Three Days in Bedale: A Practical Guide to North Yorkshire's Gateway

Bedale makes a sensible base for the northern Dales, the Moors and the Vale of York, with hotel rates well below Harrogate or York.

Day One: Bedale Itself, on Foot

Bedale is a small market town of roughly 5,000 people, set where the A684 crosses Bedale Beck about 8 miles south-west of Northallerton. The market place, church and castle sit within a five-minute walk of each other, so day one needs no car. Start at St Gregory's Church, then follow Emgate and the Wynd to Bedale Hall and the moat of Bedale Castle. The town grew rich on the old drovers' road, and the wide market place still shows it. The weekly market runs on Tuesdays, with a smaller Saturday session; both are mornings.

For lunch, the pubs and cafes around the market place serve straightforward Yorkshire food, and a main course typically runs £10 to £16. In the afternoon, walk the beck-side path towards the old railway station, now the Wensleydale Railway terminus, where heritage trains run east towards Leeming Bar and west towards Leyburn on selected days from around April to October. Book a hotel in or within a mile of the market place and you can leave the car parked all day. Accommodation in Bedale generally runs cheaper than equivalent rooms in Harrogate, Ripon or central York.

Day Two: The Yorkshire Dales to the West

From Bedale, the A684 is the spine of Wensleydale. Leyburn is about 30 minutes by car, Hawes around 55 minutes, and Aysgarth Falls roughly 45 minutes. Aysgarth is the classic stop: three falls, a short riverside walk and a visitor centre, all free to enter, with a pay-and-display car park on the A684. Then push on to Hawes for the Wensleydale Creamery and the Dales Countryside Museum. If the weather turns, the museum and Creamery make a sound wet-afternoon pair, and the drive back east is straightforward in the dark.

Castle Bolton and Bolton Castle repay a detour, weather permitting. The castle sits high above Wensleydale and has a tea room on site; opening is seasonal, so check before making the drive. For a shorter day, stop at Middleham, see the castle ruins and the horse-training yards around the village. Allow 35 minutes back to Bedale from Middleham. Fuel up in Leyburn or Northallerton rather than counting on village pumps. May, June and September give the best mix of long light and manageable crowds; August is busiest at Aysgarth and Hawes.

Day Three: Northallerton, Ripon or the Moors

Two good options compete for the final day, and which you pick depends on your interests. Northallerton is 20 minutes east along the A684, with a broad high street, a twice-weekly market and the James Herriot country around Thirsk a little further on. Ripon is 35 minutes south-west via the A1(M): its cathedral, the 1,300-year-old Ripon Hornblower ceremony at 9pm on the market square, and the nearby UNESCO-listed Fountains Abbey and Studley Royal water garden are all worth the trip. Fountains Abbey entry is ticketed, so book ahead in peak season.

The alternative is the North York Moors. From Bedale, drive east through Northallerton towards Osmotherley, about 35 minutes, then walk the Cleveland Way escarpment above the village for wide views over the Vale of Mowbray. This is quiet walking, and you can be back in Bedale for a late lunch. If I were booking, I would take the moors option on a clear Saturday and save Ripon for a rainy midweek day, since the cathedral and Fountains Abbey work better indoors. February and November are quiet; half-term weeks fill local hotels fast, so book a month or more ahead.

Where to Stay, and What to Skip

Base yourself in central Bedale if you want to walk to dinner, or one of the villages along the A684 if you prefer quiet. Bedale has the Wensleydale Railway, a Co-op and several pubs within walking distance; Leeming Bar and Aiskew are within a few minutes' drive with ample parking. Room rates in the town generally sit below Richmond and far below York. Midweek rates dip outside school holidays. If you are coming by train, Northallerton station on the East Coast Main Line is the closest practical railhead, with a taxi the last 8 miles.

Skip the temptation to day-trip York from Bedale: it is 40 minutes by car at best, longer on summer weekends, and deserves its own overnight stop. Skip Aysgarth on a bank-holiday Monday if you dislike crowds, and avoid arriving in Hawes after 4pm in winter when the museums close. Book direct with the hotel where you can; smaller Yorkshire properties often hold their best rates and cancellation terms on their own website, which matters if weather forces a change of plan.

Questions, answered

Do I need a car for three days in Bedale?

Yes, for the Dales and moors. Bedale itself is walkable, and the Wensleydale Railway links to Leyburn, but buses are infrequent. Northallerton, 8 miles east, is the nearest mainline station if you prefer to arrive by train and take taxis.

When is the best time to visit Bedale?

Late spring and early autumn, around May to June and September, offer the best balance of daylight, weather and manageable crowds. July and August are busiest, particularly at Aysgarth Falls and Hawes. Winter is quiet but many attractions close or shorten their hours.

Is Bedale cheaper than staying in York or Harrogate?

Generally yes. Bedale is a smaller market town without the city-centre premium, so similar room standards usually cost less. Midweek stays outside school holidays are the best value, and direct bookings often come with more flexible cancellation terms.

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