Kitchen Garden Forum

Wife and I paying a weekend visit to Skipton in a couple of weeks time on a celebratory weekend away, travelling up during the morning of Friday 13th returning south late Sunday 15th.
Saturday we are booked on a day long steam trip from 06:15 to 22:15

Any suggestions for a good garden or grounds to visit on either Friday PM or day out on Sunday 15th, Could visit Harlow Carr on way back I suppose as we are members, but it isn't a favourite place of mine to visit..

Suggestions welcome

You'll have to see if Monika comes up with something local to Skipton. I agree Harlow Carr can disappoint but Spring can be good especially the Alpine House.
I haven't visited much close to Skipton but I did go to Perceval Hall some years ago but I can't remember if it is any good in Spring. It is an RHS partner garden. http://www.parcevallhallgardens.co.uk/
It depends how long a day out you want, you could go up to the Lakes and visit Holehird, another RHS partner garden but just over 50 miles from Skipton. http://holehirdgardens.org.uk/
If you go and don't mind narrow roads get to it by turning right in Ings and be rewarded by one of my favourite views of the Lake District mountains. After Holehird you could go up to Kirkstone Pass, go just over the top to the little car park and the view of Brothers Water.





If you just want a ride round rather than gardens you could tour the Dales. Lots of possibilities, could take in one of favourite places Buttertubs with Skipton, Malham, Hawes, Buttertubs, Reeth, Aysgarth, Buckden, Skipton.



On your way back some of the garden areas of Roundhay park near Leeds were good a few years ago. http://www.roundhaypark.org.uk/

Hope you enjoy steaming over the Settle-Carlisle.

Thank you Geoff, some really useful info there and the pictures really help. As someone who has driven professionally the thought of driving around the dales or up to the lakes through some narrow country lanes is not daunting. Not too worried about getting back down south late. Going to make the most of what time we have.

Not doing Settle - Carlisle, still need to try and fit that one in before its too late

Doing a 'pull and push' steam tour (engines at each end for those not familiar with the term) on Saturday 14th
LNER B1 Class 5MT 4-6-0 no 61264
LMS Class 8F 2-8-0 no 48151

http://www.uksteam.info/tours/t18/t0414a.htm

So much for assuming Settle-Carlisle but that trip looks good. Guess you know this is nearby also https://www.embsayboltonabbeyrailway.or ... /timetable

Holehird March 2012

Thanks Geoff, that has answered question I had in my mind. I knew Bolton Abbey is nearby and was thinking that may be worth a visit.
I wasn't sure if it was just ruins in grassed grounds.

If 300 steps don't present an issue Malham Cove can be climbed, if not viewed from below, but on a clear day the view from the limestone pavement on top is spectacular.

https://goo.gl/images/uB63CC

I agree with all of Geoff's and Peter's suggestions and would only one of my own: East Riddlesden Hall, a National Trust house near Keighley, especially if you needed an indoor outing because of the weather. The hall itself is fascinating but it also has a small but rather interesting garden, particularly if the many fruit trees are in flower.

If you are interested in a shorter rail journey, there is the Keighley and Worth Valley Railway which would also allow a visit to Haworth Parsonage, former home of the Bronte family.

If you were to go on the Embsay and Bolton Abbey Railway (starting at Bolton Abbey), as suggested by Geoff, just look to your right as you are approaching Embsay and you will see our allotment site across a field! If we happen to be there, we'll be the yokels waving, as we do to all the passing trains ...... some people even wave back.

Dear Pa Snip,
try Newby hall, Benningborough hall or Harewood house; all are reasonably easy access, decent indoor spaces/tea rooms/toilets etc and should be rather good. Fountains Abbey is spectacular but it can be a bit of a hike for the less able and there is no indoor space if the weather is poor.
Thorpe Perrow arboretum is also said to be good although I have never been to that.
Regards Sally Wright

Peter, 300 steps might prove too much of a challenge subject to steepness but the apparent view looks spectacular and if it does prove too much what a way to go !!!

Thanks for the suggestion, it's a definite contender.

Monika, We may not be adverse to another train trip on the Sunday so I'll try and wave back. Thanks for that suggestion

Sally Wright, There's some food for thought amongst your suggestions, methinks any final decision is going to be based upon the weather on the day. Thanks for all those suggestions

I hope that you have a lovely weekend Pa whatever you choose to do. I love travelling by train and don't get the chance very often. Your steam train tours itinerary sounds great. We did the Settle to Carlisle trip when we stayed in a cottage in Skipton a few years ago and really enjoyed it. Sorry I can't add to the suggestions for garden visits we did more walking -Pen y gent etc and sight seeing, but it's spectacular scenery wherever you go. A word of warning, I wouldn't tackle Malham Tarn unless it is nice weather and you are feeling very fit.

Pa Snip, going back to the RHS Harlow Carr suggestion: my daughter has just sent me some brilliant photos of Harlow Carr, taken today, and there was certainly lots of stuff to see!

Plum, thanks for the advice. Likelihood of feeling that fit is remote but never one to be a defeatist, and a lover of good views, we might see what we can tackle.



Monika
Our last two visits there in recent years have left us both uninspired. The thing we are most interested in, not surprisingly perhaps, are vegetable beds and Harlow Carr ones just didn't do it for us. Came away with no better ideas than what we went in with.

Pa Snip, you are right about the vegetables at Harlow Carr. When the RHS first took it over from the Northern Horticultural Society (about 25/30 years ago?), they had proper straight veggie beds, but now they are really more for 'show' rather than 'eat', I think. But the spring flower and tree blossom displays, including the alpine house, are certainly impressive.

Dear Pa Snip, just a few words to say, i hope you and Ma Snip have the most marvelous weekend and that the weather is kind to you.
And i'm sure whoever you meet on the trip, will have their day made a whole lot better, by your wonderful sense of humour.

Look forward to hearing all about it on your return and maybe if we are lucky, there might be the odd picture posted too...

Pa snip if you need a translator I'm free , I had a three year spell of working in Yorkshire I know most of the lingo , a lot of nice people there unlike some places I worked they have a sense of humour