This small picturesque village is situated on the banks of the River Ure, at the eastern end of Wensleydale in the midst of some of Yorkshire’s most beautiful scenery. It comprises a scattering of dwellings and farmsteads, and also offers two excellent old pubs and a store/Post Office. West Tanfield is ideally situated for exploring all of Yorkshire’s splendid countryside, with the Yorkshire Dales to the west and the North York Moors and Yorkshire Coast to the east. Nearby Ripon, dominated by its imposing cathedral, has a great deal to offer visitors – the cathedral with its 1300 year old crypt, the Yorkshire Law & Order Museums, various craft markets, an International Music Festival and Ripon Races; not to mention the many beautiful riverside and canal walks. Nearby Masham boasts a huge market square, where a Wednesday market has recently been joined by a popular Saturday market. There are lots of walks around the area, including a recently reopened 10-mile walk along the Ure, arguably one of the best walks in the UK. The famous Fountains Abbey and Studley Royal Water Garden are within easy driving distance and it is just a few miles to the popular Lightwater Valley Theme Park with its Factory Shopping Village. Skipton, Harrogate and the historic cathedral city of York are close by, as are the great stately homes of Castle Howard and Harewood House, the Cistercian Abbeys of Fountains, Rievaulx and Jervaulx, and the castles of Middleham, Bolton and Richmond. A wonderful picturesque Dales village.
