A few hundred people live in Askrigg, a stone-built village in Wensleydale, deep inside Yorkshire Dales National Park. It sits roughly 80 minutes' drive from both Middlesbrough and Lancaster, and if it looks familiar, that's because the BBC's "All Creatures Great And Small" films here — you can even sleep in the fictional vet's house, Skeldale House on Main Street, and drink in the pub that plays "The Drovers Arms" on screen.
Unlike American national parks, England's are lived in. Yorkshire Dales covers more than 840 square miles of rolling hills, river valleys and limestone crags, with over 22,700 residents scattered across villages and farmsteads. Askrigg is one of the prettiest, all centuries-old stone buildings, country lanes and cosy pubs.
Food and drink are the village's second calling card after hiking. The Bake-Well does sausage rolls, sandwiches and homemade cakes for a pre-walk fuelling, and St. Oswald's Church, dating to the 15th century, is worth the stroll. Main Street has three pubs: The Middle House, attached to a hotel with a garden and locally sourced Yorkshire cooking; The Crown Inn, with two fireplaces and a Sunday lunch menu; and the Kings Arms, the one from the TV series, covered in behind-the-scenes photos and serving pies and battered haddock. Ask for the local stuff — Yorkshire Dales Brewing Co. is less than half a mile away and has been brewing lagers, stouts and IPAs for over 20 years, with a taproom and beer garden open Fridays and Saturdays in the warmer months.
The real draw is what's beyond the village. A sensible first stop is the National Park Visitor Center in Hawes, 15 minutes west, where rangers advise on routes and the Dales Countryside Museum covers the area's watchmaking heritage. From Askrigg itself, the Mill Gill walk is a gentle hour-long starter — just under 2 miles out-and-back along Paddock Beck past small waterfalls — expandable into a 3.5-mile Three Waterfalls Circular. Ambitious walkers can take an 11-mile, 4.5-hour route to the tiered Aysgarth Falls through meadows and riverside paths. An hour south by car, Malham Cove's 230-foot limestone cliff, a Harry Potter filming location, pairs well with the Gordale Scar gorge and Janet's Foss waterfall. The park also caters to mountain bikers and rock climbers, with its limestone outcrops considered world-class.
Askrigg suits travellers who want a quiet, walkable base with real amenities rather than a busy tourist hub. The 156 bus links the village to neighbouring towns, but you'll want a car to make the most of the dales. Come for the TV nostalgia, stay for the falls, the fireplaces and a pint in a beer garden — then plan your next day's hike over dinner.
