Easingwold – Easingwold is a small, delightful Georgian town almost midway between Thirsk and York, the parish church (St John & All Saints) dates from the late 14th century, and is a beautiful building.
Easingwold has a strong connection with food – it lies in the very fertile Vale of York with a broad mix of farms – arable, dairy, cattle, pigs, poultry and sheep – and it has some award-winning food shops in the town and in nearby villages.
Easingwold is great for shopping, with the many traditional shops that provide a personal and friendly service. It also has a supermarket, and several independent shops and cafes. Highly regarded Thornton’s butchers make the most delicious pork pies, and they sell the best grass fed lamb reared on their own farm in the Oldstead hills just up the road, as used by award winning chef Tommy Banks from the Black Swan at Oldstead – if you want to enjoy a Michelin restaurant during your stay then the Black Swan is worth visit, it is very popular so you must book as far in advance as you can!
There is an open food market at Easingwold on a Friday morning, where you can get excellent fresh fish.
City of York – Dunnington is just 5 miles from the City of York, there is regular bus service from the village so the cottage is perfectly placed to head into the City without the hassle of parking. There is so much to see and do, experience the culture of the Minster, museums, galleries and the ancient City walls. York is a city brimming with history and culture. Take a walk along the castle walls and marvel at the view below, or head to York Minster for some truly jaw dropping architecture and follow that with a wander around the cobbled streets with beautiful architecture to admire and independent boutiques to peruse. Or if your passion is food you’ll find many excellent independent bars and restaurants to discover!
Helmsley – The only market town in the 554 square miles of the North York Moors National Park, Helmsley is full of history, character and stunning architecture (including 51 listed buildings) making it a great place to visit. Helmsley is where the North York Moors National Park meets the Howardian Hills. It’s where the Cleveland Way meets the Ebor Way and the Inn Way. It’s where the valleys of Bilsdale and Ryedale leave the moorland and meet the flat Vale of Pickering.
The Norman Helmsley Castle, dating back over 900 years, evolved over the centuries, from a mighty medieval fortress to a luxurious Tudor mansion, to a Civil War stronghold and a romantic Victorian ruin. It is open all year round for visitors to enjoy, under the care of English Heritage.
Helmsley has everything you’d expect in a quintessentially English market town, a vibrant market square, independent, specialist shops, excellent places to eat and drink, an imposing castle. It also has a walled garden, bird of prey centre, microbrewery, open air swimming pool, luxury spa, nature reserve, galleries and an arts centre.
Howardian Hills AONB – Home to the spectacular Castle Howard and the Yorkshire Arboretum 14 miles – Castle Howard, the house and grounds are open to visitors, themed experiences run throughout the year, their Christmas experience is famous and not to be missed, booking is essential. The grounds at both venues are quite spectacular, dog owners are welcome to the grounds but may not enter the house itself.
North York Moors National Park – Heading East from Dunnington The North York Moors still holds villages relatively untouched by time, Goathland where sheep roam freely and Grosmont with its steam railway, venture a little further to the spectacular coast and discover wild and wonderful seascapes, world beating fish and chips, expansive sandy beaches and Whitby home to Bram Stoker’s Dracula!
Exploring
- Helmsley 14 miles
- Thirsk 11 miles
- City of York 13 miles
- Castle Howard 14 miles
- Howardian Hills AONB 17 miles
- North York Moors National Park Centre at Danby 40 miles
- Whitby 45 miles
- Yorkshire Dales National Park Centre Leyburn 45 miles miles
- Ampleforth Abbey 9 miles
- Sutton Bank National Park Centre and cycle hire 14 miles
- Newburgh Priory & Wedding Venue 5 miles
Airports/Railway
- York mainline station 13 miles, London Kings Cross in 2 hours
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Leeds Bradford Airport 35 miles
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Manchester Airport 88 miles