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  • Ideal base for Yorkshire family and mtb holiday – with added Ard Rock
  • big_scot_nanny
    Full Member

    Hi folks,

    Would love to hear your recommendations. In late July/early Aug we will be coming for our family hols to the UK.

    As I will be doing the Ard Rock with some mates, and my missus loves holidays in Yorkshire Dales, makes sense we stay there.

    We often come over from CH and head for Aviemore, and love the biking, town, activities, cakes, curry and fish and chips it offers – roughly in that order 🙂

    Bearing in mind need to be close-ish to ard rock, have ride out the door access to good mtb riding for me and 12yr old, have nice easy family riding surrounding, and be a great fun town for a family of 5 + dog (kids are 12, 8 and 5) – what might you good folks reccommend?

    Would likely aim to rent a house for a week or 2, if that makes any difference to location. (and if anyone knows of anyhting, happy to connect)

    Years and years ago, before kids and mtb-ing, we stayed in Burnsal (I think), near Grassington, Bolton Abbey etc, but really can’t remember if its any good for kids and/or biking. I do remember having the best slow roasted lamb shoulder in the history of the universe in Grassington however. Nom Nom.

    Would love to hear your thoughts, and I’ll share with the missus 🙂

    martinhutch
    Full Member

    I must admit I’m struggling a little bit, mainly the ‘fun town’ and kid’s biking combo, especially one in closeish proximity to Reeth. Most of the Dales towns are pretty functional or a bit chocolate-boxy and not really geared for kids.

    What sort of stuff do they like doing?

    whitestone
    Free Member

    Those are the bits that got me as well. Nearest towns would be: Richmond; Leyburn; Hawes and Kirkby Stephen. Long time since I’ve been to Richmond but the others aren’t noted for their liveliness!

    If you’ve not been then The Forbidden Corner in Coverdale is worth taking the kids to – you can’t just turn up. you have to pre-book.

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    big_scot_nanny
    Full Member

    Hmm, well that doesn’t sound too promising 😆

    It’ll be an outdoor holiday, so lakes, canoeing, easy biking, general fun outdoorsy stuff for kids.

    When we think fun town, we’re thinking of a town with some good cafes for cake after doing fun outdoors stuff and dog walk, not like cinemas and things like that.

    Basically, an analogue for Aviemore, but in the south. Well, north of the south… 🙂

    martinhutch
    Full Member

    It depends on your priorities. If access to Reeth is a biggie, then Richmond or maybe Barnard Castle.

    Barny has decent caffs etc, you can canoe on the Tees up the dale, upper Teesdale is ace – good walking, there’s a little climbing wall and pool if the weather craps out, Hamsterley Forest is relatively handy for kiddy biking. Not sure about the quality of other biking out of the door, that’s probably the weak link.

    If you can cope with a bit more of a drive to the ‘ard rock, I would actually say Kendal! You’ve got excellent biking out of the door, plenty of easy kid riding, top walking, good facilities, the Dales is close by, as are the Howgills and obviously the whole of the south Lakes. Best of pretty much all worlds.

    All of the major Dales towns and villages involve compromises – Hawes is pretty dull, TBH and short of kid riding, Kirkby Stephen is fairly dead too, Settle is as far away as Kendal from Reeth, Grassington might be a better fit, I suppose – little bit pensioner teashop paradise though.

    whitestone
    Free Member

    Plenty of cafes in Hawes, there’s Semerwater nearby (basically the only lake in the Dales), not sure if there’s any sailing/canoeing on it. Don’t think there’s canoeing on any of the Dales’ rivers. Easy biking is in short supply in the immediate area.

    Kirkby Stephen has some easy biking in the area including some on the limestone scars over towards Orton. Also quite a few cafes since it’s on the Coast to Coast walk.

    thecaptain
    Free Member

    Wrong end of the Dales, but as towns go, Settle is pretty good. Train line can be useful for (some) days out – Ribblehead and beyond one way, Skipton and Leeds the other. Plenty of local cafes and on/off road cycling (also less hillier options if you head west).

    chestrockwell
    Full Member

    Masham might not be a bad call. Not much happening there except a pleasant village and plenty of brewery tours but you can ride from the door, reeth is not far off, lightwater valley is round the corner and ripon, Richmond and Northallerton are within easy distance.

    chestrockwell
    Full Member

    I suppose the steady trails at Sutton bank are not fa off either.

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