48 hours in Harrogate

Voted as one of the happiest places in the UK, this town has Turkish baths, tasty baked treats and llamas aplenty!

VISIT

Located on the edge of the Yorkshire Dales, Harrogate is the perfect base for exploring the best of North Yorkshire. Just 30 minutes from the town you’ll find Nidderdale – an Area of Outstanding Beauty, landscaped by heathered moorlands, sweeping reservoirs and lush green pasture. Immerse yourself in Britain’s most fully restored Victorian Turkish Baths (above) and enjoy a unique regime of relaxation and rejuvenation. Currently undergoing a major refurbishment, it reopens in August and is the perfect place to relax. Harrogate is also home to Brimham Rocks, a collection of rock formations sculpted by ice, wind and rain over millennia – a great place for families, climbers and walkers. Want to experience the Dales with a difference? Book a trekking experience with Nidderdale Llamas where your very own four-legged companion will accompany you on a stroll. They have delightful personalities – and we promise they won’t spit!

■ Llama trekking packages from £38pp, 01423 711 052/ www.nidderdalellamas.org Gardening enthusiasts will love RHS Harlow Carr. Set in a valley on the western edge of Harrogate, this 58-acre garden has many highlights, including the UK’s longest streamside garden, woodland, wildflower meadows, perennial borders and a kitchen garden. Craft workshops allow you to try your hand at willow weaving, botanical drawing and creating decorative planters.

■ Harlow Carr 01483 479700/ www.rhs.org.uk

EAT

No trip to Harrogate is complete without a visit to Betty’s Tearoom. Founded almost 100 years ago, there’s a selection of scrumptious savoury and sweet treats. Opt for a Fat Rascal, Yorkshire curd tart or try the iconic, threetiered traditional afternoon tea, complete with finger sandwiches, miniature cakes and warm scones. Book in advance to avoid the queues.

■ Call 01423 814070

STAY

Situated in Harrogate’s elegant Montpellier Quarter is the Grade II-listed White Hart Hotel, a picture-perfect Georgian manor house overlooking parkand. The hotel has 61 well-decorated, airy rooms and suites, complete with comfy beds. Dine at the hotel’s restaurant, The Fat Badger Grill, famed its real ales, fantastic wines and top-notch grub.

■ Rooms from £44 per night, 01423 505681/www.whitehart hotelharrogate.com