Relocating to North Yorkshire

[Tulipgardenmusic]

Hi Mumsnetters!

Just looking for support and reassurance. We are about to make a move north with our kids - its an exciting time but equally terrifying to move somewhere where we don't know anyone! Is there anyone on here who lives in or near Ripon to hit me with some good stuff about what its like to live there with family?

We've lived in Berkshire near Reading for ten years and had our three children here who are all primary school age (9,7 and 4). For several years we've been talking about moving somewhere with more green space within reach of a cultural city like York and lockdowns just made us more sure about it. Although I have been mainly the one driving a move I am now feeling pretty scared about uprooting our lives and starting again.

We've chosen Ripon as we loved it when we visited and my husband is familiar with the Dales and I became obsessed at watching programmes about the Dales during lockdown! Being within reach of Harrogate and York also has its appeal and being on the edge of the Dales will be wonderful. My husband works from home and I will be eventually looking for work part time in the area

Have you ever been to Ilkley Booths folks? Apparently it is getting a Chocolatier counter 🤣🤣

It is a top of the range booths and I don't say that lightly.

Ripon is great. There are lovely restaurants and tea shops. You can pick up the East Coast Main Line at Thirsk and it has the 36 Bus to Leeds via Harrogate every 20 minutes. Lovely walks and countryside and a rather fine Cathedral.
Lucky

Ooh. Is that a TWO STOREY Booths??

Cafe and loos on the mezzanine.

No advice - just jealous. I love Booths too!

@TheDeliriMum

We lived in North Yorkshire for 4 years on RAF Leeming. Northallerton is a lovely town. You're right between the Yorkshire Dales and North Yorkshire Moors. We moved from Oxford so a similar move.

If there's anything you want to know specifically, ask away!

Harrogate is a beautiful (but expensive) town. Betty's Tea Rooms are worth a visit either in Northallerton or Harrogate. Also, Aysgarth Falls, Goathland, Whitby, Scarborough etc.

It's a beautiful part of the world but it was a culture shock moving from Oxford to Gatenby (where the RAF base is).

Thank you for sharing your experience - its good to hear from someone else who has made a similar move. I am preparing myself for a big change!

With all this love for Booths I can't believe I didn't actually go in when we visited last weekend. We even parked in Booths car park! Kicking myself!! I am making it a priority for the next trip ladies that's a promise! We did go into a lovely little cafe for lunch though. Most eateries were really busy Saturday lunchtime so the town had a lovely vibe about it. Cant wait to visit the Thursday market on market square. It sounds fabulous

I'm in Harrogate, admittedly have only visited Ripon a couple of times but regularly visit Fountains Abbey, beautiful area.

I spent nearly 3 months in Yorkshire over the summer, staying in Alwoodley but travelling all over.

Very close to Ripon is Ripley for a day trip, it’s like a model village. Going into the dales we also loved Helmsley. I actually preferred Ilkey to Ripon.

Got to say though - and preparing to be flamed for this! - I don’t get the excitement over Booths. Went to the one in Ilkley a few times and it was nice enough but only like a Waitrose really. There are nicer upmarket farm shops that I’ve been to in the South East.

Agree that Leeds has the “culture”, and some good shopping, but York feels nicer. There’s a “designer” shopping outlet on the outskirts of York that I found really disappointing. Northallerton is a bit blah, we went to every Betty’s tea room and found that one (and the place) by far the least inspiring.

One thing I would recommend though, is this incredible new garden centre that’s just opened up on the way out of Ilkley back towards Leeds. Can’t remember the name but the chips in the restaurant were some of the best I’ve ever had, and it was definitely the most upmarket garden centre I’ve ever visited - more like a garden lifestyle centre.

Oh and in terms of the beach Robin Hood’s bay was amazing but the hill to get down is something else, pushing a buggy down there felt like I was travelling vertically! Filey is a lovely sleepy seaside place, and Whitby was much nicer than I realised too.

@LegoCaltrops

I dread to think how you'd react in Keelham Farm Shop!

Bloody love that place

I'm from Lancashire, but want to move to Yorkshire. Yes, I'm a traitor.

Ripon is lovely. My dh worked there for 18 months.

However, posters are right. The transport links are poor.

Have you considered any of the villages outside York. For example, Dunnington and the surrounding area is nice.

York has great transport links and excellent schools.

You couldn’t be in a better part of the country. Good luck!

I'm in Harrogate, you must try Knaresborough, take the kids on a boat, walk the river circular and get ice cream!

If you are a little scared of the move could you rent your own house out and then rent in Ripon to ease you into the move.

Going into the dales we also loved Helmsley.

Helmsley is in the NY Moors, not the Dales. It's a different national park.

Booths is amazing, far superior to Waitrose in my opinion.

Ripon is lovely.

Getting my priorities right here with which order I type my comments

Went to keelham farm shop yesterday. Spent £18 on a few bits ! Love pottering around.