3 months in UK - thoughts? - Rick Steves Travel Forum
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3 months in UK - thoughts?

So I’m fulfilling a dream by living in the UK for about 3 months - based 1 month in Tunbridge Wells, 2 in Yorkshire (Skipton and Knaresborough). I chose these bases in large part because I will be relying on public transportation.

I’ll make separate posts for each base since otherwise this will get too long.

For my stay in Tunbridge Wells, I plan on

Hever Castle
Chartwell
Penshurst Place
Knole
Ightam Mote
Sissinghurst Castle Gardens
Day tour - Wine Tours of Kent
Folkestone
Margate/Broadstairs
Spa Valley Railway
Bodiam Castle (Kent & East Sussex Railway)

Are there any days that I can combine outside of Margate and Broadstairs?

I’m not intending to travel all or most of the time - I want to live in TW (all my bases) to the extent I can, just relish being there…..but, am I missing things that maybe tourists here for a short time don’t usually get to? Experiences?

**It sounds ridiculous, but I’ll also do a day trip or two into London. I’m spending my last week in London, 5 full days, but I’ll be going day trips to Hampton Court Palace, Oxford, Cambridge and Highclere (never seen Downton Abbey, but I’m much more interested in the home for itself, and I’ve been blown away by it in this behind the scenes show I’m watching)

I have been to London several times, and this time I will focus on:

Wallace Collection
Sherlock Holmes Museum
Tower of London (trying to book Ceremony of Keys)
V&A
Borough Market

Thank you!!!

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256 posts

By the way, the above is for April 2025

Most of May 2025, I’ll be based in Skipton:

Not counting sites in Skipton itself:

Bolton Abbey
Hawes
Settle-Carlisle Railway
Wensleydale Creamery
Green Dragon Inn/Hardraw Force

Grassington
Appletreewick/Craven Arms
Keighley & Worth Valley Railway
Haworth
Bolton Castle
Aysgarth Falls

Broughton Hall

Yep, I’m a huge fan of the new All Creatures Great & Small show, so I may also do a day tour….

Is Broughton Hall with visiting since only the grounds are open?

**During this stay, I’ll be taking a 4 night stay in Conwy, Wales…I posted about that in the Wales forum

Although I love literature, I’ve never read any of the Bronte sisters books; is Haworth still worth a visit?

Thoughts?

Thank you!

Next up is Knaresborough

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256 posts

Last week in May through mid-June I’ll be based in Knaresborough :

My plans (aside from things to do in Knaresborough):

Fountains Abbey/Studley Royal
Castle Howard
Whitby (North York Moors Railway)
Robin Hood’s Bay

Malton
York (2?)
Edinburgh (maybe 2 day trips)

Thoughts? I would love to see Rievaulx Abbey, but it’s not easy to get to

Thank you !!!

Posted by
282 posts

I would trade that Sherlock Holmes Museum for an extra day at the V&A, the jewlery room alone would be worth it :) I'm glad I saw the crown jewels first, the jewelry room at the V&A was stunning. Unfortunately they had to close the room early the day I showed up.

Good luck with the trip! Great plans, tho I could stay in London for 3 months (when I volunteered there for 2 months, I didn't get enough time out and about from the hostel).

Have a great time.
-Alison

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256 posts

Aly, if I need an extra day at V & A, I’ll make room for it - the jewelry room sounds fabulous ! I’ll probably just pick a few rooms - there’s no way I can see everything, and I tend to read every info card, lol; it takes me forever to get through a room!

Thank you ! I love London - there’s something for everyone !

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8245 posts

I'll come back to Skipton and Knaresborough later but quickly for Rievaulx what you want to hope for is that Moorsbus will be in seasonal operation by then.

This year they had a very late start but are hoping for an Easter restart in 2025.

If so then go there on a Sunday when the bus runs out from Helmsley. That bus has connections into Helmsley from York, Thirsk and Northallerton. So you can make the most marvellous of days out of it.

Otherwise it's the Whitby bound Coastliner bus to Pickering, the 128 to Helmsley, then walk or taxi (I would say taxi out and walk back). We'd need to check if that worked within the confines of the fairly limited 128 timetable.

For RHB/Whitby I would suggest taking the Coastliner bus one way then the Esk Valley Railway the other to Middlesbrough, hourly train back to York then train back to Knaresborough. A lot easier than it sounds on 'paper'.

I now live outside the area but when I was working in our Manchester Office I had a fair few wonderful days out on the Moorsbus network (connecting into it at York station or even Hull or Middlesbrough stations) and have very fond memories of those days, and of the tremendous network Moorsbus is. Being Office based, rather than my normal site based, I had the luxury of Saturday and Sunday off every week and no shift working, so took full advantage of such luxury.

Years ago I worked in Tunbridge Wells for almost two years. I might give some thought to that eventually, of the what else would a local do.

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8245 posts

SKIPTON-
Hawes and Wensleydale Creamery- works very well on a Sunday when you have the Dalesbus service from Grassington (connections from Skipton)-
but on a weekday it also works well by taking the train to Garsdale, then the Little White Bus connection in. I would encourage you to take the Red Squirrel extension of this bus service. Note that the LWB runs down to Hawes through Hardraw.

Bolton Castle and Aysgarth- again they work best out of the Dalesbus Sunday service, but can be made to work on a weekday using the LWB #156 connection at Hawes out of the Garsdale shuttle.

Bolton Abbey-
a. On a Saturday there is the direct #59 bus from Skipton
b. On a Monday, Wednesday and Friday there is the #74a from both Grassington and lkley (get to Ilkley from Skipton on the hourly #64).
Either way I strongly recommend going one way by bus, the other on the Embsay and Bolton Abbey Steam Railway. You can walk up to Embsay from Skipton but there is also a little bus makes the journey every hour- #14.

Don't forget Malham- Sunday dalesbus or the daily bus #210 or 211 bus from Skipton

Also the 580/581 bus from Skipton to Lancaster which takes you to Clapham (North Yorkshire, not London), Ingleborough and Kirkby Lonsdale.

I've only ever passed Broughton Hall on the road so can't comment- but I would suggest closer to the time looking at their monthly programme and seeing if there is something interests you- volunteering or things inside the hall- https://www.avalonwellbeing.com/wp-content/uploads/Wellbeing-Activities-Timetable.pdf

(note Saturday morning Mass in the Chapel as one example)

Totally Haworth is IMO worth going to. Last week I had to go to somewhere just outside Leeds called Birstall (purely a working visit), but was surprised to find myself on the Bronte Way- a 43 mile walking route. That can easily be done in day stages using local bus services. I would have to say I had no expectations at all of Birstall but was very pleasantly surprised by the village. You always get surprises- who knew that Birstall was the birthplace of Joseph Priestley- the discoverer of Oxygen. I didn't until I saw his statue.

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1249 posts

Edinburgh is a long way from Knaresborough to be doing two day trips to. I would have thought having a couple of nights up there would be more practical.

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477 posts

Tunbridge Wells

You don't say what your interests are, but 3-4 miles from the centre of Tunbridge Wells is Tudeley Church (All Saints Church, Tudeley).. It has amazing stained glass windows designed by Marc Chagall. He was initially asked to do one window, but somehow ended up doing all of them.

I think you would have to check that the church was open if you decided to go.

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8245 posts

KNARESBOROUGH

Fountains Abbey/Studley Royal is another place which works best on Dalesbus on a Summer Sunday with the #825 direct bus from Knaresborough.
But on a Monday, Thursday and Saturday you can do it on the #139 from Ripon- https://www.dalesbus.org/uploads/1/1/3/9/113919127/138_138a_139.pdf
(Go to Harrogate first then the #36 to Ripon- widely regarded as one of the best local bus routes in the UK).

There is also a direct #182 bus from Knaresborough to Ripon, which may work better for you- https://passenger-line-assets.s3.eu-west-1.amazonaws.com/eyms/EY/182-timetable-20241110-a7b1cbc0.pdf

If you get the bus out to Fountains Abbey you can take the 4 mile walk back to Ripon at your leisure- https://www.nationaltrust.org.uk/visit/yorkshire/fountains-abbey-and-studley-royal-water-garden/ripon-to-fountains-abbey-walk

Castle Howard- train to York then Bus #81 - https://passenger-line-assets.s3.eu-west-1.amazonaws.com/eyms/EY/81-timetable-20241110-4a93f18b.pdf

Edinburgh is a long way, but if you wanted to press ahead with that you leave at 0651, arriving Edinburgh at 1020 change York, last train back at 1936, arrive K 2309 change York- not impossible, but distinctly non- optimal.

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4647 posts

isn31c, you are such a wonderful resource and so helpful. I bookmark most of your posts!

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2336 posts

I would love to see Rievaulx Abbey, but it’s not easy to get to

If you can get to Helmesley on the bus, there is a lovely walk from there to Rievaulx Abbey . Have a read here for all the details. It is a popular walk so there will be other people around and it isn't difficult unless you have mobility issuers.

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256 posts

ISN, I’ll check closer to the dates, but I should be ok if they open for Easter

So in that case, I’d take a train to York, York to Helmsley, and then bus to Rievaulx …I’m already excited! This sounds much easier than the other options. Could I combine the Abbey with York or is it most of a day given I need to travel?

I may be reading the Coastliner site wrong - but I
I’d need to pick it up in York? I checked the 840, 843 - there are bunch of stops on York Rd - I assume that’s York? If I was reading it correctly, Whitby was at the very end - it feels like it would take hours to get there. I was intending to get to Whitby via North York Moors Railway - no good? But I just realized I’d have to taxi from York to Pickering…correct?

That sounds wonderful!

Oh if you have any ideas about TW, I’d love to hear them.

Thank you so much!

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256 posts

ISN:

If I do Wensleydale/Hawes on a weekday via Little White Bus, how does that work? I call them in advance to let them know what train I’m coming in on? And then I suppose a taxi back to Garsdale?

Love the tip about the Red Squirrels!

I wish there were more Sundays, lol - I’m loving the LWB already! Same question - then I would take a taxi back to Garsdale?

Looks like I’ll do Bolton Abbey on a Saturday - and yes, I have it down in my notebook to take the Embsay & Bolton Steam Railway - though I was going to do it both ways

Clapham, Ingleborough & Kirkby Lonsdale - all or any worth a day trip?

Broughton Hall is on my list, so I will make a point of checking the calendar

Oh great, thanks! That’s awesome - these are the kinds of discoveries that make traveling so wonderful!

Thank you SO much!

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28305 posts

The jewelry exhibit is the only part of the V&A where I've found crowding an issue. The items are small, so you really need to be right up next to each showcase to see the contents. I've found it really helpful to be at the museum a few minutes before opening time and head initially to the jewelry. That should get you perhaps 20 minutes of free movement through that area before a lot of other visitors start streaming in. The more you can see in uncrowded conditions, the less time you'll need there.

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256 posts

John, yes, I could do that - but I’m already spending extra money by going to Wales 4 nights…but then, if I could get a B&B or hotel for a decent price in Edinburgh, that might make a lot more sense

Thank you for the suggestion!

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256 posts

Katy, I’ll check that out - I love stained glass!

Thank you!!!

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256 posts

ISN, wow, thank you!

I only have 2 Sundays in Knaresborough, not counting arrival day, one of which I’ll likely go to Rievaulx Abbey, assuming the bus is running. The second Sunday sounds good for Fountains- I’d prefer not to keep changing if I can avoid it

Does the Castle Howard bus go directly to the Castle?

I’m going to have to rethink Edinburgh - I’ve been before, so I won’t need to see the Castle again, but still …I might need to consider staying overnight

Thank you so much - you’re awesome!

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256 posts

Wasley, thank you!

3 miles is probably too much for me - but I’m going to read up on it and not make any decisions then!

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256 posts

Acraven, thanks for the tip - people do love to see beautiful jewelry, lol

Getting to the museum early shouldn’t be a problem - thanks again!

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8245 posts

Yes, the 81 goes into Castle Howard.

Little White Bus is just a normal bus- it'll be sat in the Station Yard when you arrive, at the south end of the southbound platform. No need to prebook unless you want a demand responsive service in between timetabled runs. There are enough timetabled runs that a day visitor is unlikely to ever use that facility.

You go down the ramp off the northbound platform, and under the bridge. Garsdale is a remote station so you can't possibly miss the bus. If you want to take a taxi back, or wait for one of the scheduled return trips.

If you get off the bus in Hardraw it's a beautiful, quite short river and field walk into Hawes. Then visit the Dales Countryside Museum and the Creamery. If short of time prioritise the creamery IMO. Get your fish and chips, then probably the last bus back.
But the Museum does a very good job of telling the history of the Dales.

The red squirrel extension needs to be pre-booked here- https://www.littlewhitebus.co.uk/red-squirrels/

All normal scheduled LWB trips are the standard national £3 flat rate bus fare.

Also at the north end of the southbound platform at Garsdale don't miss the statue of Ruswarp the dog- a touching story.

I think you kind of choose between Clapham with Ingleborough Cave OR Ingleton with the Nature Trail/Waterfall walk and White Scar Cave. One cave is probably good enough for most people. I would toss a coin on that. Whichever you choose pair with Kirkby Lonsdale-

When I wrote Ingleborough I of course meant Ingleton. Ingleborough is the hill/mountain above Clapham.
This is the 580/581 Timetable.
The bus changes number at Settle but you just stay on it. Likewise in Kirkby Lonsdale for anyone going all the way to Lancaster. It's just a legal issue, why they do that.

Rievaulx is really a day IMO although you may well be back in York in time for Evensong at the Minster.

For the Coastliner at York Station - the stop is called York Rail Station Stop RC- that is right outside the front door of the station, marginally to your left. All the stops are clearly signed. Take the 840 for Pickering- a 75 minute journey. Join the NYMR at Pickering. Most people do a round steam train trip, but you can do a single journey to Whitby then the bus back to York.
My suggestion would be single NYMR train trip to Whitby, time to explore the town then the 1745 bus back to York. The route is often voted as the most scenic in the UK- with every justification. Yes it's an hour back to Pickering or over 2 back to York.
But honestly it is worth every minute of that time. That ride is also the £3 flat fare.

The 843 will take you to Scarborough. Some people do make a day of it- 840 to Whitby, the 93 Whitby to Scarborough and the 843 home from Scarborough- but that isn't on your agenda.
You do have to book the NYMR.

Talking about Fish and Chips do visit Bizzie Lizzies (either branch) while in Skipton, also visit the Cheese stall on the market, and see if you can get an afternoon tea cruise on the Leeds and Liverpool Canal- https://www.canaltrips.co.uk/
and also Stanforth's butchers (on the hill just below the Parish Church) for their pork pies- a Skipton institution.

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256 posts

ISN…thank you!

So glad to hear that about the Castle Howard bus…and LWB. I plan on making good use of LWB because I plan on going to Wensleydale quite a bit, if for no other reason than the ice cream, lol. I’ll make sure to go to the museum - I want understand where I am.

I will pre-book the red squirrel extension - noted!

One thing I’m looking forward to doing while in the UK is getting away from the tv and out into nature….and actually walking.

Ok, I’m tearing up at Ruswarp’s story

I could do part of the Ingleton waterfall walk and spend some time in Kirkby Lonsdale.

I admit, I’m having a hard time with the schedule. I looked at the 3rd one as an example…so 9:45 am bus from Skipton gets to Settle at 10:25….I don’t see when it arrives in Ingleton …

Especially since I need to account for travel. Maybe have dinner in York …what a great day that would be

Thank you for explaining! I love steam trains, so I’m trying to travel on as many as I can

That sounds perfect! Because it won’t get dark until late, I can have a full day at Whitby/RHB and still enjoy the route. I’m really looking forward to this!

I think I need to max out my time in Whitby/RHB. I may do a second day in Whitby, in which case I could see Scarborough. Would you recommend?

Yep, I’ve got NYMR in my list - I’ll organize all the trains that I need to book in advance

I’ve heard Bizzie Lizzie’s is yummy! I love markets - I’ll definitely stop at the cheese stall!

I plan on making multiple trips on the canal -afternoon tea cruise sounds wonderful !

I’ve always wanted to try a pie…I have a feeling that they’re going to be a staple meal for me !

This is amazing - thank you SO much!

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8245 posts

The 0945 bus from Skipton is a short trip to Settle only. The through trips are every other hour so the 0850 arrives at Ingleton at 0958 and Kirkby Lonsdale at 1013. You could then come back from KL at 1245, arrive Ingleton at 1300, leaving again for Skipton at 1500 or 1715, back into Skipton at 1610 or 1825 respectively. Just a sample itinerary to show how it works.
Skipton to Settle is thus hourly, Skipton to Lancaster every other hour.

Scarborough has become a rather vexed question on this forum. It seems to be a bit of a marmite thing- you either like the place or you don't with not a lot of middle ground apparently. I'm firmly in the pro camp- I can look beyond the arcades at the harbour to things like the North Bay Miniature Railway, Peasholm Park and the daily mock naval battles on the lake, the beaches, the cliff lifts, the Castle, the boat trips in the Bay, the Spa etc.

Until this forum I didn't know that Scarborough was such a hot topic. Certainly it is a very different place to Whitby. You can of course also go to Scarborough on the train from York- rather faster. Either on train or bus if you really don't like Scarborough you can always retreat to Malton- half way there.

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256 posts

Ah, I think I got it - I forgot that you said the bus number changes at Settle…I was looking at the wrong column. It makes sense now…

I Googled Kirkby Lonsdale - seems a really lovely village.

I’ll research Scarborough, but Malton is already on my list !

Thank you so much !!!!

Posted by
8254 posts

I'll come back to Skipton and Knaresborough later but quickly for Rievaulx what you want to hope for is that Moorsbus will be in seasonal operation by then. This year they had a very late start but are hoping for an Easter restart in 2025. If so then go there on a Sunday when the bus runs out from Helmsley. That bus has connections into Helmsley from York, Thirsk and Northallerton. So you can make the most marvellous of days out of it.

Once you get to Helmsley, you can take the footpath from there to Rievaulx Abbey (well worth a visit!). https://www.english-heritage.org.uk/visit/inspire-me/travel-guides/helmsley-to-rievaulx/

And Helmsley itself is well worth a visit. It's a lovely village with nice cafes, restaurants and shops, and some castle ruins that are very interesting. I really liked visiting Helmsley (I stayed about 8 miles away in a cottage on the moor. Helmsley has a market day on Friday also.

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8245 posts

On a weekday there is a single morning bus direct from York to Helmsley- the 31X at 1005 from York Station arriving at Helmsley at 1118 (the only other direct bus is in the afternoon). Otherwise you catch the Coastliner again to Pickering and change into the 128 to Helsmley- which is 3 hours overall on the bus each way.

The morning bus is run by East Yorkshire.

On a Monday to Friday you then catch the ONLY direct bus back at 1600- it is again 31X but this time is run by Reliance, and it is a school bus which terminates at Easingwold. There you have an 8 minute journey into another bus for York (which has started from Thirsk).
Looking at live tracking today the 31X arrived 8 minutes late into Easingwold saved by the bus from Thirsk being 1 minute late. But a little bit of a nail biting leap off one bus onto the other.

On a Saturday there is an extra East Yorkshire 31X back from Helmsley at 1745 straight to York arriving at York Station at 1916.

If you did route to Helmsley via Pickering I would actually change between the buses at the next village beyond Pickering- called Thornton le Dale. That is because T-l-D is your archetypal English Village with thatched houses, a village pond and a beck through the village. A really nice place.

BTW I am hoping someone else will step into the breach on Tunbridge Wells. So close to London it is a surprise to me that it does not seem to be an oft visited place on this forum. There are only 73 search results ever.
One of the obvious places missing off your list is Battle (Battle Abbey and William the Conqueror). If going to Ramsgate I would also suggest Pegwell Bay- thought to be one of Julius Ceasar's invasion points, known to be an Anglo- Saxon [arguably Vikings) 'invasion' /landing site. The nature of all that is debated academically (Vikings or Anglo Saxons, invasion or landing)- but see the 1949 built replica Viking ship there (which sailed the route of Hengist and Horsa when they arrived), and also the landing site of St Augustine on his first mission to England. That mission led to the building of Canterbury Cathedral, and his route there from Pegwell Bay has always been a pilgrims walking route- now called the Kent Camino (no relation to the Camino to Santiago de Compostela). The Bay also has the remains of the one time Cross Channel hovercraft service to France. Pegwell Villae (betwixt Ramsgate and the Bay is a lovely place

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256 posts

Mardee, that walk sounds lovely…if very long, lol; I’d probably be exhausted by the time I reached the Abbey. Still, it’s much nicer than taking a taxi again. It looks like part of the walk is uphill - is it mildly uphill or harder than that? Is the walk popular?

Sounds like I should spend some at Helmsley…maybe have lunch.

A cottage on the moor? How Romantic!

Thank you so much!

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256 posts

Mardee, what a fabulous blog entry - I’m going to read the others. How long were you in the UK?

The Birds of Prey demonstration sounds like fun - although killing make chicks makes me sad. They also have a special owl experience which looks great - I love owls

Thank you so much!!

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256 posts

ISN, that bus sounds perfect! I’m so glad it’s easy to get to York from Knaresborough since I’ll be using it to connect to other locations more than once!

Oh darn - because doing this on a Saturday would be so much easier …returning home on a weekday sounds like a lot of work, not to mention a bit nerve wracking.

TBH, while I’m very happy to travel independently, this sounds like a lot of work. I don’t want to spend 3 hours each way on the Coastliner, and I’m not sure I want to deal with the unknowns on weekday. That extra Saturday bus looks good -but I’d still have to take a 3 hr bus ride in the morning

I’m going to see about possibly doing a day tour to the Abbey

About Battle - I visited the Abbey on my last trip to London …it was fantastic!

73 search results? Wow. When I asked for advice elsewhere -before I remembered these forums- as to a base in the Southeast with good public transport links, TW came up a few times. It seems like a perfect base to me!

I’ll take a look into Ramsgate…

Thank you so much!!!

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8245 posts

Just to clarify by weekday (unless specified otherwise) that means Monday to Saturday so the 1005 direct bus from York to Helmsley also runs on a Saturday. Thus that would give you all but 6 hours 30 minutes in Helmsley on a Saturday.

This is the complete multi operator timetable- https://passenger-line-assets.s3.eu-west-1.amazonaws.com/eyms/EY/31X-timetable-20240407-0d435989.pdf

You will also see the less well known Byland Abbey mentioned on there. Even I was forgetting about Byland until looking at the bus route map.

Ampleforth Abbey, also on the timetable, is still one of the great Monasteries in the UK- but you can visit parts of it. It is more on the domestic tourist circuit, than the international one as international visitors don't normally have time for places like Ampleforth.

With a car, of course, you could overdose and do Byland, Ampleforth and Rievaulx in the same day.

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256 posts

INS, thanks! That’s great news - makes me so happy!

If I don’t walk from Helmsley to Rievaulx, I think there’s a bus?

I’m going to look into the others you mentioned …

Thank you!!!

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8245 posts

Rievaulx only has the Saturday and Sunday seasonal Moorsbus. Nothing on a Monday to Friday or out of season.

This was this year's Saturday timetable- so there would have been a bus back in to Helmsley from the Abbey at 1533- https://www.moorsbus.org/documents/2024-Sat-M4-v3.pdf

So if that starts by the time you are there next year and is the same timetable that is the answer- go on a Saturday on the 1005 bus from York to Helmsley , walk or taxi to the Abbey and then Moorsbus back in to Helmsley.

What I have also just seen is that the Sunday M31 this year from York at 0913 was a through bus to Rievaulx, Pity the first Sunday train from Knaresborough gets to York at 1020 on Sunday.

For the benefit of others an M5 bus connects at Helmsley for Rievualx on Sunday from Northallerton Rail Station at 1018 and Thirsk Rail Station at 1035 with returns as well in the afternoon.

Quite a few people on the Forum have had taxis to Rievaulx from Thirsk (and been very pleasantly surprised by the price), but none from Helmsley.

Google gives 3 taxi firms in Helmsley- Ryedale Executive Drive (REDS)- http://redstaxishelmsley.co.uk/
Helmsley Taxis 01439 377377
Helmsley Black Cabs 01439 223939

E Mail REDS and get a quote- one way and return to get an idea of costs- I would imagine around £10 or so each way.

In a rural market town like that the taxis will likely be booked up for school runs around 3pm, but otherwise if you decide on the taxi option maybe call them as you leave York to meet you off the bus.

This has taken a bit of figuring out.

Posted by
256 posts

INS, you’re amazing - thank you !

Saturday works great - I’ll check closer to the date that the schedule is the same

I wonder if the train from Harrogate to York gets in before the 9:13 bus from York?

Great tips about the taxis - will do!

Thank you again!

Posted by
34105 posts

I've not been following this closely since our new train expert Stuart has returned again, but using the current timetable on nationalrail.co.uk https://www.nationalrail.co.uk/ journey planner (the place for all train times in the UK except preserved and other private railways) for this Saturday, the first train from York to Harrogate is at 5:19 with a change at Leeds. The first direct train is from York at 6:49 getting to Harrogate in 34 minutes at 7:23, so possibly earlier than a bus. Then 7:07, 7:41 and so on, all direct. £4.20 single fare.

If what you had wanted was the opposite direction, the first train, a direct one, from Harrogate to York is at 6:41, taking 37 minutes.

These make 5 stops along the way, Harrogate, Starbeck, Knaresborough, Cattal, Hammerton, Poppleton, York (and v.v.)

There will be a new timetable in a couple of weeks, and again at the beginning of next summer, but these times won't change a great deal and are good for planning.

Posted by
256 posts

Nigel, thanks so much !

I’m going to be going to be using York as a connection to several places, so this is very helpful

Of course I’m also going to spend time there as well…I’m excited about that!

Thanks again!

Posted by
8245 posts

The train is always bound to beat the bus from either Harrogate or Knaresborough to York, because there isn't a regular bus.

Until this year there was a Knaresborough to York bus every 2 hours which went via every possible village and took 2 hours 20 minutes. The route has now been split at Boroughbridge, and so is now a change of bus and operator.
From Harrogate to York there has not been a direct route in many years, it was and still is a change at Wetherby for infrequent service or a change at Leeds out of the frequent 36 into the every 20 minutes Coastliner (overall time around 2 hours).
From Knaresborough to York by bus with frequent service it is a bus to Harrogate (heading the wrong way entirely ) then the 36 to Leeds then the 840 to York. (overall time around 2 1/2 hours).

I checked and you could get from Harrogate to York on a Sunday by bus via Leeds in time for the 0913 bus to Rievaulx but not from Knaresborough. I would do that but wouldn't expect any visitor to do so.

The Knaresborough to York and Wetherby to York bus rides were/are glorious ones (I've done them) but as serious transport are impractical as they are there for the intermediate villages. Wetherby to York is a very fast timed route and Connexions (the Operator) put some wonderfully old vehicles on- when I was on it last year that was a seriously exciting ride.

Northern Rail now have their winter printed timetables out - https://www.northernrailway.co.uk/travel/timetables
For Leeds to York via Harrogate and Knaresborough look for timetable N29, click the down arrow on the box and look for the timetable from 15 December.

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I hopped over here from your patisserie thread, lol!

Haworth - I agree with Stuart that it is worthwhile. Do visit the parsonage where the Bronte’s lived and walk thru the church there the Dad was in residence. You can also walk out past the Parsonage and go a little way on the moor if you like and the weather cooperates. The main street is surprisingly steep!

Long ago and far away, in a different life, I spent 5 nights in Kirkby Lonsdale. It was a really cute village. The main thing at that time was the Devils Bridge and Ruskin’s View, which was quite pretty! I see from the Wikipedia article that Lee Child lived there when he wrote his first book.

If you decide to go to Aysgarth Falls in May, do check to see the water flow situation. There was so much rain last May that some friends couldn’t go down to see them. In 2023 I was on a small group tour and we stayed at the Aysgarth Falls hotel so saw them a couple of times. I thought they were good but not wonderful so if you don’t have a car I might not try too hard to see them. I will say that I’m used to the big waterfalls in Yellowstone and other places in the USMountain West so my criteria for a worth it waterfalls might be different from others. Food was excellent at the Aysgarth Falls Hotel if you want a meal.

If you like chick-lit, British author Trisha Ashley has a very fun novel about a woman who opens a tea shop in Haworth. It’s The Little Teashop of Lost and Found.

Definitely do one of the All Creatures day tours!

What an awesome time you’ll have!

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We were in York this past August and tried to take the 81 to Castle Howard. It was not running. I forget what day of the week it was but I think it was a Saturday. There was a running event happening that day but I don’t know if that was a factor because when we got to Castle Howard ( by uber) we asked about the bus for our return to York and they said the bus was not operating. They said it might be hard to get an uber back. We just decided to enjoy ourselves and hope we would be able to get an uber back. We had a great time and we were able to get an uber.
So I don’t know if there is a bus that runs between York and Castle Howard.

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256 posts

ISN, I’m sorry I missed your post

I was thinking that I could take the train from Knaresborough to Harrogate and then Harrogate to York, buy it turns out that the earliest train from K to H doesn’t leave until 10:12am. Then I thought shout taking a taxi to Harrogate, but it doesn’t appear there are any trains from H to Y on Sundays

Ok, just to clarify, because it’s starting to get confusing, lol on the 4th, we decided that if I go on a Saturday, I should

Take the 1005 bus to York
York train to Helmsley
Walk or taxi to Rievaulx
Mooresbus into Helmsley
Train into York

The train from Knaresborough to York via Leeds is for Sunday?

How would I get from Leeds to Rievaulx? It looks like I’d have to get off at Northallerton & turn take a long taxi ride

Thanks so much !

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256 posts

Pam, I’m getting whiplash going from UK to France boards, lol

I wish I were going to have a better appreciation for the Brontë sites, but as I do love literature, they will hit home anyway. I believe Patrick survived all his children? How sad…

Thanks for the tips about Aysgarth. I’ve seen some fantastic water falls in the Finger Lakes in NY …just gorgeous

I have to remember that my goal isn’t to try and see every site/village/natural wonder in some whirlwind tour. I’m going to have to cut things out and spend time in my actual bases …just kind of living.

Thank you !!!

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MLS, that’s odd because Castle Howard’s website says there’s the 81 bus. It also lists when it’s not running. Maybe the site listed the date in August when you were there? Of course it’s not showing now…

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8245 posts

As regards the 81 bus to Castle Howard that runs every day Monday to Saturday. I don't know what was happening that day. Maybe it was a Sunday or some other unusual circumstance causing a local road closure. If that was happening East Yorkshire will have a note on their website and their socials. If it really, really mattered I could trawl back through open access running data for that specific day, to find out.

RIEVAULX-

I was thinking that I could take the train from Knaresborough to Harrogate and then Harrogate to York, buy it turns out that the earliest train from K to H doesn’t leave until 10:12am. Then I thought shout taking a taxi to Harrogate, but it doesn’t appear there are any trains from H to Y on Sundays.

No- that is wrong. All trains from Knaresborough to York have come through Harrogate a few minutes earlier. so going to Harrogate is going in the wrong direction. So that first Sunday train from Knaresborough to York at 0950 previously called at Harrogate at 0941 then trains are half hourly all day from both Harrogate and Knaresborough to York.

Ok, just to clarify, because it’s starting to get confusing, lol on the 4th, we decided that if I go on a Saturday, I should

Take the 1005 bus to York
York train to Helmsley
Walk or taxi to Rievaulx
Mooresbus into Helmsley
Train into York

No- There is no useful bus from Knaresborough to York on any day.
On Saturday- Take a train from Knaresborough to York at 0846 or 0915, arriving at York at 0914 or 0944 respectively. Then the 1005 bus to Helmsley, thence Rievaulx (walk/taxi out, bus back) then the BUS back to York then the every 30 minute train back to Knaresborough.

The train from Knaresborough to York via Leeds is for Sunday? How would I get from Leeds to Rievaulx? It looks like I’d have to get off at Northallerton & turn take a long taxi ride

If you wanted to do Rievaulx on Sunday, forget Leeds. That has just totally muddied the waters. Take the first train at 0950 to York arriving at 1020. Then the 1041 or 1142 train to THIRSK (a 16 minute ride). Then Moorsbus M5 from Thirsk Railway Station to Helmsley at 1230, arriving at 1322. You then have an hour in Helmsley. Then take Moorsbus M4 to Rievaulx at 1427 arriving 9 minutes later.
Then the M4 back from Rievaulx at 1648.
That same bus then waits in Helmsley for 34 minutes before going on to York Station as an M31 at 1731 arriving at York Railway Station at 1842, then the next train back to Knaresborough

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8245 posts

Yes Patrick Bronte did survive both all his daughters and his wife. Even in a time of great young mortality it is a significantly tragic story, maybe one of the reasons why the Bronte story is so strong to this day.

The sisters attended the Clergy Daughters School at Cowan Bridge (later at Casterton). You actually pass through Cowan Bridge on the way between Skipton and Kirkby Lonsdale (no real purpose in stopping over unless you were a die hard Bronte fan ) and Casterton is an easy walk from the Devil's Bridge at Kirkby Lonsdale. What was the CDS (later called Casterton School) has in the last few years been assimilated into Sedbergh School- a major local public school.
As such it has lost it's former identity, one of those minor losses to history.
I believe the original CDS at Cowan Bridge is now a holiday let.

Again I am just noting facts, not suggesting you go to Casterton. It's a nice walk two or three times, and a nice enough village but you have better things to do with your time.
There is a lot of nice and little known walking at the back of Kirkby Lonsdale, outwith the scope of your particular vacation. The walk to Mansergh is another favourite of mine in the area. For others there are connections at Kirkby Lonsdale into the 567 bus to Kendal, and thence the Lake District- a good and little known way to transfer from Yorkshire to Cumbria by public transport.
There are lots of walks off the 567 route.

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ISN, thanks!

I knew going from Knaresborough to Harrogate was going in the wrong direction, so I’m not sure why I didn’t think of that, lol

Oops - I was going back and forth between the relevant Rievaulx posts and my reply that I got all mixed up, lol

Got it now - I’ll very likely do this on a Saturday as it simply makes the most sense

Thank you SO much!

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256 posts

ISN, I doubt I’ll have a chance to read one of their books before I leave, but I do want to read more about them. Thank you for that brief history! Patrick must have been an incredible man - visiting the Parsonage word be worth it for his story alone

Thank you so much!!!

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8254 posts

Mardee, what a fabulous blog entry - I’m going to read the others. How long were you in the UK?

Betsy, thanks so much! I was there for a little under 6 weeks earlier this year. But I am hoping to get back in the next few years and stay for at least 3+ months. Maybe more! You will have an incredible time, I promise you!

And I totally understand about the chicks, but if it makes you feel better, they only feed them male chicks, as roosters are not really in demand. Just think of the circle of life. :-)

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256 posts

Mardee, I hope you get to do that! I’ll be there for almost 3 months, and it doesn’t seem like enough!

LOL not really - I love roosters. Poor chicks …