Northallerton in December: Festive Things to Do
2 The Square, Grassington: Honest Verdict for Solo Young Travellers
A practical guide to a December day in Northallerton — markets, the High Street lights, the racecourse and the Wensleydale edge — plus where to base yourself for the night.
The High Street, the lights and the market
Northallerton's festive centre of gravity is the wide, straight High Street that runs from the Applegarth junction up towards the parish church of All Saints. The Christmas lights switch-on usually lands in late November on a Friday evening, and through December the street stays lit until the early hours, so an after-dark wander is worthwhile. Independently run shops sit alongside the Saturday market, which fills the space in front of the Town Hall with produce, pies and hot food. Come on a Saturday if you want the market; come on a weekday if you want the street to yourself and a table for lunch without queueing.
Parking is the practical question. The Applegarth and Crosby Road car parks sit a two- to three-minute walk from the Top of the High Street, and the town is small enough that you will not need the car again once parked. Bethel is the local name for the older part of town near the church, and the lanes behind the High Street are where you find the cafés worth sitting in. Allow two to three hours for the centre at a relaxed pace; it is a market town, not a city, and that is the appeal.
All Saints church and the museum for a wet afternoon
All Saints parish church, just off the High Street, is worth an hour on its own — the nave arcades and the memorials tell you more about the town's history than any leaflet. In December it is quiet on weekdays and often hosts carol singing in the run-up to Christmas. If the weather turns, as it often does in North Yorkshire in December, the Northallerton & District Museum on the High Street is the obvious indoor fallback; check its opening days before you travel, as winter hours are shorter than summer ones.
For a longer wet-weather block, the Hambleton Leisure Centre on Stone Cross offers a pool and a gym on a pay-as-you-go basis, and the Everyman-style small cinema tradition in the town means there is usually a festive screening somewhere in the week before Christmas. Temperatures through December typically sit between about 2°C and 8°C, with daylight gone by 16:00 around the middle of the month, so plan indoor activities for the afternoon and keep the evening for the lit High Street and dinner.
The racecourse and the edge of the Dales
Northallerton Racecourse, on the southern edge of town off the A167, is one of the smallest racecourses in the country and stages jump fixtures through the winter months. A December meeting here is a genuinely local day out — coats, boots and a flask are more use than a hat — and the crowd is a fraction of what you would find at York or Wetherby. Check the fixture list and going reports before committing, and book accommodation early if a meeting coincides with your dates, because the town's rooms are limited and fill quickly.
Beyond town, the Yorkshire Dales begin within about twenty minutes' drive west. Drive to Bedale, about 15 minutes north-west on the A684, or head towards Leyburn and Middleham for the Wensleydale scenery; Leyburn is roughly 30 minutes away and its Friday market is a good December stop. The North York Moors are the other direction — about 30 minutes to Osmotherley on the A19 — and the Cod Beck reservoir walk suits a short winter day. Skip Whitby and the coast in December unless you have a clear-weather forecast; the drive is over an hour each way and the sea fret makes it a poor bet.
Where to stay, and what I would book
Northallerton's hotel stock is small and centred on the High Street and the roads towards the station. Expect a mix of small independent hotels, pubs with rooms and a couple of national chains, with December rates generally higher on Friday and Saturday nights and around race fixtures. The railway station on Boroughbridge Road puts you roughly ten minutes' walk from the High Street and gives direct trains to York, Middlesbrough and Darlington, which makes it a sensible base if you are touring rather than driving.
I would book a High Street or station-side room for a December weekend, aiming to arrive by early afternoon so you get daylight for the church and museum and the lit street for the evening. Book two to three weeks ahead for a race day, and ask about parking before you commit, since not every town-centre property has its own. Skip the out-of-town lodges unless you have a car — the walk into town along the A167 is not one you want in the dark.
Before you book
The questions people ask about Grassington, answered with this month’s numbers.
Yes, if you want a quiet market town rather than a big Christmas event. The lit High Street, Saturday market, All Saints church and the racecourse's winter fixtures fill a day comfortably, and it works well as a base for the Dales and the moors.
Direct trains run to Northallerton station on Boroughbridge Road from York, Darlington and Middlesbrough, and the High Street is about ten minutes' walk away. The station is also on the East Coast Main Line, so connections from London and Edinburgh are straightforward.
It generally falls on a Friday evening in late November on the High Street, with the lights staying on through December. Confirm the exact date locally before travelling, as it varies year to year, and book accommodation early if you plan to stay the weekend.
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