Where to Stay in North Yorkshire -- Hawes, Richmond, Ripon???
 

Trying to decide where to base for a couple of nights in North Yorkshire. I've found a couple of B&B's in Hawes that look nice (Ebor House and Fair View), but don't know if Hawes is too small.

Would Richmond or Ripon be a better alternative?

Is anybody familiar with Hawes? Are there any decent places to eat there?

Thanks.

Too small for what? What are you seeking? For Peace and quiet you have the right place. Tons of wild night life, not.

No, we're not into wild night life. I just want to know if there are a few restaurants close by -- and not just indian food or chinese takeaway!

P.S. I once lived in a small town in England so I do have some point of reference!

Hi Betty. It would help to know if you'll have a car and what things you intend on seeing/doing. When is this trip? Staying in York might be easiest. Here's an interesting website
http://www.yorksview.co.uk/places.htm

UPmystreet is another good website
http://www.upmystreet.com/findmynear...-in-hawes.html

Do you know about the Stephen Joseph theater in Scarborough? Maybe you should consider staying in Scarborough. http://www.ba-education.com/for/ente...altheatre.html

Hi Betty,

I don't know Hawes--it certainly looks small. As you probably know, the Wensleydale Creamery is located there but that was never a draw for me because while probably in the minority, I don't like the cheese.

Do you have an email address for the B&Bs--you might ask them about restaurants?

I have to put in a vote for the North Yorkshire Moors, further north and east of where you're going. Sept.'07 we rented a cottage near Helmsley. Helmsley was great but our village, Wombleton, had only one pub with so-so food which meant we had to drive if we wanted to eat out. So, better to check now on Hawes. Ripon or Richmond might be a better choice.

If we went back, we would stay in Helmsley or someplace similar in size.

Yes, we will have a car. This stop will be the last of our 3 week trip. We will be spending the previous couple of nights in Haltwhistle and then going to Manchester Airport after Yorkshire.

We wanted to see Fountain's Abbey and just take in some of the scenery. We have stayed in York before so we really wanted to do something different.

I'm not opposed to staying in Richmond or Ripon. The Royal Oak Hotel in Ripon has a double for 80 GBP which is at the top end of our budget, whereas the Ebor House in Hawes is 65 GBP.

But it might make more sense to stay in a little bit larger town.

I'll check out the websites. Thanks!

Did you see "The History Boys?" There's a fairly long scene at Fountains Abbey.

Think about Skipton.

It sorta would help if folks had actually been to Hawes.

Hawes isn't a teensy hamlet by any means. It is a pretty active small market town w/ shops, museum, crafts center, pubs, restaurants and a Tuesday Market day.

Thanks, janis! That's what I needed to know. We'll actually be arriving on a Tuesday. Don't know if that is good or bad, depending on how much traffic is generated by "market day".

I also have found a place called The Poplars, just 1 mile from Thirsk. It also looks nice.

Now, I'm just more confused!!

Hawes is lovely and quite a busy little market town. I'd personally choose it over Ripon to be more within the Dales. The scenery round and about is beautiful, the Yorkshire Dales has some wonderful walking country. It might also be worth looking at Grassington or Pately Bridge to visit Fountains Abbey.

For food try Harrogate

Near thirsk is a pub called crab and lobster. Odd but they also have rooms nearbye

Well, Richmond is a nice town also. In the dales, uphill from a river, with a castle, a Georgian theatre, and a nice square with good shops around it. Not bad restaurants. Maybe a bit upscale. We used it as a base for Durham, Fountains Abbey, and Castle Howard, before going on to York. I found Richmond to feel smaller and much prettier than Ripon.

But it sounds likes Hawes will do for you.

Near Thirsk would be good too.

If you want to be in the Dales - I'd choose Hawes.

if you want to be closer to the Moors, coast, Castle Howard, York and the abbeys - and the James Herriot connections, choose Thirsk.

I stayed a week once in Sutton-under-Whitestonecliffe just east of Thirsk below Sutton Bank, and thoroughly enjoyed it. Went into York by train from Thirsk and did everything else by car.

But - the Dales are wonderful so if you want to concentrate there, Hawes is probably exactly what you're looking for.

saving for me

I agree with janisj comments. That said, Ripon is as close to the Dales and places like Fountains Abbey and York. That would be my choice, although Hawes is quite delightful, Ripon isn't much more active. Richmond is also beautiful and not much more North than Ripon. Sorry to sit on the fence, but you cant go wrong with any of these three.

Thanks everyone.

I guess it just boils down to accommodation preference.

I had zeroed in on a place in Richmond early on, but their rooms are going up 10 GBP per night for 2009 plus their cancellation policy is a lot stricter than the other places I've booked. I was also concerned about the difficulty with on street parking (Frenchgate Street).

I like the looks of the Ebor House, they have private parking, the owners seem nice and their price is 65 GBP per night. I guess the only thing they don't have is internet!

http://www.eborhouse.co.uk/

I think Ebor House looks delightful - the B&B recommended in my AA Book for Hawes is Steppe Haugh (see below)

http://www.steppehaugh.co.uk/

Thanks. I had looked at the Steppe Haugh at some point over the past few days but liked the Ebor House more for the same money.