Ready for a budget trip to the Yorkshire Dales? It’s the north of England’s go-to destination for weekend breaks with plenty of things to do. With the towns and cities of West Yorkshire on the doorstep, it’s an easy visit for a fair chunk of the UK’s urban population. If you’ve not been before, think outdoors with attitude. This is definitely not your Range Rover-and-wax jacket countryside of the south. Rather a traditional farming landscape. There are plenty of things to do in Yorkshire Dales.
There are five YHAs in the Yorkshire Dales National Park, meaning budget holidaymakers of all kinds can get a great deal on accommodation in some stunning countryside. Here’s our friends at Cool Places‘ pick of some of the best things to do in Yorkshire Dales.
YHA Malham
They spent almost half a million on upgrading the YHA Malham, in the heart of the southern Dales, so you can expect even more home comforts, including en-suite rooms, a new restaurant with home-cooked meals, family-friendly facilities and even a couple of camping pods.
Looking for things to do in Yorkshire Dales in the great outdoors? Well, Yorkshire is a brilliant base for walkers, with the walk around Malham Cove and up to Malham Tarn the undisputed highlight. There are two goods pubs in pretty little Malham village (the traditional Buck Inn is the hikers’ choice), while for day trips you can head south to Skipton Castle and on to the beautiful Bolton Abbey estate, whose Cavendish Pavilion is a favourite of ours for tea and cake. And if you’re looking for a great country dining pub, it has to be the Angel Inn at Hetton – one of the UK’s original gastro-pubs and still very much a destination in its own right.
YHA Hawes
Stay the night at YHA Hawes in upper Wensleydale and you’re in England’s highest market town, which has got to be good for some bragging rights- there are plenty of things to do in this part of Yorkshire dales! The hostel is great for families, cyclists and walkers (it’s on the Pennine Way), since Hawes sits in probably the best-known Dales valley, Wensleydale, home of the famous cheese. Wensleydale Creamery is the place to sample Wallace and Gromit’s favourite snack, while the history and culture of the Dales is explored in Hawes’ excellent Dales Countryside Museum. As a market town, Hawes is awash with traditional pubs and inns – we like the Crown Hotel on the high street, which has a good reputation for food.
Further down the valley, Aysgarth Falls is the most popular day trip – tumbling waterfalls by a Yorkshire Dales National Park Centre. There’s also a great circular walk from here to majestic Bolton Castle. A great thing to do in Yorkshire Dales for people who love the great outdoors.
YHA Grinton Lodge
It’s happy birthday to YHA Grinton Lodge this year – the castellated hunting lodge in the northern dales is a cool 200 years old in 2017! It’s in a superb location, high on the moors above Swaledale, with some magnificent views all around. Walkers and cyclist are going to love it – routes start from straight outside the door – and there’s plenty of space inside and out for things to do for active families. A clutch of sheltered woodland camping pods also offer a touch of glamping style – you can use the hostel facilities if you stay in one of these.
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