Summer Staycation Bliss in Harrogate, North Yorkshire
Whether you’re holidaying at home in the UK this summer, or planning a cheeky second holiday for later this year, the Harrogate area of North Yorkshire offers you a blissful break away from the norm.
Easily accessible by train from London and across the North, Harrogate’s central location makes it an ideal place to visit for a long, lazy weekend - yet with so much on offer, the spa town and its wider environs could easily sustain a wickedly indulgent week away.
Here’s why Harrogate should be on your hit-list for a must-do UK destination:
HISTORY, HERITAGE AND HIDDEN GEMS:
Harrogate’s spa town origins greet you at every turn, from the Royal Rump Room Museum; celebrating 70 years of its role as Harrogate’s museum this year; to the Turkish Baths, one of only seven remaining that date back to the 19th century. Harrogate is home to Britain's most fully restored Victorian Turkish Baths; significant in their decoration, elaboration and rarity; where guests can experience authentic spa sessions together with a range of contemporary treatments.
Created for spa visitors to promenade and take the air, Harrogate’s beautiful, 19th century Valley Gardens offer picturesque parkland that’s perfect for picnicking and a variety of al fresco entertainment. In the late Queen’s Platinum Jubilee year, the gardens’ Sun Pavilion and Colonnade were granted listed status along with only five other sites in the country. This summer, enjoy open air theatre in the gardens and family-friendly pop-up parties during the school holidays.
CULTURE AND CURIOS:
Celebrating its 120th anniversary in 2023, the Royal Hall, Harrogate’s “glittering palace of gold”, is available to tour on selected open days and, together with Harrogate Theatre, hosts a variety of productions from comedy to musicals, drama to pantomime.
Once Harrogate’s promenade rooms, the Mercer Art Gallery is a stunning exhibition space hosting international, national, regional and local exhibitions, including art from the Harrogate Collection. Until July, see ARTIST ROOMS - featuring works from the contemporary Yorkshire-born artist, Turner Prize-winner Martin Creed. In collaboration with Tate and National Galleries of Scotland, the exhibition includes works on display for the first time outside of London and Edinburgh.
INDULGENT SPA CRAWLS:
A short step away from the centre of Harrogate, the surrounding North Yorkshire countryside is home to a sublime selection of luxurious and indulgent spa hotels. With gorgeous garden views, the rooftop spa at Rudding Park Hotel features an indoor-outdoor infinity edge pool with foot volcano hydrotherapy, leg and back massage and swan neck massage. The serene Escape Zone provides a range of visual and audio therapeutic experiences such as lapping waves, wildflower meadows and breath-taking mountain landscapes.
At Swinton Country Club and Spa on the Swinton Estate, immersion experiences are heated by eco-friendly and carbon neutral biomass boilers. The outdoor spa garden offers eco-friendly bathing in bio-filtered natural water and an alfresco hot tub.
At Three Graces Spa at Grantley Hall, relax in the thermal experience area, complete with 18 metre swimming pool; an indoor to outdoor vitality pool featuring air recliners, neck massage stations, air blowers and body massage stations; sauna, steam room, snow room and tranquil relaxation area.
ACTION AND ADVENTURE IN THE GREAT OUTDOORS:
How Stean Gorge in Nidderdale offers all the mood-boosting benefits of adventuring in the great outdoors, at one of the only places in the UK providing paddle sports and rock sports in one day. Guided by How Stean Gorge’s expert instructors, ‘The Big 5’ multi-activity day will push your boundaries with a via ferrata high ropes course; abseiling; gorge scrambling; caving and canoeing.
PEACE AND TRANQUILLITY IN A GORGEOUS GARDEN:
Discover Studley Royal Water Garden, a masterpiece of 18th-century landscape design which, together with Fountains Abbey, England’s largest monastic ruin, forms a World Heritage Site. Enjoy guided walks with nature rangers to learn more about the deer species inhabiting the deer park.
Visit Newby Hall and Gardens near Ripon to marvel at the 172m double herbaceous borders and exquisite planting. Families will love the teddy bear and dolls house museum, miniature train and boat trips on the River Ure. Don’t miss the 50th anniversary of the Historic Vehicle Rally at Newby on Sunday 16th July, the North’s biggest one-day car show.
Love growing edibles? Head to Rudding Park Hotel and explore the Kitchen Garden. With 52 raised beds - made from English Oak trees grown in the grounds at Rudding Park - the garden sustains more than 500 different herbs, salads, edible flowers and fruits.
Visit RHS Garden Harlow Carr for a brand new series of Gardening Inspiration Weekends – from Creative Containers to Cut Flower Gardens. Throughout the summer, the programme offers plenty of inspiration and take-home tips for your garden, with expert talks, demos, garden tours and family workshops.
The gardens at Beningbrough are dazzling in colour to herald in the re-opening of Beningbrough Hall this July, following a £2.3m refurbishment programme. Alliums give structure in the borders, while roses grace the walls and summer fruits ripen in the walled garden.
The Himalayan Garden and Sculpture Park near Masham has one of the North’s largest collections of rhododendrons, azaleas and magnolias. Discover 45 acres of beautiful gardens and more than 85 striking contemporary sculptures. New experiences for 2023 include a Modern Calligraphy Workshop and Summer Painting Retreat.
AND FOR SOMETHING A LITTLE DIFFERENT:
Explore the breath-taking landscapes of Nidderdale and unwind with a friendly four-legged walking companion at your side. At Nidderdale Llamas and Alpacas, you’ll create unique memories from a totally personalised trip – with a llama matched to your personality and a llama-trekking adventure tailor-made to your requirements. Think, llama speed-dating!
HARROGATE AND BEYOND:
Don’t miss pretty Knaresborough, with its medieval castle high on the cliffs above the River Nidd, the breath-taking view of Knaresborough Viaduct and rowing boats on the water, before stopping for home-made ice cream at Waterside. Knaresborough is ten minutes by train from Harrogate.
Visit Ripon, one of England’s smallest cities, and Ripon Cathedral, consecrated more than 1350 years ago. At Ripon Museums, a tri-entry ticket will take you around the Workhouse Museum, Courthouse Museum and Police and Prison Museum, for a truly unique taster of life as a less fortunate soul in Victorian times.
Find out about these fascinating experiences from the Visit Harrogate website: visitharrogate.co.uk - and make Harrogate your must-do destination this summer.
