Luxury holidays in Ripon

When to go

As long as you’ve got waterproofs and wellies, there’s never really a bad time to visit Yorkshire. Contemporary-art lovers should visit during the Great North Art Show, when the cathedral exhibits works by northern artists, sculptors and printmakers – it runs every year from late August to late September.

Getting there

• Planes

  Leeds Bradford Airport, Durham Tees Valley Airport and Newcastle International Airport are dotted around the region's edges.

• Automobiles

  You’ll want wheels if you plan to go in search of Dales, trails or country ales; Ripon is just five minutes off the A1.