Tosca Leaps to the Moors and Dales

Old Jul 18th, 2016, 05:10 AM
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Tosca Leaps to the Moors and Dales

To repeat some essentials from the other thread(s) here:

Moors and Dales got to be good for me. Come to Yorkshire Dukey, you saved the best to last.

Either catch the train up to Leeds or York, or drive up the A1 or the M1,

http://www.yorkshiredales.org.uk/
http://www.northyorkmoors.org.uk/

maybe stay in Harrogate as a good larger town base.

When you decide, come back and I can advise on details.

For the odd jive
http://www.leeds.gov.uk/LeedsConcert...s/default.aspx
https://www.ents24.com/hub/search/ne...enre/classical
https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/d/unite...assical-music/


ALSO,

Janisj had made a rec about staying at the Yorke Arms

The Plan thus far:

We will fly into (probably) Gatwick from Verona on a Saturday morning in August 2017.

I have researched the possibility of flying into places like Manchester or Leeds-Bradford but so far Gatwick looks to be the most likely possibility given the day of the week and the probability of using a "budget" carrier such as EasyJet.

We will have the rest of that Saturday as well as the next four days before traveling to London for our final three days/nights.

We have narrowed this down to the Moors/Dales area and as much as we might like to tour one or two of those "stately homes" like Hardwick Hall, Chatsworth, etc., (we've been to Castle Howard before) we know they are probably too far away from wherever we base to easily do.

We will definitely have a "hire" car.

What I am trying to decide is whether or not it would be better to take the train into London from LGW and change for a train to somewhere like York and rent (and subsequently return) the car there. I'd rather not rent a car at Gatwick and drive north although I have driven further distances in the UK but I do not want to drive BACK to LGW!

I've read all of those "where to base" posts, and I mean all of them (this has to be the question of the century around here) and I appreciate your suggestions thus far which I will research further.

Things which may be helpful for you to know: personally, I think I would enjoy what appears to be the "vastness" of the Moors landscape; my Husbear probably not so much but since I'm driving he'll sit back and endure! The Dales look to be about as "stereotypical" as it gets and I am assuming lots of hedgerows, narrow roads, twists and turns (am I close?).

We are NOT compulsive travelers these days; we can easily be satisfied doing just a couple of things in a day. We loved just being in the Cotswolds a couple of years ago and made some wonderful scenic discoveries just by driving around somewhat aimlessly!

Accommodations: yeah, they can be VERY high-end or not so much. I appreciate easy parking, decent food; cats wandering into the room can be fun, too.

Appreciate your indulgence and further feedback. We have to do this before it is too late and we've spent less time in the countryside these past few years than we should have.
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Old Jul 18th, 2016, 05:33 AM
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Dukey, if you stay in York you will need a car park space, the old centre is small and packed and you don't want to be hunting spaces and dragging bags around. York station is right on the edge of the medieval city and car hire is close. York hotels can be good but if you want to stay in the city look at appartments too, some very nice places are available around the cathedral.

Yes Dales are basically tiny roads, sheep, cattle being walked down the road for milking and dry stone walls. Have a look at tour de yorkshire bike races to get a feel for it.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0pzqkVkY4RE

Harrogate is where the rich of Leeds go to die, so some fine silverwear shops and tea rooms.

You may like the various abbey ruins, Bolton Abbey (Devonshire arms is based here a pretty high end hotel) and Fountains are my favorite but there are some more windswept.

http://www.britainexpress.com/counti...beys/index.htm

http://www.yorkshirenet.co.uk/yorksh...stately-homes/ the only one I would avoid is Harewood which is 1) tatty, 2) expensive and 3) paid for by the compensation paid to people as part of the emancipation of the Slaves...

http://www.yorkshire.com/inspiration...rical-heritage
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Old Jul 18th, 2016, 06:15 AM
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Unless you really want to tour around or through the Midlands en route to the area you're planning to get to, why not go straight there? There are direct trains from Gatwick to St Pancras, which right next door to the trains for York.

Might you also be interested in the steam train to Whitby?
http://www.nymr.co.uk/planning-your-visit/line-guide/
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Old Jul 18th, 2016, 06:36 AM
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>> so far Gatwick looks to be the most likely possibility given the day of the week and the probability of using a "budget" carrier such as EasyJet.
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Old Jul 18th, 2016, 08:37 AM
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Thanks for everyone's thoughts.

First: getting there. I want this to be as easy as possible and that means flying from VRN and not going over to VCE or to Milan or anywhere else to get a flight.

I'd prefer to fly to one place rather than changing at Gatwick BUT I could do that if it ended up being more convenient in the long run. I'm also willing to abandon a return segment in order to get a better air price so am still looking at all of that.

I am inclined to do the flight to LGW, take the train into London and change for a train to York and rent the car there. I've looked at a couple of accommodations outside the city (Middlethorpe Hall, for example) which offers parking but could also rent the car and drive north to an accommodation as well.

To answer the steam railway question: yes, that could be lots of fun and is something we would consider. Even though we already live ON the beach visiting the coast/towns on the coast is/are of interest as well.
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Old Jul 18th, 2016, 08:49 AM
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Gatwick would be the most inconvenient airport to fly into.

In order it would be something like this:

Leeds/Bradford
Manchester
Robin Hood (Doncaster)
Newcastle
East Midlands
Liverpool
Stansted
Birmingham
Gatwick
Heathrow

https://www.theguardian.com/travel/s...orkshire-dales

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/travel/de...e-travelguide/

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/sponsored...ving-tour.html
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Old Jul 18th, 2016, 08:58 AM
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I've taken the NYMR, the evening/supper trips are pretty good with moderate quality food served by local lads and lasses, it offers a view of Yorkshire folk in their best relaxed mode as they take a 10 mph train up onto the moors. Wine just about runs to white or red (slightly better).

Day trips are less fun but the sun can be out

The evening bookings are made months out, day trips tend to be turn up.
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Old Jul 18th, 2016, 09:25 AM
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OK, you find me a non-stop or even a change from Verona to Leeds-Bradford on a Saturday that doesn't cost a fortune and also isn't going to take 9-10 hours and I'd be interested.
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Old Jul 18th, 2016, 09:44 AM
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Mondays or Fridays Venice to LBA....

Wednesday for Verona
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Old Jul 18th, 2016, 11:17 AM
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I'm not completely sure what you are asking? Whether to head to the Dales or Moors or try and see both?
Castle Howard is by no means the only 'stately home' in the area. There's Newby Hall, Beningbrough Hall, Nunnington etc.
Plus the World Heritage Site of Fountains Abbey and Studley Royal Water Gardens, just outside Ripon. Plenty of other Abbeys too - Rievaulx, Jervaulx, Byland etc.
I live in the Dales (Lower Wesleydale) and whilst there are tiny lanes there are also roads suitable for lorries, buses, coaches, tractors etc that are easy to drive on. If the narrow roads worry you then stick to the wider ones as much as you can.
Harrogate is a lovely town, but it isn't in the Dales or Moors (I lived in Harrogate for 20 years).
The Yorke Arms is wonderful, my favourite restaurant and I've also stayed there a couple of times too. However, there are other very good places in the area - Yorebridge House (Dales) is terrific, very different from the Yorke Arms.
http://www.yorebridgehouse.co.uk/
Many of the rooms have hot tubs outside, including some overlooking the river.
The Black Swan at Oldstead is also great, with 4 poster rooms and copper baths.
http://blackswanoldstead.co.uk/
Swinton Park is close to where I live and also very nice although I've never stayed there.
http://www.swintonpark.com/
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Old Jul 18th, 2016, 12:00 PM
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Morgana, Thank you for your reply. The reason I mentioned the whole Dales roadway "issue" is the fact that so MANY of those who are on here have made a MAJOR MAJOR issue about how "hard" and "slow" some of the roadways can be on numerous previous threads.

These same people declared that the roadway north from Gatwick to York was "one large parking lot" and that I was crazy to even think about doing THAT on a previous possible trip and they were incorrect.

Bottom line: I will BE driving and I know how to pull off when necessary and realize these are not superhighways.

To answer your question; Yes, we are thinking about possibly visiting both and yes I am certain there are plenty of stately homes and thank you for making those specific suggestions.

I am fully aware that to actually see both is not necessarily the same as doing an in depth study and total immersion of both and I remain realistic as to the possibilities. I am also aware that what I find memorable is not always the same as what everyone ELSE does.

Your positive comments are appreciated.
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Old Jul 18th, 2016, 12:02 PM
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I hope that Tosca is able to land on a very soft mattress.
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Old Jul 18th, 2016, 12:16 PM
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You could fly into Stansted and pick up a hire car there. Makes your drive up to York a bit easier than coming from south of London.
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Old Jul 18th, 2016, 12:24 PM
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The Dales cover a large area as I am sure you realise. It's a living and working area of course, as well as a tourist destination.

It has to have some decent roads so that children can go on school buses, lorries can deliver to supermarkets, cars can tow caravans to rural camp sites, coaches can visit tourist spots etc. It's complete nonsense to imagine it as nothing more than a network of tiny lanes.

I'm most certainly as a resident NOT going to make a big issue about the lanes! Yes, of course they exist, just as they exist in almost every county in England. Please don't be put off! I drive them daily and to be honest they are far easier to drive on than some of our motorways!

Yes you might have to drive slowly sometimes, yes you might have to pull over or reverse if you meet a tractor BUT these are the exceptions and most of the time you'll be going along nicely. Driving up here tends to be much slower than many areas, and is generally courteous and considerate.

As for driving from Gatwick to York - my son was at Uni in London and I've lost count of the number of times we drove back and forth down there. The 'problem journeys' (accident or roadworks) were rare and the vast majority of the time it was completely fine.
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Old Jul 18th, 2016, 10:21 PM
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Ah, Dukey may be referring to my comments about the M25 and specifically around Heathrow during a week day. Once past that (and assuming you go anti-clockwise) the system frees up .
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Old Jul 19th, 2016, 03:13 AM
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Morgana and Bilboburgler, thank you for your additional support. Bilbo: I was definitely NOT referring to any of your comments so fear not.

I'm still trying to figure out where to base. I've looked at the suggested Yorke-Arms and real ALL the reviews which are interesting. I am wondering if Harrogate might be easier and as MUCH as I would like to fly into LBA on a Saturday from Verona it may be complicated but am working all of that.

Thanks again for the help as it is appreciated.
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Old Jul 19th, 2016, 03:38 AM
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Update: I find I can avoid the whole LGW "issue" by spending a day getting from Verona to Geneva by rail which will be pleasant for us and staying overnight on the lake and flying to Leeds-Bradford the next day with EasyJet.
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Old Jul 19th, 2016, 03:46 AM
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You've probably read enough about the Yorke arms but what I will say is that it is bang in the middle of some lovely countryside with Masham a firm favorite, Pately Bridge is pretty nice good for antiques and boiled sweets with easy access to Malham and Grassington (nice little wine shop)

sportsmans-arms.co.uk (pateley bridge) does some good food, while the http://www.angelhetton.co.uk/ has continual good reviews
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Old Jul 19th, 2016, 04:56 AM
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Bilbo, thanks. Haven't made a final determination yet; am also considering the Rudding Park.
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Old Jul 19th, 2016, 05:40 AM
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I used to go to Rudding Park for dinner and dance, I'm so-so with the place but maybe it has improved in the past 5 years
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