Exploring England’s North Country

Over the years, I have followed numerous driving itineraries in England and Scotland — through the West Country, the Cotswolds, the Highlands, to name but three — but they have invariably been circular and self-contained. On this trip I constructed a route that links the two countries together. I decided that our point of departure would be York, a historic city at the southern edge of the Yorkshire Dales National Park, and that we would conclude our journey in Edinburgh.

After landing in London, rather than making a preliminary four- to five-hour drive up the A1 (M) motorway, we opted to take a fast train from King’s Cross station. The comfortable 210-mile journey to York takes a little over two hours. (It is worth bearing in mind that in Britain there is often a huge difference in the cost of peak and off-peak rail fares. If you travel outside of peak times and reserve your tickets online well in advance, first-class tickets are reasonably priced; otherwise they can be extortionate.)

York is the gateway to a hilly, unspoiled region that extends north for approximately 125 miles to the Scottish border and that spans around 150 miles from the Lake District in the west to the North Sea coast in the east. The city was established by the Romans in A.D. 71, and in A.D. 306 Constantine the Great was proclaimed emperor there. In the ninth century it became a Viking capital, Jórvík. Later, York prospered as a result of the wool trade, and in 1080 work began on York Minster, the largest Gothic cathedral north of the Alps. (One unmissable highlight is the Great East Window, the world’s largest expanse of medieval stained glass.) The Middle Ages also gave York imposing city walls, built on top of the Roman ones, which remain almost completely intact.

In the past, my preferred place to stay has been Middlethorpe Hall, a classically proportioned redbrick mansion dating from 1701, set amid 20 acres of landscaped grounds, next to York Racecourse, about two and a half miles from the city center. Middlethorpe’s 29 lodgings are divided between the main house and an 18th-century stable courtyard. In addition, the property offers a restaurant that sources ingredients from a walled kitchen garden and a spa with a 40-foot indoor swimming pool. Although I still recommend Middlethorpe (it has a rating of 94), on this occasion I decided to try to find somewhere close to the center of the city, from where it might be possible to stroll to the principal attractions, the cathedral chief among them.

Grays Court

York

When I first heard about Grays Court, I could scarcely believe my luck.

When I first heard about Grays Court, I could scarcely believe my luck. It seemed to be precisely the kind of hideaway for which I am constantly searching (and which is more elusive than many people suppose). Dating in part to 1080, Grays Court is a Grade I-listed building and may possibly be the oldest continuously occupied house in England. If this were not sufficient inducement for a stay, the 11-room hotel is tucked away beneath the city walls and overlooks a private half-acre garden, despite being within a three-minute walk of the cathedral. Initially, all my expectations were fulfilled. After crossing a quiet cobbled courtyard, I stepped down ancient stone steps into an atmospheric reception. As there was only one person on duty and she was on the phone with a prospective guest, we were obliged to sit and wait for a while. However, when the young woman was able to give us her attention, she was so polite that the brief inconvenience was instantly forgotten.

After a brief check-in, she led us up a flight of stairs and gave us a tour of the public areas. Chief among these was the stunning Jacobean oak-paneled Long Gallery. We were also shown a peaceful and fully stocked library and The Bow Room restaurant, a lovely light-filled space with views of the garden, a molded ceiling, a chandelier and a marble fireplace. Having ascended two more short flights of stairs (there is no elevator), we came to our generously spacious room. It too overlooked the garden, with the 235-foot central tower of the cathedral providing a majestic backdrop. Although the décor was quite austere, with a large white sofa, heavy slate-blue curtains and period furniture but no pictures, the atmosphere seemed peaceful and timeless. The adjacent marble bath was modern, well-lit and equipped with a deep tub, though only one sink.

At this point, I was close to euphoric. But it was all too good to last. Having made our way down to dinner, we stood at the entrance to the dining room. No one appeared. I decided to be proactive, so I knocked on the kitchen door and put my head inside. A waitress emerged, but no apology for the delay was offered. We sat down at 7:40, but it was nearly 8:15 before anyone took our order. Not only was it close to an hour before we got anything to eat, the wait between courses was interminable. Ultimately, we grew tired of waiting for dessert and, feeling extremely disappointed and irritated, headed upstairs to bed.

Sadly, the pattern was repeated the following morning. The food was fine, but the meal was so extended that breakfast threatened to morph into brunch. So after complaining at length to the on-duty manager, we checked out. Clearly, Grays Court is chronically understaffed, which is unfortunate, because the property otherwise has many of the qualities required to be an exceptional hideaway.

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The Grand Hotel

York

Our quest for a suitable hotel close to the city center continued at The Grand Hotel, an utterly different property that stands just outside the city walls, about a 10-minute walk from the cathedral. A large and imposing redbrick structure that was once the headquarters of the North Eastern Railway Company, The Grand has recently been the subject of a major refurbishment. Alas, once again, our experience did not chime with expectations. On arrival after lunch, our room was not ready, check-in was inefficient and prolonged, and despite the presence of several doormen and concierge staff, the reception was cluttered with suitcases. On the way to our suite, the long, soulless corridors hearkened back to the building’s former incarnation as a business premises. And our accommodations, despite being spacious and well-appointed, were airless and musty.

The only noteworthy aspect of our stay was provided by Hudsons, the fine-dining restaurant, where chef Craig Atchinson was responsible for a superlative nine-course tasting menu accompanied by imaginative wine pairings. Dishes such as sea trout with kohlrabi, violet mustard, chicory and hedgerow berries; North Atlantic stone bass with langoustine, fennel and buckwheat; and glazed beef cheek with hen of the woods mushrooms, horseradish and alliums will live long in the memory. Throughout our meal, the staff were attentive and charming.

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Leaving York, we headed northwest for 30 miles to the ruins of Fountains Abbey, founded in 1132 and once the wealthiest abbey in England. (Between 1536 and 1541, King Henry VIII seized the assets of England’s religious orders, which collectively owned around a quarter of the country’s land and had an income considerably higher than that of the king.) Today the ruins form a focal point for the remarkable water gardens of Studley Royal Park, a UNESCO World Heritage site and one of the few great 18th-century English gardens to survive substantially in its original form.

The Devonshire Arms Hotel & Spa

Bolton Abbey

From Studley Royal, it is a 25-mile drive west to The Devonshire Arms Hotel & Spa, situated beside the River Wharfe on the Bolton Abbey estate, which has been owned by the Dukes of Devonshire since 1753. The setting of the 40-room hotel is extremely scenic, with extensive grounds, including a cricket pitch, backed by the North Yorkshire hills. The property comprises an early-17th-century inn and a modern extension, which together enclose a small formal garden. The extension lacks architectural distinction but, mercifully, is mostly covered by creepers. The main inn, however, is a handsome, classically proportioned structure built of golden stone.

Check-in was at a freestanding desk in a stone-flagged hall, with a beamed ceiling and a large log fire. A number of fly rods were propped in a corner next to the door, testifying to the Wharfe’s abundant brown trout population. As you might expect in an old building, rooms at the lower end of the price range tend to be small. I therefore recommend only Superior Rooms and Luxury Rooms, which range from 215 to 300 square feet. Both categories can be booked in the original inn building. In addition, the property has suites in the extension and two three-bedroom cottages.

We had opted for the Herbert Royle Suite, named for the well-regarded British Impressionist painter, who was born in Manchester in 1870 but who subsequently moved to Bolton Abbey. Both the living room and bedroom were decorated in a traditional style, with heavy floral fabrics, wall-to-wall carpeting, period furniture and around a dozen of Royle’s original landscapes. The living room was furnished with a large sofa in front of a gas fire, while the bedroom came with a canopied four-poster bed. The principal bath provided a tub as well as a walk-in shower and two sinks set into a marble surround. From both the bedroom and the living room, views extended over the estate to distant sheep-speckled hills. Overall, the suite seemed peaceful, comfortable and thoroughly English.

Having relaxed for a while, we headed to the cocktail lounge at the heart of the original inn. There, in addition to a small bar, we found a huge silver cooler set atop a central table containing a variety of bottles of French Champagne. Having settled into deep burgundy-colored armchairs, we ordered two flutes, which were served promptly along with a selection of canapés. The barman was charm personified, as was the waiter who arrived with menus from the adjacent Burlington Restaurant. The timeless and civilized setting seemed to embody the best of the English country house experience.

Having made our selections, we transferred to a corner table in the dining room. The hotel’s young chef, Paul Leonard, already has an impressive résumé, which includes stints as sous chef at Michelin two-star Andrew Fairlie at The Gleneagles Hotel in Scotland and head chef at the Isle of Eriska in the Hebrides. (Both hotels are Harper recommended.) My duck liver with Sauternes, apple and praline was delicious, as was the local Nidderdale lamb with turnips that followed. In the contemporary style, Leonard places a premium on regional, seasonal and foraged ingredients. His presentations are also thoroughly modern, being small and exquisite. Anyone hoping for generous servings of substantial Yorkshire fare after a strenuous day outdoors is destined for disappointment and may well have recourse to the bread basket. The wine list is extensive, but the by-the-glass selection is limited, with the only available French red being a relatively undistinguished Sancerre.

The principal amenity at The Devonshire Arms is a spa, housed within an ancient barn adjacent to the hotel. This has an indoor swimming pool and a Jacuzzi, plus a gym, as well as four treatment rooms. When not being pampered, guests hike, shoot, fish or tour nearby cultural monuments. The extremely picturesque ruins of Bolton Priory, which were painted by J.M.W. Turner among others, are located two minutes away by car. And Northern Yorkshire contains several well-known long-distance hiking trails, including the Dales Way, which runs for some 80 miles from Ilkley to Windermere in the Lake District, and sections of the 268-mile-long Pennine Way, which begins at Edale in Derbyshire and ends at Kirk Yetholm on the Scottish border. (The latter was proposed in 1935 by journalist Tom Stephenson, who had been inspired by his experiences on the Appalachian Trail.)

The Yorkshire Dales National Park covers an area of 680 square miles. Like many such protected areas in England, it is not a wilderness but a region where construction or changes to the landscape are tightly controlled. There are three principal dales: Wharfedale, Swaledale and Wensleydale. The sheltered valleys have rich pasture for cattle, while the exposed hilltops provide summer grazing for sheep. Everywhere, the countryside is divided by ancient dry-stone walls. Even in such relatively wild areas, England’s landscape is a construct, having been designed and maintained over centuries.

We left The Devonshire Arms with regret and drove north to Bainbridge in Wensleydale. The journey is only about 40 miles and can be accomplished in around 90 minutes along the main roads. But much of the pleasure of travel in the Yorkshire Dales comes from exploring the narrow back roads and tiny stone villages — often with the aid of a large-scale Ordnance Survey touring map — perhaps stopping along the way for a simple lunch at a local pub.

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View The Devonshire Arms Hotel & Spa

Yorebridge House

Bainbridge

Set beside the tumbling River Ure, Yorebridge House is a dignified Victorian stone building surrounded by five acres of grounds. At one time it housed a school, but in 2006 it was converted into a boutique hotel of 12 rooms and suites. The property’s contemporary style is immediately apparent in public areas, where shades of pale gray and cream predominate and the furniture is fashionable and, to my eye, somewhat urban in style. Still, the staff seemed extremely hospitable, so we decided not to regret the absence of polished woodwork and traditional chintz.

Located on the ground floor, our room, Rahmoune, proved somewhat snug, though its dimensions were augmented by a sizable outdoor gravel terrace with a hot tub. The origins of its unusual name were soon apparent. Behind the bed was a large carved headboard, which, an information sheet informed us, had been brought from Marrakech by the hotel’s owners. Such exotic touches may appeal to weekenders from London, but visitors from the United States have presumably crossed the Atlantic to experience England, not Morocco.

Overall, Yorebridge House proved comfortable, its staff were friendly and professional and the restaurant was excellent. (My black figs with goat cheese, and grouse with beetroot were both delicious.) However, the hotel’s design and atmosphere are not calculated to appeal to American travelers.

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The Yorkshire Dales National Park merges with the 885 square miles of the Lake District National Park, and by the most direct route it is an hour-and-a-half-long drive from Bainbridge to Windermere, the largest and southernmost of the lakes. The Lake District has long been one of our favorite areas of England, with glassy expanses of water reflecting steep 3,000-foot hills and deep glacial valleys. This is an entirely different landscape from the rolling acres divided by neat hedgerows that make up the classic countryside of southern England.