Plan the Perfect Weekend in Grassington
This picturesque village might be better known as the fictional market town of Darrowby in All Creatures Great & Small, but Grassington is also a perfect base from which to explore beautiful Wharfedale
Eat
To start the day with quality organic coffee or loose leaf teas head to CoffeECO. Bookworms will want to stop at The Stripey Badger, an award-winning bookshop with its own coffeeshop and kitchen serving up savoury and sweet treats. The Retreat Tearoom & Bistro is another great place for afternoon tea. The Morral Restaurant at The Black Horse offers a relaxed dining experience with sumptuous meals making the most of local produce and you’ll want to try the Yorkshire handmade pie of the day at The Devonshire Grassington. Those with a sweet tooth should stop by Love Brownies to taste test their selection of tempting flavours.
Sleep
The individually-designed rooms at Grassington House are full of little luxuries, some with ornate roll top baths and others with large sunken baths with overhead rain showers – there’s an award-winning restaurant here too. The Devonshire Grassington is a traditional pub with rooms on the busy, cobbled market square and its eight bedrooms are all named after recognisable All Creatures Great & Small characters and places. The Black Horse Hotel’s rooms boast magnificent views out across the Dales. Just a stone’s throw away in Threshfield, The Gamekeeper’s Inn has bedrooms, pods or lodges to choose from and whichever you choose, you’ll have complimentary use of the leisure facilities including swimming pool, sauna, steam room, gym and jacuzzi.
Browse
Bluebell Home and Gifts is a family-run gift shop offering handmade cards, vibrant prints and fragrant candles. Pair them with a beautiful bouquet from The Flower Loft. Helen Midgley has been selling clothing and shoes in Grassington since 1970; Seb & Co is a great place to browse accessories, homeware and gifts; and The Hutch is an emporium of handmade creations (many made by Yorkshire’s own talented artists). Chocolace has no shortage of sweet treats to try and The Dales Toffee Shop is actually three shops in one – a newsagent, the toffee shop, and a stockist of delicious dairy ice cream.
DON'T MISS
Get a dose of history at Grassington Folk Museum. It tells the story of life in Upper Wharfedale over the years with displays of geological specimens including Grassington minerals such as galena (lead ore), and Iron Age bones including a tundra reindeer’s jaws from Stump Cross Caverns. Special events take place throughout the year.
Read More: Everything You Need to Know to Explore Rothbury & Wooler
Around the corner...
Pack your camera and head to Linton Falls – just a short stroll from the National Park car park in Grassington. The cascading water and crystal-clear pools are a sight to behold. A short drive away is a triangle of must-see visitor spots – smaller waterfall Janet’s Foss, amphitheatre shaped cliff formation Malham Cove and hidden gorge Gordale Scar (a great circular walk lets you take in all three).
