Thirsk - dreaming of Heriot country
 

Hi everyone.....we would love to know if we will see countryside like in the TV series 'All Creatures Great and Small' on our drive from York to Thirsk? If not, would you mind suggesting a drive from Thirsk that would only take an hour or so round trip?

I stayed the night in Ripon (delightful place) and the hostess at B&B said I would see lots of Herriot places and told me the little detour to take on the way to Thirsk to see the place that is always shown in the opening shots of "All Creatures Great and Small". Twenty years on I can't remember the details, but looking at my pictures of that trip makes me remember what a lovely drive it was. I am looking at my road atlas and the distance between Thirsk and Ripon appears to be about 12 miles. Fountains Abbey is just beyond Ripon and Ripon itself was interesting. Small cathedral and interesting little streets. I remember Ripon with fondness as I turned up at the TI for the evening walking tour of Ripon. I was the only one who showed up and the gentleman who was to lead the tour took me around anyway. He was a wealth of knowledge and along the way we met several of his friends to whom he introduced me. One even invited us into her home and back garden which went down to the river. She showed us ducklings which had just hatched and then served tea. But I digress, back to your question.

If you take the A170 toward Helmsley from Thirsk, you go up over the Sutton Bank--stunning views!--and through lots of little villages mentioned in the books. The route is marked in green in the road atlas (scenic). Visit Riveaulx Abbey ruins--peaceful spot. Shown in the show and also in the books (if I remember correctly, it was where James proposed to Helen.)

I left Ripon after breakfast, visited Thirsk, drove up over Sutton Bank, Came down through Wensleydale, visited Castle Bolton, spent an hour or so in Richmond and was in Durham by late afternoon--just to give you an idea of times. Wished I had a lot more time for that part of the country.

Anyway, have a wonderful trip.

This is much belated, but as someone else who is planning a Thirsk trip, thank you for posting these details!

Kandace, Start your own thread and ask Morgana (title it something like Morgana, help for Yorkshire). She lives in the area and has given lots of advice to other posters recently.

I too am looking for info on driving, both to and from Burnsall, where we stay June 28, then flying to JFK from Manchester on July 1.

So thanks for this info and anything more people can tell me.