A small city in Yorkshire with “wiggly streets of independent shops” (including a French-inspired bakery and restaurant) has been crowned among the prettiest towns in Great Britain – have you been?
Ripon, which was given a city status due to its cathedral, was ranked in 10th place by Telegraph Travel’s Great Britain experts and was highlighted for its market place “filled with buzz and chatter”.
The city was also complimented for its three “well-run” museums – not to mention Ripon’s variety of walks and “quiet spaces”.
Commenting on the travel guide, The Telegraph said: “If there’s something Britain does well, it’s towns. And we have a lot of them, almost 1,250 to be precise, across England, Scotland and Wales.
@hughandleahtravel What a lovely place to visit! ✨ This cathedral city is full of life, with many shops, cafes, restaurants, and also markets! 🍴☕️ Ripon is also home to award winning musuems and a 7th century cathedral.✝️ So there are so many things to do on a day out in Ripon with your loved ones! 🥰 Ripon, North Yorkshire📍 #yorkshire #ripon #cathedral #thingstodo #placestovisit #riponcathedral #thingstodoinyorkshire #travel #traveltiktok #uktravel #placestovisitintheuk #ukvisits #uk ♬ Evergreen - Richy Mitch & The Coal Miners
“There are well-heeled towns like Henley-on-Thames, market towns like Buxton, commutable towns like Harpenden, liveable towns like Altrincham and towns to film the perfect Hovis advert in, like Shaftesbury.
“But which are the prettiest towns in Great Britain? To find out, we called upon our experts across the country to give their verdict on the most beautiful settlements in the land.
"We asked each expert to rank their towns on the pleasantness of their shop fronts, historic architecture, low traffic/litter, stunning viewpoints and plentiful greenery, culminating in a score out of 50."
You can see the full list of scenic towns here.
What makes Ripon one of Britain’s prettiest places?
The Telegraph explained: “Technically, Ripon is a city, but to the 16,000 locals it’s a town that just happens to have a cathedral.
“Visit on market day (Thursday) and the central market place is filled with the buzz and chatter that only local town markets – cheese stall, artisan breads, farm-produced sausages – can engender.
“Running off the market place are wiggly streets of independent shops – from an art gallery and bookshop to butchers and an eco-shop – plus places to eat and drink, including an Anglo-Indian tea shop and French-inspired bakery and restaurant.”
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It added: “Buildings are a pleasant jumble of Georgian and Victorian with the odd half-timbered Tudor façade while sitting modestly just off-centre is the medieval cathedral with its wide-open welcoming doors, Anglo-Saxon crypt and Tudor misericords. Other historic buildings house the town’s three well-run museums."
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“With three rivers, a canal, plus the spa gardens (bowling green, bandstand, crazy golf), there are numerous walks and quiet spaces.
“Alternatively, a decent programme of live music can be found in both its pubs and churches as well as at an annual beer festival in the cathedral’s gardens.”
Looking for the best viewpoint in Ripon for when you next visit? The publisher recommends: “From the lower end of cobbled Kirkgate, with its colourful shop fronts, towards the golden-hued west front of the Cathedral.”
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