Holiday with teens in Yorkshire Dales - things to do!

[Holidayaddict]

Have booked a nice cottage near Reeth for a week in August. We will have our 15 & 13 year olds with us. 13 year old is not impressed saying it sounds "boring". She wants to go to Spain like last year (we don't have the budget this year unfortunately). She's worried it'll be cold with no swimming pool and no other kids to befriend! 15 year old less worried - he has ASD, hates the heat and having to socialise (Spain was stressful for him at times) likes seeing natural stuff and the rain!? Therefore, we need to find things to keep both entertained. Have found the following so far:
How Stean Gorge - lots of great activities that 13 year old would love (adrenaline junkie) but 15 year old will struggle. He would be happy with canoeing though so could book that for a day for us all as a compromise (hope it doesn't rain!)
Malham Cove
Brimham Rocks
Fountains Abbey
Forbidden Corner
There's a farm nearby that appears to do alpaca treks which would be an experience but just trying to find out more!
We would contemplate a day to North York Moors (DS would like the railway) and/or the coast but realise it's a long drive from where we're staying (1 hr 45 mins approx).

Can anyone suggest anywhere else, particularly wet weather places and possibly swimming activities.

Many thanks in advance!

Snaizeholme red squirrels
Aysgarth waterfalls
Castle bolton, often has activities, etc in the holidays. Archery, owls, etc.
Check out events for the week you're there see if there's any agricultural shows?

You've picked some really good days out so far. I can second Castle Bolton, great day out. Is Embsay and Bolton train and closer. How about Lightwater Valley or Flamingoland?

Ingleton has a heated outdoor pool. It’s fun swimming there - even in the rain.

Wensleydale Creamery...a bit of a trek but beautiful scenery (including Asgarth falls) en route, and more free samples than you can shake a stick at

Bronte Parsonage Museum

Old Salts Mill - Hockney/Art Gallery

Chocolate Museum in York

Skipton - pony trekking

National Media Museum in Bradford

Day out shopping maybe? We did Sheffield when we went in 2017 and would have done Manchester this year, but our holiday plans changed.

Harrogate is nice - Betty's Tea Rooms well worth a visit

Hebden Bridge canal boat cruises due a trip from The Stubbing Wharf pub in HB with a roast dinner on board which was great fun.

Did all those with DD who was almost 14 at the time.

The Ingleton waterfalls walk is lovely as well. Might be quite a drive though. See which caves are local to Reeth as well. Maybe white scar? Caves are always a good wet weather activity.

Thank you - some great suggestions so far! Looks like the swimming pool is about an hour from where we are so could combine with the falls to make a whole day. How similar are Ingleton Falls to Aysgarth as planning to do them too?

Ingleton falls are far better. There's a proper loop walk which iirc will take a couple of hours. Different falls along the way.

Aysgarth is a much shorter there and back walk along the bank and imho once you've seen one bit of the falls you've seen them. I was done in less than ten mins.

There’s Middleham Castle (English Heritage) if you like ruins (as you mentioned Fountains Abbey)?

Also Ripley Castle/village, which is quite near Fountains Abbey - privately run, admission charge but parking is free.

You could visit Ripon? It’s a lovely, interesting town with a beautiful cathedral & a market.

The Embsay-Bolton Abbey steam railway is OK, but smaller scale than the N Yorks one. There’s a farm park nearby but maybe your kids are a bit old for that?

There’s a James Herriot museum in Thirsk, I’m
surprised to find!
worldofjamesherriot.com/

www.heskethfarmpark.co.uk/

Richmond would be a nice town to visit on a rainy day. The old station has a cinema, a lovely cafe, an ice cream parlour and a few shops. It's also opposite a swimming pool (just a council pool). If it's not rainy there's a nice walk along the old railway line to Easby abbey and back. The town itself is pretty and has a castle.

I would recommend the Forbidden corner, it's totally unique and all ages seem to love it. It's great on a hot summers day as you can get wet! You have to book in advance on the website. It's not far from Leyburn which is another lovely dales town, I'd visit the chocolate shop where you can make your own chocolate pizza or lolly. It also has the Wensleydale railway.

Dalby forest great for cycling and out door activities, then not too far from Scarborough you could go to the outdoor swimming pool.

For teenagers i suggest Brimham rocks, Billy Bobs icecream parlour, Forbidden corner, Flamingo land and Dalby forest..

There's a Go Ape at matfen Hall, about 1hr 30mins away, or maybe one closer as well!

Check out the Kynren show, although it's only on Saturday evenings and that might be changeover day.

Reeth is near Grinton where the Dales Bike Centre is. You can hire mountain bikes if you're into that kind of thing.

And Reeth is nowhere near Dalby Forest (prob about 2 hours away)!

Richmond Castle (think opening scene of Blackadder I).

I love Richmond Castle, the POW part is really interesting. Middleham Castle is my favourite though and nearer to The Forbidden Corner. I wish they still had the model village in Leyburn, I loved going there.

The water park in Scarborough is good, Alpamare.

Richmond is your nearest town, and the station is probably the best place to go while you are nearby. The “Drummerboy” walk (anyone remember Earthfasts?!) from the castle to easby abbey is good and goes past the station where you can get an ice cream/lunch etc.
Also have a stroll down the batts and see the waterfalls.
The castle is good but small and won’t take you long to look round.
Green Howard’s museum in the town is also good and gives the history of the regiment.

You could call over to Barnard Castle quite easily and take in the Bowes Museum - some great oddities (two headed calf) and the famous Silver Swan Clock.

Forbidden Corner is great we went at Christmas with baby DS for the first time and I loved it and I’m 35!

There’s Aerial Extreme and other similar activities at camp hill estate which is out past Bedale.

Nidderdale llamas is a good day out but it’s a fair old distance away - similar to brimham rocks. Likewise Bolton Abbey you’ll be heading to the other end of the dale.

Hawes and the Wensleydale creamery are lovely, especially for the Sunday carvery but again it will be a bit of a drive.

Oh and if you aren’t worried about travel a day in York is well worth it - more choice of things to do there than most places and good for Harry’s Potter fans with the shambles. North Yorkshire Railway is also Hogsmeade station in the films.

Middleham is lovely.
What about the national railway museum in york.

seconding Nidderdale Llamas - we did a trek with them last week and loved it.

I wonder how far you are from Eden Camp? A great day out, may plan a trip for half term.