Heriot Country
Heriot countryside is located between North Yorkshire Moors and Yorkshire Dales. It spans between York and Great Ayton to the north and south, and Hawes and Helmsley to the west and east. The name for this region was given to area after the famous television series, ‘All Creatures Great and Small.’ Heriot countryside contains country towns, with many cobbled market places and is an excellent base for exploring the varied countryside in this dale. In addition, there is plenty history, local markets and crafts and the working farms and mills in which to explore. There are also plenty of good footpaths for those who like a varied walk. The countryside is more flat with a more agriculture feel to the area compared to the Yorkshire Dales. The area contains a number of other small cities and large towns including Ripon, Thirsk and Bedale, which has plenty of interesting pubs, shops and churches to visit and enjoy.
For walkers, Heriot country provides plenty of varied walks for those both young and old. One popular walk is the Sutton Bank Nature Trail, a circular walk from Sutton Bank information centre, along the escarpment and through woodland. Other popular walks include the Heriot Way which is 52 miles long. The Herriot Way is an interesting walk around the northern dales of Wensleydale and Swaledale. Starting and finishing in Hawes, the walk visits a number of beautiful waterfalls like Hardraw Force and Aysgarth Falls. It then proceeds onto Bolton Castle; the ruins of the old lead-mining industry; as well as providing superb viewpoints of Kisdon Hill and Great Shunner Fell. This also includes walking through some several attractive villages of Askrigg, Reeth, Keld and Thwaite.