Skipton

Market day brings Skipton to life like nowhere else in the Yorkshire Dales. This Friday and Saturday spectacle transforms the cobbled High Street into a proper Yorkshire trading post, where farmers sell everything from fresh cheese to hand-knitted jumpers. The rest of the week? Well, it settles into the rhythm of a working Dales town that doesn't need tourists to survive.

Skipton Castle dominates the town centre, one of the most complete medieval castles in England. Worth the entrance fee for the Tudor courtyard alone. The Leeds-Liverpool Canal cuts right through town too - you can walk the towpath for miles in either direction, watching narrow boats navigate the locks.

Sharp Haw offers the best views over Skipton if you fancy a proper walk. It's a bit of a slog up, but the panorama takes in the entire Aire Valley. Closer to town, Butter Haw Hill makes for an easier climb with decent views back towards the castle. The surrounding countryside is classic Dales territory - dry stone walls carving up green fields, with plenty of peaks like Norton Tower Hill and Crookrise Crag Top for the more ambitious.

Getting here couldn't be easier. Skipton sits on the main Leeds-Harrogate railway line, with regular services from both cities. By car, it's just off the A65, making it a proper gateway to the Dales.

Staying at one of the nearby holiday parks like Bolton Abbey Estate or Wharfedale makes perfect sense. You get the best of both worlds - easy access to Skipton's shops and pubs, plus you're already in prime walking country. The town works brilliantly as a base for exploring deeper into the Dales without the tourist crowds of places like Grassington.