Helmsley UK in Ryedale

It was my first visit and I was not disappointed. I loved all the restaurants, cafes and shops. It was market day while we were there but as it had snowed, only a few stalls came. We certainly got friendly service from the stall holders though. I shall go back for another visit soon, but book everything in advance, especially the restaurants, which get very busy.

Leuk stadje met veel tea-rooms and pubs. We hebben geen kasteel bezocht omdat het zou gaan regenen. De kerk is prachtig en nog authentiek. Een bezoek meer dan waard.

Had 3 nights in Hemsley recently. Quaint probably sums it up with lovely little - dare I say old-fashioned - shops. But that's what makes it unique. So let's go with traditional butchers, bakers, galleries, gift shops, brewery, tearooms, fish & chip shop and much more. Lovely visit and a lovely place. You can understand the commercialism with the footfall (the Co- op looks so out of place and is really not a nice place to shop - would have much preferred a village shop) but appreciate demand / supply / cost implications of the latter. The main square needs a bit of tarmac as well - or preferably restoring to original cobbles.

Good base for exploring north York’s.good range of shops,pubs and eateries.Lots of individual shops.

we visited twice in one week, once when the market was on (which was really good)and the second time was when we watched the bike race arrive. There are plenty if little shops, cafes and pubs.

We had a lovely stay at The Black Swan Helmsley but we booked bed and breakfast. Both lovely no complaints but we decided to take our time on Sunday to book dinner. BIG MISTAKE!!!!!! We liked the look of The Trattoria, at 4.30 we were given the option of 5 or 8.30. One was too early, the other too late. Its Sunday for goodness sake! At 7 We went to the very popular fish and chip shop (Deep blue?) and got to the front of the queue to be told only fish strips left 🙁 Next went to a pub in the Square, Did we have a reservation ? Clearly no. Went back to the Old Swan, same question, same response So we jumped in the car and went to Ampleforth, no food in the pub there, Stapleford Arms stopped serving at 7 and another 2 or 3 villages same answer. Ended up with chicken wraps crisps and wine from the COOP in our room. So the moral is if youre going to Hemsley book dinner before you go!!! Even if its a Sunday night! Also if youre staying at The Black Swan be aware that the parking spots in front of the hotel are owned by the council not the hotel. You need a note from the hotel to put on your windscreen. They have dedicated parking spots up the lane on the rhs of the hotel. To say again we enjoyed our stay at the Black Swan and this review is just to raise awareness of Sunday night eating in Helmesley

Stunning houses, quaint setting, dramatic castle, warm welcoming pubs and hotels, amazing delis . It’s got the lot

Lovely place to stay, the microbrewery is excellent and choice of beer superb. All facilities within very easy walk

visited twice during our visit, Plenty of places to eat and drink. The market is also held in the market square on a Friday it was just big enough to enjoy but feel safe

A quaint little town with a big heart and over the top parking charges, not a good idea if you want too attract visitors wouldn’t you think?

Although this entry is situated in the "restaurants" section of TA, it is in fact for reviews of the town as a whole - I may as well use it as such. Helmsley is a beautiful and charming little town. It has lots of very attractive old buildings, a traditional Market Square, a Castle, a Country Estate and a lovely stream - all centrally located. There are also lots of cafes, pubs and hotels and it is worth noting that the little High Street is rightly lauded for having a selection of good, independent shops and is often put forward as an example of how other High Streets in the UK should change in order to survive. As we live in North Yorkshire we are able to visit Helmsley often and probably the best accolade I could give the town is that it feels like one of those places that is a joy to live in. It is certainly a "must visit" place if you are ever in the area.

Stopped here twice on Saturday 03.10.20 whist exploring the area, breakfast and scones and cream. Staff were very friendly and the food was great. I had the smoked salmon and scrambled eggs and the eggs were perfect , my husband had the full English and pronounced that was also very good. Our friends had two children and the children loved the cookies and chocolate cake.

I visited the town with my parents who are in the 80's and cannot walk far. The place was packed on a sunny day and I noticed that lots of people were parking in the coaching bays so joined them and paid for my parking in good faith. When were returned from a short stroll and some lunch we and the other cars had all been penalty ticketed. I appealed this, as no coaches have been operating during Covid and I thought it very mean spirited but received a very unsympathetic and scathing response from a representative of the Scarborough Borough Council . We are not in the habit of flouting parking law and as we had stopped to support the town during this difficult time of social distancing it really spoilt our day and upset my parents. Apparently there is over flow parking but I did not see any space anywhere. I wish I had just driven on and not stopped. So beware fellow travellers. If there is no parking available don't bother stopping! Spend your hard earned cash elsewhere!!

Charming little town with wide range of shops, a Norman castle, old Church, charity shops, up market clothes shops etc. It does though get very crowded in tourist season and is a biker gathering place on Sundays, which swells the small town. Highly recommended out of season!

Visited Helmsley for the day. Lovely independant shops. The assistants in all of them were wonderfully friendly. Good old fashioned service with a smile.

Gateway to Ryedale , Helmsley is an ideal base for you to enjoy the many treasures the area has too offer. From remote moorland to steam train lines to ancient monuments such as Reiveaux Abbey and Helmsley castle. You will enjoy your visit to this wonderful part of England

Well recommended for an day or two, with an abundance of coffee shops and quaint pubs and specialist shops. There's a market on on Fridays.

Always wondered why Helmsley was popular on the various visitor sites now Ive been I know. What a loveley village with so much going on. Loveley coffee shops traditional bakers butchers etc. Loveley place if staying in the area to shop for local produced foods etc. Lots to see if you explore a bit such as castle etc. Not that obvious when you first arrive but worth spending a bit of time exploring from the market place out.

Helmsley is a lovely place to visit for a few hours. It has many small independent shops and numerous cafes. The Market Square is the focal point that is always filled with Bikers on Sundays!

What a lovely place to visit. Although it's not very big place, but has everything you want It is lovely for visitors like ourselves who were visiting on holiday. We were just staying outside of Helmsley and we stopped to have a look round. It had everything we wanted. Post office, little Co-Op, cafes/Tearooms and very nice little shops that sold quirky things. The flowers were really nice.

The square is always changing, as different groups of people will use it at different times of the day/week/year.I first came to Helmsley Market square as a youth hostelling 15 year old in the 1970's, and it was a great spot to eat a picnic lunch or chips . Returning in the 80s I remember the bikers stop off and more recently as a place to show my family around.The market changes the feel to the place, and I recommend sampling the sausages and cheeses on offer.Many fine eating , drinking and shopping is available around the square, my favourite being Thomas the Bakers .

A very good example of an English market town. Best visited on Friday, but go anyway. Select range of shops and a sel3ction of eating places to suit everyone. Include a visit to the church.

We stayed here for a few days and loved exploring this gem of a town, with wonderful cafes and shops, an old fashioned sweet shop, pubs even an open air swimming pool.The stone used to build houses and shops was light coloured and v attractive. Our one criticism is that the centre of the town is a car park and all the shops surround the cars - what a shame, if they built a car park a little further out, then the centre could be an attractive green or square with benches.

What a great market town with plenty of places to eat, drink and shop. Most shops are around the market square where you can park (pay and display) if you can find a place. Alternative parking is nearby.The walled garden is a favourite place just off the square.

This place is a gem, independent shops everywhere which means you mostly see things which don`t turn up in a lot of places, many places to eat and good deli`s serving lovely food, we bought some "proper " sausages rolls and some posh crisps and sat in the square and watched the world go by.

Trotz des naß-kalten Wetters war ich mehr als begeistert. Helmsley is eine süße kleine Ortschaft mit netten kleinen Läden, Cafés und Teestuben. Sauber, gepflegt, ein kleiner Bach, der durch den Ort fließt, niedrige Häuser, eine Ruine - England wie aus dem Bilderbuch.

One of the best market towns in the north, only small but with plenty of character and lots of small independent shops.

A very quaint market town with a fine town hall and market cross. Lots of traffic passing through and plenty of pricey parking 'at all times' with traffic wardens out and about seven days a week. Some exceptional shops, cafes and pubs, especially Hunters and the Black Swan. A fine church and an interesting market cross. The arts centre is worth a look and the town hall has craft fairs, etc from time to time. Good views of Helmsley Castle and the restored walled garden is nearby.

A typical market town that is relatively unspoilt. Plenty to do and experience in this historical place. An oldy worldy charm where one can leisurely amble around without one getting too tired. Wander in the shops and browse or visit the attractions this litte town has to offer.

I fell in love with this town as we drove through it to see the castle. Honestly, these villages are so few and far between these days and I cherished every moment of it. The small pathways, the market square, it is so amazing to see a town keep its charm and not fall to the modern demand of convenience. All the buildings, even the Co-op are in an old style and it is clear some buildings are unchanged externally for 100+ years and I hope it remains that way. I loved it.

After driving through this gem of a place for many years on route to Scarborough, a while back we took to stopping over. It's worth a holiday in itself and such a welcome change from streets full of charity shops!

We never fail to return to Helmsley. It is the prettiest place and full of lovely people and great places to see. As Motorhomers we were delighted to discover that we can park overnight in the designated area in the Cleveland Way car park. Well done to council colleagues for agreeing to this. It's great for tourism and is an example of how this lovely little down is most welcoming, unlike Whitby, where overnight Motorhomes have recently been banned. That's a very short sighted strategy in terms of attracting visitors and revenue in our view.

Helmsley is a small market town on the North Yorkshire moors. It has a lot of eating places and some good shops. It gets VERY crowded in summer and parking can be a problem.

We just love Helmsley and a visit is always necessary! Lots of great places to eat, explore and shop to you drop. Staff all seem warm and friendly and so welcoming. Lots of quirky shops and you could easily get lost browsing. We got married in the town and is so lovely

We stopped here after we first driven through it and once our drive brought us full circle enjoyed a nice stroll through town browsing a few of the shops. Very busy little town, lots of tourists around, like us...., but worth a stop.

Helmsley is a lovely market town on the edge of the North Yorkshire Moors. There are lots of independent traders and cafes as well as some nice hostelries. A lovely place to visit and seemingly very popular

Visited to see the Abbey and Castle and ended up looking around Helmsley itself. The town centre is really nice with lots of small quaint shops which are interesting if not a bit touristy in what they choose to sell. However we thoroughly enjoyed a pleasant few hours and lunch in the town centre. Only negative - parking is pretty expensive in the centre - best try to find somewhere off the main area.

Helmsley is a small market town, very attractive with a stream running through, good selection of small shops, woollens etc, Co-op, lots of cafes & pubs serving great food.

Helmsley is always buzzing and has some great shops, art galleries, pubs, cafes and restaurants. One tip - don't park in the main square at £1.60 ph, everywhere else is free.

This is a little quaint village with unusual shops. Staff and people are very friendly and were interested in where you were from. Wonder down the little alley ways and you are bound to find something different.

Lots to do and see,easy parking,really love this town,and will visit again.Close to lots of interesting places to visit,beautiful countryside a places to walk

Helmsley is a wonderful town and reminds me of how English Towns used to be. A good variety of independent shops and a few national ones too. Really enjoyed our stay and hope to return soon

we visited on a Friday for the market - however it is now much smaller than in years gone by. The local shops sell good quality food however there is a local Thomas bakers which is far less expensive & their food quality is very good. It is a nice place to while away an hour.

We were out for the day as a Wedding Anniversary trip for my wife's parents. Mobility is not so good for either of them but Helmsley is in a good location for us, is a level market town so walking around is not challenging and there's an excellent variety of food shops, gift shops, pubs, cafes, book shops and pubs.

Helmsley is a lovely market town with the market being held in the market square every Friday morning with a good variety of stalls selling clothing, fruit and veg plus others. My husband bought a lovely tweed waistcoat.

The Market Square is very busy during the high season and parking is difficult...best to go to the large car park just a few minutes away. There is a lovely choice of country shops and eateries in and around the square, with lovely home made produce. Nice place to sit for a while and watch the world go by...weather permitting.

Beautiful village, well worth a drive out in the countryside to visit. Very busy during the summer, but very well cared for, when we visited the other day we were very impressed by the amazing hanging basket displays, the architecture and the variety of interesting shops etc.

Parking in the centre is charged for even if you are disabled.

A real throw back to traditional bygone days, lots of small independent shops, a castle & church to visit, with easy parking in the market square, a real treat of a place to visit.

Helmsley is such a pretty town to while away an afternoon having a lunch or coffee and window shopping. Lovely gifts and galleries and scenic buildings and gardens as well as churches and delicatessens x

We love the village of Helmsley. The eating places are all excellent with a good deal of choice of restaurants, cafes etc. We always go to the bird of prey centre at Doncombe Park, at £9 per person (concessions available) good value for money and the displays are awesome. It’s so relaxing here and a beautiful village, even better on a warm, sunny day. But rain, sun or snow definitely a good day out

We like to visit Helmsley to have a walk around and do a little shopping. The market square is very interesting with lots of architectural features to look at and enjoy!

A superb village up in the North Yorkshire Moors area with plenty of independent shops - an amazing number in fact. Justly popular.

There is so much to like about Helmsley, it's hard to know where to begin. There is such a great variety of independent shops, cafes, pubs, restaurants, hotels and countryside walks not to mention all the friendly folk you meet all the time. Market day on Friday is also something to make time to see. Quintessential Yorkshire village atmosphere - just superb!

Helmsley is a lovely market town. Plenty of independent shops and cafes. Market day is Friday which is held on the market square so parking is reduced on that day but plenty of free parking a short walk away. The daffodils are out at the moment so very colourful especially near the water. The Castle is worth a visit as is the church.

I've visited Helmsley 4 times now and I've grown to really like the place. It's everything a thriving small rural market town should be and more.

This is a little gem of a place to visit. Lots of lovely little cafes, pubs and bakeries which have the most wonderful foods to try. Walked through the woods and it was so stunningly beautiful and peaceful. We followed a barn owl as it flew and landed through the treessential close to the track and then 3 deer ran across the footpath. What a fantastic walk and all free - and our miniature schnauzer Gus loved it too

There are some great shops and pubs/restaurants in Helmsley and yet it is not in the least bit touristy. A great place to wind away a couple of hours.

Attracyive town with a good range of shops to cater for both local and visitors to the area. Buildings well maintained and town worth a visit in all seasons.

Helmsley is a little jewel of a village between Thirsk and Pickering with an array of different shops including a couple of amazing Deli's, lots of gift shops. Plenty of pubs, hotels and restaurants. Try the Feversham arms or the Black swan for superb food.

We visited this small market and found the experience quite rewarding.

This is a place worth stopping and looking around. On a Friday the market square is taken over by a traditional market so parking is a little restricted in the square. There is a good selection of coffee shops and cafes along with interesting little shops and a small department store. It has a thriving arts centre that has live performances and film presentations. There is a pretty stream running through the town which in Spring is decked with daffodils. Helmsley also has a castle and a stately home- Duncombe Park and a beautiful walled garden.

The coffee here is excellent. I love a coffee late and am often disappointed. However here it is excellent; strong without being bitter. Perfect.

Helmsley is a good place to stay to visit the North York Moors. It also has easy access to York as well as the coast. It is a small place and does not have all the facilities of a bigger town neither does it have a tourist information office although leaflets can be obtained from various spots in the village. It has a lovely square and there is a market on Fridays. Not many banks and no pharmacy (the doctor does have medical supplies though). The main downside is that there are lots of cafes but these shut at 5 p.m. Apart from the hotels there are only 2 restaurants and these can be very busy (one is Italian the other is Indian) so you would need to book. Of the hotels, The Feathers is probably the best value for meals (again it is wise to book because it gets very busy). The Feversham Arms and Black Swan are 'fine dining' which are more expensive. A good spot for walking and also getting to the many attractions in the area. Particularly good for Pickering and the North York Moors Railway. Lots of buses so good if you don't have a car.

Our second visit and whilst it is beautiful village with some remarkable properties, it really is a collection of tea rooms all competing for your trade.

We had booked the restaurant as it was a Public Holiday Monday and it was very close to our B&B.; The restaurant is quite spacious and we were able to have a conversation without sharing it with every one else. The food quality was a bit mixed; the starters and bread were far better than the main courses. In addition the service, while adequate. was a bit pretentious, as if we were in a 3 Michelin Star restaurant.