A short train ride took us out of York on a day trip to the town of Knaresborough. Described as a “ must-visit” market town in North Yorkshire, we took a chance and chose it from a list of towns our apartment host had recommended.
We missed the Wednesday market day, but the small town square was surprisingly busy on a Friday afternoon. Everyone seemed to be enjoying the sunshine, as were we.
Our first stop was Knaresborough Castle and Museum. First built in the year 1100, the fortress sits on a cliff above the River Nidd.
According to Wikipedia, Hugh de Moreville and his followers took refuge there in the 1170s after assassinating Thomas Becket. In later years, it was used by several kings as a royal residence. There isn’t much to see inside, but we took a quick look around and climbed the circular stairs to what’s left of the top floor.
I coaxed Reg into walking quite a ways downhill, determined to explore the so-called River Walk below town. It took a bit of walking before the road opened up to the river, but what a surprise when it did. Below the Knaresborough Viaduct we found a small resort-like area with cafes, boat rentals and plenty of benches to sit and enjoy the scene. Absolutely gorgeous.
The viaduct was originally built in 1848, but collapsed just before it was finished. Rebuilt, it opened to rail traffic in 1851 and continues to carry trains across the River Nidd. Our train stopped at the Knaresborough station, just short of crossing the viaduct. I think we had a better view from down below.
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