North (ish) England suggestions please

[hilbil21]

Hi - wondering if you can help. We are travelling from the west coast of Scotland to Oxfordshire in October and would like to stop somewhere for a couple of nights on the way (don't mind taking a easterly detour for the right place).

My husband would like to go somewhere with old charm and nice bakeries - and my son would like somewhere with indoor activities fairly locally if the weather is bad.

Would rather stay somewhere we don't need to drive right into a city centre.

We are open to all suggestions - thank you.

York might be a good stopping place?

You’ve got the railway museum and an air museum nearby, plus other indoor touristy things.

Stay outside the city and use the park and ride to go in.

Helmsley

Somewhere in the Lake District perhaps?

York or Chester

York sounds good. I didn't realise there was a park and ride - I will investigate. Thank you.

Also Helmsley looks lovely thank you.

Lake District we've been to a couple of times before but will keep it in mind.

York definitely - fabulous city centre with lots of independent shops and also lots and lots indoor activities.

York I highly recommend Wheldrakes for coffee and cake.
If the weathers good walk the city walls the views are fab. If it’s rubbish go to railway museum or York castle museum or hole in wand.

We recently stayed at a lovely hotel to the NE of York, parked on the outskirts avoiding parking restrictions and walked in but there are a couple of park and rides on that side. Parking closer to town is expensive.

@SabrinaThwaite would you mind giving me the name of the hotel? Recommendations are always good.

@hilbil21 Aldwark Manor, it’s not cheap (we were there as a couple so only needed 1 room) but rooms are lovely and breakfast is excellent. Easy trip in to York and on the right side of town for your onward journey.

Thank you

Haworth in Yorkshire (home of the Brontes) is lovely.

We’ve stayed a few times at the lime Tree,great Ouseburn not far from aldwark manor and met people who use it as a halfway between Scotland and the south.

I stayed at Aldwark manor with work as only place I could find last minute. I thought it was cheap £110 I think (it was the cheapest place I could find!). But really nice place, I didn’t eat there as checked in fairly late.

I’d look at Whitby nice little stop or Malton which I think is a little foodie place between York and Whitby

These are all brilliant thanks everyone.

Worth pointing out the road to York isn't a quick detour. If I were heading from west coast Scotland to Oxfordshire, personally I would stick to places off the M6 and laterally the M5. I say this as someone who has done that drive a lot. Would allow more time to relax rather than driving the whole time. I'd do York as a separate holiday a different time as it's also lovely. I'd go Lancashire instead. Beautiful place with a lovely mix of history, good local businesses and easy to get to the sea too if you fancy that. The local people are always so friendly too, lovely area of the country! Or further south how about Cirencester? It's not far off your route and a beautiful place. Have fun wherever you end up.

Thank you - I know it's right over to the other side of the country but from where we live to York is 239 miles and then York to our destination is 169 miles. We will stay wherever we decide for 2 nights so should be ok. Well, it's my husband that will be driving but he normally just agrees lol.

Skipton. Bedale. Leyburn.

Northallerton has a particularly good Betty's. And excellent charity shops.

We were £150 for 2 of us B&B, but booked a couple of weeks in advance, so sounds like you got a good deal.

We had dinner and it was fine, there’s a pub nearby that looked good too.

I always think the M6 is a pretty tedious drive - I used to do Oxford to Glasgow weekly for several months.

From York it’s an OK run up the A1 either to Edinburgh or across to the Carlisle on the A69.

I'd do the A66 rather than the A69 if going to York, it's a much faster route from the west coast of Scotland.

We have family in Portsmouth so have done the M6 over and over again. Will be an adventure going across and down instead lol.

I really want to go there. It's not that far from us really so no excuse.

I came to say York though.