Hello there you.

Me and my girlfriend are planning a little getaway to the Dales but have no idea where the best place would be to stay and visit! This is a non-biking holiday, so keep this in mind.

Please help, your reward for helping will be a hearty virtual "attaboy". Which sounds filthy I know.

Wensleydale takes some beating IMO

you should most definetly stay at the tan hill inn for a night. highest inn in the uk, certainly feels like that too when your up there, very bleak but nice and cosy inside. loads of stuff to do in the surrounding area too, wensleydale cheese factory, high force water fall, white scar cave…

Cheers, that inn sounds good. I'll have a look at Wensleydale then.

Depending on where you stay and how long you are there have a drive east through Thirsk and the the Vale of York. Treat the g/f to a top notch lunch at the Star Inn at Harome – very close to Helmsley, which also would be a lovely place to stay, although not in the Dales, and very close to Castle Howard.

Otherwise another vote for Wensleydale, or Grassington in Wharfedale is a lovely central spot for exploring the Dales with some lovely walks. Richmond with its castle is worth visiting, Masham with its two breweries is also worth a stop, and a visit to Fountains Abbey and Studley Royal is also recommended.

Basically you can't go wrong wherever you stay or go!

An exiled Yorkshireman

Have to agree with all the posts on here as someone who has holiday'd up there for nearly 20yrs man and boy.
Id also like to reccomend a visit or stay in the village of Reeth and a visit to either the Punch Bowl(in Low Row) and or the CB Inn (just outside Langthwaite) for fine food. And a drive across the Butter Tubs Pass has to be done!

I will be up there next weekend myself for my first taste of riding the dales off road!

We stayed at Westholme lodges in Aysgarth – with our own private hottub. It was blummin brilliant! There are a couple of great pubs down the road and Hawes is a 10 minute drive.

I wouldn't stay at the Tan Hill – too high & bleak.
Reeth / Hawes would be better, or for a beautiful town as opposed to village, go to Richmond.

All of Swaledale….

To be fair, the whole of the Dales is a beautiful place and you won't go wrong anywhere. However, I recently went to Malham for a day and sat drinking Thwaite's Bomber in The Lister Arms. A lovely little (residential) pub/inn in a lovely little village.

Five minutes up the road is this amazing view…

I am lucky though – I can see the edge of the Dales (and Stainburn Edge too) from my house.

I guess where you go depends alot on where your coming from ? If the M6 I'd say stick to Malham/Ingleborough/Hawes end. Rather than Wenslydale which is more the east side.

There are loads of nice pubs in the Dale's to stay at or try out.

I don't quite get the Thirsk & Vale of York bit as 1. Its not the Yorkshire Dales 2. Its flat and boring!

If you go to the east, and want to impress your lass, I would recommend a night staying at the Blacksheep Brewery, doing the tour during the day and then going to Vennells for T and have some top notch grub. Just watch your bank balance!

And have her drink Riggwelter all night and hear her say yes! yes! yes! to your every sexual desire – it Rohypnol in alcoholic form.

😉

If you're coming to Swaledale be sure to pop in and say hi!

We can advise on routes, fix up your bike if needed in the workshop, our cafe has Bren's homemade cake and amazing coffee and of course our smart bunk room accomodation. http://www.dalesbikecentre.co.uk

swaledale – and agree Tan Hill a bit too bleak.

If you have a week, and fancy some time in a nice, but basic converted byre then mail me and I can give you the no of the place we have stayed at in Arkengarthdale

Would second the CB Inn great food and nice rooms, although on different stays there I did manage to get engaged and then married. Not been there for a couple of years as I think they stopped allowing dogs to stay.

I did manage to get engaged and then married. Not been there for a couple of years as I think they stopped allowing dogs to stay.

I hope that was an accidental association, nothing more…

THE best place ANYWHERE in the Dales is Reeth. Stay at the Black Bull, it's a bit 'rustic' & the brekky is a heart attack on a plate.
Or try Stuarts new place, see link for dalesbikecentre.
He's done a grand job, the cafe looks brill, the coffee smelled fab & what's more he's a canny lad!
Pity I had to get back home for a barbie last Saturday or we would have sampled the lot.

FunkyDunc – Member

I guess where you go depends alot on where your coming from ? If the M6 I'd say stick to Malham/Ingleborough/Hawes end. Rather than Wenslydale which is more the east side.

Hawes is in Wensleydale isn't it?, that's were Wensleydale cheese comes from, right?.

If you have kids (or are big kids yourselves), a visit to the Forbidden corner is fun (near Leyburn).

a visit to the Forbidden corner is fun

But I believe tickets have to be bought in advance?….

correct

I did manage to get engaged and then married. Not been there for a couple of years as I think they stopped allowing dogs to stay.

I hope that was an accidental association, nothing more…

Oops – well it is Mrs Smoggy who won't leave the dog with my folks in Darlo

But I believe tickets have to be bought in advance?….

Yes, tourist information in Leyburn I think

Jeez, there's a lot to pick from…thanks for all the advice, we'll have a look at all your suggestions.

Cheers!