Northallerton

Northallerton makes a practical, well-connected base for exploring North Yorkshire without the crowds that build up in the honeypot villages of the Dales and Moors themselves. Its accommodation reflects its history as a coaching town on the old Great North Road: traditional inns and small hotels along the Georgian High Street, many with the low ceilings and thick walls of buildings that have been welcoming travellers for two hundred years or more. These sit alongside independent bed and breakfasts in the town and in nearby villages such as Romanby and Brompton, offering a quieter, more residential alternative just a short walk or drive from the centre. Because Northallerton is a working county town rather than a tourist destination in its own right, prices tend to be more reasonable than in the Dales or Moors proper, particularly outside the main summer season. Its direct rail link on the East Coast Main Line, with services to London King's Cross, York, Darlington and Edinburgh, also makes it a sensible option for visitors arriving by train who still want easy access to both national parks by car or local bus. Whether you are here for the twice-weekly market, using the Wensleydale Railway to head into the Dales, or simply breaking a longer journey up the A1(M), Northallerton's hotels and inns offer a comfortable, unpretentious stay in the heart of North Yorkshire.

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.

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.

Wild camping without the landowner's permission is against the law in England, and North Yorkshire is no exception, so a proper site is the way to go around Northallerton. The town sits in the Vale of Mowbray, a broad, flat stretch of farmland between the Yorkshire Dales and the North York Moors, and while Northallerton itself has relatively few campsites right in town, the surrounding countryside in both directions is well provided for, from simple farm-based touring pitches to larger holiday parks nearer Thirsk and the Moors. The flat, sheltered land close to the town tends to make for easy, gentle camping, while sites further out towards Osmotherley and the Moors edge sit higher and more exposed, with correspondingly bigger views.

Camping here works well from late spring through early autumn, when the ground is driest and the long evenings suit a walk along the River Wiske or out towards Cod Beck Reservoir. Many local sites are seasonal, opening around Easter and closing in October, and some offer electric hook-ups and family-friendly facilities aimed squarely at the summer holiday trade, while smaller certified sites nearby cater more to walkers and cyclists passing through on their way to the Dales or the Cleveland Way. Given how changeable Yorkshire weather can be even in summer, it is worth checking a site's drainage and ground cover before pitching, particularly after wet spells.

For those who like the outdoor feel without the full camping kit, glamping options in the wider area range from simple wooden pods to fully-equipped safari tents and shepherd's huts, several with views towards the Moors or the Dales escarpment. Booking ahead is sensible in July and August and around bank holidays, when sites near both national parks fill quickly, but Northallerton's position between the two means there is usually a pitch to be found within a short drive even in peak season, and the town itself remains a handy spot to stock up before heading out to camp.