Beech House Prints

The printing press in the corner still works - that's the first thing you notice at Beech House Prints. It's a proper working gallery near Leyburn where you can actually watch prints being made rather than just staring at finished work behind glass. The owner knows their craft and will talk you through the process if you're interested, though it's equally fine to wander round and absorb it all at your own pace.

What you're looking at is contemporary printmaking - linocuts, etchings, that sort of thing - done on site. It's not a massive space, so don't expect to lose three hours here, but if you've got half an hour to spare during a park holiday it's worth the detour. The work is actually good; not the kind of gallery gift-shop art that looks fine in someone's spare bedroom for a week then gets relegated to the loft.

If you're staying at Cherish Glamping or Stablefell Holidays nearby, this fits nicely into a morning before heading out to explore Wensleydale properly. Families with young kids might find it a bit quiet - there's not much interactive content - but teenagers or anyone who's ever fancied trying printmaking themselves will find it genuinely interesting. The location in Leyburn itself means you're close to decent pubs and cafes for lunch afterwards. Fair warning though: opening hours and admission details aren't publicly listed, so ring ahead before you make the journey.