North Yorks. activities with under fives

[Loubel]

Has anyone any advice on things to do/ places to visit in North Yorks. We're staying in Grassington and had initially (when booking in Jan!) planned to do short walks and pottering around, but footpaths are now closed. Ideas welcome!

Thanks

Loubel, my sense of Geography is not that great, so some of these things may be too far away but... Mother Shipton's Caves at Knaersborough, The York Museum (toys/chocolate bit my son's fave), Kinderland at Scarborough, Betty's tea rooms in York or Harrogate, Lightwater Valley at Ripon (theme park - not sure how old your children are). My favourite used to be 9pm in Ripon town square when the Hornblower blew his horn, probably tame by today's standards! Not even sure if it still happens - I think we have a Mumsnet Ripon member???

Loubel, this may be too far away for you, but it's totally child-orientated and very good for a rainy day:
Eureka children's museum in Halifax. A huge place
full of fun and interative exhibits. Tons to do for all ages of children. And if you're in Halifax, there's a really good indoor adventure centre/pub/restaurant and outdoor ski slope complex. Don't know the address, but the tourist information centre will have it, I'm sure.

hi, loubel!

there is a steam railway at embsay - very near grassington - it runs from there to bolton abbey and back. some of the engines have faces painted on. the run isn't far but small kids love it.

skipton is a nice town and has a castle.

near ripon are fountains abbey and - something else, name escapes me, national trust places anyway. lightwater valley, a kind of mini alton towers, is also not far away.

york has the national railway museum - it's brilliant! (and next to york station is - or was - a toy railway place, indoors with dim lights and lots of layouts all illuminated.)

i live in clitheroe, about half an hour west of skipton; we also have a nice (small, ruined) castle, with a museum attached and grounds with a playground; also an indoor swimming pool and a great riverbank beach/picnic/play area with pitch and putt and a little railway to ride on.

are you sure all the paths are still closed? you might be able to walk in some places - i'm sure there's somewhere you can find out - anybody know?

Thanks for all the ideas. The children are 3 and 18months, so maybe not museums yet, but railways sound good and castles are a great hit with my son. Places where they can get out and run will be great, so NT places will probably be good.
Tourist Information said that footpaths were closed, but they were not the most helpful I've encountered, so we will try again when we get there.

Loubel, I've just remembered another one - The North Yorkshire moors steam railway - you get on at Pickering and can get off at several stops including Grossland? (Aidensfield in Heartbeat!!) And you can have a drink in the Aidensfield Arms

pickering is a long way from grassington though. (north yorks is a big county!)

there is the keighley-worth valley (?) railway which is the one they used to film the railway children.

by the way, loubel, the railway museum is a huge great engine shed full of actual engines, including mallard, not an ordinary kind of museum; lots of room to run about in!

Paula 1, sorry been away but just so you can sleep easy tonight the hornblower is of course still going strong! In fact I think the world would come to an end if he should miss a night!! The only problem is that the market place is having an overhaul at present and I don't know if he can even get to the monument to do his stuff.

Thanks for all the tips.
Been back a while now, but in case anyone else checks this out, I thought I'd report successes: railway museum in York; Embsay-Bolton Abbey steam train (+ Bolton Abbey has a river with 'fishing', and a sandy beach-like area - a great hit); Newby Hall - loads to do with kids - take bucket and spade for sandpit and towel/ swimming cossies for paddling pool. Also own picnic - food expensive. We also enjoyed Kilnsey Trout farm and the Black Sheep brewery is a must - they have a brilliant children's corner in their restaurant which kept our two occupied for three hours! and the staff are lovely.
It was a great holiday (apart from a three year old with a cold who wanted to go home evry time the excitement waned!)

hi, loubel. we just came home from depositing eldest child at leeds uni today, via skipton, passing signs for embsay, and that reminded me to reply to you...so i am very glad that you all had a good hol and found lots to do, do come again!!!

Has anyone stayed on a farm/farm cottage in North Yorkshire, that they could recommend. Thanks.

Ems,

No, but have stayed in a caravan at Primrose Valley nr Scarborough.

We usually stay on caravan sites, so that in the eventuality of bad weather, there is somewhere indoors for the kids to go Tiger Club etc. Mostly we just use the sites as a base for visiting the surrounding areas. At the risk of possibly offending anyone, for which I apologise in advance, I really can't understand how some of these families can spend their WHOLE holiday on-site.

Am off to Yorkshire in Easter Hols, managed to find waterproof trousers for 6 yr old, but struggling with 2.5 yr old.

Anyone have any ideas where I can look? Been to Milletts who start at size 3-4. And guess which child needs them the most?!

Boden do waterproof dungarees (www.boden.co.uk) for 2-3. Bit expensive at £20 unless they get used a lot. Mind you, I come from Yorkshire and dp always complains that it rains horizontally there.

Togz - from Field and Trek - and made in Scotland, so are stout stuff - do an all in one in the sizes you need for about £24.00. Again, a bit pricey, but the last set we had were worn thin by the time he outgrew them. They are comfy enough to be worn to the shops, splashing around in the garden, etc. Well cut and spacious.

Muddy puddles do waterproof overtrousers for about £10. Virtually indestructible. They also do the dungarees, but bear in mind that if they need the toilet you have to undress them first!
Can't remember the number, it may be on the net. if you're interested, its written on the trousers so can find out tonight if you like.

thanks for all the advice, went for the Muddy Puddles option, £12, choice of 3 colours and no p&p.

I'm hoping that I'm tempting fate and by being so well prepared for once, the sun MIGHT SHINE!!!

Received them today, great service & quality.

Yorkshire Mums! - Can anyone recommend a really nice hotel in Harrogate? It doesnt have to be child friendly as its for my Mum! Thanks.