Towns to visit in the north, ideas please.

[Shipley]

Along the lines of Whitby, Scarbrough, Bridlington, Filey, York, Harrogate. Where else is there that has attractions to walk around and is a destination in its own right to walk around and have lunch? X

Lake District - lots of towns - Ambleside, Windermere, Kendal. Great for walking.
Settle - cute little town, the Old Naked Man cafe is good for a bite to eat.
Skipton - castle is lovely, lots of cafes
Bolton Abbey - lovely walk, cute tearoom
Haworth - could go to Keighley & go on the KWVR (steam railway), better check days & times though. Are you a Bronte fan?
Hebden Bridge - just a very nice small town. Lots of lovely little shops.
Carlisle - a lot further north, castle is quite nice.
Hull - The Deep, a few other museums but I've never had time after going round the Deep!
York - lots to do, could spend a week there, can work out good value on a Yorkpass ticket, if you want to visit a lot of the attractions.
Robin Hood's Bay - nice for a trip to the seaside. Not the most accessible by car though, very steep road access & no car park at the bottom.

Haworth - could go to Keighley & go on the KWVR (steam railway), better check days & times though. Are you a Bronte fan?

Good suggestion although you’re better starting the journey from Ingrow or Oxenhope - much better parking than in Keighley

I live in Guisborough, should have said! Saltburn is on my doorstep, was looking to go a little further afield 1 - 2 hours drive. Whitby, York, Goathland/Moors and Scarborough are our usual trips so looking for somewhere similar to York/Scarborough in terms of having things to do and walk around (not necessarily going to a 'day out' venue like a castle or garden.

We found Richmond and Durham to be quite dull for a family! We like shops and experiences i.e. cliff lift, mini golf, street performance, little interactive experiences like Chocolate Story in York.

I like Harrogate but it's not for shopping and afternoon tea than entertaining kids.

Leyburn is somewhere I often forget, we go through when going to The Forbidden Corner

Beverley. It’s a mini York.

Lincoln. Castle, cathedral, Collection museum.

Barnard Castle, Alnwick, Bedale ( along with all the others mentioned)

I'm going to jump on the bandwagon and say Durham; beautiful, historic, castle, cathedral, River boat trips, nice places to eat and drink. I miss it.

Try Alnwick, Barter Books, castle etc. Tynemouth has a high street, beach, priory, parks, mini golf, a pirate maze, inflatable soft play thing, aquarium. Corbridge and Hexham are both nice. I know what you mean about Durham I always think I must have missed something when I go! Newcastle loads to see in the centre, shopping, places to eat, quayside, usually some atmosphere in the city centre.

Buxton
Ramsbottom
Knutsford
Hebden Bridge
Lytham

If you've got kids to entertain, you'll like Newcastle. Take them along the quayside - you can view the river and bridges from the Baltic, then there's the "beach" that gets built across the bridge, in the summer. The Life Science centre is a doable walk or bus ride away from there. It doesn't have the same sort of street entertainment as York but there's often fire eaters or the beatbox Spiderman guy out there. And lots of shops (and yeah, Durham is crap for shops, particularly since half of them closed. If your kids didn't see the lego Cathedral, they might appreciate that, though.)

West Yorkshire has some lovely places.
Try Ilkley and Wetherby.

Mablethorpe - darling husband and I have very fond memories.

Stop with the Skipton. What a boring non place it is

I would second Beverley. And, although it’s not obvious, Hull is a lot nicer than it used to be. The marina area is lovely to walk around, and the transport museum and fountains in the centre are fun for kids.

Hull is great! Tons of stuff to see and do. And Beverley market town. Pickering, Ripon, York

Can someone tell me please what they think there is to do in Pickering or Ripon.

Barnard Castle and Bowse House Museum, there's a fabulous farm shop nearby too - much underrated
area
Ripley - Ripley Castle and then a wander round the Estate village, good pub (Boars Head) and a lovely ice cream shop
Beverley and Ilkley more for shopping and lunch but still lovely
York

@OhTheRoses there's a lovely hotel nr Rippn called Swinton Park, fabulous estate stretching for miles with lots of lovely walks and they have a new spa which opened last year, good for afternoon tea too!

If you get the opportunity check out the Pickering Memorial Hall. It's a really great space with superb large windows that let in great light. It has a really useful kitchen space off the main hall and has a few upstairs rooms which are a really good size as well.

Could have written katieanna's post- just back from springbreak with 3 DC ( ranging age 7-14) we adore Northumberland. Alnwick, Tynemouth, Whitley Bay ( brilliant cycling and St Mary's Lighthouse), Seahorses, Banburgh ( best beach ever together with Longsands in Tynemouth). I could move there tomorrow.

This place is fab! www.theforbiddencorner.co.uk/

It has a really useful kitchen space off the main hall and has a few upstairs rooms which are a really good size as well.

I can’t figure out if you are taking the piss or not?

North Wales.

Conwy and everything in the Conwy Valley, Snowdonia, Llandudno, Betws-Y-Coed, Abersoch, all the castles of Wales, the history, amazing walking destinations, beaches.
(I think Conwy is the best, definitely much more touristy).

If you mean north of England, then I’d add Robin Hood’s Bay whilst you’re at Whitby, as it’s not far. There’s wee places to explore, and some atmospheric spots. The beach was not bad too.

If you mean north of the UK, I can also suggest some places nearer me - as a PP suggested, Edinburgh is a lovely spot this time of year. ;)

Hull is a lot nicer than it used to be....fountains in the centre are fun for kids

The reality of this is that this beautiful installation is absolutely ruined between April and September, by hordes of children screeching their heads off. God knows how many water-borne diseases are present here as the fountain water sure as hell isn't treated. Also, there is nowhere to change/dry off as the nearby public loos have banned this due to inconsiderate parents leaving pools of water everywhere for others to slip on.