Episode 208 Northern England Road Trip: Yorkshire Dales, the Lake District and County Durham
In Episode 208 of the UK Travel Planning Podcast, Tracy and Doug share the Northern England leg of their recent trip: a road trip through County Durham, the Yorkshire Dales and the Lake District, with all the tips they picked up along the way. From a living museum and a steam railway village to All Creatures Great and Small filming locations and a small group tour of ten lakes, this is a trip report with the practical detail you can actually plan around.
It is part trip report, part driving guide. Doug handles the hire car from Edinburgh Airport and a few scenic train detours, while Tracy walks you through Haworth, the Brontë Parsonage, parking, food stops and the moments where a guided tour takes the stress out of driving. If you are weighing up car versus train versus tour for the north of England, this one shows you how to mix all three.
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What you’ll learn in this episode
- How to pick up a hire car at Edinburgh Airport, including the two minute walk from the tram and why full excess cover is worth it
- Why Beamish, the Living Museum of the North, is worth a full day, and what the pit village, the 1900s town and the new 1950s street are like
- How to plan a day around the Brontë Parsonage in Haworth, including the day it closes and the steep cobbled walk up from the station
- Where to park in Haworth and at Bolton Abbey, and what you will actually pay
- A circular Yorkshire Dales driving loop taking in Ribblehead Viaduct, Dent station, the Wensleydale Creamery and Grassington
- Why the Wensleydale Creamery cheese afternoon tea is worth booking, Wallace and Gromit fans included
- Where to find the All Creatures Great and Small locations, from Darrowby (really Grassington) to Helen’s farm
- Why the Settle to Carlisle line is one of England’s most scenic train journeys, and how to ride it both ways for the views
- How the Mountain Goat All Creatures and Ten Lakes tours work, and why a guided tour beats driving the high passes yourself
- Why the Lake District is far easier by train and bus than by car, and how to get around once you are there
- The driving essentials for the north: booking an automatic early, passing place etiquette and the Tripiamo course
- The small tips that matter, from carrying coins for public toilets to choosing accommodation with parking
Links mentioned in this episode
- Mountain Goat – small group Lake District and Yorkshire Dales tours. Use code UKTRAV10 for 10% off their tours
- Tripiamo – UK driving preparation course
- Discover Cars – car hire
Related podcast episodes
- Episode #202 – Scottish Islands Road Trip Part 1: Lewis, Harris and Skye Travel Guide
- Episode #184 – Navigating the UK by Train or Car: Pros, Cons, and Planning Essentials
- Episode #155 – 15 Essential UK Road Trip Tips [+ Mistakes to Avoid]
- Episode #137 – Yorkshire Uncovered: Top 5 Must-Do Experiences with Andrew Ward from Expedition Yorkshire
