Knaresborough Voyage Tips and guide

Knaresborough is a picturesque market town in North Yorkshire. It's four miles east of Harrogate, and bounded to the west by the deep gorge of the River Nidd. In 2024 the population was 16,500.

The River Nidd carves a deep gorge as it flows out of the moors. From the 12th century the area south of the river ("The Forest of Knaresborough") was a royal hunting ground, while a market town and castle stood on the north bank ("The Honour of Knaresborough"). The Honour passed into the hands of the Duchy of Lancaster, the reigning monarchs whenever they weren't busy being deposed, so they had more pressing business elsewhere. The town was smashed up from time to time, most recently in the Civil Wars, but since then has been a quiet place. It has light industry and is mostly a commuter town for Leeds and York.

Tourist information is based in the Courthouse Museum within the castle, same hours.

54°0′32″N 1°28′5″W

Map of Knaresborough

Knaresborough is on A59, four miles east of Harrogate and 17 miles west of York.

54.009-1.47031 Knaresborough railway station is on a loop of line from Leeds (45 min) to Harrogate, Knaresborough and York (30 min), with trains every 30 min. Anywhere else involves a change: York is the better connection from London Kings Cross, with a journey time of under 2 hours. At York the loop train is shown as going to Burley Park, in the Headingley / University area of Leeds, to avoid sending travellers to Leeds a long way round. Conversely at Leeds it's shown as going to Poppleton, a small halt just outside York. Arriving from Leeds, look out over the viaduct for views of the town and the river gorge.

The station has ticket machines and a waiting area but no toilets or other facilities. You can access both platforms step-free from the street.

From Harrogate use the frequent Bus 1, see below.

Bus 8 runs four times M-Sa from Wetherby, taking 30 min via Kirk Deighton, North Deighton and Little Ribston, continuing to Harrogate.

Dales Bus 182 runs from Ripon every two hours M-Sa, taking an hour via Ferrensby and Scotton.

Knaresborough is easily explored on foot. Cycling is a good option for out-of-town, for instance Ripley Castle.

Harrogate Bus 1 runs from Harrogate bus station through Knaresborough (20 min) to St James Retail Park on the eastern edge of town. Buses run every 10 min or so from 6AM to midnight.

The local taxi firm is Knaresborough Cars (+44 1423 900446), see Harrogate for others.

• 54.0069-1.46891 Knaresborough Castle, Castle Yard HG5 8AS, ☏ +44 1423 866886. Tu-Su 10AM-4:30PM. This is where you flee if you've just assassinated Archbishop Thomas Becket. The castle was built by the Normans circa 1100, but its royal heyday was 1200-1400. In 1648 it was "slighted" by the Parliamentarians, partly demolished to prevent rebels using it in future, as were many others across Britain and Ireland. The citizens promptly looted the ruins (an early form of recycling) to build their own mansions with "castle stone". The Courthouse Museum within is an original Tudor courthouse. Adult £4.20, child £2.40.  (updated Jan 2026)
• Bebra Park & Gardens are 100 yards south of the castle.
• 54.008691-1.4747052 Mother Shipton's Cave, Prophecy Lodge, High Bridge HG5 8DD, ☏ +44 1423 864600, [email protected]. Apr-Oct daily, Nov-Mar Sa Su 10AM-4PM. Ursula Southeil or "Mother Shipton" (1488-1561) lived here and made various scary prophecies. Much of what's attributed to her is later invention, especially the famous prophecy "The world to an end shall come, in eighteen hundred and eighty-one." This was written in 1862, and later amended to "1981" when cosmic events failed to oblige; there's probably a 2031 version coming soon. Her supposed birthplace, the cave of the Petrifying Well, is a mix of creepy and tacky. Reached by a 20 minute riverside walk through the woods, it's a rock overhang with a continual drip of lime-rich water from above. The limestone solidifies, as if building a stalactite, so any object left here for a few months becomes stone. A whole tourist trade has built up around this: teddy bears and similar soft toys are popular sacrificial objects, what's that really all about? Pedestrian £16, car £42.  (updated Jan 2026)
• 54.0084-1.471513 Knaresborough Viaduct carries the railway from Leeds and Harrogate into town, 80.5 feet (24.5 m) above the River Nidd. It was completed in 1851 at the second attempt: the first was nearing completion in 1848 when it collapsed. There were no human casualties but the lime from the debris poisoned the river fish. Pevsner was among those who decried the replacement bridge for its mock castellations, but since so many Victorian worthies were mock-castellating their mansions in those days, it was authentic for its period.
• St John the Baptist is the main Anglican church, on Vicarage Lane 100 yards west of the station.

• 54.008109-1.4668864 Market Place is the Georgian town centre. Number 16 is a 17th-century timber-framed building that claims to have been the oldest chemist shop in England. But that business ceased in 1997 and it's now Lavender Tea Room.
• 54.0028-1.46565 Chapel of Our Lady of the Crag was carved into the cliff face in 1408. It's on Abbey Road, open April-Sep Sunday only 2-4PM, donation.
• 53.9993-1.45116 St Robert's Cave further along the river gorge was the dank abode of a hermit 1180 to 1218.
• Harrogate needs a day to explore, and has better eating and drinking options.

• Frazer Theatre is on Park Crest.
• Rowing boats for hire: Blenkhorn's is open daily March-Oct.
• Knaresborough Leisure Centre on King James Rd has fitness classes and a swimming pool.
• Golf: Knaresborough GC is two miles northeast near Ferrensby. White tees 6778 yards, par 72.
• The Bed Race is a charity event on the second Saturday in June. There's an annual theme, and a prize for the best-dressed bed, though with their tote bars and gear they look more like warehouse flatbed trolleys. The roads through town are closed while it's on.
• FEVA stands for Festival of Entertainment and Visual Arts. It's held over 10 days in August.

• Lidl on Chain Lane is open M-Sa 8AM-10PM, Su 10AM-4PM.
• Aldi is at the east edge of town on Swallowtail Way, open M-Sa 8AM-10PM, Su 10AM-4PM.
• Knaresborough Market is on Market Place on Wednesdays 7:30AM–3PM.

• 1858 is a bar and restaurant at 42 High St, open Th 4-10PM, F Sa noon-10PM, Su noon-6PM.
• Zolsha at 38 High St is open daily 5:30-11PM.
• Thomas the Baker at 12 Market Place is open M-Sa 8AM-4PM.
• Dil-Raj at 44 Market Place is open Th-Tu 5-10PM.
• Lawai Spice at 14 Castlegate is open daily 5:30-11PM.
• Mother Shipton Inn, Low Bridge HG5 8HZ (by Mother Shipton entrance), ☏ +44 1423 423480. M-Sa noon-11PM, Su noon-8PM. Good pub grub. (updated Jan 2026)

• Track and Sleeper is opposite the railway station.
• Carriages is at 87 High St.
• The Crown Inn, 71 High St HG5 0HB, ☏ +44 1423 867376. Daily 8AM-midnight. Slick JD Wetherspoon, inexpensive ale and food. (updated Jan 2026)
• George & Dragon Inn, 9 Briggate HG5 8BQ, ☏ +44 1423 864645. M-F 4-11:30PM, Sa Su noon-midnight. Trad pub, may have rooms. (updated Jan 2026)
• Blind Jack is at 19 Market Place.
• Groves Inn, 30 Market Place HG5 8AG, ☏ +44 1423 863022. Friendly pub with food and rooms. (updated Jan 2026)
• The Hart, 4 Silver St, HG5 8AJ, ☏ +44 1423 864913. Daily noon-midnight. Inexpensive friendly pub. (updated Jan 2026)
• The Half Moon is at 1 Abbey Rd.
• Brewery: Turning Point is on Grimbald industrial park off Wetherby Rd. No tours, but the taproom is open April-Oct.

Consider staying in Harrogate, where hotel supply exceeds demand.

• 54.0113-1.47261 Knaresborough Inn, Bond End HG5 9AL, ☏ +44 1423 863302. Comfy trad hotel. B&B double £130.  (updated Jan 2026)
• 54.0072-1.46412 Orchard Club Hotel (formerly Newton Hall), 5 York Place HG5 0AD, ☏ +44 1423 863539. Simple place on A59. B&B double £160.  (updated Jan 2026)
• The General Tarleton is a pub bistro with rooms in Ferrensby, 3 miles northeast of town.

• 54.0235-1.50093 Knaresborough Caravan Club, New Road, Scotton HG5 9HH, ☏ +44 1423 860196. Open all year with 80 hard-standing pitches. No camping.  (updated Jan 2026)
• Kingfisher Caravan Park in Farnham has a camping area and is open March-Oct.
• 53.9991-1.41634 Goldsborough Hall, Church St, Goldsborough HG5 8NR, ☏ +44 1423 867321. Upscale country house hotel, great dining. It's in a Jacobean mansion completed in 1625, the home of HRH Princess Mary in the 1920s. B&B double £300.  (updated Jan 2026)
• Bay Horse Inn is a pub bistro with rooms in Goldsborough, a quarter mile west of the Hall.

As of Jan 2026, Knaresborough and its approach roads have 4G from EE and Vodafone, and 5G from O2 and Three.

• Harrogate is a genteel spa town 4 miles west. Harlow Carr Gardens are 3 miles further out.
• Ripon 12 miles north is a historic cathedral town. The big draw 4 miles west of it is Fountains Abbey and Studley Royal.
• York 17 miles east is a must-see for its walled city crowded with historic sights. The Knaresborough Hoard of Roman coins is in the City Museum.
• The upper River Nidd above Pateley Bridge flows down Nidderdale, one of the Yorkshire Dales.
• Leeds 18 miles south for big city amusements.

Yorkshire Dales ← Harrogate ←

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