It may have lived in Harrogate's shadow, but the tiny city, the third smallest in the UK, overtaking its flashy neighbors earlier this year with a guide to “The Best Places to Live” .
Located 12 miles north of Harrogate, the city's impressive cathedral, race course and close to the UNESCO World Heritage Site, consisting of Studley Royal Park and Fountains Abbey, is an incredible weekend destination or base for exploring North Yorkshire Dale.
Ripon is a charming cathedral town with a historic atmosphere. Nearby Harrogate is a larger town with more amenities and spa town vibes, but Ripon offers a unique atmosphere, especially close to the Cathedral and Dale.
Harrogate may be a paradise for shoppers and foodies, but Ripon is a must for fans of history and nature. The former spa town also boasts an incredible market held every Thursday in the Central Square.
Ripon was the first English parish church created after the British reforms. This is because existing parishes were perceived as inappropriate for the substantial population growth caused by the 18th century industrial revolution, particularly in central England.
The national new cathedral building was considered infeasible, so in 1836 Ripon, including the High Status Parish Church, was promoted to the status of the Cathedral from the existing Chester and York parishes.
The English Gothic Cathedral was originally founded by the Irish monk Ks, but was revised in 672 by St. Wilfrid. It has been rebuilt many times. The only original building is the Saxon basement, home to Wilfrid's grave.
To celebrate the city's founders, the Wilfrid procession takes place every year on the last Saturday of July or on the first Saturday of August to commemorate the St. Wilfrid east feast.
Lewis Carroll, author of “The Adventures of Alice in Wonderland,” lived in Ripon as a young man when his father was Canon of Ripon Cathedral.
Other notable people related to the history of this small city are William Gibson, one of the 85 martyrs from England and Wales born in Ripon, and Charles Hudson, Matterhorn's first successful ascent, come from Ripon.
Ripon Spa Baths is a Grade II list building that opened in 1905. Originally, the spa was pumped into the village from Aldfield, north of the city, but later bathing was held on the premises. The site was closed in 2021 and was purchased by a private buyer in 2024 to be converted into hospitality venues and luxury apartments.
Ripon Racecourse, known as the “Garden Racecourse” in Yorkshire, is famous for its colorful flower beds and well-maintained lawns. Ripon is a very comprehensive family racetrack and hosts a variety of race days to suit all parties and ages, and to suit some of the best quality races. There are evening meetings, family day, and women's day.
The Ripon Canal was proposed in 1766 to connect the city centre to a portion of the Ure River. It was used to transport coal from the coal fields of Durham to the city. It was abandoned in 1956, but the Conservationism Campaign partially resumed in 1988 and fully reopened in 1996.
On the roads, Ripons are well connected. It can be accessed from the north and south via the A1(M) expressway, and from the east and west via the A61, the main road that runs through the city.
Route 36 of Harrogate Bus Company links cities to Harrogate and Leeds, and also offers bus services to Boroughbridge, Boroughbridge, Boroughbridge and Boroughbridge, including York, Thirsk, Northallerton, Leyburn and Richmond.
TripAdvisor users are encouraged to dine at Royal Oak Pub and Water Rat Pub, as well as Manchega, a tapas restaurant.
However, Harrogate is generally thought to have a better range of restaurants, including two branches of the famous Betty tea room (one in the town centre, a few miles of Harroker's RHS Gardens).
