North Yorkshire is a region and administrative county within the Yorkshire in northern England. North Yorkshire covers most of the lands of the traditional North Riding, as well as the northern half of the old West Riding and the northern and eastern fringes of the traditional East Riding. It is the largest county in England.
Cities
Cities
Towns
- Buckden
- Guisborough
- Harrogate
- Hawes
- Knaresborough
- Northallerton - the county town, lying between the two national parks.
- Pickering
- Richmond
- Scarborough
- Selby
- Settle
- Skipton
- Tadcaster
- Whitby
Villages
- Grassington - one of the best known villages of the lower part of Wharfedale.
- Malham - small village near Settle with terrific limestone scenery - notably Malham Cove, Gordale Scar and Janet's Foss (a waterfall).
- Saltburn-by-the-Sea
Other destinations
2 World famous National Parks:
- North York Moors fantastic scenery
- Yorkshire Dales more great scenery
Understand
Talk
Get in
It is possible to enter Harrogate by train from either Leeds or York, and by bus from Leeds or various towns in the area, such as Wetherby and Knaresborough. The nearest airport is Leeds/Bradford International Airport (LBA) but it is also relatively easy to enter the country through Manchester Airport (MAN). There is also rail from Leeds or Bradford to Skipton and Settle, leading to the scenic Settle - Carlisle railway. Scarborough is accessible by rail from Leeds or York. Northallerton is on the main line from York to Edinburgh.
Get around
All areas of Harrogate can be easily reached by road, and most areas can be reached by bus using the Harrogate & District local bus service from the bus station in the town centre. Most of the attractions in Harrogate are within walking distance of most of the hotels in town centre.
Each of the national parks has a preserved railway. In the Dales there is the 4 mile Embsay and Bolton Abbey Steam Railway [1] and the North York Moors has the North Yorkshire Moors Railway running for 18 miles from Pickering to Grosmont, with some trains running a further 6 miles through to Whitby. [2]
See
- 1 Studley Royal Park and Fountains Abbey. a UNESCO World Heritage site
- Nidderdale - which for some unimaginable reason is not included in the Yorkshire Dales National Park but is designated as an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty (AONB).
- 2 Brimham Rocks, Summerbridge, Harrogate, HG3 4DW, ☏ +44 1423 780688, brimhamrocks@nationaltrust.org.uk. Extraordinary rock outcrops within Nidderdale AONB - site owned by National Trust
Abbeys
North Yorkshire has some striking examples of former abbeys, most of which were destroyed at the time of the dissolution under Henry VIII, although the nave of Bolton Priory is still intact because it served as the parish church.
- Fountains Abbey - near Ripon - owned by the National Trust along with the neighbouring Studley Royal estate. [3] These are possibly the most impressive remains of all and are a World Heritage Site
- Bolton Priory - beautifully situated by the Wharfe with excellent walks and extensive area where children can play (as opposed to a 'play area!') [4]
- Byland Abbey between Thirsk and Helmsley in the North York Moors National Park [5]
- Jervaulx Abbey- in Wensleydale below Leyburn - these remains are perhaps the scantiest
- Rievaulx Abbey - one of the great Cistercian abbeys of Yorkshire with remarkable remains set in one of the most tranquil dales within the North York Moors National Park [7]
Do
Eat
Monty's Grill Chophouse, St Peters Grove, York Tel. 01904 640099, [8]. Open 7 days a week for luncheon and dinner, this restaurant based in York provides a simple but delightful menu ranging from oysters, T-bone steak and lobster. The Angel, Hetton The Old Sweet Shop A delicious wonderland filled with all kinds of sweets!
Drink
- Sam Smith's in Tadcaster is a well-known and award winning traditional brewery.
Stay safe
North Yorkshire is a relatively wealthy, peaceful place to visit and the crime rate is very low. Normal precautions obviously still apply.
Go next