North Yorkshire

North Yorkshire is the home of the Yorkshire Dales National Park and is definitely a county of contrasts with the flatness of the east to the large, rolling hills of the dales and lots of beautiful landscape everywhere. The people are friendly and there is always something to do but never enough time to do it all…

Really the simplest way to get around is to drive a car. There are bus services running but are infrequent and do not often run to some of the bigger towns. Train service runs to (or close to) most major areas.

There are many walking and bicycling trails throughout the area which offer a different perspective on the area. Primarily the method of seeing the Yorkshire Dales National Park (which dominates the county) is by foot. Maps of trails are available from all Tourist Information centres located in most larger towns.

The following are some of the things to see and do in North Yorkshire:

• Ingleborough Cave (Yorkshire Dales National Park) Clapham - A very old cave system which offers special 2-hour “explorer tours” which go much deeper into the cave system. Phone: +44 (0) 1524 251242

• Ingleton Waterfalls Trail (Yorkshire Dales National Park) Ingleton - A wonderful walk along a stream with a number of waterfalls on the way. The middle section is a walk along the top of a hill (through a farmyard, literally) with the walk continuing in another, less spectacular, valley. The price is a bit steep (during peak periods) at #5 / car (regardless of how many people in the car) if you park at their car park or #1.50 / person (without a car). Be aware that if you take your car it is difficult to park it anywhere but at the walk itself since other car parks fill quickly (even though they are about as expensive). The walk is a bit strenuous with some very steep and challenging sections, lasting about 1 1/2 hours (4 1/2 miles). Phone: +44 (0) 1524 241930

• National Railway Museum York - A large museum containing several large halls with the first steam locomotive (The Rocket), various royal carriages, old and relatively new locomotives and carriages, a rail library, a café, shops, as well as a room full of railway ephemera. Free admission; car park £10 for the day or use nearby cheaper town car parks). Phone: +44 (0) 330 058 0058

• Wensleydale Creamery Visitor Centre (Yorkshire Dales National Park) Hawes - Located in the middle of the Yorkshire Dales National Park, the charming town of Hawes is home of the [https://www.wensleydale.co.uk/|Wensleydale Creamery Visitor Centre]] where you can sample some of their famous cheese or, for a small fee, take a tour of their cheese manufacturing facilities including a demonstration on how their cheese is actually made and a number of historical displays. The visitor centre has a rather nice dining room, small café (with indoor and outdoor seating), a (literally) cool “cheese room” where you can purchase any of their cheeses, and a rather large gift shop selling local products. There is a small car park just off the road or a much larger one towards the back where you can park for a few hours for free. Phone: +44 (0) 1969 667664

• White Scar Cave (Yorkshire Dales National Park) Ingleton - The longest show cave in Britain, the tour lasts 80 minutes and takes you along some narrow (and extremely short) passages to show a large number of rock formations culminating in a massive cave at the end. A VERY long walk at 1/2 mile each way. The path mainly consists of metal grid walkway (and wood) which can get slippery in the wet conditions. Unfortunate that many of the formations have been worn and stained by continual tourist hands touching them but an impressive site. Phone: +44 (0) 1524 241244

• The World of James Herriot (North Yorkshire) Thirsk - Herriot's practice and home, located just off the main square on a busy Kirkgate/Market Place is now a museum that is well worth a visit. The adjacent house is where you buy tickets but it also has a small shop. A short distance down the road is St. Mary's Church where Herriot was married. The museum itself is self-guided with the rooms and the house largely as it would have been when Herriot was a vet. The back of the ground floor has a memorabilia display then in the building out in the garden there is a short film of Herriot's life narrated by Christopher Timothy, who played Herriot in the television series of the 1970s and 1980s. On the ground floor there are also a few “sets” from this series from this original show while on the upper floor there is a museum devoted to veterinary practice as well as a hands-on activity centre for children. Tickets can be purchased from the neighbouring gift shop and there are several car parks around the town. Phone: +44 (0) 1845 524234

Hawes is a small town that most visitors to the area will at least pass through as it is at a bit of a crossroads. Market day is every Tuesday but otherwise there are a number of pubs and local places to eat along with antique shops, a butcher (and very posh grocery store “Elijah Allen & Son”), and tourist shops. It is also where you will find the “Wensleydale Creamery” (see above) and the Dales Countryside Museum which is worth a visit - Tickets are inexpensive and it has a nice bicycle-themed café (there are also public toilets in the car park).

Be aware that parking can be a problem in town particularly on weekends and in the tourist season. There are several car parks in town and street parking is generally for residents.

The small market town of Thirsk is located 45 minutes north of York and is known for being the home (now museum) of James Alfred Wight, aka, “James Herriot”, the well known Yorkshire veterinary and author of many much-loved books (see above).

The City of York is an ancient and historical town surrounded by a wall that can be walked (on the three surviving sections) and the River Ouse which you can walk along or take a boat trip along. The main attraction is the wonderful York Minster Cathedral (admission charge) but there are many other sights to see as you wander around the narrow cobble streets of the city centre including “The Shambles” – an ancient, narrow street, where the buildings on opposite sides lean over and almost touch in the middle – and the nearby “Shambles Market” which includes a street food section.

There are a number of museums in the town including a Viking museum, the Jorvik Viking Centre (admission charge) discussing some of the Viking origins of the town and the amazing “National Railway Museum” (see above). Highly recommended is the FREE walk put on twice every day by the York Tourist Information Centre (it meets just opposite the centre, see https://avgyork.co.uk/ for details). The tour lasts two hours and gives you a lot of background and historical information about the town.

If driving, use the Park and Ride as the town centre is very difficult for parking with narrow, winding streets and small car parks.

For further information, please see:

• Personal Journal - I created when I visited in 2000
• Settle Tourist Information
• Visit North Yorkshire (official site)
• Visit York
• Yorkshire Dales National Park Authority