North Dales Accommodation

North Dales Tourism, Swaledale, Reeth & Richmond Tourist Guide

The North Yorkshire Dales offers some of the best of the Dales walking bases, packed with country pubs, attractions and specialist shops. Topspots include bustling Reeth on the Swaledale and Arkengarthdale border. The Swaledale Festival held annually with Reeth as central hub leans towards live music with jazz, classical, folk and world music all given due attention.

Reeth, Swaledale & James Herriot 'All Creatures Great & Small'

Swaledale and Arkengarthdale were once home to a huge lead industry, and the hills are marked by this with mineshafts, and smelt mill ruins on the valley sides. The National Park Centre is located in Reeth and makes a good starting point to explore this distinctive Swaledale Dales history. Also in Reeth you'll find the Swaledale Folk Museum (see the Yorkshire Dales official guide for details) and many craft workshops.

Reeth is ever growing as a popular walking base situated on the lower Calver Hill slopes. Wainwright sang the town's praises when he passed through Reeth on his famous Coast to Coast walk. A superb choice of craft centres are in and around Reeth including Swaledale Woollens (webguide right) and the Reeth Dales Centre Studios. Idyllically set around a central village green, Reeth was frequently used in the filming of the tv series 'All Creatures Great and Small'. Find out more about Reeth's links with James Herriot and pick up walking guides and leaflets at the National Park Centre in Reeth at Hudson House on the edge of the village green.

Reeth is a Yorkshire Dales festival centre. For two weeks annually in May/June Reeth bursts into life hosting the Swaledale Music Festival. The August Reeth Agricultural Show likewise pulls in the crowds. Other Reeth events include the April weekend Jazz festival and the September Muker Craft & Local Produce Show hosted by the village of Muker just west of Reeth. The pretty villages of Gunnerside and Muker are like Reeth popular walking and climbing Swaledale bases with climbing especially popular around nearby Kisdon and Shunner Fell.

Reeth Tourist Information & Yorkshire Dales National Park Centre, Hudson House, Reeth Richmond, DL11 6TB. 01748 884059. Find it at the top end of Reeth's village green.

Richmond Gateway to Swaledale

Richmond has had many hey-days, from Roman and Norman to Medieval, Georgian and current Yorkshire market town tourist mecca. This makes for an eclectic mix of historic buildings blending wonderfully with a superb choice of specialist shops, chic restaurants, cafes and charming country pubs. Free Richmond walking town guides are available from the tourist information centre.

Richmond's main central hub is Market Place overlooking the striking Norman Richmond Castle. Around the square the choice of specialist clothes, food and gift shops ranks with the best in Yorkshire, with a choice of devine cafes, country inns and restaurants when you need a rest from all that shopping! The oldest of the stone built Norman Castles in Britain, Richmond Castle is a mighty affair and remarkably intact, particularly the impressive 100ft keep. Strategically placed on the promentory (or riche-mont Norman for strong hill from which the town derives its name), building work began soon after the conquest of 1066 in 1071 and was personally supervised by fellow kinsman of William the Conqueror Alan Rufus.

Courtesy of the Richmondshire Museum in Richmond, you can take a tour of the town's fascinating history. Particular attention is given to the history of lead mining in the area, so important to the town's heydays. Other galleries include a transport gallery and a James Herriot set from the TV series of 'All Creatures Great and Small'. Georgian architecture fans are in for some real treats in Richmond Yorkshire. Britain's most complete Georgian Playhouse is here. The theatre dates from 1788 and it ran up until 1848, and was reopened and restored in 1963. The interior 18th century auditorium is breathtaking. Read more on the history of this unique Georgian Playhouse via the webguide link to the right.

Richmond Tourist Information Centre, Friary Gardens, Victoria Road, Richmond, North Yorkshire DL10 4AJ. Tel. 01748 850252.

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