So, we had a free weekend before we going on our jolly hols to Greece. What’s better than having a family outing? Our destination of choice: Knaresborough, North Yorkshire. Here is how we spent our day out in Knaresborough.

There is just something about exploring your local area, isn’t there? Living in Leeds opens so many beautiful Yorkshire destinations to explore; including Skipton, Yorkshire Coast and or course Knaresborough. This makes it the perfect place for a day out in Knaresborough. Grabbing a picnic carefully wrapped and heading to the train station to start our exploration of the beautiful Yorkshire town, we were ready.
But what and where is Knaresborough?

Knaresborough:

Knaresborough is a beautiful historic market town in the borough of Harrogate, North Yorkshire. It is located on the River Nidd, which you cross over when arriving by train and moving around the lovely little town. Because of the location, the views along the route are truly stunning. It is well worth taking a train journey rather than driving; so that you don’t miss out on the beautiful scenery of West to North Yorkshire.

Just a short train journey (roughly 40 minutes) from Leeds takes you from the hustle and bustle of the city across farmland and fields to the beautiful quaint town of Knaresborough.
The town train station is small, comprised of two platforms only, with train lines linking Leeds and York via Harrogate.

A day out in Knaresborough

There are lots to do an explore in Knaresborough, even though it is only a small town. From exploring the river, checking out the historical buildings and even visiting Mother Shipton’s cave!

River & Viaduct – A day out in Knaresborough

As you pull into the station, there is a very well known viaduct to cross on the train. Views of the town from this are wonderful and down by the river you get amazing views of this incredible structure.
There are several rowing boats that can be hired on one section of the River Nidd. For about £6 for each person, you can have an hour out on the river. We decided to skip on this and watch others rowing along the river, however, I think this would be a lovely activity to do on a warm sunny day when visiting Knaresborough.

Conyngham Hall grounds

Following up from the riverside, there is a park area on Conyngham Hall grounds.
Large trees surround the large Conyngham Hall grounds which operates as a business centre. We did not go right up to the hall, having a walk along into the open grounds instead. This is a great spot for a picnic, which is exactly what we did! A lovely mini picnic on picnic benches looking out into the grounds.

Just behind where we sat there are ruins. Upon investigation, these ruins are apparently an old farm situated on the hall’s grounds. In some parts, you can see the layout for the stables /pens for the animals, with other parts a little bit harder to imagine what they once were. Never the less it was still nice to see and have a look around a little bit of Knaresborough history.

Mother Shipton’s Cave – A day out in Knaresborough

Probably one of the things Knaresborough is famous for is Mother Shipton’s Cave.
This is a fab place to visit and oozes history. There is something for everyone, with the actual trail to the cave and wishing well, to a playground for children. On our visit, there were even various birds to see and hold if you wanted (and pay for).

Now a bit of history on Mother Shipton’s cave; it is one of England’s oldest attractions, that sees many visitors throughout the years. Even a few celebrities have graced the grounds. Mother Shipton herself was apparently a prophetess, England’s most famous to be in fact. She had predictions of several large events that happened within and just after her lifetime. This includes the great fire of London in 1666, the invention of iron ships, and the defeat of the Spanish Armada.

Through the trail, you can visit the cave of Mother Shipton’s birth. According to the stories, Mother Shipton was apparently a witch, both in appearance and abilities.

There is also a part near the cave; the Petrifying Well. Around the time of Mother Shipton was this was thought to be magical. Because of this, the locals did not like venturing near it. Bathing in the well was thought to have healing powers too.
The well actually has a high mineral content, which is able to turn items to stone or ‘petrifying’ them. You will see many items that are going through the process of petrifying or already petrified.

If you go up the steps that are behind the Petrifying Well, you will find a wishing well, and this is a must when visiting the attraction. Just remember not to tell anyone your wish as it won’t come true!

Mother Shipton’s Museum / Gift Shop

Also on the site is a small museum and gift shop to explore. It is a great little place to have a nosy around after visiting the cave and wishing well.
In the museum, there are various items that have been petrified in the well. Celebrities and even royalty have donated items to be petrified too!

Along the trail of Mother Shipton’s cave, there are a plethora of various wooden sculptures. Beautifully items to try and spot through the trees!

A Day out in Knaresborough Summary

We ended our time at Mother Shipton’s Cave by taking a stroll back through the town, visiting one of the many eateries on offer. Unfortunately, I didn’t take any photos during the meal. Instead, I chose to take photographs of the various sights around the town from Mother Shipton’s cave to the train station. Here are a few more of the photographs I took:

All in all, it was a wonderful family day out, and I would highly recommend a visit to this beautiful town.

Have you visited Knaresborough before?  Where would you recommend a family day out?
As always leave a comment below, and thanks for reading!