racetrack
Harewood Speed Hillclimb
The longest hillclimb course in England at 1,598 yards, climbing Yorkshire moorland on the Harewood estate with sweeping open views over Wharfedale from the spectator banks.
10 km · about 20 min drive
EuropeUnited KingdomEngland
Harrogate
England, United Kingdom · Europe
About Harrogate
Harrogate works well as a base: 10 minutes from Knaresborough, 13km from Brimham Rocks.
Harrogate is in England, United Kingdom, with about 89,000 people. You drive on the left here. The nearest town is Knaresborough, about 5 km away.
Harrogate () is a spa town and civil parish in North Yorkshire, England, historically part of the West Riding of Yorkshire. Visitor attractions include Bettys tea rooms, RHS Harlow Carr gardens and the Royal Pump Room Museum, which explores the town's spa heritage. The Yorkshire Dales National Park and Nidderdale AONBRead more
are 13 miles (21 km) from the town centre.
In the 17th century, Harrogate grew out of two smaller settlements, High Harrogate and Low Harrogate. For three consecutive years (2013–2015), polls voted the town as "the happiest place to live" in Britain. Harrogate spa water contains iron, sulphur, and common salt (NaCl). The town became known as 'The English Spa' in the Georgian era, after its waters were discovered in the 16th century. In the 17th and 18th centuries, its chalybeate waters (containing iron) were a popular health treatment, and the influx of wealthy but sickly visitors contributed significantly to the wealth of the town.
Where to Stay in Harrogate
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Frequently Asked Questions
What is there to see near Harrogate?
Within an hour or so of Harrogate: Harewood Speed Hillclimb (10 km), Fountains Abbey (13 km), Brimham Rocks (13 km), Bolton Abbey (23 km).
Are there any good drives near Harrogate?
The nearest famous roads are A684 Wensleydale (Sedbergh to Leyburn), Holme Moss and B6270 Swaledale.
Where is Harrogate?
Harrogate is in England, United Kingdom, about 5 km from Knaresborough.
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Quick Information
- Population
- 89,060
- Continent
- Europe
- Country
- United Kingdom
- Region
- England
- Timezone
- Europe/London
- Coordinates
- 53.9908, -1.5373
Emergency & Services
Essential numbers in United Kingdom
112 also works. NHS non-emergency medical advice: 111. National Highways breakdown assistance on motorways: 0300 123 5000.
Full driving guide for United KingdomTags
Worth the detour from Harrogate
8 notable places within an hour's drive.
ancient ruins
Fountains Abbey
Largest and best-preserved Cistercian monastery ruins in England, set within the elegant Studley Royal Water Garden UNESCO World Heritage Site.
13 km · about 25 min drive
natural wonder
Brimham Rocks
Wind-carved millstone grit outcrops on a Nidderdale moor, a natural playground of balanced boulders.
13 km · about 25 min drive
ancient ruins
Bolton Abbey
Romantic 12th-century Augustinian priory ruins on the banks of the River Wharfe, surrounded by 30,000 acres of moorland and woodland.
23 km · about 25 min drive
natural wonder
The Strid, Bolton Abbey
A narrow chasm where the whole River Wharfe squeezes into a few feet of rock - beautiful and genuinely lethal.
24 km · about 30 min drive
cafe
Squires Cafe Bar
One of Yorkshire's most famous biker cafes near Sherburn-in-Elmet, hosting regular bike nights and rallies.
28 km · about 35 min drive
natural wonder
How Stean Gorge
A narrow limestone ravine in Nidderdale with walkways above the water, caves and a via ferrata course.
28 km · about 30 min drive
cathedral
York Minster
One of the largest Gothic cathedrals in Northern Europe, famous for its medieval stained glass.
30 km · about 35 min drive
Driving roads near Harrogate
6 named roads, passes and coastal drives within 60km.
- 34 kmSutton BankA steep escarpment with a 1-in-4 hairpin climb and a view James Herriot called 'the finest in England', looking over the Vale of York.
- 50 kmPen-y-ghentThe most distinctive of the Yorkshire Three Peaks, a 694 m stepped ridge above Horton in Ribblesdale.
- 55 kmA684 Wensleydale (Sedbergh to Leyburn)A flowing dales road along the Ure past Hawes, linking to Buttertubs and the Ribblehead country.
- 55 kmHolme MossA 524 m Pennine pass on the A6024 topped by a landmark transmitter mast, a celebrated cycling climb used in the 2014 Tour de France.
- 56 kmB6270 SwaledaleThe narrow dale road from Richmond to Nateby past Gunnerside and Keld, drystone walls and barns the whole way.
Driving in United Kingdom
- Drives on
- the left
- Petrol
- ~€1.73/litre
- Motorway tolls
- None
When to drive here
April to October
Nearby Destinations
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