What to Do, Where to Go

Richmond has a wealth of attractions in the town from museums to markets, castle and abbey, pubs, restaurants and cafes, waterfall and walks, shops and galleries, yet it still retains its sense of tranquility.

There is certainly plenty to enjoy! River Swale walks and waterfall; The Georgian Theatre Royal and Museum - the acclaimed Christmas panto is not to be mised; The Regimental Museum of the Green Howards; Richmond's Norman Castle; Easby Abbey; the Richmondshire Museum; Millgate Gardens; the Victorian Richmond Station, converted to a three-screen cinema, art gallery, café/restaurant and shops for artisan traders and the River Swale and waterfall.

There are great walks in Richmond, straight from the cottages - our Golden Retriever and Aussiedoodle love the river, the woods, the walk along the old railway track to the abbey or a gallop around the old racecourse.

For days out, we have the beautiful dales for walks and rides, fantastic castles, abbies & historic buildings. Swaledale, Wensleydale and the smaller surrounding dales are all within a short drive. Within 30 minutes’ drive from the town are Jacobean Kiplin Hall and Gardens; the fabulous Bowes Museum; Leyburn; Reeth; the Wensleydale Railway; the Forbidden Corner; Northallerton; Darlington Railway Museum,  Shildon's Locomotion Museum, part of the National Railway Museum at York (around one hour's drive or take the train from Northallertonand much more.

The cities of Durham, Ripon and York are all within easy reach as are the seaside towns of Whitby and Victorian Saltburn - charming seaside town less than an hour's drive from Richmond.

20 Good Reasons to Come and Enjoy Your Holidays in the Original Richmond

1. Delightful Garden Cottage, sleeps 6 and welcoming children and dogs. Market Place or riverside and woodland walks within 5 – 10 minutes stroll. In town, but out of town with all their benefits!
2. Yorkshire In Bloom - Richmond received silver/gilt award (just 3 points off a gold) and presented with discretionary award for Best New Entrant. Original Richmond featured in BBC2's 'Britain in Bloom' series. Other businesses around town received silver gilt and gold award, including Yorkshire Country Holidays, which received gold for its 1 acre walled garden restoration.
3. The Fabulous Walks along the banks of the fast-flowing River Swale, through the woods, along the old railway track, across the retired Georgian Racecourse and into the Dales.
4.  MayFest - April 29th - May 1st 2023 A festival of traditional and historical music in the perfect setting! Concerts, sessions, wandering minstrels, maypole dancing, medieval tavern, ceilidh...in veues from he Market Place to the Station to Richmond Castle and most points in between. Lots of the events are totally free.
5. The Norman Castle - best preserved Norman keep in the country with amazing views.
6. The Georgian Theatre Royal - fabulous tour of the theatre & varied programme of productions 
7. One of the best Independent Cinemas in the UK, as described in the Guardian Online "Step into a beautiful Victorian train station, along the River Swale in Richmond, North Yorkshire, to find the lovingly created Station Cinema, with three intimate screens set above the original platforms. You can see the latest films or hire one of the screens for a private viewing. The cafe-bar in the bright, spacious centre will satisfy your palate while you gaze at the art gallery above your heads. Artisan food shops entice you to browse before curtain up. With fewer than 100 seats per screen, it’s always a cosy feel."
8. Richmond Walking and Book Festival held each year in September. Books and boots, walks and words...come and enjoy Richmond's unique festival with nine days of book events and guided walks in the beautiful Yorkshire Dales.
9. Richmond Station, a stunning riverside Victorian former railway station, brought back to life as an art gallery and exhibition space, café bar, 3-screen cinema, artisan shops – Richmond Brewing Company, Archers Ice Cream,  Angel’s Share bakery and the Station Gift and Craft Shop.  Open every day (except Christmas Day) 9am - late.
10. The Green Howards Regimental Museum telling the story of this illustrious regiment using their unique collection of military artefacts and intensely personal items. Based in the heart of the town.
11. Richmondshire Museum This apparently small building is a veritable 'Tardis'! A wide collection of artefacts is on display from the Stone Age to the present day, with the emphasis on local and social history. In the Transport Gallery children (and adults!) will love the marvellous OO scale model of Richmond railway station as it was in 1900 and part of the set used for the making of the film ‘All Creatures Great and Small’ based on the books of vet James Herriot.
12. CAMRA’s 2019 North West Yorkshire Pub of the Year - The George and Dragon, Hudswell, very near Richmond – walk through Billy Bank Woods and climb up the 100+ steps to earn your pint!
13. Christmas Market Sunday 5 December 2021 . Around 45 different stalls, in and around the Market Place, including local crafts, unique food and drink stalls, and quirky gifts plus a vintage and retro market, collectables and well-established traders in the Indoor Market including local craft stalls.
14. Cycling Richmond. The town was a start town in the 2018 Tour de Yorkshire and in 2019 will played host to the start of the Men’s Junior Road race in the UCI Road World Championship. 
15. Swaledale – The River Swale wends its way around Richmond bubbling far below the castle walls over the wide waterfall through the town to eventually meet up with the River Ure to form the Ouse. Swaledale was third best region in the world to visit according to Lonely Planet’s Best in Travel 2014 top 10 regions.
16. Swaledale Festival - Annual event from late May - early June. Music, arts and walking in the Yorkshire Dales. Richmond is an excellent base for this long-running festival. 
17. Shops and Markets Lots of independent shops and a Saturday market. Buy fresh local produce in the convivial atmosphere of this ancient market town. You’ll soon feel like a ‘local’!  Shortlisted Champion in the Great British High Street Awards 2018. 
18. Easby Abbey and the Church of St. Agatha The walk from Richmond to the abbey and church is beautiful and the arrival rewarding. Easby Abbey or the Abbey of St Agatha is a ruined Premonstratensian abbey on the eastern bank of the River Swale. The site is maintained by English Heritage and can be reached by a riverside walk from Richmond Castle. Admission is free. St. Agatha's Church is famous for its 13th century wall paintings, probably the finest in North Yorkshire. This peaceful church was founded on a site that has been a holy place for centuries. The marvellous Medieval wall paintings take your breath away!
19.  Richmond MayFest, Saturday 30 April - Monday 2 May 2022 - the first of this new annual Richmond event. Traditional and historical music in the perfect setting.  Concerts, sessions, wandering minstrels, maypole dancing, medieval tavern, ceilidh and more in venues from the Market Place to The Station to Richmond Castle and most points in between. https://www.richmondmayfest.org  
20. Location, Location, Location – Only 5 miles from the A1M or the A66 Richmond is convenient to reach and equally convenient for days out to the many nearby Yorkshire and Co. Durham attractions including castles, museums, art galleries, the birthplace of the railways, Swaledale and Wensleydale, the moors and the coast. Market towns, racecourses, waterfalls and walks are all within easy reach. 

For more information about what to do and events in Richmond, please visit www.richmond.org