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UK travel

Welcome to our UK travel forum where you can get advice on everything from holidays to exotic destinations, to tips on London travel.

Original poster

Yorkshire with teenage girls

58 replies

janeite · 18/10/2009 18:41

We've booked a couple of nights in a lovely looking boutique hotel in Harrogate for myself, dp and the girls aged 12 and 14. The hotel allows guests to use the Academy Spa - has anybody been? Is it a long way from the centre of town?

Also - any recs for nice places to eat in the evenings in Harrogate? Or any recs of things to do in the day in either Harrogate, York, Leeds or somewhere else? We will be reliant on trains though - no car.

Many thanks.

OP posts:
Hulababy · 18/10/2009 20:34

Oh yes - definitely Bettys for the afternoon tea. Yummy

ruddynorah · 18/10/2009 20:39

dig york for your younger daughter and dh, while you and older dd do the shops in leeds. then meet up back in harrogate for cakes in betty's.

hairymelons · 18/10/2009 21:26

Betty's for afternoon tea? Might be out of touch with teenagers here but surely cakes are a good thing at any age?

NellieTheEllie · 18/10/2009 21:35

spa faq
the minimum age for the Turkish Spa is 16
Will definately agree that Bettys is a must.

DwayneDibbley · 18/10/2009 21:37

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DrNortherner · 18/10/2009 21:51

I live in Harrogate

Not sure Bed would appeal to two young girls would it?

Is your hotel central to town? Just that The Academy is a good walk out of town - near a housing estate on the outskirts. Probably a good 20 min walk depending on which emd ot town your hotel is?......

For a bite to eat I would reccommend the pubs/bars on James Street - Banyan/P&P etc, they have a really good atmosphere. There is the Mercer art gallery and The Pump Room mUseum for an arty afternoon.

There are lots of boutique type shops, plus the usual high street names also, Designer outlest McCartur Glen near York is worth a visit too. Enjoy your stay!

mrspnut · 18/10/2009 22:03

Instead of going to Betty in town which is always heaving, catch the bus up to Harlow Carr Gardens and have a wander around the gardens, lunch in Bettys up there and then walk back through the pine woods and the Valley Gardens.

My 12 year old likes going to La Tasca, but it's a few years since we moved away from Harrogate and our visits since have been very rushed.

thehairybabysmum · 18/10/2009 22:05

we had tea in wagamamas in Harrogate yesterday, was lovely.

York has a V. Westwood too.

Agree re Bettys, fab.

There is The York Dungeon if you want to scare your girls. Also the Minster is fab especially the Undercroft and going up the tower.

branflake81 · 19/10/2009 12:35

I would say Leeds for shopping, York is nice for pottering around. If you're outdoorsy there are some nice walks near Harrogate, or you could visit Almscliff Crag - impressive old rock thing - (sorry, I quite clearly don't work for the tourist board!) if you have a car.

Harlow Carr Gardens are nice but the girls might be a bit bored.

Original poster
janeite · 19/10/2009 18:17

Brilliant, thank you all so much.

The hotel is The Balmoral, which I think is a little way out of town?

We don't mind walking, so it's not a problem if the spa is a bit of walk, although we could always get a taxi.

Okay - so the Turkish baths are out, unless I go by myself!

Are the pubs/bars child friendly?

We love Wagamamas and have never been to La Tasca, so both could be possibilities. BED looks nice but seems quite expensive, when the girls would be just as happy with Pizza Express!

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DwayneDibbley · 19/10/2009 18:28

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Original poster
janeite · 19/10/2009 19:11

Ooh. Better than Betty's? Not sure afternoon tea would be ideal though as three of us are veggie and one of the veggies won't eat cheese or egg sarnies either and another one of the veggies doesn't like sandwiches - we would just want cake! Sounds lovely though.

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DuchessOfAvon · 19/10/2009 19:35

Try the newly done-up Leeds City Museum - it has a lot of interesting stuff in the upper galleries - so will suit the architecture & some of the fashion requirements.

Then a short walk to:

The Tiled Hall Cafe in the Art Museum is delish and a spectacular setting. Service can be a bit of a wait but the food is good.

Bizarrely the National Railway Museum in York is actually great - and more of interest than you'd think. The Royal trains are there going back to Victoria's carriages so a fab display of interiors and fashion thereof.

The Vale of York Hoard is currently on display at the Yorkshire Museum (in York itself) before being split up and disappearing to the British Museum. DH was very impressed when he took his class. It isn't on for long so check before you go.

Harder to get to is Castle Howard as its outside of York but there must be some kind of bus service.

DrNortherner · 19/10/2009 20:10

It will take you a good 25mins to walk from The Balmoral to The Academy, but worth it as it's fab!

Original poster
janeite · 19/10/2009 20:16

Thank you both. May get a taxi to the spa then, if it's so fab - don't want to be too tired to enjoy it!

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DwayneDibbley · 19/10/2009 22:38

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DwayneDibbley · 19/10/2009 22:39

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Original poster
janeite · 20/10/2009 18:24

Thank you.

NRM?

I think it will be a day in Harrogate, including a swim at the spa - and one in York tbh.

No, they won't appreciate playgrounds but they will appreicate cinema, if the weather is bad and there's anything good on.

I've had a look at Wild Ginger and yes, that sounds like our sort of place.

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DwayneDibbley · 21/10/2009 10:05

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Original poster
janeite · 21/10/2009 17:55

Thank you. Do you think the Railway Museum will appeal to aged 12 and 14 girls? I may need to bribe them with more cake!

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MrsGhoulofGhostbourne · 21/10/2009 18:04

would not go for the RW museum unless they are seriously into Thomas the Tank Engine (we had a great time there when the boys were toddlers... Xmas Grin)
Deffo Bettys and how about Yorvik? - really interesting and lots of stuff going on ith actors pretending not to know about anything that happened after 1000, street performers etc

Original poster
janeite · 21/10/2009 18:12

Done Yorvick before and was a bit underwhelmed tbh. Thanks though.

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DuchessOfAvon · 22/10/2009 09:56

I honestly wouldn't dismiss the Railway Museum - that's why I suggested it. Its not wall-to-wall Thomas at all. The social history bits are great - lots about women working on the railways during the war, plenty of great interactive stuff - plays, demonstrations (there's a great one on the science of forces where they fire Barbie dolls out of a cannon), the Royal trains etc.... The engineering bits are also well done and fascinating. Ultimately though, you know your girls interests.....

charis · 22/10/2009 10:07

I would rather do maths homework than go to the national railway museuum. Ds and Dh love it though.

The balmoral is not far from the academy. They do teen pamper days at the spa and they are really very good, it would be worth booking ahead, and take a taxi if you don't want to walk.

There are lots of antique/junk shops and art galleries etc around montpellier area which your younger dd might enjoy. And the older one can do spacenk and hotel chocolate in the town centre.

JANEITEPatrickNormanMcHennesy · 22/10/2009 21:08

Teen pamper days? Blimey! That sounds interesting.

My girls would totally appreciate Barbies being fired from cannons too I think.

Thanks!