jayadev

Hi Morgana, we are following your plan that you gave in the other thread "North Yorkshire in 2 days".
Now there is a small change in our dates -- we reach York by train from London on Monday 21st Sept at 10 am. (We will leave for Edinburgh by train on 23rd morning.) We will be spending the 2 nights at York.
Questions:
1. Should we do Thirsk and the Dales on Day 1 and York on Day 2, or the other way round? Which requires a longer time?
2. Is Monday a better day to visit Thirsk, since it's the market day? Is the market day an interesting thing, or will there be a problem of heavy crowds, and no parking space, and so to be avoided?
(We will rent a car for a day for the Thirsk and the Dales tour).
Thanks, in advance!

Morgana

Hi
I would definitely do York on your first day, and Thirsk/Dales on day 2. There's much to do in York but you are clearly doing lots of research and will know what you want to see and do. You can see a lot in a day, and there are many nice evening activities too (boat trip? ghost walk? restaurant, walk along the walls)
www.yorkboat.co.uk
I am not sure that Thirsk has ever suffered from 'heavy crowds', lol, but it is certainly one of the many small rural towns that comes alive on market day. You may have to park slightly further out than planned, but it won't be too bad and the extra effort will be worth it to see the town so bustling and busy. I think you will enjoy the scene! I'd personally get up pretty early that day, get to Thirsk and park, have a look round the market (and perhaps pick up some cheese/nice picnic food for your day in the Dales?) and then be at the Herriot Museum for opening time at 10am. Then you'll be free from late morning to head to the Dales and see some of the wonderful scenery and places that Herriot so loved.
By the way, we were out walking in Wharfedale yesterday and the countryside looks absolutely superb - trees just starting to turn orange and the heather almost in bloom (it will be out in full for your visit).

jayadev

Thanks, Morgana. As I said, we will be reaching York from London on Day 1 (Monday) by 10 am or so. That's the Thirsk market day.
Do we still do Thirsk/Dales on Monday? We get to experience the market day, but will have less time (we can get to Thirsk by 11-30 am at the earliest. Or we do it on Day 2 (Tues) and miss the market day, but have proper time for the Dales as well? In short, what's the trade-off?
After reading what you said about Wharfdale, just can't wait to be there!

Morgana

Ah, apologies, misread your post. Think I'll still stick with you getting the Thirsk experience on market day. The evenings are still light until a decent time so you'll still have plenty of time to explore the Dales.

jayadev

Oh great! Will do that!

Thanks, again!

rogeruktm

If I read your post correctly I question the need for a rental car. You don't need one in York and you can take the train to Thirsk.

Morgana

Jayadev is going to Thirsk and then heading to the Dales. It would take too much out of his already limited time to take the train to Thirsk, back again to York, and then drive out of York to the Dales.

jayadev

Hi Morgana, after reading your earlier reply above, I have changed our plan to give ourselves more time for Thirsk and the Dales. We now arrive from London by train on the 20th (Sunday) evening itself. So we can leave York quite early on Monday and do Thirsk-Grassington-Settle/Giggleswick-Wharfedale. Does this make sense? Or would you suggest something else (now that we have a little more time)? Thanks.
Hi rojeruktm, three of us are travelling, so the car may less expensive, and gives us greater flexiblity and range.

janisj

OK - once again raising the 'practicalities' issue. Are you sure you can collect a rental car in time to "<i> . . . leave York quite early on Monday</i>"?

Double check when the rental agency opens - maybe not until 9AM or later. I would not count on getting out of York until maybe 10AM. That is still enough time for a quick visit to Thirsk and a nice drive around the Dales . . . .

Morgana

I'm slightly concerned at your proposed route around the Dales. If you have a planned Herriot itinerary from a guide book or somewhere then I apologise for meddling! But if you don't have you planned your drive out? I am not aware of any strong Grassington/Herriot connection for instance although I could be completely wrong.
I'd be more than happy to suggest a route if you'd like - not saying mine would be perfect but it would be realistic in the time you have. For instance I would build in a trip to the Wheatsheaf at Carperby where Herriot spent his honeymoon -
www.wheatsheafinwensleydale.co.uk
- and also Bolton Castle in the village of Castle Bolton where he proposed. Mary Queen of Scots was imprisoned here too, and you can visit. It has a good tearoom!
www.boltoncastle.co.uk/metadot/index.pl
However, I'm tied up with a business trip from now until the weekend, so wouldn't be able to do the route until then.

jayadev

I think I thought of Grassington as en route, not so much as Herriot connection. I will keep what you have said in mind. Hopefully, by Saturday I will be able to see your post!

Janis, I found that all the rental agencies offer a car at 8 am in their online booking tool. Hope they are open by then? I plan to book a car in advance, or maybe on Sunday evening, and hope to ensure we leave by 8 pm next day.

jayadev

By the way, a clarification - Thirsk may suffice as for our Herriot interest. We would like to experience a drive through some of the attractive parts of North Yorkshire in general, and the Dales in particular. We might have just 4 hours for this!
Morgana, hope you will be seeing this by Saturday! Thanks.

Morgana

Hi again
Finally got a few minutes to respond to you - the weather for the last few days has been glorious and today we were up and outside enjoying it.
Right, the Dales drive. I've seen your comment about the Herriot side of things, and I now think the idea route for you is on this link below -
http://www.skiptonweb.co.uk/tourist/...rive/index.htm
This might seem a bit of a cop out but why reinvent the wheel when this excellent route has already been planned. There's even info about the various places you'll pass through - in particular don't miss Bolton Abbey or Malham Cove.
If you have a map you'll be able to work out the best place to join the route from Thirsk.
I'll recommended this drive to several visitors to the Dales and they've all said it was superb.
Hope this helps and that the weather stays good for you.

jayadev

Just what the doctor ordered! The route seems just right for us! A big thank you, Morgana.

jamikins

Hi Morgana...you suggested that route for our May trip this year and it was fantastic.

Enjoy your trip jayadev!

jayadev

Thanks, Jamikins! Your endorsement makes me look forward to the trip even more!

jayadev

Hi Morgana, this is a quick report: We have just returned to India after touring London, Yorkshire and Scotland. We did the Thirsk and the Dales trip, finally! As we had a late start at York, we could not complete the full circuit you had suggested. We visited Thirsk, Grassington, Malham and Bolton Abbey. Ripon and its town square, enroute, too was most charming. Pately Bridge was another picture-post-card place that we passed through. We spent some memorable time in each of those places. It was a wonderful and exhilerating experience, driving through those picturesque parts, which we had only read about and seen in photographs.

We found York a most beautiful, compact city, and it took away some of the impact Edinburgh might have had on us.

Walking around in James Herriot's house was a fulfilling experience. (Parking in Thirsk is not an easy thing!)

Grateful thanks for all your patient and helpful advice. We loved your part of the world!

Morgana

Hi Jayadev, really glad you had a good time and that I was able to help with your trip. I do consider myself very lucky to live up here and always appreciate how beautiful it is. There's some daft nonsense written on here about 'the frozen north' and 'kestrel strangling' (whatever that might be) but I think that is just written out of ignorance or just plain jealousy! You'd have to drag me kicking and screaming to live anywhere else.
It does sound as if you still managed to pack a lot into your trip. Did you manage to see Malham Cove itself? I try and picture it with water thundering over the edge as it once must have done. And Bolton Abbey is great although I do avoid it at busy weekends. I secretly long to live in Pateley Bridge, and am actually half looking at cottages in the area - just need to break that bit of news to my family!
I think you had a mixed bag of weather and it's the same now - one day glorious autumn sunshine and the next rain and grey skies. Come back soon!

jayadev

Hi Morgana, yes, Pateley Bridge ranked high among the places that we might want to live in! (that is, theoretically speaking!!) No, we did not actually go up to Malham Cove. We were running late, I was a bit apprehensive as to how the traffic might be to York after sundown. (New to driving in the UK.) But every little bit was fascinating for us -- even an ordinary village street. Or, parking the car in the Ripon town square and having tea in one of the cafes sitting by the window side, was itself a wonderful experience. Or just walking the streets of York. Grassington -- what a charming little place! Literally a world of difference between what we see in India and how things are in the UK. Unfortunately, it's unlikely we will be back there soon. On the other hand you could make a trip to our part of the world! Will be my pleasure to offer you help!
Thanks again!

Royal

Jayadev -Glad to hear you enjoyed your Dales trip.

I have a question for Morgana.

We are planning a trip for next June and considering staying at the Wheatsheaf Inn in Carperby after a 2 day visit to York.
The location looks great for exploring the area and my question is regarding the Inn itself. Is it a good choice for accommodations? Any personal experience?