The 10 Best Cottages to Rent Near England’s Yorkshire Dales

Field magazine

The rugged county of Yorkshire in northern England is a playground for people who like their outdoor activities mixed with a healthy dose of history. Spend days wandering the breathtaking landscapes of the Yorkshire Dales National Park and North York Moors National Park, where verdant hills, endless valleys, mystical geological formations, and unending drystone walls create amazing adventures and stunning views, then retreat to a holiday cottage set in that same landscape or in one of the many historic towns and villages.

Yorkshire Dales National Park sees its best weather from May to September, but wintertime visitors will still find beauty in the stark landscape (just bring the right clothing). Here, you can hike the legendary Yorkshire Three Peaks Challenge, cycle the testing Trans Pennine Trail, or walk for hours on end along the many public walkways and long-distance paths.

Once you’ve made it back to civilization, it’s time to surround yourself with the characters of Yorkshire in any of the historic villages and towns like Hawes, Leyburn, Richmond, or Leeds, the closest city. See Roman structures still standing, stay in medieval buildings, and see how the Industrial Revolution shaped the area. Cottages are at the heart of these places, coming in all shapes and sizes and each with its own distinct history—many of them are available for rent, and during a stay there you’ll be a part of it all.