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Planning on visiting the communities who live in the Yorkshire Dales? You’ll likely end up in the picturesque market town of Grassington at some point, a popular addition to most Yorkshire Dales itineraries.
During the industrial revolution, Grassington was an important hub for mining. In the present-day, the town is a tiny but thriving tourist-centric community in the southern section of the amazingly scenic Yorkshire Dales National Park. There is a remarkable number of things to see and do in the vicinity; pretty much all you could ask for out in the middle of the countryside.
Grassington is quaint and pretty and one of the best locations to experience the typically Yorkshire-style stone cottages, but is also conveniently situated with great facilities. There is a National Trust centre and car park, so you’ll rarely have problems parking. Additionally, the town is situated between Skipton and Pateley Bridge so is easy to access along some magnificent country roads.
We live in Yorkshire, so visit the Dales reasonably often. Having spent time in Grassington on a regular basis, we decided to write a post! This guide has absolutely everything you could possibly need to know about visiting, from where to eat in Grassington, pubs in Grassington, walks from Grassington, Grassington shops, Grassington camping and more.
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IN THIS GUIDE //
Grassington, Yorkshire
WHERE IS GRASSINGTON?
– HOW TO GET TO GRASSINGTON BY CAR
– HOW TO GET TO GRASSINGTON BY BUS AND TRAIN
THINGS TO DO IN GRASSINGTON – MAP
THINGS TO DO
– IN THE TOWN
– GRASSINGTON SHOPS
– CAFES AND RESTAURANTS
– THE BEST GRASSINGTON PUBS
– TOWN EVENTS
WALKS FROM GRASSINGTON
ACCOMMODATION IN GRASSINGTON
– GRASSINGTON CAMPING
THINGS TO DO AROUND GRASSINGTON
FINAL THOUGHTS
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WHERE IS GRASSINGTON?
Idyllic Grassington is in the county of North Yorkshire, situated in the Yorkshire Dales National Park, bordering the Nidderdale Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty. The small town, known as the capital of Upper Wharfedale, is situated nearby the banks of the river Wharfe.
GETTING TO GRASSINGTON BY CAR
The easiest way to reach Grassington is by private vehicle. From the major cities, it’s quite a long way to take a taxi, so we would recommend getting a rental car from the airport at either Leeds-Bradford or Manchester.
Google Maps is excellent for GPS in the United Kingdom. Route to the address:
Grassington YDNP Visitor Centre, Hebden Road, BD23 5LB.
Parking in the official lot is £3.00 for up to two hours or £5.00 for over two hours.
HOW TO GET TO GRASSINGTON BY BUS AND TRAIN
Visiting Grassington is simple via bus or a combination of bus and train. The nearest transport hub is Skipton, a small market town on the southern border of the Yorkshire Dales. You can also transit to Grassington through Ilkley, another pretty southern Dales town. Skipton and Ilkley are worth spending time in so if you take public transport, try to find some space in your schedule to have a look around both.
The easiest and quickest route from Leeds to Grassington is the direct train from Leeds to Skipton. From Skipton train station, catch the number 72 bus to Grassington Yorkshire Dales NP Centre. Check the timetable for train times and see bus schedules below.
An alternative route from Leeds to Grassington takes three buses:
◊ Take the X84 bus from Leeds bus station to Ilkley bus station.
◊ From Ilkley, catch the number 64 bus to Skipton bus station.
◊ The final leg is on the number 72 bus from Skipton bus station (or train station) to Grassington Yorkshire Dales NP Centre.
Check bus timetables for the X84, 64 and 72. This route might be slower, but is quite pleasant on the bus, plus provides the opportunity to stop at both Ilkley and Skipton (not possible by train).
CAR HIRE FOR YOUR YORKSHIRE TRIP
We always rent our vehicles all over the world, including our recent trips in Thailand, Malaysia, Oman, Saudi Arabia, Tunisia, Jordan and Morocco, with Discover Cars. They’re often the most affordable, plus they paid out immediately on an insurance claim we made when our car took some heavy damage in Sicily. We fully recommend them.
If you book through the link below, we make a small profit, at zero cost to you, which helps us write these posts with no advertising! We only endorse products and companies we actually use regularly. For more information, read our position on affiliates.
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TAKE A LOOK BELOW OR CHECK CAR RENTAL
MAP OF THINGS TO DO IN GRASSINGTON
Below is a savable Google Map of everything we mention in this post, broken down into layers. Use the icon in the top left to navigate them. The layers are split as follows:
Yellow are shops and museums in Grassington.
Red are cafes, bakeries and restaurants within the town.
Orange are pubs in and around Graassington.
Green are accommodation options around Grassington.
Blue are campgrounds nearby.
To save the map, select the star next to the title.
THINGS TO DO IN GRASSINGTON
Grassington town is home to old stone cottages, relics of the lead-mining trade, which encircle a small, bustling cobbled square. The characterful centre, fringed by locally owned cafes, tearooms, shops and galleries, is always busy, despite the town having a population of only 1000.
IN THE TOWN
Grassington Folk Museum | this intriguing and enchanting little museum in the heart of Grassington is run by very friendly volunteers and displays a range of curios, antiques and artefacts across two floors. It tells the history of Grassington throughout the Industrial Revolution in the 18th century, when the town was an important hub for mining.
Ashton House Crafts & Carvings | this seriously unique little place sells exquisite wooden furniture, distinctive carvings and ornaments. It’s an epic choice for gifts!
The National Park Visitor Centre | adjacent to the official car park, this Yorkshire Dales information centre houses guidebooks, leaflets, toilets and helpful staff.
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RELATED POST | PLANNING A YORKSHIRE TRIP
GRASSINGTON SHOPS
Grassington has some quintessentially English shops, filled with an assortment of quirky gifts, thrift items, traditional foods, books and homeware.
Walkers Bakery | right on the main square and popular with locals, this bakery sells quality sandwiches, cakes, pies and chocolates.
Chocolace | stocking all manner of sweet treats, including an outstanding variety of liquorice, traditional sweets, chutneys, and of course, chocolate!
The Hutch | selling an assortment of handmade crafty items, jewellery, greetings cards and gifts at surprisingly reasonable prices.
The Rustic Rabbit | a gift shop distributed between several cottages on the main square, selling classic gifts along with Harry Potter and Disney branded products.
The Stripey Badger Bookshop | you can’t miss this quirky store on the central square. The shelves are stacked with distinctive books, Yorkshire maps and guides. Try out the cakes from the coffee shop and kitchen too.
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GRASSINGTON CAFES AND RESTAURANTS
The Corner House Café | with cute outdoor furniture, sandwiches and a full English breakfast on the menu, this café, tucked right behind the main square, is a great choice for breakfast or lunch (better than some of the Grassington pubs in our opinion).
Love Brownies Grassington | donning the sign ‘ice cream is good for you’, this little treasure of a café sells the best cakes, brownies and drinks in town, including an impressive vegan selection (a rare occurrence in the Yorkshire Dales unfortunately).
Retreat Tearoom & Bistro | a classier little place than most in Grassington, sporting a cute inside seating area (albeit small), serving high-quality ingredients and traditional afternoon tea, with a decent selection of vegan options. Probably the best food in the centre of the town.
The Cake House Grassington | situated in a corner building just up the hill from the square, this coffee shop with a cute outdoor seating does light bites alongside the eponymous homemade cakes (vegan options available).
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THE BEST GRASSINGTON PUBS
Ok, when it comes to the best Grassington Pubs, do not expect many modern craft beers, contemporary décor or exotic food; Grassington is not really that type of place. However, all these pubs offer the traditional Yorkshire country pub experience; roaring fires, traditional ales and classic British food, all in characteristic multi-hundred-year-old buildings with exposed beams and stone floors.
The Devonshire | a great little stone inn, right on the square in Grassington. With 50 gins, quality home cooked food (with huge portions), this is as traditional a Yorkshire Dales pub as you could wish for. Dog friendly.
The Fountaine Inn | around a 15-minute walk past the Linton Falls bridge is this beautiful, cosy pub. Using seasonal produce in a homely, traditional setting, the food is top quality, but not great for vegans unfortunately (at the time of writing). Very dog friendly.
Craven Arms Pub and Cruck Barn | this 16th century pub is famous in the Yorkshire Dales, so although it is a few minutes away in Appletreewick, we had to include it. They are passionate about their ales and food so, if you are looking for the ultimate, quintessential English pub experience, you can’t go wrong with this one. Some vegetarian options.
The Black Horse | right off the central market square is the Black Horse, a beautiful 17th century coaching inn serving some seriously decent food, including several vegetarian and vegan options. The restaurant is beautifully lit, the bar serves a bunch of gins and the venue feels generally younger and more modern than the others in Grassington. It’s one of our favourites. Dog friendly.
The Foresters Arms | our least favourite pub in town (but a local favourite), this has a standard food menu with zero vegetarian or vegan options listed the last time we visited. However, this is the one pub that you are most likely to find some outside seating at for a quick beer when the town is busy.
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GRASSINGTON EVENTS
Considering the size of this little community, they put on a lot of events! There are quite a few festivals and markets throughout the year, the premier event being the Grassington Festival, held during the last two weeks of June.
Grassington also hosts a Dickensian Festival in December, with Christmas themed stalls, Victorian outfits and carol singing.
The third weekend in September, Grassington hosts a 1940s weekend, with vintage vehicles, old-school big band and costumes.
There is also a quality farmer’s market on the last Sunday of each month.
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WALKS FROM GRASSINGTON
Set in the heart of the Yorkshire Dales, Grassington has no shortage of walking routes, from strenuous hikes to relaxed rambles. The Dales Way, a famous 80-mile route that runs from Ilkley to Windermere runs right beside the town. Other (shorter!) routes can be accessed directly from the town.
Linton Falls and the River Wharfe | the easiest and most well-known excursion is the short walk down to Linton Falls. From the National Trust car park, it is an easy five-minute wander to the bridge that crosses the river – here you can see the falls, which are especially impressive when the river is flowing heavily. Follow the path along the river to see multiple sets of steppingstones that cross to St Michael’s Church and the surrounding countryside.
Grass Wood Nature Reserve | this is a protected area of woodland just outside Grassington. There are lots of walking trails, so you choose the length and difficulty of your walk. It can be reached by following the River Wharfe along from Linton Falls, the combination of which makes for a great route.
Kettlewell | the Dales Way runs north from Grassington to the little village of Kettlewell. Following this trail shows off the stunning scenery around the town and follows the undulating countryside for around 6 miles until you reach Kettlewell, which has several pubs, a hostel and campgrounds. This route is one of our favourites.
Grassington Moor Lead Mines | around 1.5 miles north of the town are vast moorlands, which showcase the significance and legacy of lead mining in the area. The full circular is around seven miles, park at Yarnbury (limited space) to avoid walking the extra miles from town!
If you want to go further afield, Grassington has bike and e-Bike rental options in the centre of town.
ACCOMMODATION IN GRASSINGTON
Despite its size, Grassington has a remarkable number of lodging options. Although, as with nearly anywhere in the Dales, nothing comes cheap! The Grassington camping options below may suit you better if you’re on a budget.
There are a bunch of family owned, quirky and quaint places to stay in Grassington, plus many of the pubs offer accommodation options too. These hotels are some of our favourite choices.
The Foresters Arms | one of the cheaper options in town, this property has en-suite rooms, set above the pub in the centre of town. Rooms are a little run down, but solid from a price-point perspective.
The Devonshire Grassington | homely, dog friendly rooms above the pub on the main town square.
Ashfield House | stunning, luxury bed and breakfast in a 17th century cottage just off the market square. Includes free on-site parking.
Black Horse Hotel | small but beautifully finished, classy rooms above the best pub in town. Dog friendly.
Grassington Lodge | with simple, slightly tired but pleasantly decorated rooms, this is another of the ‘cheaper’ options in town. Free on-site parking included. Dog-friendly.
Grassington House | the classiest choice in central Grassington. This nine-room hotel, housed in a stunning Georgian building, has elegant décor, top service and award-winning upscale food. Includes free onsite parking.
The Gamekeeper’s Inn | a little outside of town but has an indoor pool, fitness centre and spa, free parking and lovely finishing touches in the beautifully decorated rooms (this one is a favourite of ours).
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CAMPING IN GRASSINGTON
Camping around Grassington is a popular activity (despite the typical English weather) and is by far the cheapest way to explore the Yorkshire Dales.
Masons Campsite | with an enviable riverside location in Appletreewick, only a few minutes from Grassington, this well-organised, dog-friendly campground is set over flat grassland with excellent facilities.
Howgill Lodge | with glamping, lodges and traditional campsites, you are treated at this pretty, terraced site. Electric hook-ups available, dog friendly.
Kettlewell Camping | a perfect stop if you’ve hiked over from Grassington! This campground has immaculate facilities, beautiful surroundings and is within easy walking distance of several pubs. We fully recommend it.
Wharfe Camp | a small, adults only, quiet campground for anyone who is less fond of children kicking footballs into their tents! Set a few miles north of Grassington in Kettlewell, this campground is close to the pubs and shops of the village.
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THINGS TO DO IN THE AREA
It’s the Yorkshire Dales! There is a plethora of things to do around Grassington, especially scenic outdoor activities.
Malham Cove | this spectacular 80-metre-high curved amphitheater is a short walk from the charming village of Malham, a 30 minute drive away from Grassington. Originally, this cove was a prehistoric waterfall (the largest in England!). Pair this majestic sight with Janet’s Foss and Gordale Scar to make an adventurous loop through the Yorkshire countryside. There are Lord of the Ring vibes, fairytale waterfalls and dramatic ravines. This is one of the most well-loved hikes in Yorkshire for a reason, and is also popular with climbers.
Bolton Abbey | one of the most famous Yorkshire abbeys, this 900-year-old ruin sits nearby Strid Wood, opposite the famous steppingstones across the River Wharfe. This is an absolutely fantastic day out for kids and anyone with limited mobility. The surrounding scenery is some of the best in Yorkshire.
Simons Seat | this celebrated 485-metre-high peak is the summit of Barden Fell, reachable as part of a day trip to Bolton Abbey or a lovely walk from Appletreewick.
Settle | a pretty market town, just west of Grassington, has epic hiking in the surrounding countryside and a historic town market on Tuesdays. It is also home to a cheese museum (get all those free samples).
Haworth | a picturesque little town, made famous by the legendary Bronte sisters. The local landscapes are stunning in the neighbouring hills (think panoramic Wuthering Heights) and fantastic, quirky shops and cafes.
Stump Cross Caverns | a limestone cave system, discovered in 1860, situated nearby Grassington with a café, cinema, shop and visitor centre. Reservations essential, fantastic for kids and rainy days.
FINAL THOUGHTS – GRASSINGTON
I adore the countryside of the Yorkshire Dales; visiting is one of the highlights of returning home. Grassington is a superb example of a typical Dales town and if this is your first trip to Yorkshire, it will show you the best of our county. It’s a beautiful region of England, often overlooked by visitors, packed with things to do and places to eat.
We love the Dales, please come and visit!
We hope you have a fantastic trip.
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Does anyone know the whereabouts of Wilton Cottage, Townhead, Grassington? My ancestor Lavinia Hammond Scales and her husband Frederick were living there in 1960. Her uncle was Ezra Waugh Hammond once Mayor of Bradford.
Fantastic