Arabella’s guidebook
Food scene
A lovely little town with some great cafes - go to Bowes or Plenty for their salads, or Fink the independent grocer for some lovely local food. Get your hair cut, or have a pork pie from Appleton's butcher. Or check out the excellent charity shops.
There's also a nice river walk.
12 locals recommend
Boroughbridge
A lovely little town with some great cafes - go to Bowes or Plenty for their salads, or Fink the independent grocer for some lovely local food. Get your hair cut, or have a pork pie from Appleton's butcher. Or check out the excellent charity shops.
There's also a nice river walk.
Sightseeing
This village has been there since Roman times.
There's a Roman ruin here run by English Heritage. And there's a lovely river side walk loop that you can do.
Aldborough
This village has been there since Roman times.
There's a Roman ruin here run by English Heritage. And there's a lovely river side walk loop that you can do.
A lovely National Trust place with ruins and a play park.
If you don't have membership, then go to Studley and do the 7 rivers walk - a nice size loop for a family walk - and you can still use the Fountains cafe on the Studley side.
185 locals recommend
Fountains Abbey
A lovely National Trust place with ruins and a play park.
If you don't have membership, then go to Studley and do the 7 rivers walk - a nice size loop for a family walk - and you can still use the Fountains cafe on the Studley side.
If you haven't been to York, it really is worth the trip.
Check out: The Minster, The Shambles a cobbled street with lovely little shops, do a river walk, have a smashing meal at one of their restaurants, or go to Betty's for a proper afternoon tea.
409 locals recommend
York
If you haven't been to York, it really is worth the trip.
Check out: The Minster, The Shambles a cobbled street with lovely little shops, do a river walk, have a smashing meal at one of their restaurants, or go to Betty's for a proper afternoon tea.
It's quite an impressive house - think Downton Abbey scale - with wonderful gardens to enjoy, and a fab playground. There are also some cafes.
220 locals recommend
Castle Howard
It's quite an impressive house - think Downton Abbey scale - with wonderful gardens to enjoy, and a fab playground. There are also some cafes.
Wrap up warm as you're high up here, but out of the wind in the trees. You can stay here in one of their huts or teepees, but there's also a lovely short walk to do in the trees and the 'Druid's Temple' - a great Victorian folly to climb on and play hide and seek in. Super cafe with warming food.
9 locals recommend
Swinton Bivouac
Knowle LaneWrap up warm as you're high up here, but out of the wind in the trees. You can stay here in one of their huts or teepees, but there's also a lovely short walk to do in the trees and the 'Druid's Temple' - a great Victorian folly to climb on and play hide and seek in. Super cafe with warming food.
Local short walks
A nice day out - the house has some great pictures, and the garden is lovely with a nice play park and a cafe.
There is also a farm shop just next to Beningborough, and a round route walk that you don't have to pay entry for.
38 locals recommend
National Trust Beningbrough Hall
A nice day out - the house has some great pictures, and the garden is lovely with a nice play park and a cafe.
There is also a farm shop just next to Beningborough, and a round route walk that you don't have to pay entry for.
Kidtastic
This is a fantastic place for a summer day out with the kids. It's got boat swings, pedalos, and a brilliant miniature train that the kids will love. It is quite pricey if you don't have membership, but I would say you get your money's worth. Take a picnic or check out the cafe.
Or if no kids - you will love the garden and the house tours. It's a really special place. You can also get a river boat from there down to Nun Monkton.
32 locals recommend
Newby Hall & Gardens Tea Rooms
This is a fantastic place for a summer day out with the kids. It's got boat swings, pedalos, and a brilliant miniature train that the kids will love. It is quite pricey if you don't have membership, but I would say you get your money's worth. Take a picnic or check out the cafe.
Or if no kids - you will love the garden and the house tours. It's a really special place. You can also get a river boat from there down to Nun Monkton.
If you want to go cycling off-road but nice surfaces, check this out. It's got a fantastic range of cycle tracks and a pump track for the adventurous!
Or go for a walk along the ridge and look across the vale of York - it's a big view - whilst the gliders take off. Or go gliding!
There's a cafe, plenty of walks, and if you're feeling like a medium big trip, walk or bike to High Paradise Farm and stay the night or have a pizza from their pizza van.
23 locals recommend
Sutton Bank National Park Centre
Sutton BankIf you want to go cycling off-road but nice surfaces, check this out. It's got a fantastic range of cycle tracks and a pump track for the adventurous!
Or go for a walk along the ridge and look across the vale of York - it's a big view - whilst the gliders take off. Or go gliding!
There's a cafe, plenty of walks, and if you're feeling like a medium big trip, walk or bike to High Paradise Farm and stay the night or have a pizza from their pizza van.
Tree and nature lovers
If you like your trees, you need to check out this wonderful place. It has a cafe and things for kids to look at on the way around. Combine with a visit to Castle Howard itself, or make this the day out.
16 locals recommend
Yorkshire Arboretum
If you like your trees, you need to check out this wonderful place. It has a cafe and things for kids to look at on the way around. Combine with a visit to Castle Howard itself, or make this the day out.
Wowsers this is awesome. There is a birds of prey centre with demonstrations, some meerkats and other small animals to get close to, a lovely playpark and just the most awesome trees to walk through. There's a cafe too.
41 locals recommend
Thorp Perrow - Arboretum and Bird of Prey & Mammal Centre
Wowsers this is awesome. There is a birds of prey centre with demonstrations, some meerkats and other small animals to get close to, a lovely playpark and just the most awesome trees to walk through. There's a cafe too.