Blog Neighbourhood picks

2026-11-034 min readNorth Yorkshire Destinations

Masham packs a brewery, a ruined abbey and a proper playground into ten minutes' walking, and the surrounding dales give children room to run.

Getting there and getting your bearings

Masham sits on the A6108 between Ripon and Leyburn, roughly 8 miles west of the A1(M) at Leeming Bar, and most families arrive by car because buses along the valley are thin, especially on Sundays. Ripon is 11 miles east and takes about 20 minutes on the B6267; Leyburn is 9 miles west, about 15 minutes; Thirsk station, on the East Coast Main Line, is 16 miles away. Parking around the market square is limited but there are longer stays behind the square and near the sports field. Book a hotel with a car park rather than relying on street parking at peak weekends.

Orient yourself at the market square, where the cross stands and the main streets — Silver Street, College Lane, Park Street — meet. Everything in the centre is flat and walkable within ten minutes, which matters with small children and a pushchair. The River Burn runs through the low end of town, shallow and quick, so hold hands near the banks. The 1,300-acre Swinton Estate begins immediately east and its parkland paths are free to walk, though the estate's paid attractions need booking ahead in school holidays.

The abbey ruins and the riverside walk

St Mary's Church, on the edge of the square, contains a surprising fragment: carved stones from the Cistercian abbey founded here in 1156, dissolved in the 1530s. The ruins themselves are modest — low walls and earthworks in fields east of town, reached by a footpath off the Swinton estate road — but the walk there is the point. It takes around 20 minutes each way at child pace and is buggy-friendly in dry weather only. Wear boots from October to March; the ground holds water.

Combine this with the riverside path that loops back via the old mill buildings, roughly a 2-mile circuit that our family would do before lunch. There is no cafe on the route, so carry water and snacks. For a wet-weather alternative, the church is open in daylight hours and the volunteer stewards are usually happy to point out the abbey stones.

The Black Sheep Brewery and the town centre

The Black Sheep Brewery visitor centre on Wellgarth is the one attraction almost every visiting family mentions, and it works better than expected with children: the self-guided tour is short, the shop sells soft drinks, and the cafe does good sandwiches. Under-18s are welcome in the visitor centre and cafe though not on every tour element, so check when booking. Tours run most days but sell out in July and August; book 24 hours ahead. Theakston's, the other brewery in town, has a smaller visitor offering — worth checking opening times directly.

Beyond the breweries, Masham's shops are genuinely useful rather than twee: a bakery, a butcher, a small Co-op and a couple of gift shops clustered on and around the square. Our recommendation is to book a hotel on or just off the square so you can walk to breakfast, dinner and the playground without moving the car. The town's playground sits off Park Street and suits under-tens well, with a wooden climbing frame and enough grass for a kickabout.

Where to base yourself and what to skip

Masham makes a strong base for a three-night family trip because it splits the difference between the Yorkshire Dales and the Vale of York. Fountains Abbey and Studley Royal, a National Trust property with 800 acres and a superb children's trail, is 12 miles south, about 25 minutes. Lightwater Valley theme park, near Ripon, is 9 miles east. Bolton Castle in Wensleydale is 20 miles west via Leyburn. Expect hotel rates to peak in school holidays and during the Masham Sheep Fair weekend in late September, when rooms in the town book out months ahead.

What we would skip: the abbey ruins if your children are under five and the ground is wet, and any plan that relies on evening buses — the last useful service back from Ripon leaves early. Weekday visits in May, June and early September are quieter and cheaper than August. If the weather turns, Ripon's Workhouse Museum and the swimming pool at Leyburn are both under half an hour away. Book a hotel with family rooms and parking early; the town has a small number of beds relative to its popularity.

Before you book

The questions people ask about Grassington, answered with this month’s numbers.

Is Masham good for a family day out with young children?

Yes for a half-day: the square, playground and riverside walk fill three or four hours easily, and the brewery visitor centre adds a wet-weather option. Plan a full day only if you add Fountains Abbey or Lightwater Valley nearby.

Do you need a car to visit Masham with kids?

Effectively yes. Buses along the A6108 are infrequent and stop early in the evening, and the abbey ruins and Swinton estate paths are not on a practical bus route. Choose a hotel with parking and use the car for day trips.

When is the quietest time to stay in Masham?

Late May and June, then early September, are the sweet spots: the weather holds, the riverside paths dry out and school-holiday demand has not yet pushed room rates up. Avoid the Sheep Fair weekend if you want a quiet base.