Ripon

With its magnificent Cathedral, Ripon rightly claims to be the smallest city in England.

Although outside the Nidderdale AONB and Yorkshire Dales National Park, its good facilities and local transport links make it a good centre from which to explore the eastern Dales.

Using a combination of roads, lanes and field paths, it’s about three miles from the city centre to the World Heritage Site of Fountains Abbey and Studley Royal. An especially fine route is to follow the little River Skell from the city centre via Mackershaw Woods to enter Studley Royal via the Valley of the Seven Bridges.

The Ripon Roweller bus service provides links between the city centre and Fountains Abbey - a National Trust property and World Heritage Site – enabling the visitor to catch the bus one way and return on foot or vice versa – or use the bus both ways.

Ripon is also at the terminus of the high quality, frequent bus service from Harrogate and Leeds (which calls at Ripley Castle and Harewood House.

On weekdays Ripon has good bus links with Wensleydale and Swaledale, which serves Lightwater Valley, Masham, Jervaulx, Middleham, Leyburn, and Richmond.

Bus times can be checked at the Transport Direct and Dalesbus websites.

Local services: toilets, café, pubs, shops, accommodation, tourist informaiton centre