escapes
escapes
Green and pleasant land: The rolling hills of the Yorkshire dales.
All aboard – Brian Caldecott joins a coach tour of the Yorkshire Dales and finds it a great way to see the sights while relaxing on a short break. TradiTional and peaCeful, The Yorkshire over the dry stone walls – much better than markeT Town of Skipton was recently voted what we might have seen from the car. the best shopping spot in England. At Aysgarth we walked through the 15th Its broad, tree-lined streets, once filled with century St Andrew’s churchyard and down the hustle and bustle of the sheep market, to the spot where the River Ure tumbles over are today home to a general market that a series of broad limestone steps known as takes place four days a week and to modern, Aysgarth Falls. Although not particularly traditional and quirky little shops. With its high, the waterfalls are one of Wensleydale’s charming maze of cobbled streets and tiny most famous beauty spots, having featured ginnels, the town regarded as the gateway to in the film Robin Hood – Prince of Thieves. the Dales gave a foretaste of what was in store After the steep climb back there was time for when we embarked on a discovery tour of the coffee and cakes at the friendly Falls Café Bar magnificent national park area. before continuing by way of Middleham and Tricia was delighted to park the car keys and its majestic castle to Masham, for a shepherded take a comfortable seat in a roomy, state-oftour of the Black Sheep Brewery. Lunch and a the-art touring coach for a relaxing weekend tasting or three followed. exploration of the southern Dales. Suitably refreshed, it was back aboard for a We visited Skipton Castle, once the home short drive to Fountains Abbey and Studley of the Cliffords, powerful warlords Royal Water Gardens. Yorkshire’s first influential in the courts of Henry VIII World Heritage Site is a huge estate a steep and Elizabeth I. More than 900 years of beauty, contrasts and surprises old, it’s one of the most complete including the largest abbey cobbled and best-preserved medieval ruins in the country and one street in castles in Yorkshire. Between of England’s most spectacular haworth. a descent to the depths of the Georgian water gardens. dungeon and a climb to the Fountains is situated in top storey of the watch tower an area of outstanding we took in the attractions natural beauty in the of the banqueting hall, the valley of the river Skell, kitchen, the bedchamber only 30 miles from the and privy. historic city of York. The Afterwards, for a view of extensive remains of the the town from a different Cistercian abbey include angle we took a one-hour one of the finest monastic boat trip along the 200mills in Europe. We had year-old Leeds-Liverpool time for just a peek into Canal, Britain’s longest an estate extending to 800 inland waterway, passing acres of naturally beautiful through meadows and pretty countryside, with 10 historic woodlands. buildings spanning 800 years Our overnight stay at the of history. Rendezvous Hotel on the edge of Next stop was stunning Ripley Skipton was hosted by owners Karen Castle at Harrogate which has been and Malcolm Weaving who joined the home of the Ingilby family for more us for a first-class dinner in the canalside than 700 years and is loaded with a colourful restaurant. Malcolm, who’s something of a and sometimes gruesome history. Members wag, entertained with tales sprinkled with of the family were related to or associated Yorkshire niblets of ’ow do, eyoop, tha’naws with nine of the 11 main Gunpowder Plot and na’then. Tricia was at times flummoxed conspirators. The priest’s hole, where Catholic but as a native of a neighbouring county I got priest Francis Ingilby and his brother David, the message and it was great fun. ‘the most dangerous Papists in the North’, hid Next morning, with our guide Keith when officers sent by Elizabeth I searched for Mulhearn, a mine of information, we boarded them, was so well concealed that its existence our comfortable air-conditioned coach and remained unknown for almost 400 years. pottered through the pretty Dales villages of After another excellent dinner and a restful Rylstone – sadly, with not so much as a glimpse night at the Marriott Hollins Hall Hotel at of the Calendar Girls! – Grassington, Kettlewell Shipley we were off to the Unesco village of and Buckden. Saltaire, which takes its name from its founder, The narrow and winding roads are a challenge 19th century industrialist Sir Titus Salt, who even to car drivers but Andrew Palmer, our amassed his fortune from the textile industry, experienced man at the wheel, negotiated and the River Aire which runs through the the loops and kinks without a flutter and village on the outskirts of Bradford. passengers marvelled at the stunning views The streets are named after Salt, his wife
14 EDP Saturday Magazine n January 8, 2011
dallying in the dales stunning scenery: main picture, aysgarth falls. above, left to right, fountains abbey; haworth
needtoknow Yorkshire is one of the most popular coach tour destinations and dozens of member companies of the Coach Tourism Council operate short breaks there. Our coach was provided by David Palmer Travel of Normanton, near Leeds. Visit findacoachholiday.com ◆ Grand UK (01603 619933) with pick-up points across East Anglia, has a Yorkshire on Screen tour featuring Holmfirth, Haworth, Keighley and Worth Valley Railway, Emmerdale, Thirsk, James Herriott Country and Wensleydale – five days from £245. ◆ Easton’s Holidays (01603 754155) has a Dales tour in July, staying at the Marriott Hollins Hall Hotel, featuring Skipton, Saltaire, Haworth, Fountains Abbey and the KWV Railway – four nights, dinner, bed and breakfast, £369. where to stay ◆ Rendezvous Hotel, Keighley Road, Skipton, BD23 2TA (rendezvous-skipton.co.uk; 01756 700100) – 80 ensuite rooms, garden terrace, roof garden, leisure club with pool. ◆ Marriott Hollins Hall Hotel and Country Club, Baildon, Shipley, BD17 7QW (marriotthollinshall.co. uk; 01274 534201) – more than 200 acres of grounds, 30 minutes from Leeds and Bradford. Guest rooms feature one or two double beds, minibar, hairdryer and work areas. Facilities include sauna, indoor pool, golf course. Zest Restaurant is
open daily for lunch and dinner; Heathcliff’s Restaurant serves dinner Friday to Sunday. where to eat ◆ The Falls, Church Bank, Aysgarth Falls, Wensleydale, DL8 3SR (thefalls-aysgarthfalls.com). ◆ Black Sheep Brewery, Wellgarth, Masham, HG4 4EN (blacksheepbrewery.com; 01765 689227). ◆ Weavers Restaurant, 15 West Lane, Haworth, BD22 8DU (01535 643822). Visits ◆ skiptoncastle.co.uk ◆ bronte.org.uk ◆ Pennine Boat Trips (canaltrips.co.uk; 01756 790829) one-hour cruise and two-course lunch in cafe, £15.50. ◆ Fountains Abbey and Studley Royal (fountainsabbey.org.uk) – open daily October to March, 10am to 4pm; April to September, 10am to 5pm. Admission £8.50, child £4.55. ◆ Ripley Castle, Harrogate, HG3 3AY (ripleycastle. co.uk; 01423 770152). ◆ Keighley and& Worth Valley Railway (kwvr.co.uk; 01535 645214). info ◆ completelyyorkshire.com ◆ yorkshire.com
Green and pleasant land: The rolling hills of the Yorkshire dales.
All aboard – Brian Caldecott joins a coach tour of the Yorkshire Dales and finds it a great way to see the sights while relaxing on a short break. TradiTional and peaCeful, The Yorkshire over the dry stone walls – much better than markeT Town of Skipton was recently voted what we might have seen from the car. the best shopping spot in England. At Aysgarth we walked through the 15th Its broad, tree-lined streets, once filled with century St Andrew’s churchyard and down the hustle and bustle of the sheep market, to the spot where the River Ure tumbles over are today home to a general market that a series of broad limestone steps known as takes place four days a week and to modern, Aysgarth Falls. Although not particularly traditional and quirky little shops. With its high, the waterfalls are one of Wensleydale’s charming maze of cobbled streets and tiny most famous beauty spots, having featured ginnels, the town regarded as the gateway to in the film Robin Hood – Prince of Thieves. the Dales gave a foretaste of what was in store After the steep climb back there was time for when we embarked on a discovery tour of the coffee and cakes at the friendly Falls Café Bar magnificent national park area. before continuing by way of Middleham and Tricia was delighted to park the car keys and its majestic castle to Masham, for a shepherded take a comfortable seat in a roomy, state-oftour of the Black Sheep Brewery. Lunch and a the-art touring coach for a relaxing weekend tasting or three followed. exploration of the southern Dales. Suitably refreshed, it was back aboard for a We visited Skipton Castle, once the home short drive to Fountains Abbey and Studley of the Cliffords, powerful warlords Royal Water Gardens. Yorkshire’s first influential in the courts of Henry VIII World Heritage Site is a huge estate a steep and Elizabeth I. More than 900 years of beauty, contrasts and surprises old, it’s one of the most complete including the largest abbey cobbled and best-preserved medieval ruins in the country and one street in castles in Yorkshire. Between of England’s most spectacular haworth. a descent to the depths of the Georgian water gardens. dungeon and a climb to the Fountains is situated in top storey of the watch tower an area of outstanding we took in the attractions natural beauty in the of the banqueting hall, the valley of the river Skell, kitchen, the bedchamber only 30 miles from the and privy. historic city of York. The Afterwards, for a view of extensive remains of the the town from a different Cistercian abbey include angle we took a one-hour one of the finest monastic boat trip along the 200mills in Europe. We had year-old Leeds-Liverpool time for just a peek into Canal, Britain’s longest an estate extending to 800 inland waterway, passing acres of naturally beautiful through meadows and pretty countryside, with 10 historic woodlands. buildings spanning 800 years Our overnight stay at the of history. Rendezvous Hotel on the edge of Next stop was stunning Ripley Skipton was hosted by owners Karen Castle at Harrogate which has been and Malcolm Weaving who joined the home of the Ingilby family for more us for a first-class dinner in the canalside than 700 years and is loaded with a colourful restaurant. Malcolm, who’s something of a and sometimes gruesome history. Members wag, entertained with tales sprinkled with of the family were related to or associated Yorkshire niblets of ’ow do, eyoop, tha’naws with nine of the 11 main Gunpowder Plot and na’then. Tricia was at times flummoxed conspirators. The priest’s hole, where Catholic but as a native of a neighbouring county I got priest Francis Ingilby and his brother David, the message and it was great fun. ‘the most dangerous Papists in the North’, hid Next morning, with our guide Keith when officers sent by Elizabeth I searched for Mulhearn, a mine of information, we boarded them, was so well concealed that its existence our comfortable air-conditioned coach and remained unknown for almost 400 years. pottered through the pretty Dales villages of After another excellent dinner and a restful Rylstone – sadly, with not so much as a glimpse night at the Marriott Hollins Hall Hotel at of the Calendar Girls! – Grassington, Kettlewell Shipley we were off to the Unesco village of and Buckden. Saltaire, which takes its name from its founder, The narrow and winding roads are a challenge 19th century industrialist Sir Titus Salt, who even to car drivers but Andrew Palmer, our amassed his fortune from the textile industry, experienced man at the wheel, negotiated and the River Aire which runs through the the loops and kinks without a flutter and village on the outskirts of Bradford. passengers marvelled at the stunning views The streets are named after Salt, his wife
14 EDP Saturday Magazine n January 8, 2011
dallying in the dales stunning scenery: main picture, aysgarth falls. above, left to right, fountains abbey; haworth
needtoknow Yorkshire is one of the most popular coach tour destinations and dozens of member companies of the Coach Tourism Council operate short breaks there. Our coach was provided by David Palmer Travel of Normanton, near Leeds. Visit findacoachholiday.com ◆ Grand UK (01603 619933) with pick-up points across East Anglia, has a Yorkshire on Screen tour featuring Holmfirth, Haworth, Keighley and Worth Valley Railway, Emmerdale, Thirsk, James Herriott Country and Wensleydale – five days from £245. ◆ Easton’s Holidays (01603 754155) has a Dales tour in July, staying at the Marriott Hollins Hall Hotel, featuring Skipton, Saltaire, Haworth, Fountains Abbey and the KWV Railway – four nights, dinner, bed and breakfast, £369. where to stay ◆ Rendezvous Hotel, Keighley Road, Skipton, BD23 2TA (rendezvous-skipton.co.uk; 01756 700100) – 80 ensuite rooms, garden terrace, roof garden, leisure club with pool. ◆ Marriott Hollins Hall Hotel and Country Club, Baildon, Shipley, BD17 7QW (marriotthollinshall.co. uk; 01274 534201) – more than 200 acres of grounds, 30 minutes from Leeds and Bradford. Guest rooms feature one or two double beds, minibar, hairdryer and work areas. Facilities include sauna, indoor pool, golf course. Zest Restaurant is
open daily for lunch and dinner; Heathcliff’s Restaurant serves dinner Friday to Sunday. where to eat ◆ The Falls, Church Bank, Aysgarth Falls, Wensleydale, DL8 3SR (thefalls-aysgarthfalls.com). ◆ Black Sheep Brewery, Wellgarth, Masham, HG4 4EN (blacksheepbrewery.com; 01765 689227). ◆ Weavers Restaurant, 15 West Lane, Haworth, BD22 8DU (01535 643822). Visits ◆ skiptoncastle.co.uk ◆ bronte.org.uk ◆ Pennine Boat Trips (canaltrips.co.uk; 01756 790829) one-hour cruise and two-course lunch in cafe, £15.50. ◆ Fountains Abbey and Studley Royal (fountainsabbey.org.uk) – open daily October to March, 10am to 4pm; April to September, 10am to 5pm. Admission £8.50, child £4.55. ◆ Ripley Castle, Harrogate, HG3 3AY (ripleycastle. co.uk; 01423 770152). ◆ Keighley and& Worth Valley Railway (kwvr.co.uk; 01535 645214). info ◆ completelyyorkshire.com ◆ yorkshire.com
