Askrigg Beyond James Herriot

Another view of Askrigg's Skeldale House

Our limited time in Askrigg left us hungry for more.  So after a few days based near Lancaster, a city along the northern coast of England, we returned, even though it meant sacrificing more time in other areas, such as the Lake District. 

Just one of Askrigg's numerous gardens.

It wasn’t Askrigg that solely drew us back.  We loved the rolling, verdant landscape of the Yorkshire Dales National Park.  This area was where the TV crew filmed “All Creatures Great and Small.”  It wasn’t important to visit particular film sites, such as farms or streamside locations.  We knew the TV version of James Herriot’s hometown Darrowby was stitched together with bits of different towns.  Yet Askrigg had seemed a serene little village.  So we heeded its siren song.

A cottage we could have rented,
had we known about it.

As we walked the town, we discovered more shops and businesses tucked into corners that someone driving along the main road through town might miss.  We also happened upon several stunning gardens.  What surprised us most were how many holiday cottages we found.  When we had planned this trip back in San Diego, we had failed to find anything for Askrigg using various online booking services.  We made a list of booking services and associations on signs taped to windows or hung outside.  When we return to the Yorkshire Dales, we'll have a few more search options.

Losing myself in the scenery.

Do you ever discover a special place and think that you’d love to live there for awhile, perhaps a few months or even a year, in order to understand what local life is like?  For us, Askrigg was one of those places.  Aside from its Herriot connection, it’s a beautiful village, in a heavenly part of England.  Life there might be inconvenient and impractical, unless you’re employed on a farm or a local business.  But it’d be fun to try.

Askrigg: you’re on our wish list.  For someday.

Dragon Dave