Our local market towns
Dalesend Cottages are surrounded by market towns – a historic feature of brilliant Yorkshire.
Bedale
The closest to Dalesend Cottages. The Tuesday market is good for fresh fish, fruit and vegetables and some add-ons in the non-food sector; plants clothes etc. The monthly farmers food markets take place on the Third Sunday of each month. Stalls sell artisan bakery, fresh meat and more specialised food.
Richmond
About 9 miles, has a Norman castle (11 century), a really good Saturday market, lovely walks along the river Swale, and the Georgian Theatre playhouse. Richmond also has an arts and culture centre – The Station showing films, seasonal art exhibitions, and some small shops. The café serves simple food in this interesting former station setting.
Leyburn
About 7 miles. We love Leyburn! The Friday market is a very typical example of a Dales market. The shops and cafes are varied and interesting. Leyburn is also home to the famous auction house, Tennants. Auction view days are often on Fridays and you can bid on the Saturday. Take home a bargain as a holiday memento?
Masham
About 6 miles away, Masham has a small Wednesday market, a couple of specialist food shops – sweets in particular, and two breweries. Masham is home to The Black Sheep Brewery and the Theakston Brewery and both offer tours. A quaint town, sleepy and pretty. The bike ride or car journey there is very pretty from Dalesend Cottages.
Northallerton
About 11 miles, has the largest market in the area on a Wednesday and Saturday. It also has a large M&S Food Hall. The main attractions are Bettys Café and Tea rooms, where you will be spoilt for the choice of cakes, bread, sweet treats, speciality tea and coffee. Say no more. Northallerton also has a fine family-run department store called Barkers offering a beauty hall, clothes brands for men and women and a good footwear department along with cookware, bed linens, handbags, and lots more.
Market towns further afield
We love Thirsk, Helmsley and Barnard Castle for the following reasons.
Helmsley
Website
A rather special small market town bridging the Yorkshire Dales and the East Coast. There is a lot to see and do in Helmsley. We love the walled gardens of Helmsley Castle and could spend many hours amongst the 5 acres of gardens. Helmsley has a brilliant market and rather wonderful shops that you don’t find elsewhere in Yorkshire.
Barnard Castle
A gem because not only is the town centre rather architecturally good, with unusual shops and cafes but the jewel of the town is the Bowes Museum . World-famous and rightly so. You will be astonished to find this museum is housed in a French Chateau in the heart of Teesdale. Barnard Castle is about a 35 minute drive from Dalesend Cottages and is a really interesting day out. If hunger breaks out there or back we recommend Mainsgill Farm Shop which is on the main road (A66) to Barnard Castle. This farm shop is award winning and is well worth a visit.
Events
Market Days
Monday – Thirsk & Darlington
Tuesday – Bedale & Hawes
Wednesday – Northallerton, Masham & Knaresborough
Thursday – Richmond (indoor) & Ripon
Friday – Leyburn, Reeth & Easingwold
Saturday – Northallerton, Masham, Richmond, Thirsk & Darlington
Farmers Markets
Stokesley – 1st Saturday of the month
Skipton – 1st Sunday of the month
Settle – 2nd Sunday of the month
Richmond – 3rd Saturday of the month
Bedale – 3rd Sunday of month
Grassington – 3rd Sunday of the month
Ripon – 3rd Sunday of the month
Leyburn – 4th Saturday of the month
Northallerton – 4th Wednesday of the month
Our local cathedral towns
Undeniably, the king of the north’s Cathedral cities is York. Dalesend Cottages are only an hour’s drive away.
York
Use their Park and Ride service. You could also take the train from Northallerton Station where parking is plentiful and cheap for the whole day. The train enables you to arrive in the centre of York and enjoy the walk across the river or along the city walls, directly into the town. The Minster is the central attraction but York has so much to offer, from history to shopping that you may, like some of our guests, go back for a second day.
Ripon
A smaller cathedral city with a thriving Thursday market and a popular racecourse. Close by are the world heritage site of Fountains Abbey, Newby Hall and gardens, and Ripley Castle. Ripon has good eateries and quirky shopping. You could combine a visit Harrogate and Ripon – they are 15 minutes apart.
Durham
We have included Durham Cathedral city in our suggestions because this cathedral – and town, are a memorable experience, despite not being in the county of Yorkshire (shush, we are promoting County Durham here, but we are friendly to our neighbours). A powerful river runs beneath the magnificent cathedral that is a place of calm, beauty and prayer inside. History is shown to you on every street, from the university college buildings, to the twisted shopping streets perched on hills. We think you’ll love Durham, only a 45 mile direct drive from us using the A1 north.
Treat yourself to a Yorkshire break
Yorkshire deserves more time than just a day trip. Why not relax in one of our luxury holiday cottages for couples near Leyburn?
Our Hayloft Cottage has a wood burner and a luxurious free-standing bath at the foot of the bed. If you’d like a hot tub, you may wish to consider Tack Room Cottage. For cottages with two rooms rather than open plan, there are Groom’s Rooms Cottage and Head Lad Cottage.