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Family Fun Ideas

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Remember those wonderful carefree days when you played outside? It would get gradually darker and colder, and you were desperate for the loo, but you couldn’t tear yourself away from the outdoor games. In the Yorkshire Dales children have the chance to go free-range! Here are my suggestions for family fun activities and things to do with children in the Yorkshire Dales. 

Be King of a Castle
We all love castles, especially if they have a dungeon, a moat, a maze or a stick-your-bottom-out-of-the-window toilet!
  • Be king of the castle at Skipton Castle and look out for the Long Drop.
  • Pretend to be King Richard III at Middleham Castle 
  • Imagine being a Norman invader at Richmond Castle and look out for the prisoners' graffitti. 
  • Take a gruesome delight in the dungeons at Bolton Castle, explore the maze, watch archery displays, spot the wild boar and climb to the top of the tower for stunning views. 
  • Just outside the Dales you'll also find Markenfield Hall, a perfect medieval manor house complete with moat (limited opening hours)
  • Ripley Castle near Harrogate even has a hidden priest hole. 

Get closer to nature and enjoy being outdoors in the Yorkshire Dales
  • Experience nature close up and fish for your supper at Kilnsey Park. There's a new sculpture trail, geocache and water-play area and several animals to see. 
  • Have an adventure at How Stean Gorge, where you can discover the thrills of the Via Ferrata and then reward your bravery with delicious meringues!
  • Younger children will really love the exciting adventure nature trail at Studfold Adventure Nature Trail, while adults enjoy the glorious views.
  • Solve riddles, marvel at the madness, and laugh at Forbidden Corner near Middleham - a wonderful attraction that's almost impossible to describe (book in advance). ​
  • Meet farmer Chris and his animals at Hesketh Farm Park 
  • Call in at the small but perfectly formed Keld Heritage Centre to learn more about the surrounding countryside.
  • Scramble, climb and play hide and seek at Brimham Rocks, where there are all kinds of curious formations and shapes. There are secret dens and hidden haunts - great place for hide and seek. 
  • Stage 1 Cycles in Hawes regularly offer instructor-led family and children's activities on local trails in Wensleydale. Bike hire always available for independent exploration. ​
  • Marvel at some of our fantastic waterfalls, maybe follow the Ingleton Waterfalls Trail  Learn to climb, cave and navigate with Yorkshire Dales Guides or Low Mill Outdoor Centre
  • Enjoy the excitement of a short trip on a heritage railway, maybe even steam-powered: choose from Settle-Carlisle, the Embsay and Bolton Abbey Steam Railway, and Wensleydale Railway. There are some railway events at Kirkby Stephen East station too.
  • Bolton Abbey Estate has over 80 miles of paths and acres of woodland and fields where children can run free. They can tackle the stepping stones, try one of the trails or go in search of the money tree. 
  • Look out for the strange creatures who're said to live in Troller's Gill by Skyreholme. 
  • Find a folly - go in search of Druid's Temple near Masham.

Delicious Yorkshire Dales ice cream​
  • Treat yourself to a trip to Brymor Ice Cream in Wensleydale, where there's an incredible range of flavours to choose from.
  • Billy Bobs is set in an old-fashioned diner, with a great playground for children to release their pent-up energy. 
  • Archers in Richmond make delicious ice cream, and then you can wander along the river to walk off the calories.
  • At Birchfield in Nidderdale there are often special events on this working farm. 

Be a time traveller in one of our lovely small Yorkshire Dales museums
  • Go back in time at the Dales Countryside Museum, and see what makes the Yorkshire Dales special. 
  • Marvel at some of the quirky exhibits and historical curiosities on display at Nidderdale Museum, Craven Museum & Gallery, Grassington Folk Museum, Swaledale Museum, Richmondshire Museum and the Museum of North Craven Life at the Folly House in Settle.
  • Follow in the footsteps of the monks at Jervaulx Abbey or Fountains Abbey.

Go underground 
  • Explore a secret underground world at Ingleborough, Stump Cross Caverns and White Scar Caves looking out for stalactites, stalagmites, and hidden tunnels.

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    Blogs

    All
    AA Box
    Activities
    A Dales Tradition
    A Flood Of Kindness
    All Activities
    An Hour In The Yorkshire Dales
    A Powerful Stone
    Appletreewick In Wharfedale
    Arncliffe In Littondale
    A Rocket Ship
    Artists & Makers
    Artists' Open Studios
    Askrigg
    Attractions
    Austwick Cuckoos
    Autumn In The Yorkshire Dales
    A Visit To Hawes
    Away From It All
    Aysgarth Rock Garden
    Bainbridge
    Baler Twine
    Bed & Breakfasts
    Behave Yourself
    Behind The Scenes At The Show
    Belted Galloways
    Benefits Of Playing Outdoors
    Best Dales Views
    Betty's Vintage Hut
    Bilberrying
    Birdwatching
    Black Bull In Paradise
    Bluebell Woods
    Blue Lion & Black Panther
    Bolton Abbey & Stepping Stones
    Bolton Castle
    Bonfires & Bartle
    Books And Boots
    Bridges & River Crossings
    Brimham Rocks
    Brymor Ice Cream
    Burnsall
    By The Mouseman
    Cafe Carvings & Contentment
    Cake!
    Call Of The Curlew
    Calm
    Camphill Estate
    Carperby & James Herriot's Honeymoon
    Castleberg
    Cautley Spout & The Pub With No Beer
    Chocolate & Sweets
    Clapham
    Clapham Treasure Map
    Classic Cars
    Coast To Coast
    Cobbles Stones & Pavements
    Coldstones Cut
    Corpses And Wool
    Country Shows
    Cover Bridge To Middleham
    Cow Parsley
    Crackpot Hall
    Create At Broadrake
    Create A Wildflower Meadow
    Creative Dales
    Cricket
    Culloden Tower
    Cycling & Mountain Biking
    Dales 30
    Dales Alphabet Of Activities
    Dalesbus
    Dales Countryside Museum
    Dales Galleries
    Dales Inspiration
    Dales Place Names
    Dales Way
    Distinctive Dales
    Dog Friendly Dales
    Don't Get Lost!
    Doors And Windows
    Dramatic Dales
    Driving In The Dark & Pubs
    Drover & Packhorse Routes
    Dry Stone Walls
    Easby Abbey
    East Witton
    Embsay To Bolton Abbey Steam Railway
    Exercise & Green Spaces
    Extraordinary Sculpture
    Family Fun Ideas
    Famous Five Style Ice-cream
    Farfield Mill
    Farmers
    Farm Fresh Milk
    Feizor & Elaine's Tea Rooms
    Fell Running
    Ferret Racing & Cosy Pub
    Field Barns & Cow'uses
    Filming James Herriot
    Film & TV Locations
    Fleece To Fabric
    Fountains Abbey
    Free Audio Trails
    Fresh Air
    Friends Of The Dales
    Gardens In The Dales
    Garsdale & A Special Dog Story
    Georgian Theatre Royal
    Ghostly Goings-on
    Gin In The Dales
    Glencroft Wool And The Three Peaks
    Good Things About Rain
    Gordale Scar
    Go Where The Grass Is Greener
    Grassington
    Guide To Health & Happiness
    Gunnerside
    Hackfall - Magical Woods
    Happy Positive People
    Hares
    Hawes Treasure Map
    Hawthorn
    Hay Meadows
    Hebden - Wonderful Food & Drink
    Here For The Beer
    Heritage Open Days
    Hibernation
    Highland Cattle
    Himalayan Garden
    Historical Re-enactments
    Hoffmann Kiln
    Honesty Boxes
    Horse Riding In The Yorkshire Dales
    How Many Yorkshire Dales?
    Ingleborough Cave
    Ingleton Colours
    Ingleton Lido
    Ingleton Treasure Map
    James Herriot TV Locations
    Janet's Foss
    Jervaulx Abbey
    Joy Of Small Things
    Keelham Farm Shop
    Keld
    Keld Community Welcoming Visitors
    Kettlewell
    Kettlewell Scarecrow Festival
    Kilnsey Park
    Kilnsey Village
    Kingfishers
    Kirkby Lonsdale
    Kirkby Malham
    Kirkby Stephen
    Knights Templar In Wensleydale
    Lady Hill
    Lambing
    Langthwaite & James Herriot
    Lazy Lanes
    Lead Mining
    Leyburn Full Of Hidden Surprises
    Limestone Pavements
    Linger In Linton
    Linton & Grassington Treasure Map
    Little Alf
    Live A Little Every Day
    Llama & Alpaca Trekking
    Lovely Lichens
    Loving Local
    Lynchets And Ancient Farming
    Malham Peregrines
    Malham Safari
    Malham Treasure Map
    Markenfield Hall
    Marking Time
    Masham Market Place
    Masham's Creative Community
    Masham Sheep Fair
    Masham Treasure Map
    Middleham - Windsor Of The North?
    Money Does Grow On Trees
    Mud-larking
    Muker Show
    Nature's Cure
    Nature's Jewels
    Nidderdale
    Nine Standards Rigg
    Nordic Walking
    Oak Apples
    Old School Muker Art Gallery
    Open Farm Sunday
    Outdoor Clothing
    Paragliding
    Pateley Bridge
    Peace In Airton
    Pendragon Castle
    Pepper Pot & Guillotine
    Photography Courses In The Dales
    Planning Long Distance Walks
    Playing Quoits
    Positive People
    Post Boxes
    Pub Games
    Pub Names
    Pub Safari
    Pub To People Ratio
    Queen Mary's Shawl
    Quirky
    Rabbits & Russians
    Rangers & Volunteers
    Red Squirrels
    Reeth
    Reeth Show
    Reliable Weather Forecast?
    Rescue Services
    Ribblehead Viaduct
    Ribblesdale
    Richmond Castle
    Richmond Station
    Richmond Treasure Map
    Ride2Stride Festival
    River Ure
    River Wharfe
    Romantic Ruins
    Rope & A Rich Life
    Scar House Reservoir
    Secret Coverdale
    Sedbergh
    Sedbergh Treasure Map
    Seeing Differently
    Sense Of Community
    Serene & Spiritual
    Settle Falconry
    Settle Flower Pot Festival
    Settle Folly
    Settle To Carlisle Railway
    Settle-treasure-map
    Sheep-dog-demonstrations
    Sheep-graffiti
    Sherlock-holmes-yorkshire-dales
    Signs
    Silage Or Hay?
    Simple Ways To Enjoy Nature
    Skipton
    Skipton Castle
    Skipton Castle Woods
    Sloe Gin
    Smallest Art Gallery In The World
    Solitude And Silence
    Speak Sheep
    Spotting Spring
    Squeezes And Kissing Gates
    Stainforth & Leaping Salmon
    Starry Skies
    Stay Cool
    Stiles
    Stonehenge Of The Dales
    Stories Of Semerwater
    Stories Of The Dales
    Stories Of The Vault
    Studfold's Magical World
    Swaledale Festival
    Swaledale Museum
    Swaledale Secret Garden
    Swaledale Sheep
    Swale Trail
    Swift Trail
    Tan Hill Inn
    Tennants
    Terrible Knitters Of Dent
    The Buttertubs
    The Dalesman
    The End Of The Road
    The Hills Are Alive...
    The Pennine Way
    Thornborough Cider
    Thornborough Henges
    Three Peaks Arts Trail
    Thwaite & Attenborough's Forerunners
    Tombola & Raffles
    Town End Farm Shop
    Tractor Love
    Traffic Jams Dales Style
    Transports Of Delight
    Trees That Talk
    Tupping Time
    Underground Wonders
    Vicar On A 3-wheeler
    Village Greens
    Vintage Coach Trip
    Volunteers
    Walking In The Yorkshire Dales
    Walks
    Waterfalls
    Wensleydale Cheese
    Wensleydale Experience
    Wensleydale Railway
    Wensley Wonders
    West Burton
    What Makes A Good Yorkshire Dales Pub
    When It Rains In The Yorkshire Dales
    Wild Garlic & The Good Life
    Wild Swimming
    Wishing Trees
    Wonderful Ways To Reeth
    Wonders Of Wool
    Wool In The Yorkshire Dales
    Wriggly Tin
    Yellow Cheer
    Yockenthwaite - Centre Of The Dales
    Yorkshire Dales Animal Artists
    Yorkshire Dales Books & Bookshops
    Yorkshire Dales Cheese Festival
    Yorkshire Dales Curiosities
    Yorkshire Dales National Park Features & History
    Yorkshire Dales Shepherdess
    Yorkshire Three Peaks
    Yorkshire Trails
    Yorkshire Trike Tours


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