The Town Hall

Ripon's Town Hall sits right in the heart of the market square, and it's one of those Victorian buildings that actually stops you mid-stride. Red sandstone, proper imposing, the kind of place where you can imagine centuries of civic business being thrashed out upstairs while the town got on with life below.

Inside, if you can get access, there's real architectural detail - high ceilings, period fixtures, that satisfying solidity Victorians did so well. It's the sort of building that anchors a town, and frankly Ripon without it would feel a bit unmoored. The exterior alone rewards a good wander round, and the square itself is lively enough that you'll want to linger anyway.

It works best if you're already exploring Ripon proper - combining it with the cathedral, the market, maybe a bite at one of the cafes round the square. History buffs will appreciate the Georgian and Victorian bones of the whole area. Families won't spend hours here, but it's a natural stop on a town walkabout.

The real bonus is proximity to the caravan parks. Riverside Meadows is less than a mile away, so you can pitch up somewhere genuinely lovely and have Ripon town centre on your doorstep. Woodhouse Farm and Sleningford Watermill offer a bit more space if you want to base yourself slightly further out and make town visits when the mood takes you.