communities. From the fish and chips of the Yorkshire coast and the ales of the dales, through to the delicious pies and pasties – each unique to the butcher and bakery who craft them.
Delicious street food and market stalls with freshly made treats are waiting to be found across North Yorkshire. Discover our award-winning food makers and local seasonal produce made from traditional recipes.
Taste the unexpected
New traditions sit alongside the old in North Yorkshire with a recent crop of new gin makers emerging across the county and pioneering vineyards finding new opportunities in the fertile and sunny fields of the Vale of York. Join a tour and see how these new flavours are being added to the taste of North Yorkshire.
There are lively, authentic Italian restaurants serving pizza and pasta for all the family to enjoy and the best places for a hot and spicy curry, a tasty Thai, a scrumptious Spanish tapas or just good old homemade pub grub – you’ll find something to suit your palate.
Discover more food & drink across
NORTH YORKSHIRE
Yorkshire Coast
Harrogate
Hambleton
around Selby
