Our Thoughts on Middleham
Our Thoughts on Middleham – Castle, Racehorses and Countryside
We've visited Middleham a few times over the years, including a stay at the Richard III pub a few years ago.
It's a small, traditional North Yorkshire town, and in some ways it feels like stepping back in time.
There's not a great deal in the way of shops, so it's certainly not somewhere you'd go for a day of shopping. But if you enjoy history, walking and exploring the countryside, it's well worth a visit.
Middleham Castle
One thing that surprised us was just how close the castle is to the town centre.
Middleham Castle is magnificent. It's huge, and there's still a remarkable amount of it standing. You get a good idea of just how imposing it must have been in its day.
It's easily the town's main attraction.
Racehorses in the Town
Middleham is well known for its racehorse training, and you can see the horses making their way through the streets.
It's quite unusual to see racehorses going about their daily routine right through the middle of a town. It's something that makes Middleham a little different.
Walking Around Middleham
The countryside surrounding Middleham is beautiful, and there's some excellent walking straight from the town centre.
On our latest visit, we walked a 2.89-mile circular route through the countryside and woodland around Cover Banks.
There were some fantastic views across the River Cover valley, particularly around Cover Gorge and Cover Scar. We also passed the stepping stones over the River Cover.
The walk was fairly easy, although there were a few awkward sections through the woodland.
We've put together the route with details of where we walked, parking and what to expect.
Parking, Pubs and Coffee
There's free parking in the centre of Middleham, which is always useful.
For a small town, there's a decent choice of pubs, including the Richard III, where we stayed a few years back.
On this visit, we also stopped for a coffee at Castle Keep Tea Room, just near the castle. A cosy little place and somewhere we'd happily call into again.
What We Think of Middleham
Middleham isn't packed with attractions, shops or things to do, and it's worth knowing that before you visit.
For us, it's the combination of the castle, the old town, the racehorses and the surrounding countryside that makes it worth going.
You can have a look around the town, visit the castle, go for a walk and finish with a drink or something to eat.
If you're looking for a shopping trip, there are better places. If you enjoy a walk and a bit of Yorkshire history, Middleham is a good choice.
For more information about the town, including places to visit, food and drink and local walks, see our Middleham Town Hub.
You can also find more of our routes on North Yorkshire Walks.
Our Thoughts on Middleham
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