Northallerton

Northallerton is the county town of North Yorkshire, and it wears the title with quiet confidence rather than fuss. Its broad, gently curving High Street is lined with Georgian and Victorian facades, independent shops and old coaching inns, a legacy of centuries spent as a stopping point on the Great North Road between London and Edinburgh. Twice-weekly markets have been held here since the 13th century, and the town still gathers around them on Wednesdays and Saturdays, stalls spilling out along the street much as they always have.

What makes Northallerton such a useful base is its position. The town sits in the Vale of Mowbray, the flat, fertile strip of land between two very different national parks: the limestone dales and drystone walls of the Yorkshire Dales to the west, and the heather moorland and forestry of the North York Moors to the east. Both are within half an hour's drive, yet Northallerton itself stays refreshingly unhurried, a working market town rather than a tourist set piece, with the North Yorkshire countryside spreading out flat and green in every direction beyond its edges.

Top things to do in Northallerton

Northallerton rewards visitors who like their history layered into everyday streets rather than roped off in a museum. A short walk takes in most of the town's landmarks, and its surroundings offer easy country walking and one of the region's smaller heritage railways.

• The High Street — a long, gently sloping Georgian and Victorian street of independent shops, old coaching inns and the twice-weekly Wednesday and Saturday market that has run here since the 13th century.
• Battle of the Standard site — in 1138, an English army rallied around a ship's mast mounted with religious banners defeated an invading Scottish force just north of the town, one of the more significant medieval battles fought on English soil and still marked in the local landscape and street names.
• County Hall — the North Yorkshire County Council's striking clock-towered headquarters, a Northallerton landmark since the early 20th century and a good orientation point on the High Street.
• Applegarth — a green, tree-lined open space just off the town centre, popular for a quiet stroll or a break from the shops.
• The Packhorse Bridge, Romanby — a historic stone crossing on the edge of the neighbouring village of Romanby, a pleasant short walk from the centre along the River Wiske.
• Wensleydale Railway — a heritage line that begins its journey at Northallerton and runs west into the Yorkshire Dales as far as Redmire, a nostalgic way to see the countryside without a car.
• Cod Beck Reservoir — a short drive out towards the Moors, with a roughly 1.5-mile circular walk through woodland and moorland designated a Site of Special Scientific Interest.
• Osmotherley — a nearby village with a medieval market cross and green, and the starting point for walkers heading onto the North York Moors and the Cleveland Way.

Getting to Northallerton

Northallerton sits directly on the East Coast Main Line, with a station in the town centre served by regular trains, including some direct services to London King's Cross in around two and a half hours. This makes it one of the more straightforward North Yorkshire towns to reach without a car. By road, the town is close to the A1(M), with the A168 providing the local link into town, and the A19 running nearby towards Teesside and York. Once here, the town centre, station and surrounding villages are compact enough to explore comfortably on foot, though a car opens up the wider Dales and Moors countryside far more easily.

Best time to visit Northallerton

Spring and early summer bring the Vale of Mowbray to life, with lambing fields around the town and good walking conditions before the moors and dales get too busy. Summer is peak season for both national parks, so Northallerton's own relatively quiet streets can feel like a welcome contrast to the crowds at nearby beauty spots. Autumn brings rich colour to the wooded valleys around Cod Beck and the Dales, and is a favourite time for walkers. Winter is quieter still, with the Georgian High Street looking particularly handsome under Christmas lights, and the twice-weekly market continuing whatever the weather.

Where to stay in Northallerton

Northallerton's accommodation leans towards traditional coaching inns and small independent hotels along or just off the High Street, many occupying the same Georgian buildings that have hosted travellers on the old Great North Road for two centuries. Bed and breakfasts are dotted through the town and the surrounding villages of Romanby and Brompton, while the wider countryside towards the Dales and Moors has a good spread of country inns and farm-based stays for those wanting a more rural base.

Food and drink in Northallerton

The High Street is well stocked with places to eat and drink. KATCH is a well-regarded fish restaurant and boutique hotel in the town centre, with its own fish and chip takeaway alongside the restaurant. The Tickle Toby Inn and the Masons Arms are long-standing traditional pubs known for real ales and hearty food, while the Odd Fellows Arms is a smaller, locals' favourite with a decent beer garden. For coffee and a slower pace, Fortunate Son Coffee Co. and the Central Coffee House are popular High Street stops, and Lewis & Coopers Tearoom serves a good range of teas alongside its own roasted coffee. The town's Indian restaurants, including Mumbai Masala House and the Green Apple Tree, are also well liked locally.