Herriot Country
attractions
The Saddle Room
James Herriot liked a good meal out and would have been at home at The Saddle Room for its menus that include locally-sourced ingredients, many of which come from within 10 miles and many of the farms and small holdings that he visited on his rounds.
Winner of the Flavours of Herriot Award for Local Restaurant of the Year, and Best Family Dining Restaurant, the Saddle Room has also been awarded 5 stars by the AA and features a fabulous wine cellar and bar area. It has all been created from former race horse stables and includes a main restaurant and several fabulous dining areas suitable for all kinds of occasions. Situated next to The Forbidden Corner which is a very large tourist attraction in the Yorkshire Dales, the Saddle Room is perfectly placed for dining and entertaining before or after a visit to the attraction.
Wines at the Saddle Room are great value for money and have been personally selected by owner Leo Morris who spent many years in the wine trade. Leo has constructed an interesting and quirky range of wine styles to cover all tastes. An innovative wine preservation system called Verre Du Vin allows the fabulous premium wines to be offered by the glass rather than just by the bottle giving guests opportunities to try more options with different dishes.
AA five star rated bed and breakfast accommodation is situated within the grounds of Tupgill Park next to the Forbidden Corner with one twin and eight double ensuite units. There are also six cottages on the Tupgill Estate which is in the heart of the Yorkshire Dales with 513 acres of glorious Yorkshire countryside.
The Saddle Room is also ideal for conferences, team building events and social occasions with facilities available for up to 200 in a marquee on the estate, 96 in the Saddle Room, 60 people in the Bell Barn, 50 in the Hayloft and 20 in the wine cellar.
The Saddle Room Restaurant
Tupgill Park, Coverdale, Leyburn, North Yorkshire, DL8 4TJ
Tel: 01969 640 596
Email: leo@thesaddleroom.co.uk
The Bowes Museum
The Bowes Museum is one of the North of England’s treasure houses that includes Fashion and Textiles, Paintings, Furniture, Silver and Metals, Ceramics and Sculpture from all the European countries spanning five centuries. With the largest collection of Spanish paintings outside London it holds Designated status from the government in recognition of the outstanding significance of the building and its objects.
Part of Herriot Country Tourism Group’s visitor attraction partnership with Yorkshire’s Great Houses, Castles and Gardens, The Bowes Museum stands proud in the market town of Barnard Castle in Teesdale, to the North of Herriot Country.
Behind its magnificent exterior in the style of a French chateau, there’s a wonderful story. It was purpose built by John and Joséphine Bowes who between 1862 and 1874 purchased an astounding 15,000 objects and the Bowes’ enthusiasm was immeasurable.
Some examples of the marvellous items in the diverse collections include marquetry by André-Charles Boulle, porcelain produced by Sèvres and paintings by Canaletto and Goya. There’s a wonderful Medieval altarpiece that is seen opened and closed each day just as worshippers did in its original church on feast days 500 years ago. The Silver Swan musical automaton is a ’must-see-and-hear’ that performs daily at 2pm It was bought by the Bowes’ in 1872.
As well as the collections, there are regular guest exhibitions and the Free 30-minute talks by a curator or guest speaker make them come alive.
Families are very welcome at The Bowes Museum where there is a varied programme of drop-in workshops and creative hands-on fun. A fully accessible Woodland Walk offers a fabulous nature trail to explore and enjoy an adventure with a fun activity trail to discover the collection. There are activity draws around the Museum and opportunities to try out dressing up and colouring.
There’s a popular café and shop and visitors to The Bowes Museum today can not only learn of John and Joséphine’s wonderful story and marvel at the fascinating collections but can also enjoy an exciting programme of exhibitions. The magnificent legacy that John and Joséphine left to the people of Teesdale retains its charm and intrigue, yet sympathetic developments have made the attraction a popular, vibrant, and exciting day out for all.
James Herriot and his family were attracted to museums like The Bowes Museum and anyone visiting will enjoy learning the Bowes’ story and their fascinating collections and which the tradition has continued into the 21st Century.
The Bowes Museum should be on anyone’s itinerary when planning a visit to Herriot Country.
Barnard Castle
County Durham
DL12 8NP
01833 690606
BW Crown Hotel Boroughbridge
BW Crown Hotel Boroughbridge is one of Herriot Country’s gateway hotels. Located in the centre of the ancient and historic town of Boroughbridge, you’ll find the BW Crown Hotel on what was the Great North Road. A former 15th C coaching inn, the Crown Hotel is a surprisingly large hotel with many amenities and comforts that Alf Wight (James Herriot) probably appreciated at one time or another.
Arriving into Herriot Country at Boroughbridge (J48/A1(M) you have the choice of heading into Herriot Country East or West and using the hotel as your base. Head first for The World of James Herriot (of course!), which is just 15 minutes drive via the A168 to Thirsk.
The hotel offers 37 high-quality ensuite bedrooms, Stables Bar and the Crown Grill restaurant with menus to suit all occasions whether a light bite or a fulsome lunch or dinner. With lots of comfy lounges to relax in, have tea and coffee with cakes or full afternoon tea and you’ll soon feel at home.
If relaxation for you is a healthy workout or a swim, then the Crown Leisure Club is the place to head where you can take advantage of a fully equipped fitness suite where team members can advise about your exercise routine. If perhaps you are seeking a less rigorous relaxation regime, then simply strip off, put on your swimming costume and relax in the sauna, steam room and Jacuzzi before a refreshing swim in the main heated indoor pool.
Address
Horesfair, Boroughbridge, North Yorkshire YO51 9LB
Telephone
01423 322328
sales@crownboroughbridge.co.uk
Easily reached from the A1(M) Junction 48 the BW Crown Hotel is directly opposite the town’s Post Office on Horsefair on what was the old Great North Road.
Wensleydale Railway – Returning 29th May 2021!
The Herriot Country Line places the Wensleydale Railway at the heart of Herriot Country. Alf Wight OBE aka James Herriot worked his rounds in so many of the places where the Wensleydale Railway runs through the beautiful Yorkshire Dales. The line reopened to passenger traffic from Leeming Bar to Leyburn in 2003, and the following year the section to Redmire was also opened. The line runs west from Northallerton through Scruton, Leeming Bar, Bedale, Finghall Lane, Leyburn and Redmire. Finghall Lane was the location for the fictional Darrowby Station in the filming of the BBC TV series of All Creatures Great and Small.
The hub of the railway, Leeming Bar Station is located just off the A1(M) J51 and has been completely restored with funding from the Heritage Lottery Fund. The railway’s rolling stock is maintained and restored here and it’s the base for the staff office.
The Wensleydale Railway has so much to offer visitors to Herriot Country as it passes through some of the most beautiful parts of North Yorkshire and is one of the longest heritage railways in the country, so it is great Yorkshire value!
Stations along the route are characterful restorations evoking memories of a time gone by and the towns where you can alight such as Bedale and Leyburn which have an array of authentic local shops and services that are run by warm and welcoming Yorkshire folk.
As you approach Redmire, there are stunning views of the Yorkshire Dales and dramatic Penhill plus, it is just a short walk to Bolton Castle. It’s an ideal way for walkers to reach their start point for walks into the Western Dales. Combine a Wensleydale Railway train trip with a local bus service and you’ll see Herriot Country the way that James Herriot did when he first arrived in North Yorkshire. You can see the scenes in the Channel 5 version of All Creatures Great and Small.
Leeming Bar Station
Leases Road
Leeming Bar
North Yorkshire
DL7 9AR
Phone: 01677 42580
Email: admin@wensleydalerailway.com
Getting Here
By Car
Leeming Bar Station is approximately 1/2 mile from junction 51 on the A1(M). From the A1 follow the signs for Leeming Bar Industrial estate, then after the level crossing turn right in to the car park. For drivers coming via the A684 head towards Leeming Bar and at the mini-roundabout take the minor road towards signed Kirkby Fleetham, then just before the level crossing turn left in to the car park.
By Public Transport:
The 73 service runs during weekdays and Saturdays from Northallerton, (including a stop by Northallerton Railway Station) to Bedale and return
The 856 service operates on Sundays only between Hawes and Northallerton
Low Osgoodby Grange
Established in 2018, Low Osgoodby Grange is one of Herriot Country’s newer offerings set in a Georgian farmhouse situated 5 miles out of Thirsk, set in the sensational rural heart of North Yorkshire at the foot of the Hambleton Hills. It might once have been one of James Herriot’s farm customers.
The Four Star Rated Silver Award family run Bed and Breakfast accommodation includes three farmhouse rooms, each of which are en-suite with showers, tea and coffee making facilities, tv, hairdryer and complimentary mineral water. Plus, there are various sleeping options such as Yurts, Tipis, Glamping Pods, and even Japanese Styled sleeping pods!
Low Osgoodby Grange has over 200 acres of private grounds so it caters for a wide variety of activities, is very flexible and means that everyone’s needs can be met.
As a venue for events there are facilities for wedding receptions, corporate events, or parties it is very flexible and there are tailored packages to suit every event. With panoramic views of the stunning Herriot Country landscape, it is a very attractive venue for all occasions.
Situated between the rural villages of Bagby and Kilburn, about 5 miles from Thirsk (home to James Herriot), in North Yorkshire, with easy access to the A19 and A1 and A1(M), Low Osgoodby Grange is ideal as a base for the North York Moors, the Yorkshire Dales and Yorkshire Coast. Many cycling and walking routes are nearby including the Cleveland Way, Wainwrights’ Coast-to-Coast Walk and the Wiggle Aye Up! Yorkshire Cycle route.
Osgoodby, Thirsk, NorthYorkshire, YO7 2AL
Tel: 07703299233
All Creatures Great and Small Series Two Underway
All Creatures Great and Small on Channel 5 has been received with fabulous reviews and season two is now underway. Here’s what the media have said:
“Perfect… heartwarming… a much needed balm”
The Telegraph
”Irresistible… vivid… milks every drop of melancholic pleasure from the lost and gentle past”
Daily Mail
”Charming… reminds us of basic values of decency in the most pleasant way possible”
The London Times
All of us in Herriot Country are thrilled with the news and look forward to seeing this enchanting version of the tales of Herriot Country that Alf Wight OBE crafted. His work has been interpreted so well by Playground and it brings the stores to a whole new generation to James Herriot.