Millions of readers of the books of James Herriot will know the lovely North Yorkshire town of Harrogate as 'Brawton' the quiet spa town where the famous country vet and his wife 'Helen' could seek escape on their one free day a week. Harrogate today luxuriates in what Herriot has called 'the gentle air of Victorianism.' This was where the well-heeled gentry came to 'take the waters' at the Baths. Few people come to take the waters nowadays, but many come to wander through the pleasant flower gardens or to browse or buy at one of the many antique stores. Though the city has a population of 64,000, the charming centre gives it the look and feel of a small town, dominated by a spacious public park called The Stray, something like a New England village green with gazebos and grass meadows where, on summer evenings, the bands play and people relax and unwind.
The many large stylish hotels date from Harrogate's glory days as a spa for the gentry from London and Edinburgh, since it lies about midway between them. The stark moorland pastures of the Yorkshire Dales National Park lie just to the west and north, and the town is an ideal place from which to explore some of the attractions of North Yorkshire. Many of the attractions lie in and amond the surrounding Dales and small villages.
Places to See...
The Turkish Baths and Health Spa:
If 'taking the waters' is on your list here is what you can expect. All you need to bring are your personal toiletries, and allow yourself a recommended visit time of one and a half hours to obtain maximum benefit from the Turkish Baths. Firstly, after a shower, visit the Steam Room where high humidity, made gently fragrant with cleansing Eucalyptus, opens pores, penetrates the respiratory system and eases tense muscles. Then have a shower before taking a bracing dip in the Plunge Pool. Towel down and work your way up through the three inter-connecting Hot Room Chambers - Tepidarium (warm), the Calidarium (hot), and the Laconium (hottest) allowing the warmth to continue its therapeutic effect on skin and musculature.
The Royal Pump Room Museum:
Visit the strongest sulphur wells in Europe, where over 15,000 people used to come every summer. Don't forget to taste the water for yourself, it's an unforgettable experience...if you can stick the 'smell'.
Mercer Art Gallery:
The Mercer Art Gallery is home to Harrogate district's fine art collection which consists of some 2000 works of art, mainly from the 19th and 20th centuries. The collection includes works by William Powell Frith, Atkinson Grimshaw, Sir Edward Burne-Jones and many more. Paintings, prints and drawings from it are featured in a lively and diverse exhibition programme throughout the year.
Knaresborough Castle:
A stronghold of Medieval Kings, Knaresborough Castle still stands towering over the River Nidd. A visit to the site includes a tour to discover what Royalty got up to in the King's Tower, get a glimpse of the dungeon and walk through the underground sallyport.
Visit the Courthouse Museum, housed in one of the Castle's oldest surviving buildings. Find out about Knaresborough's fascinating history and the colourful characters who have contributed to it, such as Eugene Aram, the infamous 18th century murderer!
Get a glimpse of what life was like for children and adults alike living in a Medieval Castle and view the rare surviving Tudor courtroom.
Knaresborough town is a short walk away where you can explore the riverside, cobbled streets and much more.
St Roberts Cave, Knaresborough:
Sitting snugly beside the River Nidd on the outskirts of Knaresborough, Saint Robert's Cave is a rare survival of a medieval hermit's home. This site once attracted thousands of pilgrims to this North Yorkshire town.
Robert of Knaresborough lived on this site in the late 12th and early 13th centuries. Pilgrims flocked to Robert in his lifetime, and they continued to come to the cave in large numbers for centuries after his death in 1218.
Today, visitors continue to come to St Robert's Cave to see the place where this extraordinary man lived. The small cave is carved into the face of the limestone cliff, and the remains of a chapel and Robert's living area survive. The site retains a remarkable atmosphere of distant times.
Admission is free.
The Stray:
This 200 acres of land wraps around the main urban "old town" and is fiercely guarded by residents with a group set up specifically to safeguard it. The Stray exists for the people of the town and is a popular spot for picnicking, kite-flying, outdoor games and local football matches. Please note that parking is not allowed on the grassland. The Stray is open land and is therefore open all year, 24 hours a day; pathways run through The Stray and is perfectly accessible for wheelchairs.
Harewood House:
Completed in 1771, with magnificent interiors by Robert Adam, State Rooms lavishly furnished by Thomas Chippendale and outstanding art collections, Harewood is one of the Great treasure Houses of England.
Chinese porcelain and Renaissance masterpieces are displayed in the grandeur of the Gallery, beneath extraordinary wooden pelmets carved by Chippendale. Harewood still very much remains a family home to the Earl and Countess of Harewood.
The Dales:
The Yorkshire Dales has some of the finest scenery in the world. The contrasting silver grey limestone, heather-clad moors, ancient broadleaved woodlands and lush green meadows support a wide variety of animals, birds and wild flowers and provide an ideal habitat in which they can flourish.
Here are some of the towns nestled amongst the Dales...
Leyburn:
This attractive market town overlooking Wensleydale is known as ‘a town for all seasons’ as it has something to offer visitors all year round.
Leyburn ‘Shawl’ is only a short walk from the Market Place and gives superb views over Wensleydale. Legend has it that Mary Queen of Scots dropped her shawl here during her escape from nearby Bolton Castle!
The town has its own cinema, the Elite, showing new and classic films plus occasional live performances. There is a chocolatier, an unusual tea pottery, craft workshops, charming shops and galleries, a model village and a superb antiques auction house, plus the weekly Friday market.
Thirsk:
This is the village which Herriot fans know as Darrowby. An attractive cobbled marketplace remains the signature feature unchanged since the time of James Herriot. Also visit St Mary’s Parish Church, where James married his sweetheart Helen. The original Skeldale House in the fictional town of Darrowby where James Herriot first lived and also worked alongside Siegfried and Tristan, is now a museum and is called the Herriot Centre. No visit to Thirsk would be complete without seeing this place.
Askrigg:
The charming village of Askrigg was chosen for the setting of Darrowby in the memorable TV adaptation of the Herriot books. Driving from the Dales Haven, you will be enthralled by the stunning scenery that so bewitched the vet and author as he travelled from farm to farm.
Eating and Drinking:
Relish the real taste of Yorkshire! Sample superb culinary delights in chic restaurants or enjoy traditional roast lunches with Yorkshire puddings at a cosy Dales pub. Why not have a meal, or a night, at the Wheatsheaf Hotel at Caperby, Wensleydale, where James and Helen Herriot spent their honeymoon whilst 'tuberculin testing'...fans will know the rest. If you are feeling extravagant dine in splendour at the Crown Hotel in Harrogate - with 300 years of history behind it this is also known in the Herriot books as 'The Reniston' where James took Helen on their first date.
Shopping:
Antique dealers and arcades selling everything from glitzy jewellery and silver to colourful ceramics and timeless furniture. You'll find plenty of stylish shopping in Harrogate & the Yorkshire Dales.Exclusive boutiques, arts and crafts, food and drink and plenty of shopping hotspots.
Getting here:
By Rail:
Trains service Harrogate from Leeds (50min) and York (45min). Leeds, York, Darlington and Lancaster/Oxenholme on the edges of the Dales are all served by frequent express train services from all parts of the UK, linking with good train/bus services into the Dales.
By Bus:
National Express has a good bus service to Harrogate. Bus 561 runs from Leeds (50min), Bus 383 runs from Ripon (25min), and Buses 36 and 36A run between Ripon, Harrogate and Leeds.
Lancaster, Skipton, Leeds, Harrogate, York, Ripon, Thirsk and Darlington all have links to local bus services. Coaches also run from Heathrow and Manchester airports to Leeds coach station, with frequent buses on to Skipton, Ilkley, Harrogate and Ripon.
By Road:
The Dales area is surrounded by major roads, with the M6 skirting the west, the A66 to the north, the A1 to the east and the A65, A59, A629, M62 and M65 to the south.
Photo coutesy of Harrowgate Tourism
