The charming town has plenty to see and do for visitors to discover (Image: David Himelfield)
If you’re familiar with Bedale, it’s likely because you’ve either passed through on your travels or you’re a resident.
This market town in is often overlooked by visitors as they travel past on their way elsewhere.
But if you’ve been searching for a new place to visit that has a friendly , charming scenery and a rich history, then Bedale could be worth a shot.
While nearby Masham and Leyburn boast centres that predate the notion of tourism, they are now primarily oriented towards visitors.
In contrast, Bedale functions more as a ‘working town’, reports .
Bedale’s high street is packed with local businesses and friendly faces (Image: David Himelfield)
Bedale hosts tearooms, restaurants, and gift shops, and among the rows of independent shops and pubs, you’ll find a Nisa, a Costa and a cleverly camouflaged .
Holiday homes and second residences are not scarce in Bedale, but they haven’t yet outpriced the locals. A three-bedroom semi-detached house with front and back gardens is priced around £250,000.
A four-bedroom detached house with a double garage costs approximately £400,000. By North Yorkshire standards, that’s affordable.
Emma Shevel, a local entrepreneur who alongside her sister Helen runs Silverdale, a charming jewellery shop nestled on North End, spoke of the community’s resilience. “The value of the second homes hasn’t destroyed the local community,” she claimed, a Bedale resident herself.
Bedale is often overlooked, but it’s still very much worth a visit (Image: David Himelfield)
Bedale is far from just a place for locals – it also rolls out the red carpet for countless tourists each summer with its welcoming spirit.
Alison Kent, a property valuer at George F White estate agents, echoed this sentiment: “Everyone says Bedale has a very friendly community and it’s where people walk up and down the street and say hello to each other.”
The warm reception extends beyond greetings, as she explained: “Everyone I’ve dealt with has been friendly and appreciative about what we do.”
Don’t miss… [UPDATE]
For those not lucky enough to call Bedale home, there’s still loads to discover whilst visiting.
Within the grandeur of grade I-listed Bedale Hall lies the Bedale Museum, showcasing the town’s rich tapestry of history, dating back to when Henry III granted a market charter in 1251.
Just across the way stands St Gregory’s Church, another grade I treasure, steeped in centuries of history. The church boasts an array of magnificent stained glass windows and an unexpected congregation of teddy bears perched upon its pews.
You might also have a laugh at a memorial that mentions an ‘Admiral Sir John Poo Beresford’.
Lorraine and Chris Gunnell who run Bedale Pet Shop (Image: David Himelfield)
Perhaps the most intriguing feature is the Leech House, located on the eastern bank of Bedale Beck. This seemingly ordinary outhouse was actually used to store ‘medicinal’ leeches in containers supplied by the beck.
These leeches were sold to pharmacists who, at the time, erroneously believed that leeches could cure various ailments by drawing out ‘bad blood’.
Today, the UK’s only remaining leech house is thankfully devoid of leeches. However, it remains quite a sight with its crenelated walls, pointed door and windows, and its precarious position next to the beck.
Just a couple of miles south of Bedale lies the Thorp Perrow estate, boasting 100 acres of landscaped gardens and a centre for birds of prey and exotic mammals.