Things to do in the Yorkshire Dales when it rains
We can't promise you that it won't rain while you're in the Yorkshire Dales (that's why
the fields are so full of lush green grass!). We can promise you won't run out of things to do - there are plenty of indoor activities in the Yorkshire Dales.
Here are some suggestions from locals and regular visitors to the Yorkshire Dales.
Please get in touch with your own recommendations.
Even in a traditional place like the Yorkshire Dales, things can change, so we recommend double-checking details and opening times before setting off on a long journey
the fields are so full of lush green grass!). We can promise you won't run out of things to do - there are plenty of indoor activities in the Yorkshire Dales.
Here are some suggestions from locals and regular visitors to the Yorkshire Dales.
Please get in touch with your own recommendations.
Even in a traditional place like the Yorkshire Dales, things can change, so we recommend double-checking details and opening times before setting off on a long journey
Indoor attractions: explore castles, stately homes, quirky museums & caves
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How do they do that? Enjoy watching others at work!
It’s great to get the inside track and see how things work, especially if it involves watching other people work while you’re enjoying your time off! Here are some places you can visit and see things being made
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Cafes & tea rooms, recommended by locals
- The Bivouac at Ilton near Masham is a quirky cafe where you can enjoy a warming hot chocolate, play some old fashioned board games or just catch up with friends and family. They also run special events, trails and craft activities.
- Clapham Bunk cafe bar is a great place for wet days, dogs, kids, muddy gear welcome and fabulous food. A warm welcome, great food and a great selection of real ales. Quaint & quirky!
- The Coppice Cafe at the nearby Aysgarth National Park centre does lovely fresh home-made scones.
- Challenge yourself to try as many flavours as possible at Brymor Ice Cream just round the corner from the beautiful Jervaulx Abbey, where there's also a tea room.
- Great local tea room with good food and gifts in a lovely village in the Dales, Zarina’s in Kettlewell.
- Falls Cafe & Bistro is cosy and also has a mini gallery of local artists displayed on the walls, and gifts in their tiny gift shop.
- The Cart House Tearoom, Hardraw: homemade produce, scones & soup - an ideal stop after a visit to Hardraw Scar waterfall.
- Three Hares Café in Sedbergh has a strong local reputation for its great fresh bread, cakes and snacks.
Fab food from local shops and farms
Why buy food from faceless supermarkets when you can buy from people who care about what they do, who know their customers and their suppliers and who take proper pride in serving high quality food at really reasonable prices? You’ll be welcomed (and dry) at all these lovely places where you can also get a taste of our fantastic local produce. So don’t be shy, come and shop!
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Hide from the weather in a cosy pub or dine in a fine restaurant
There are few places where you’ll find as many cosy and friendly pubs as in the Yorkshire Dales, and on rainy days they can be even better! Here’s a selection of "locals" recommended by locals!
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Great places to shop in the Yorkshire Dales
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Learn a new skill
Shelter from the weather and learn a new skill:
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Wonderful waterfalls
Waterfalls are at their most spectacular when it’s been raining. There's no shortage of them in the Yorkshire Dales:
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Revel in the rain
The Yorkshire Dales air is fresh whether it rains or not. And if you go for a walk and get wet, you’ll feel you’ve really deserved a bigger helping of pudding when you go for that treat in a cosy café.
- Go for a swim at Ingleton swimming pool. It is heated, so even in the rain it is a great experience
- Don’t let the rain spoil the fun – put on wellies and raincoats to follow the Studfold Trail in Nidderdale
- Go to meet the llamas at Nidderdale Llamas! Book an On Farm Experience or a Camelid Experience. 80% of the session is 'indoors' with all the animals! For the other 20% just wear a good waterproof, it's great fun in the rain and the llamas don't mind at all!
- Brimham Rocks are amazing in the rain: you can still enjoy an excellent game of hide and seek, finding lots of sheltered and dry places to hide among the rocks. Not so far away are some lovely tea tooms in Pateley Bridge, all cosy with a cup of coffee and cake
- Call in at the Keld Countryside & Heritage Centre and have a look round so you know more about the surrounding countryside. Then enjoy sploshing in your walk in your wellies (preferably flowery, spotty, stripey colourful ones) from Keld to Muker and see dozens of wildflowers (some quite rare), and birds including the oystercatcher. Look out for frogs, they love wet weather!
- How long is it since you got properly muddy and stopped acting your age? Have some fun – swoop down some of the Swaledale hills on two wheels from the Dales Bike Centre, Fremington. You’ll really appreciate their excellent cake afterwards...
- Come rain or shine there's great fun to be had at Bolton Abbey. As you wander through the woods along the surfaced paths let nature’s giant umbrella, the tree canopy, shelter you from the rain and see if you can spot all of nature’s delights in the Strid Wood I Spy
- Try geocaching – the rain can even make it more of an adventure. There are locations around the Dales but we love Hackfall and Hester Cox’s special geo cache art trail
The right kind of clothes
“There’s no such thing as bad weather, only unsuitable clothing” - Alfred Wainwright
Recommended outdoor shops in the Yorkshire Dales where you can buy waterproofs and warm clothes:
Recommended outdoor shops in the Yorkshire Dales where you can buy waterproofs and warm clothes:
- Rohan in Long Preston
- Castleberg Outdoors & Cave and Crag shops in Settle
- Inglesport & Bernies Caving Shop in Ingleton -- Bernies Cafe also offers a specialist kit hire service
- Cunningham's and Three Peaks Outdoors in Hawes
- The Walking Shop in Leyburn
- The Mountaineer Shop & CC Outdoors in Grassington
- Farfield Clothing in Sedbergh
- The Yorkshire Dales National Park Centres
Jolly journeys - without a car
- Catch Wensleydale Railway's train from Leeming Bar, Bedale,
Finghall or Leyburn to Redmire and connect with the Vintage Bus to see
Aysgarth Falls, spectacular in rain! - Take a trip on the Settle to Carlisle Railway or go on a barge on Skipton Canal
- Enjoy a journey on the Embsay & Bolton Abbey Steam Railway
Have you got some recommendations for places to go and things to do when it rains? What have we missed? If you have suggestions to be added to this page please email
This is an independent site, using recommendations from people who live in the Yorkshire Dales. None of the businesses mentioned on this site have paid to be here, nor is the site funded by any other organisation so you can be sure these are genuine recommendations from people who really love the area. It's a work in progress so forgive the omissions, broken links and inaccuracies... If you'd like a more official and comprehensive guide to this beautiful area, please go to the sites run by the Yorkshire Dales National Park Authority and Nidderdale Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty