Days out from Harrogate Ripon

Ripon is the smallest city in England and one of the most ancient.  Just a 20 minutes drive from Harrogate you enter a completely different world.  We easily found parking in the nearby carpark and spent the day walking around the city.  You can also reach Ripon from Harrogate by taking the 36 bus which runs every 10 minutes, there are stops at the Bus Station and along Ripon Road. 

Ripon is known for its picturesque Medieval streets with their tightly packed houses from so many different centuries, it makes the mind boggle.  There is a weekly market in the large square in the city centre featuring local produce and everything else!  

The city itself is dominated by its great ancient gothic Cathedral originally founded by Celtic monks in the 660s it was refounded in 672 by St Wilfred as a Benedictine Monastery and dedicated to St Peter. The present church was built between the 13th and 16th centuries. The Cathedral is visible for miles.  The Diocese of Ripon was incorporated into the Diocese of Leeds in 2014 and became one of three co-equal cathedrals of the Bishop of Leeds. The beautiful Cathedral is well worth a visit.  The Crypt is Anglo-Saxon. There is an ancient music tradition spanning fourteen centuries.  The Cathedral has its own famous choir school.  They were practicing when we visited.  Not to be missed!

The Tourist Information Office was a mine of useful information - definitely the place to start if you are a visitor.  Located in a beautiful Georgian building in the Market Square.  It is unmistakable.  The staff were extremely knowledgeable and helpful.  They quickly ascertained our interests and pointed us in the right direction loading us with pamphlets and maps.

Things not to miss:  The Workhouse Museum, The Old Prison, a walk along the river, the Cathedral, the City Walls, the market square, local shops and do stop at one of the independent cafes for coffee, we were made so welcome - they even produced iced coffee - it was not on their menu!  We spent the evening at an outdoor production of The Importance of Being Earnest in the Spa Gardens- see more about this in another of our blogs!