Looking for things to do in Harrogate and the Yorkshire Dales? Walk among patchwork green valleys, craggy cliff faces, and farmland laced with limestone walls. It’s not tough to work out why the Yorkshire Dales feature so much on the big screen, appearing in Calendar Girls and the Harry Potter series. The hills are alive with the sound of wildlife – woodpeckers, cuckoos, and wood warblers. And as of late, they’ve been joined by the world’s biggest cycling event, the Tour de France. In August heather covers the moorland like a purple carpet. Follow the footsteps of Georgian gentry to spa towns like Harrogate to discover the pump rooms, manicured flower gardens, and quant tearooms.
Places to visit in the Yorkshire Dales and Harrogate
Coast to Coast Cycling
A challenging route from the Irish Sea to the North Sea.
Location: Whitehaven / Whitby
Explore some of England’s most dramatic caves
Head underground to gaze in wonder at the fascinating caves that form a major, but hidden, part of the Yorkshire Dales landscape.
Location: Ingleton, North Yorkshire
Bag some bon bons at England’s Oldest Sweet Shop
Evoke happy childhood memories with hundreds of retro sweets at The Oldest Sweet Shop in England.
Location: Harrogate, North Yorkshire
Be crowned king of the castle in glorious Skipton
Exercise your princely skills at North Yorkshire’s marvelous Norman keep.
Location: Skipton, North Yorkshire
Wild Swimming in Grassington
Grassington is an idyllic little Dales market town with a cobbled square, quirky shops and cosy pubs.
Location: Grassignton, North Yorkshire
Aysgarth Falls in the Yorkshire Dales
Aysgarth Falls are a dramatic set of waterfalls in Wensleydale.
Location: Aysgarth, North Yorkshire
Love springs eternal in the romantic spa town of Harrogate
A beloved destination for romantic breaks, this elegant spa town has luxurious hotels, top restaurants and exotic Turkish Baths.
Location: Harrogate, North Yorkshire
Sample the great outdoors in Nidderdale
The striking scenery, character, historic landmarks and wildlife of this Yorkshire Dales Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty are made for adventure.
Location: Pateley Bridge/Masham, North Yorkshire
Spoil yourselves in North Yorkshire’s country hideaways
Hidden away in spectacular grounds are luxurious grand halls and country houses where you can really spoil the one you love.
Location: Harrogate/Masham, North Yorkshire
Have a bloomin’ lovely time at the Harrogate Flower Show
Get your green fingers ready this prestigious gardening event in April, one of the biggest of its kind in the UK.
Location: Harrogate, North Yorkshire
Take a brisk winter walk and curl up in a cosy pub
Wrap up for a winter stroll, warm up in front of a real fire, have a great meal and then admire the starry skies.
Location: Appletreewick, Yorkshire Dales National Park
Enjoy a rural break in Hawes in Wensleydale
Head to Hawes the home of Wensleydale Cheese, admire Hardraw Force waterfall and watch ropes being made in the traditional way.
Location: Hawes, Yorkshire Dales National Park
Explore the natural wonders of Malham
Enjoy Malham in the Yorkshire Dales at its tranquil best, with many of England’s finest landscapes a short walk away.
Location: Malham, Yorkshire Dales National Park
Discover the beauty of the Yorkshire Dales
A photographer’s dream, the Yorkshire Dales has many moods – from wild and windswept to quietly tranquil – each dramatically beautiful.
Location: Yorkshire Dales National Park, North Yorkshire
Seek out inspiring views atop Malham Cove
Follow in the footsteps of centuries of visitors – and more recently, filmmakers – to Malham Cove, a limestone amphitheatre in the Yorkshire Dales.
Location: Malham, North Yorkshire
Journey from coast to coast across England
A journey from coast to coast across Northern England takes you through stunning scenery and is an adventure you can make on foot or by bike.
Location: Various, North Yorkshire
Explore the stunning medieval Bolton Castle
Experience the incredible atmosphere of Bolton Castle where many of its rooms give the feeling that their inhabitants have just walked out of them.
Location: North Leyburn, North Yorkshire
Discover the hidden gem of Grimwith Reservoir
Grimwith Reservoir is one of the Yorkshire Dales' hidden gems tucked away off the road between Grassington and Pateley Bridge.
Location: Near Grassington, North Yorkshire
Climb aboard a classic steam railway at Bolton Abbey
Puffing through the Yorkshire Dales is the Embsay & Bolton Abbey steam railway where special events take place throughout the year.
Location: Wharfedale, Yorkshire Dales
