Things to do in the area

With so much to do on the doorstep, you may never want to leave the beautiful surroundings of The Old Vicarage but when you are ready to explore further afield, there’s plenty to see and do whatever the time of year.

Richmond

Just a few miles away is the historic market town of Richmond - famed for its elegant Georgian architecture, cobbled streets and landmark Norman castle. Here you will find many interesting shops, craft galleries, museums and other attractions. There are plenty of local riverside and woodland walks and the waterfalls are well worth a visit.

Reeth and nearby villages

There are lots of picturesque villages to explore on the doorstep, all with their own unique flavour. Reeth, a traditional walking and cycling centre with a large village green, has a number of craft workshops and a local heritage museum. It is also the closest place to find a good choice of pubs, teashops and a popular ice-cream parlour.

Outdoor activities

The area is renowned for walking and cycling (see the separate sections on this website), with inexhaustible networks of footpaths, bridleways and country lanes, including the famous 'Coast to Coast' route and the most northern part of the 2014 Tour de France cycle race. Other activities include horse riding, golf, caving and there is great fishing to be had on local rivers and fishing lakes.

Castles and historic houses

Yorkshire has an abundance of castles, abbeys and stately homes. As well as Richmond Castle, Bolton Castle (where Mary Queen of Scots was famously held prisoner) and Middleham Castle (the childhood home of Richard III) are close by. The Abbeys of Easby, Byland, Rievaulx and Fountains (Yorkshire's first World Heritage site) are also within easy reach, as are the crowd-pulling stately homes of Newby Hall and Castle Howard.

Family days out

Families are spoilt for choice when selecting activities. The Forbidden Corner, near Middleham, is billed as the strangest place in the world and its unique labyrinths of tunnels, chambers, follies and surprises certainly provide an endless source of fascination for all ages. There are also farms to visit and you can take a ride on a heritage railway. Flamingoland and Lightwater Valley theme parks provide additional family fun.

Slightly further afield

Historic York, Durham and the Spa town of Harrogate are all within an hour's drive, providing a host of attractions and shopping opportunities. If you travel east through the North York Moors, you soon reach the coast with its picturesque fishing villages, such as Robin Hoods Bay, and the traditional seaside resorts of Scarborough and Filey. Lesser-known Runswick Bay (5 miles north of Whitby) is not only a beautiful coastal village with its brightly painted fishing cobles, but it's a great place for fossil hunting too!