101 places to go – Grassington
Despite offering a fairly traditional Yorkshire Dales experience: lovely stone buildings and narrow cobbled streets surrounded by patchwork fields and limestone hills, a visit to the market town of Grassington is more than likely to yield a few surprises. For example, visit at Christmas and you’ll feel like you’ve been transported into the Victorian era – though with the ability to share your experiences on Facebook and Twitter – thanks to the fantastic Dickens festival. Visit in the next few weeks and you may well stumble upon TV’s Alan Davies cracking jokes, or soul superstar Billy Ocean serenading the locals whilst trying to stop them from getting into his car.
Grassington’s rich and varied cultural programming is just the icing on an already very sweet cake, and since the 2012 Festival is currently running for another ten days there’s no better time to visit! This year’s event showcases a variety of acts from all over the world. Alongside the aforementioned showcases for the household talents of Davies and Ocean there’s an open-air performance of Roald Dahl’s The Twits, fantastic British folk from The Unthanks, 3D puppet shows, wartime recollections from ‘Great Escapee’ Frank Stone and much more.
Grassington may offer a fantastic array of rolling attractions but there’s more than enough to enjoy at any time of the year. We’re going to make a few suggestions below, but if you have your own tips for things to see and do then please leave a comment below.
• The surrounding area is a fantastic destination for active holidaymakers. Nearby Wharfedale and Nidderdale, an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty, offer some of the UK’s finest walking terrain. If you fancy a more relaxing activity the nearby River Wharfe also offers fly-fishing and more of those inescapable gorgeous views.
• Stump Cross Caverns are more than just a wet weather alternative. Millions of years in the making, this limestone cave system near Grassington is open all-year round and provides a fantastic vantage point from which to admire another side of the Dales’ beauty.
• More natural heritage can be explored and admired at Grass Wood. Over 200 acres of ancient woodland, this lovely location is a Site of Special Scientific Interest for its rich and diverse flora. In short – like Grassington itself – it’s a bit pretty!
If you’d like to stay in this gorgeous corner of the UK then take a look at our featured holiday cottages in the Yorkshire Dales today.
