Major city · United Kingdom
Richmond, North YorkshireRichmond
Base here 2 nights: castle, falls and Easby Abbey on foot in a day, then one day by car into Swaledale or to Middleham.
- Weather
- see forecast
- Currency
- GBP
- Best months
- May–Sep; late Apr and Oct are quieter and still walkable
- avoid Jan–Feb (short days, ice on the riverside paths); race days if you want a quiet square
- Airports
- NCL · MME · MAN
- Nights
- 2
Rules in force · 8Non-EU visitors get 90 days in any rolling 180-day window…
- Europe ↗Non-EU visitors get 90 days in any rolling 180-day window, counted across all 29 Schengen states together — not per country; the Entry/Exit System now logs each crossing, so an overstay is detected automatically.
- Europe ↗On the first Schengen entry since EES began, non-EU travellers give four fingerprints and a face photo at the border instead of a passport stamp; there is nothing to apply for or pay in advance.
- Britain and Ireland ↗Neither the UK nor Ireland is part of Schengen: days spent here do not count towards the 90/180-day Schengen limit, and a Schengen visa does not admit you to either country.
- Britain and Ireland ↗The island of Ireland runs on two currencies: euro in the Republic, pound sterling in Northern Ireland and Great Britain. Carry a card that pays in both without fees.
- Britain and Ireland ↗Both islands drive on the left. Speed limits are in miles per hour in the UK (including Northern Ireland) and in kilometres per hour in the Republic of Ireland.
- United Kingdom ↗Most visitors who do not need a UK visa now need an Electronic Travel Authorisation (ETA) before travelling; this includes EU nationals. Irish citizens are exempt. Check the UK government site for your passport.
- United Kingdom ↗The UK is outside the EU and the Schengen area; a Schengen visa is not valid for the UK.
- United Kingdom ↗Driving is on the left; London has congestion and emissions charges for most vehicles, so do not drive in the city.
Richmond is a small Georgian market town on the edge of the Yorkshire Dales, with a Norman castle, a river gorge and an abbey ruin within a 30-minute walk of the market square. Two nights covers the town on foot; a third day needs a car for the Dales, Middleham Castle or Catterick races. It is a base, not a big-city stop.
Essentials
Quick answers and what things cost
Quick answers
The questions people ask first about Richmond, North Yorkshire, one line each. Tap a card for the full answer.
- Cash or card?Currency is the pound sterling (GBP, £).United Kingdom-wide
- SIM or eSIMEE, Vodafone (merged with Three in 2025) and O2 run the networks; prepaid SIMs sell in supermarkets, phone shops and airport vending machines…United Kingdom-wide
- Tap waterTap water is safe everywhere.United Kingdom-wide
- TippingcheckRestaurant with table service: 10–12.5% if no service charge is on the bill; check before adding more.United Kingdom-wide
- Plugs & powerSockets G. US/Canada (A/B): adapter · UK/Ireland (G): fits · Australia/NZ (I): adapter. 230 V: US 120 V-only devices (hair dryers) need a converter; most chargers are dual-voltage.United Kingdom-wide
- SafetyA low-crime market town; the real risks are wet riverside rocks, unlit lanes after dark and thin rural bus services.
- RestroomsPublic toilets are scarce and some charge 50p–£1 (≈ US$2) or are card-only.United Kingdom-wide
- Emergency numbers999 emergency (police, fire, ambulance) · 112 emergency from any phone (eu-wide) · 111 NHS non-urgent advice
- Sundays & holidaysShops in England and Wales open six hours on Sundays (usually 10:00 or 11:00–16:00 or 17:00).Shops in England and Wales open six hours on Sundays (usually 10:00 AM or 11:00 AM–4:00 PM or 5:00 PM).United Kingdom-wide
- Your embassyFind your embassy's 24-hour line before you fly.
- AirportNCL Newcastle (Nearest usable airport; about 1 h 15 min by road, or train via Darlington).
- Getting aroundThe centre is walkable: market square to castle 3 min, to the falls 8 min, to Easby Abbey about 1 mile along the riverbank.
Cost cheat-sheet
Typical prices for the everyday things, as ranges. Your currency is shown next to the local price.
- CoffeeCoffee or tea and cake£4–8 (≈ US$6–11)
- Sit-down mealPub main course£12–20 (≈ US$16–30)
- BeerPint of draught beer£4.50–6 (≈ US$6–8)
- Taxi, about 5 kmTaxi, about 3 miTaxi within town£5–10 (≈ US$7–14)
- SIM or eSIM, a weekeSIM or data SIM, about a week£8–15 (≈ US$11–20)
- Museum or sight ticketCastle or museum entry£7–9 (≈ US$10–12) adult
- Budget bedHostel or bunkhouse bed, a night, per person£25 (≈ US$35)
- Mid-range bedPub or B&B double room, a night, per room£130 (≈ US$180)
- High-end bedPub or B&B double room, a night, per room£220 (≈ US$300)
A day, not counting the bed: Budget £45 (≈ US$60) · Mid £90 (≈ US$120) · High £180 (≈ US$250)
Local prices, with USD next to them (rates 2026-09 (approximate); change it in the header). Ranges are desk estimates: check locally. Every price and the budget calculator →
Decide
What it is known for, and when the weather works
At a glance
What the city is known for, how you fly in, and where to find the phrases.
- Airports
- NCL Newcastle (Nearest usable airport; about 1 h 15 min by road, or train via Darlington) · MME Teesside (Closer but very few flights; check before booking) · MAN Manchester (For long-haul: train to Darlington, then bus X26/X27)
Weather and climate
Richmond, North Yorkshire: next 7 days
Loading forecast…
Forecast: Open-Meteo (CC BY 4.0), model data for this point.
Air quality
Loading…
Model estimate (CAMS via Open-Meteo), not a street-level station; readings near busy roads run higher.
Jan
6°C43°F
1°C34°F
13 rd
Feb
7°C45°F
1°C34°F
10 rd
Mar
9°C48°F
2°C36°F
11 rd
Apr
12°C54°F
4°C39°F
10 rd
May
15°C59°F
6°C43°F
10 rd
Jun
18°C64°F
9°C48°F
10 rd
Jul
20°C68°F
11°C52°F
10 rd
Aug
20°C68°F
11°C52°F
11 rd
Sep
17°C63°F
9°C48°F
10 rd
Oct
13°C55°F
6°C43°F
12 rd
Nov
9°C48°F
3°C37°F
12 rd
Dec
6°C43°F
1°C34°F
12 rd
High / low °C°F · rd = rain days
Arrive & move
Airports are listed under At a glance; this is how to move once you are in
Getting around
The centre is walkable: market square to castle 3 min, to the falls 8 min, to Easby Abbey about 1 mile along the riverbank. Buses run from the market place: X26/X27 to Darlington (40 min, every 30 min Mon–Fri, hourly weekends), Dalesbus 30 up Swaledale to Reeth and Keld, summer extensions to Hawes. You need a car for Middleham Castle, most of the Dales and Catterick racecourse. Parking: several town car parks; the market place is often full and closes Saturday morning for the market.
See & do
Day-trips, door to door
Day-trips
Easby Abbey and St Agatha's Church
goDoor to door: About 30 min on foot
Walk 1 mile along the riverbank from Richmond, or drive
Free entry, open daily; the 13th-century frescoes in the church are the reason to come.
Middleham Castle
goDoor to door: About 30 min by car
Drive 13 miles south via Leyburn; no practical bus
English Heritage ruin; pair it with Leyburn and the Wensleydale Railway.
Reeth and Swaledale
goDoor to door: About 40 min
Dalesbus 30 from the market place, year-round
Village green, pubs and valley walks; check the last bus back.
Catterick Racecourse
cautionDoor to door: About 15 min by car
Drive 4 miles north on the A6136 (≈ US$8,500)
Flat racing Apr–Oct, jumps Nov–Mar; check the fixture list and book ahead.
Hawes and Wensleydale
cautionDoor to door: About 1 h 30 min
Dalesbus 30 summer extension from Richmond
Summer only; a long day out, not a quick hop.
Darlington
goDoor to door: About 40 min
Arriva X26/X27 from the market place
Nearest mainline station for York, Newcastle and London.
Eat & sleep
Which area to sleep in
Where to sleep
Areas, not hotels: pick the one that fits your arrival time and plans.
Market Place and Castle Hill
Pubs with rooms and hotels on the square; everything on foot. Some noise on market and race days.
Victoria Rd and Frenchgate
Quiet Georgian streets 2–5 min north of the square; B&Bs and the theatre.
Riverside and Millgate
Down by the Swale, closest to the falls and the Easby walk; steep lanes back up.
Scotch Corner and Middleton Tyas
A1/A66 junction hotels with parking; only useful if you are driving through.
Practical
What a day costs, what to watch out for, and the pocket card
Cost per day
- Budget
- £45–75 (≈ US$60–100) excl. bed
- Mid
- £75–130 (≈ US$100–180) excl. bed
- High
- £130 (≈ US$180)+ excl. bed
Trip budget
| Pub or B&B double room1 × 2 nights × £130 | £260 |
| Food, local transport, entries2 × 2 days × £90 | £360 |
| Bus Darlington → Richmond, both ways2 × £12 | £24 |
| Castle and museum entries, one day2 × £20 | £40 |
| eSIM, about a week of data2 × £10 | £20 |
| Buffer 10%Price creep, a taxi you did not plan, one splurge | £70 |
| Trip total≈ £194 per person per day, bed included | £774≈ US$1,100 |
2026 estimate in pounds; travel to Richmond excluded. Your choices stay in this browser.
Prices of common things
| Coffee or tea and cake | £4–8 (≈ US$6–11) |
| Pub main course | £12–20 (≈ US$16–30) |
| Pint of draught beer | £4.50–6 (≈ US$6–8) |
| Castle or museum entry | £7–9 (≈ US$10–12) adult |
| Bus Darlington → Richmond, single | about £6 (≈ US$8) |
| Taxi within town | £5–10 (≈ US$7–14) |
| eSIM or data SIM, about a week | £8–15 (≈ US$11–20) |
2026 estimate; check locally.
Watch out
Safety
- The market place is unavailable for parking on Saturday morning (weekly market).
- Riverside paths and the falls rocks are slippery after rain; keep back from the edge in spate.
- Many Dales buses are seasonal and thin on Sundays: check the last return before you set out.
- Mobile signal is patchy in the dales; download maps offline.
- Book race days and summer weekends ahead: the town is small and fills up.
Emergency numbers
- Emergency (police, fire, ambulance)
- 999
- Emergency from any phone (EU-wide)
- 112
- NHS non-urgent advice
- 111
- Police non-urgent
- 101
Pocket card
Fill in, then print or save as PDF
Stays in this browser only; nothing is sent anywhere.
Richmond, North YorkshireRichmond
Pocket card · Voykit
My bed tonight
—
—
—
To this address, pleaseTo this address, please
Emergency
- Emergency999
- Emergency (any phone)112
- NHS non-urgent111
- Police non-urgent101
Embassy
No embassies in Richmond; the US Embassy is in London. Consular help for most countries: London.
My embassy: —
Fare anchors (2026 estimate)
- Bus Darlington → Richmond (X26/X27): about 40 min, every 30 min Mon–Fri, hourly weekends
- Taxi in town: £5–10 (≈ US$7–14)
- Dalesbus 30 to Reeth: year-round, about 40 min
Say or show
- Excuse me / Sorry — Excuse me / Sorry
- Thank you — Thank you
- Please — Please
- How much is it? — How much is it?
- Can I pay by card? — Can I pay by card?
- Where is the toilet? — Where is the toilet?
English is the only language you need; local place names are pronounced as written.
Deep dive
What this guide covers so far, and its sources
Not a trip line yet
This is a basic guide: no airport-to-bed contract, walking clusters or day plans are published for Richmond, North Yorkshire. Airport, fare and schedule details are unverified; check the operators before you fly.
What we know, and what is coming
On this page
- Best months: May–Sep; late Apr and Oct are quieter and still walkable · avoid Jan–Feb (short days, ice on the riverside paths); race days if you want a quiet square · month by month →
- 3 airports and 4 areas to sleep in
- Weather: a 7-day forecast and monthly averages
- Cost per day in 3 bands
- 6 day-trips, door to door
- 5 things to watch out for, with emergency numbers
Coming as the guide grows
- Airport-to-bed contract for NCL and MME: last train and bus times field-checked, taxi fallback, overnight rung.
- Four walking clusters with rescue anchors: market square, castle and falls, Easby riverside, The Station.
- Place pages with verified hours and prices (castle, regimental museum, Richmondshire Museum, Georgian Theatre Royal) and eat pages with last orders.
- Race-day and market-day fixtures so gates A–D can go green.
Sources
- officialRichmond visitor information
- officialEnglish Heritage — Richmond Castle
- officialEnglish Heritage — Easby Abbey
- officialEnglish Heritage — Middleham Castle
- officialGreen Howards Regimental Museum
- officialRichmondshire Museum
- officialGeorgian Theatre Royal
- officialThe Station, Richmond
- officialDalesbus network
- officialCatterick Racecourse
- officialWensleydale Railway
- secondaryWikivoyage: Richmond (North Yorkshire), revision 5197607 (CC BY-SA 4.0)