Local Information for Guests. Welcome to the Abbots Thorn local information pages. Here you will find lots of useful information on the attractions, services and amenities of the immediate local area. Please bear in mind Yorkshire is a big county, relatively sparsely populated, so if times and distances are important to you, be sure to ask your hosts for specific details. Please click on underlined words to visit the attraction websites. Shopping! Market Days Monday: Darlington, Skipton, Thirsk. Tuesday: Bedale, Hawes. Wednesday: Masham, Northallerton. Thursday: Richmond* (indoor), Ripon. Friday: Leyburn. Saturday: Richmond*, Northallerton, Skipton. Early Closing Days Wednesday:Catterick, Darlington, Hawes, Leyburn, Richmond, Ripon, Thirsk. Thursday:Bedale, Masham, Northallerton. (Although during the summer most shops stay open) * A disc parking scheme operates in Richmond, Northallerton and Bedale, please use the disc provided, but return it for the next guests. Extra discs are available from the Tourist Information Centres and some local shops. If you are looking for 'High Street' retailers, the nearest shopping centre is Darlington. There is a factory shopping outlet at Lightwater Valley, near Ripon. The Country Code Please follow the Country Code, if you are out and about. ENJOY the countryside and respect its' life and work. GUARD against all risk of fire. FASTEN all gates. KEEP your dogs under close control KEEP to public paths across farmland. USE gates and stiles to cross fences hedges and walls. LEAVE livestock, crops and machinery alone. TAKE your litter home. HELP keep all water clean. PROTECT wild life, plants and trees. TAKE special care on country roads. MAKE no unnecessary noise. DOG WALKING If you bring a dog with you to Abbots Thorn we offer the following advice: Dogs must be kept on a lead throughout the village and surrounding areas, farms have open gates, and sheep are easy to access - especially for curious dogs. To give your dog a good run, visit Middleham Low Moor, after 1pm (the racehorses will have finished their gallops by then), we'll give you directions. Eating and Drinking We have many good, traditional, Yorkshire pubs locally, many serve excellent food, whether you are looking for a gourmet meal or a quick lunch time snack, you'll be spoilt for choice. Please let us know your experiences so we can pass them onto others (pick us up a menu if possible). Here is a selection of eating places and pubs we have either visited ourselves or have had recommended. Please note that most establishments do not serve meals after 9pm. Coppice Tea Rooms, rear of Aysgarth Falls National Park Visitor Centre. Wonderful lunches, delectable cakes even those on gluten free diets can indulge here. Giovanni's, Leyburn. Italian food at it's best, right here in Leyburn, opening times vary, please ask. Wensleydale Heifer, West Witton. Speciality fish restaurant. Queens Head, Finghall. Delicious home-cooked food and a warm and friendly atmosphere. George Dragon, Aysgarth. Good food and an imaginative menu. Bolton Arms, Redmire. Very friendly pub with newly renovated dining room and excellent food. Street Head Inn, Newbiggin. Country pub with good, home-made food and an excellent vegetarian menu. Castle Keep Tea Rooms, Middleham. A traditional English tea room, for light snacks or an indulgent cream tea. Fox and Hounds, Carthorpe. Superb Sunday lunch, (You will need to book) Very good menu including vegetarian treats., Well worth the drive. Bolton Arms Bistro, Leyburn. Good food and reasonably priced. The Freemasons Arms, Nosterfield. Quaint old pub with good food, try their fish and chips! Cover Bridge Inn, between Middleham and East Witton. Traditional Yorkshire cooking and a friendly atmosphere, famous for its ham and eggs. The Sandpiper, Leyburn. Good evening meals, wonderful bangers and mash at lunchtime. Ideal for that special occasion meal. Brymor Ice Cream Parlour, on the Middleham to Masham road. The place to enjoy ice cream made on the premises, also hot and cold snacks. Open all year. How Stean Gorge, near Lofthouse, Nidderdale. Comfortable restaurant in unusual surroundings, really good lunches, teas and early dinners. Local Services Guide Hospital: The Friarage, Northallerton, Northallerton 779911 Doctor: Brentwood, Leyburn, 01969 622391 Dentist: The Surgery, Wensley Road, Leyburn, 01969 622132 Vet. Surgery: Hollin Rigg, Leyburn, 01969 623107 Chemist: Market Place, Leyburn. Optician: 1 Richmond Road, Leyburn, 01969 623001 Tourist Information: Railway Street, Leyburn. Banks: Barclays (with cash machine), Market Place, Leyburn. HSBC (with cash machine), High Street, Leyburn. Petrol: Leyburn: Harmby Road (A684) towards Bedale. Middleham. Car Repairs: Raymond Brown, Carlton. Post Box: 2 in the village, one left, one right from our door. Post Offices: Railway Street, Leyburn. Key Centre, Middleham. Telephone Box: Turn right out of our door 150 yds on the right. Police Station: High Street, Leyburn. Churches: Anglican, Carlton, Horsehouse, Middleham and Leyburn. Methodist, Carlton, Melmerby and Leyburn. Roman Catholic, Leyburn. Society of Friends, Leyburn. Visitor Attractions. A hidden waterfall, alpine garden and a picturesque village green, an ideal way to discover these ceramic cats. West Burton, 9 miles west of Leyburn off B6160. 01969 663273. Little Chocolate Shop. Watch delicious chocolates being made by hand. Business Park, Leyburn. The oldest theatre in the UK surviving in its original form, incorporating a museum with original scenery, playbills and interactive displays. Victoria Road, Richmond. 01748 823710. Watch traditional ropemaking and see how the twist is put in at this open plan factory. Has a well stocked rope and gift shop. Town Foot, Hawes. 01969 667487. Watch craftspeople making and decorating unique and collectable teapots at this open plan factory. Has a well stocked teapot shop and of course a tea shop. The Business Park, Harmby Road, Leyburn. 01969 623839. Visit the Wensleydale Cheese Visitors Centre, discover the history of cheese making in the museum and the sample the real thing in the cheese shop and restaurant. Gayle Lane, Hawes. 01969 667664. See how all sorts of different candles and other wax products are made, and maybe buy some to take home. Wensley Mill, Wensley, Leyburn. Green Howards Museum. Over 300 years of regimental history set in a 12th century church. Centre of Richmond Market Place. 01748 822133 Dales Countryside Museum: Tells the story of the Yorkshire Dales and its people and landscape dating from 10,000 BC. Station Yard, Hawes. 01969 667450. Traditional Yorkshire brewers since 1827, beers include Old Peculiar, XB and Best Bitter, visitor centre and shop. The Brewery, Masham. 01765 689057. Traditional independent brewer, with excellent visitor centre, guided tours, tastings, gift shop and bistro. Wellgarth, Masham. 01765 689227. Pateley Bridge - a fascinating insight into times gone by. Once seen never forgotten situated at Barnard Castle. Craft Trail: The list goes on and on and on - such a wide range of crafts are produced in this area that it is impossible to list them all, so please browse through the leaflets in the hall. There really is something for everyone. The 12th century home of Richard III, on the A6108, 2 miles south of Leyburn. 01969 623899. 12th century ruins on the banks of the River Swale. 1 mile south east of Richmond. Built by William the Conqueror in the 12th century, the castle dominates the town of Richmond. 01748 822493. Preserved 14th century castle with tea rooms. Signposted off the A684 at Wensley. 01969 623981. Secluded ruins of a Cistercian abbey set in 120 acres of parkland, tea rooms. On A6108 between Masham and Middleham. 01677 460391. Classic 12th century castle set above a wooded gorge it is one of the best preserved and most complete mediaeval castles in England. Situated at the top of the High Street. The ruins of Bolton Priory set in the...

Carlton is a charming small village in the area of the Yorkshire Dales known as Coverdale, which is located between Hawes and Leyburn. In the heart of 'Herriot country' Abbots Thorn is about five miles from Middleham, and Richard III former home, Middleham Castle. Middleham is also known as the horse racing capital of the north. Leyburn, the nearest town to Abbots Thorn is a bustling market town, it has a wide range of shops, restaurants and inns. Hawes to the west is home to the Hawes Ropemaker, the Countryside Museum and to Wensleydale cheese. For further information on the surrounding area, please click 'Local Information '. We have three guest rooms available, two have en-suite facilities and all rooms feature pine country furniture, full central heating for those chilly winter evenings and tea and coffee making facilities with biscuits and fresh milk. All rooms have a colour television and hairdryer. Each room has a large window so that you can enjoy the stunning views of Coverdale that unfold from our sunny, south-facing position. After a good night's sleep, a full country breakfast featuring traditional, local produce awaits you in our informal dining room. For those with a lighter apppetite we have a varied breakfast menu. We will be happy to supply packed lunches on request, advance booking would be appreciated. Good food is important, especially when on holiday, so why not sample ours? If required, dinner is available each evening, except Sunday and Wednesday, offering you good, home-cooked food using fresh, local produce whenever possible. We will be happy to cater for special diets. We don't have a drinks licence, but please feel free to bring your own wine, and we'll do the rest. After dinner relax in our comfortable, oak-beamed guest lounge with coffee, mints and liqueurs in front of the wood burning stove, surrounded by a feeling of warm hospitality. A bountiful supply of books, cd's and games can be found or why not just indulge in conversation. We think Abbots Thorn is the ideal place to spend your precious free time, but don't just take our word for it, click 'Guest book' to see what our guests say about us.