Knaresborough

Stay

Award-winning B&B’s such as Newton House, large hotels like the Best Western Dower House rub shoulders with superior self-catering cottages and apartments in Knaresborough.

Attractions

The oldest visitor attraction and the most remarkable viaduct set the tone for all of Knaresborough’s appealing attractions…

Food & Drink

Knaresborough is well known for its large number of drinking establishments and its food market leads the way for local restaurant ingredients…

Knaresborough

Knaresborough is a well-known, historic town with a 12th century medieval castle ruin, one of the oldest tourist attractions in England, reputedly the oldest chemist shop in the country and its famous railway viaduct over the River Nidd is a picture-postcard view known around the world.

River Nidd Riverside Walks take you to riverboats, a riverside café and ice cream! Across the river is Mother Shipton’s Cave and the Petrifying Well, England’s oldest tourist attraction, which tells the story of Mother Shipton and the waters which turn objects to stone.

Knaresborough Round Walking Route takes you to many surprises including Knaresborough’s “Town Windows” a collection of public artworks illustrating characters and events from the town’s long and rich history around the town centre on various buildings. The artworks use the technique of trompe l’oeil – a painting style that sets out to ‘fool the eye’ into seeing a painted picture as something real. The “Town Windows” are in place all year round so whenever you visit, we hope you will take the time to explore our streets and discover them.

Every Wednesday is Market Day where there’s been a Market every week in the Square since 1310. Here you’ll find the true taste of Yorkshire with a vast selection of locally grown fresh seasonal produce, Yorkshire meat, fresh fish from the coast, an array of local  Cheeses and beers, bread and of course traditional Yorkshire Pork Pies. In addition to food, there’s a huge range of stalls selling everything from handbags to hardware. Plus, you can catch up on all the local news as the Town Crier brings you news and events for your diary at 11 am and 1 pm in the Square,“ oyez, oyez”

Nearby, Conyngham Hall Park is a beautiful green space on the edge of Knaresborough, perfect for family games and picnics. The grounds of Conyngham Hall are open for walking and ball games by the banks of the River Nidd, and up by the hall there are hireable games for families and groups. Attractive Bebra Gardens provide a peaceful retreat and then a walk downhill to the river.

If cycling appeals, bring your bike and get onto the newly surfaced track on the Beryl Burton Cycle Way. You can cycle on the Nidderdale Greenway to Ripley and back. There are many other popular options including Tour de France Grand Depart and Tour de Yorkshire routes.

There’s a lot going on in Knaresborough and it’s where Alf Wight OBE (James Herriot) liked to stop with his family on the way to and from nearby Harrogate when they visited these attractions which are very much part of Herriot Country.

Thirsk

Directions:

Knaresborough is five minutes from the A1(M) Junction 47, has its own railway station with regular services to and from York, Harrogate and Leeds and there is a very good local bus service to locations around the area.