Golden Fleece

The Golden Fleece sits on the market square in Thirsk, a proper old coaching inn that's been standing since the 16th century. Walk through the door and you're stepping into a working pub that hasn't lost its character - wooden beams, uneven floors, the sort of place where the building itself feels like part of the drink. It's genuinely atmospheric rather than twee, which is rarer than you'd think in Yorkshire market towns.

Historically minded visitors will appreciate the rooms upstairs, where the Georgian architecture gives you a real sense of how travellers once stayed during journeys across the North. The inn featured in one of James Herriot's books - if you're in Thirsk for the Vet memorials, this connects nicely to that trail. There's something about standing in a room where centuries of people have passed through that makes you think.

Really, the Golden Fleece works best as a stop rather than a destination in itself. Pop in for a pint, have a look around, absorb the atmosphere. You won't need more than an hour unless you're settling in for lunch. It costs nothing to visit, though you'll want to buy something at the bar to justify being there.

If you're basing yourself at Hillside Caravan Park nearby, Thirsk itself is worth a half-day wander - the market square is genuinely pleasant - and the Golden Fleece anchors that nicely. Woodland Lakes Lodges is slightly further out, but equally accessible for a quick town visit.