With so much to do on the doorstep, you may never want to leave the beautiful surroundings of The Old Vicarage but when you are ready to explore further afield there’s plenty to see and do whatever the time of year.

Richmond

Just a few miles down the Swale Valley is the historic market town of Richmond, famed for its Georgian architecture, cobbled streets and landmark Norman castle. Here you will find many interesting shops, craft galleries, museums and other places of interest. If you feel like taking in some of the fresh country air there are plenty of local walks and the waterfalls are well worth a visit.

Each Saturday, there is a bustling outdoor market, which is joined by a popular monthly farmers’ market (third Saturday in the month) selling quality local produce.

In the evening, you can sample the town’s wide range of restaurants and bars or visit the renowned Georgian Theatre, the oldest working playhouse in Britain. Richmond has a strong architectural heritage and nowhere is this preserved so imaginatively as in the town’s newest development, The Station. This huge Victorian building has been beautifully converted into one of the area’s most popular social venues, which houses a restaurant, ice-cream parlour, two cinemas, and several artisan food outlets, including a cheese-maker, brewer and chocolatier.

Reeth and nearby villages

There are also lots of picturesque villages to explore on the doorstep, all with their own unique flavour. Reeth, a traditional walking centre with a large village green, has a number of craft workshops and a local heritage museum. It is also the closest place to find a good choice of pubs, teashops and popular ice-cream parlour.

The Yorkshire Dales National Park

The Old Vicarage lies in the heart of Swaledale, within the Yorkshire Dales National Park, known the world over for its picture postcard images of drystone walls, green valley pastures and dramatic countryside. The area is renowned for walking and cycling, with inexhaustible networks of footpaths, bridleways and country lanes, including the famous 'Coast to Coast' route. Other activities include horse riding, golf, caving and there is great fishing to be had on local rivers and fishing lakes.

Castles and historic houses

Yorkshire has an abundance of castles, abbeys and stately homes. As well as Richmond Castle, Bolton Castle (where Mary Queen of Scots was held prisoner), and Middleham Castle (the childhood home of Richard III) are close by. The abbeys of Easby, Byland, Rievaulx and Fountains (Yorkshire’s first World Heritage site) are also within easy reach as are the crowd-pulling stately homes of Newby Hall and Castle Howard.

Family days out

Families are spoilt for choice when selecting activities. There are several visitor farms in the area. The closest is at Hazel Brow, which offers opportunities to get up close to the animals. The Forbidden Corner, near Middleham, is billed as the strangest place in the world and its unique labyrinths of tunnels, chambers, follies and surprises certainly provide an endless source of fascination for all ages. Older children can test their endurance and skills at the Aerial Extreme adventure ropes course and Flamingoland and Lightwater Valley theme parks provide additional family fun.

Slightly further afield
Historic York and the Spar town of Harrogate are both within an hour’s drive, providing a host of attractions and shopping opportunities. If you travel east, you soon reach the coast with its picturesque fishing villages, such as Robin Hoods Bay, and the traditional seaside resorts of Scarborough and Filey. Lesser known Runswick Bay (5 miles north of Whitby) is not only a beautiful coastal town with its brightly painted fishing cobles, it’s a great place for fossil hunting too!