Leyburn is also the perfect base to see the Yorkshire Dales, which opens up endless opportunities for walking, cycling, climbing, sightseeing or simply watching the world go by.
Nearby Hardraw Force
No trip to Wensleydale can be complete without a visit to the Wensleydale Creamery. This is where the world-class cheese is made to perfection. Be sure to stop in the factory shop to book a cheese tasting session. There are several ruined forts around the Leyburn area, the best and most famous of which is Middleham Castle, best known as the childhood home of one Richard III. The castle is said to be one of the best large scale ruins in the Dales so make sure you pay a visit to this fabled ‘Windsor of the North’.
Cycling is a popular sport and you can hire or buy your wheels from Leyburn Bikes whether you favour road, mountain, trial or downhill bikes. You can follow in the footsteps of Mark Cavendish and Chris Froome and have a go at Stage One of the 2014 Tour de France route too. If you require a more laidback approach to touring the county take a scenic ride on an old diesel train along the Wensleydale Line. The old route cuts through some gorgeous Yorkshire countryside.
Leyburn is also the perfect base for a walking holiday, with walks to be enjoyed from the town in every direction. One of the most popular walks is the five-mile route to Redmire, taking in Leyburn Shawl along the way. The Wensleydale Way also starts and finishes in Leyburn. This is a spectacular 60-mile trail offering walkers an all-encompassing journey around Wensleydale, stopping in pretty villages including Askrigg, Bainbridge and West Burton.
“If you like cycling, Leyburn is the place. Be the next Mark Cavendish…”
There is a good choice of restaurants in Leyburn from quality takeaway fish and chips to formal evening meals. For a quiet, informal outing try Thirteen. Serving seasonal, freshly cooked food with an unashamedly British bias, it certainly looks like an enticing prospect. Elsewhere in town there’s a tasty looking Indian restaurant called the Saffron Indian. Any curry connoisseur will tell you that Yorkshire curry is the best curry.
We have some lovely holiday cottages in and around Leyburn. Why not visit our collection and feel inspired?