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We've just booked a cottage in Skipton for half-term week. I haven't a clue what's there - we randomly picked somewhere cheap and within a short drive of Manchester. I'd appreciate recommendations of things to do (have car, will travel).

We'll eat out a few times, and whilst dd1 (4) is well-trained, dd2 (14mo) is feral a work in progress and so we need buzzy places to cover up her noise with good service. they'll eat anything, mind.

.....?

I don't get how you're both in skipton and in a short drive of Manchester I guess a different idea of short drive?

In the yorkshire dales so near skipton is forbidden corner which is great.

AlwaysWild - I have been wondering about Forbidden Corner. Is it all underground and dark/gloomy? Have visions of us feeling our way round which doesn't seem much fun.

Not far from Skipton is the Yorkshire Dales Ice Cream Farm which is fab for small children - best playground in the area, and a cool American diner-style ice cream place Also Bolton Abbey and Heskwith Farm which have lots of child-friendly stuff.

it's an hour from here - the M66 is practically in my back garden.
will have a look at Forbidden Corner - thanks.

ooh, that ice cream place look ACE.

If you are ok with a short drive the Keighley and Worth valley railway is good. It's a steam railway and my dc always like it.

You could always try Fountains Abbey (national trust). My dc love running about and exporing the ruins.

Forbidden Corner is ACE. Went when I was pregnant, no kids with us, felt like a kid again. Only a bit underground/indoors. Go on a nice day and take a picnic. Have to pre book, check web.

York is about an hours drive from Skipton. Loads here to do if you fancy a trip On the outskirts of York is a fish and chip restaurant called the Wetherby Whaler - very family friendly and noisy

The cafe at Foutains Abbey is very good. Bettys in Harrogate (and York) is also child friendly.

Skipton Castle is one of my favourite places, being small and manageable for little kids but castle-y enough to fire up the imagination. There are boat trips down the canal. You can drive to Keighley (10 mins away) and get the steam train to Haworth. Short trip to the Dales where you can do stuff like mess about by rivers.

It'll be brilliant.

Oh I see! You're in Manchester and going to skipton. Get you. I thought you were from somewhere else and wanted to visit Manchester so picked a cottage in skipton. Makes sense now.

Forbidden corner is ace. Not the least but gloomy. There's an undergroundy big but that's not all of it. So you don't feel like you're always in the dark at all. Lots of running round space outside too.

The ticketing system is odd. You have to book in advance and collect in a village I've forgotten the name of. It's give once you realise though.

There's also the railway at embsay that goes to Bolton abbey. They often have kids specials in the holidays

Second skipton castle

Another yes for Skipton castle and you must must must go Stanforths butcher for pork pies. Warm. I live 3 hours from Skipton and am now considering ditching plans today to get a warm pork pie. Apologies if you are vegetarian . There is a chain of pubs owned by Nigel Haworth, one near Skipton that I can't remember the name of, but it's great, and welcoming for kids.

cheers 40 - DH is a pork pie connoisseur, so will definitely go for that one.
thanks for all the suggestions, keep 'em coming, especially wet weather options, as we're going in three weeks <eyes sky nervously>

Ingleton waterfall walk nice, but you need good weather. Bird of Prey centre near there too. Will keep thinking!

Another vote for Skipton Castle. This website gives lots of ideas.

thanks for all of these - just a quick bump as we're going on Saturday, and will definitely need a few warm weather options.

cold weather obviously
<looks for rapidly depleting collection of own marbles>

a final evening bump. and where's good for sledging ?

you might want to double check forbidden corner - website says it's only open between April and October.

A few excerpts I've pinched from my own website (so I'm allowed to!):

Some of these are about 30-40 minute drive from Skipton but you could do a few of them in 1 day.

Clapham - delightful Dales village with a playground plus a buggy friendly woodland/lakeside trail that has lovely views leading up to Ingleborough Cave.

Settle Playbarn - gentle soft play area that serves good food & drinks (not the Whacky Warehouse variety). One suggestion for a lovely day out is to get the train from Ribblehead (stunning views) to Settle or vice versa then do the short walk to the Playbarn. Settle also has a Booths supermarket with a playground next door.

The market town of Hawes makes a great day out. A good itineray is the Countryside Museum (the railway carriage section is very hands on and is ideal for children) which has a great playground across the road, followed by a walk through the beautiful cobbled streets to the Creamery which offers tours, generous tastings of its famous cheeses and heavenly ice-creams and another playground.

One of our favourite children's farms is Thornton Hall Country Park, located south of Skipton. The Safari ride is not to be missed! Plenty of it is under cover so good for rainy days.

I live in Ingleton and whilst the Waterfalls Walk is brilliant for slightly older children, I wouldn't recommend it with two under 5s unless the 4 yr old is a particularly strong walker and the 2 yr old is in a backpack as it is about 4 miles with lots of steps. Ingleton does have a great playground though and some good cafes including one called Neptis which is pretty child friendly and welcoming. Best pack lunches & cakes are from Flumenty & Fluffin in the village centre.

A good walk with buggies/backpacks is to park at Austwick (near Clapham) and walk to Feizor and back along the bridleway. Austwick has a good playground and Feizor has a lovely cafe.

thanks again - we didn't get chance to try half of these, but are hoping to re-book the same cottage in the summer, so will do a few more then.

the ice-cream diner place at the farm was brilliant - will definitely go back. and we spent an indecent amount of money at the pie shop, which was about 2 mins walk from the cottage. I've put on 4 kilos, and i think it's all pie....