What to Do

Things to do when its Raining

Settle is a great base for exploring Yorkshire, Lancashire and Cumbria – what ever the weather.

When the sun is shining there is nothing that can beat the great outdoors. There is so much wonderful  countryside to explore, be it on foot, on a bike or in a car. However, the sun doesn’t always shine and so we thought it would be helpful to give some suggestions of ‘places to visit’ and ‘things to do’ when the weather is not so kind.

The distance from Settle is given against each destination.
Click on the links to find out details of each suggestion.


Take a Train Ride
Settle Carlisle Railway (Settle)  
Embsay & Bolton Abbey Steam Railway (nr Skipton) – 17mls 
Keighley & Worth Valley Railway (Keighley) – 25mls  
Lakeside & Haverthwaite Railway (nr Ulverston) – 40mls  
Wensleydale Railway (Leeming Bar) – 52mls  

Take a Boat Ride
Pennine Boat Trips & Cruises (Skipton) – 17mls  

Explore a Cave
Ingleborough Caves (Clapham) – 7mls  
White Scar Caves (Ingleton) – 11mls  
Stump Cross Caverns (nr Pately Bridge) – 38mls  

Visit a Castle
Skipton Castle – 17mls  
Clitheroe Castle – 20mls  
Lancaster Castle – 28mls  
Ripley Castle (nr Harrogate) – 38mls  
Middleham Castle – 40mls  
Bolton Castle (nr Leyburn) – 40mls  
Richmond Castle– 51mls  

Visit a Historic House
Browsholme Hall (nr Clitheroe) – 20mls  
East Riddleston Hall (Keighley) – 25mls  
Gawthorpe Hall (nr Padiham) – 27mls  
Sizergh Castle (nr Kendal) – 27mls  
Levens Hall (nr Kendal) – 28mls  
Holker Hall (nr Cartmel) – 40mls  
Harewood House (nr Leeds) – 42mls  
Temple Newsam House (Leeds) – 42mls 
Rydal Mount (nr Grasmere) – 42mls  
Dove Cottage (Grasmere) – 46mls  
Hill Top (Home of Beatrix Potter) (nr Hawkshead) - 42mls  
Newby Hall (nr Ripon) – 46mls  
Brantwood (nr Coniston)) – 46mls  
Kiplin Hall (nr Richmond) – 51mls  

Visit a Museum or Heritage Centre
Museum of North Craven Life (Settle) 
Slaidburn Heritage Centre (Slaidburn) – 15mls  
Craven Museum & Gallery (Skipton) - 17mls  
Pendle Heritage Centre (Barrowford) – 20mls 
Yorkshire Dales
Mining Museum (Earby) 21mls 
Upper Wharfedale Folk Museum (Grassington) – 24mls  
Dales Countryside Museum (Hawes) – 24mls
Cliffe Castle Museum (Keighley) – 25mls 
Dent Village Heritage Centre (Dent) – 26mls 
Ilkley Toy Museum (Ilkley) – 26mls  
Manor House Art Gallery & Museum (Ilkley) – 26mls  
Museum of Lakeland Life (Kendal) – 30mls  
Bronte Parsonage Museum (Haworth) – 30mls  
Ribchester Roman Museum (nr Blackburn) – 30mls  
National Media Museum (Bradford) – 34mls  
Salts Mill (Bradford) – 34mls 
National Football Museum (Preston) - 37mls  
Nidderdale Museum (Pately Bridge) – 38mls  
Lakeland Motor Museum (Cartmel) – 40mls 
Royal Armouries (Leeds) – 42mls  
Ripon Museums (Ripon) – 46mls  
Wordsworth Museum& Art Gallery (Grasmere) – 46mls  
The Bowes Museum (Barnard Castle) – 51mls  

Visit a Restored Mill
Gayle Mill (nr Hawes) – 24mls  

Visit an Art & Craft Gallery
Platform Gallery (Clitheroe) – 20mls  
Elm Gallery (Ilkley) – 26mls  
Farfield Mill Arts & Heritage Centre (nr Sedbergh) – 27mls  
Abbot Hall Art Gallery (Kendal) – 27mls  
Gallery H (Arnside) – 30mls   
John Kershaw Studio Pottery (Windermere) – 38mls  
The Heaton Cooper Studio (Grasmere) – 47mls  

Learn about James Herriot
World of James Herriot (Thirsk) -56mls  

Learn about Beatrix Potter
The World of Beatrix Potter Attraction (Bowness-on-Windermere) – 40mls 

Enjoy some Indoor Sport
Matrix Superbowl & Snooker (Skipton) – 17mls
Prestige Indoor Karting (Colne) – 21mls  
Action Zone Laser Combat (Harrogate) – 38mls 

Go for a Swim
Settle Swimming Pool  
Craven Swimming Pool & Fitness Centre (Skipton) – 17mls  

Watch a Film
Skipton Plaza Cinema – 17mls  
Brewery Arts Centre (Kendal) – 27mls  

See how Cheese is made
Wensleydale Creamery (Hawes) – 24mls 

See how Ropes are made
Outhwaite Ropemakers (Hawes) – 24mls  

See how Beer is made
Black Sheep Brewery (Masham) -55mls  
Theakston’s Brewery (Masham) – 55mls  

Watch Horses Swimming
Horses Health Farm at Rathmell (nr Settle) – 3mls  

Go Shopping
Watershed Mill Visitor Centre (Settle) 
Boundary Mill (Colne) – 21mls  
Oswaldtwistle Mills Shopping Village – 28mls  
K Village (Kendal) – 30mls  
Lakeland (Windermere) – 38mls