travel Archives - The Stray Ferret

Rail passengers urged to check before they travel as Storm Bert loomsWhere’s Harry? We catch up with the Harrogate tour guide’s adventure to AfricaTree falls on Harrogate road after strong windsFive key issues for voters in Harrogate and Knaresborough next weekHarrogate Bus Company apologises for Jennyfields and Bilton cancellations

The Harrogate Bus Company has apologised after a number of bus journeys in the Harrogate area were cancelled this morning.

Passengers in the Jennyfields and Bilton areas faced delays and cancellations, especially around the morning rush hour.

The number 2, Harrogate to Bilton, and number 3, Harrogate to Jennyfield, buses were among those affected.

Sylvia Young got in touch to say she and many others were “sick of the bus service”. Ms Young sent this photo of this morning’s cancellations.

She added:

“It’s not now and again it is nearly every day the buses people need for work are cancelled. Two hours of no buses in or out of Jennyfield. It’s a disgrace.”

The cancellations attracted numerous social media comments, with some people claiming the problems were due to problems with the company’s new electric buses, including charging the batteries.

The Stray Ferret put these claims to the Harrogate Bus Company, which is owned by French firm Transdev.

We also asked if services would continue to be affected.

A spokesperson for the company said:

“We are aware of a small number of journeys to Jennyfield and Bilton which were unable to run this morning due to a vehicle-related issue.

“We apologise to any customers affected and remind our customers that they can track their buses in real time using the free Transdev Go app.”

Harrogate district braced for further rail strikes

Passengers are set to experience rail disruptions next week and into the Early May Bank Holiday as unions carry out further strikes.

Train union ASLEF has announced its members will carry out “action short of strike” between Monday April 29 and Saturday May 4 in a dispute over pay and conditions.

Northern, which operates stations in Harrogate, Starbeck and Knaresborough, has warned passengers to expect late notice cancellations during the time period.

On its website, the company said:

“If travelling with Northern, or connecting onto other services across the country, check before you travel as industrial action may affect multiple parts of your journey.

“Between April 29 and May 4 (during ‘action short of strike’) we expect some late notice cancellations to services, particularly the first and last services of the day.

“The majority of services will be running as planned on these days, but please check before travelling, as close to the time as possible as short notice cancellations are likely.”

There are also disruptions predicted between May 6- 11 due to ‘action short of strike’ called by ASLEF, meaning almost two weeks of disruptions with a strike on Thursday May 9.

Passengers also faced disruptions on the last bank holiday, over Easter weekend.

Great getaways less than three hours’ drive from Harrogate

(Above image: Derwentwater, The Lake District. Pixaby)

Popular escapes close to home in Yorkshire and beyond

With the cost of holidays abroad seeming to go up and up each year, more people are choosing to stay closer to home for weekends away and longer trips. After all, it can be a lot of hassle getting to and from the airport and going through security, whereas with staycations all you need to do is jump in the car or get on the train and you’re at your destination.

But where are some of the most popular places close to home?

The Lake District

(Image: Scafell Hills, Eskdale. Pixaby)

Distance from central Harrogate: it depends where in The Lake District you visit but it is approximately a two-hour drive to most locations.

The Lake District is known for its stunning landscape featuring lakes, coast and mountains – including the highest mountain in England, Scafell Pike that is quite a feat to climb up – all of which make for beautiful backdrops for walks that the area is renowned for.

As well as walking, there are many other outdoor activities to make the most of this scenery including gorge scrambling, abseiling, rock climbing and paddleboarding.

Although Windermere is undoubtedly one of the most popular locations, be sure to check out other places in both the North and South Lakes including the town of Keswick and smaller quaint villages such as Grasmere and Buttermere. You can keep your energy up with some Kendal Mint Cake along the way.

There are also popular tourist sites to visit such as The World of Beatrix Potter, one of the most famous literary names the Lake District is associated with.

Did you know? There’s actually only one lake in The Lake District and that’s Bassenthwaite Lake. The others are ‘meres’ or ‘waters’.

Saltburn-by-the-Sea, North Yorkshire

(Image: Saltburn-by-Sea. Wikipedia Commons)

Distance from central Harrogate: approximately an hour and a quarter drive.

Saltburn-by-the-Sea is often the go-to destination for a day trip to the seaside thanks to its miles upon miles of sandy beaches.

Parking can often be found close to the front, and from there you can take a walk along the dramatic clifftops that comprise the Hunt Cliff reserve that are among the highest cliffs on the East Coast of England.

Some of the must-dos include eating fish and chips on the beach and riding the famous funicular Saltburn Cliff Lift, which provides access to Saltburn Pier and the seafront from the town.

(Image: Saltburn Pier. Pixaby)

Did you know? Saltburn pier is the only remaining pier in Yorkshire.

Read more:

Bamburgh, Northumberland

(Image: Bamburgh. Wikipedia Commons)

Distance from central Harrogate: approximately two and a half hours’ drive.

Known for its pristine, stunning white beach, you almost feel as though you’re not in the UK when visiting Bamburgh, and its impressive castle stands proud atop a 180-foot crag so you can see it from pretty much wherever you are on the coastline.

There are sand dunes abound, rock pools to go crabbing in and cafés and pubs aplenty to grab a bit to eat in.

Other places to visit nearby include Seahouses and Holy Island, the former of which you can walk to from Bamburgh.

Did you know? Bamburgh Castle is not just a tourist attraction; it’s a working castle and is one of the largest inhabited castles in the UK.

The Peak District

(Image: the Peak District. Pixaby)

Distance from central Harrogate: approximately an hour and a quarter drive.

One of the top things to do in the Peak District is to go on a countryside walk taking in the arresting vistas with a pit-stop at a pub along the way.

Aside from this, the Peak District has many charming villages and towns to explore, including the spa town of Buxton, known for its Romanesque architecture.

Other must-visits sites include heading to Bakewell for a Bakewell tart (spoiler alert: it’s nothing like Mr Kipling’s), uncovering the area’s caves and caverns and seeing the fascinating rock formations, as well as visiting the many stately homes and castles that are in the area.

Did you know? The Peak District features Britain’s oldest long-distance national walking trail, the Pennine Way. It starts at Edale and stretches to Kirk Yetholm in the Scottish Borders and is 268 miles long.

(Image: Chatsworth House. Pixaby)

Read more:

Knaresborough Halfpenny Lane closure extended

Road works on a busy Knaresborough road have been extended.

Northern Gas Networks is carrying out exploratory work to divert underground infrastructure at the railway bridge on Halfpenny Lane.

Roadworks started on March 25 and were due to end yesterday (April 12) but the work has been delayed.

The live incident map says work is now due to end on May 17, although Northern Gas Networks has not given a definitive end date.

The closure extending from the bridge to the roundabout next to Old Penny Gate, will remain closed until additional works are complete and a signed diversion is in place.

Dominic Nevison, site manager at Northern Gas Networks said:

“We are working with other utilities to carefully plan this work to minimise the impact on road users and members of the public. The road diversion will remain in place while we carry out our initial assessment and subsequent work.”

“We apologise for inconvenience caused and would like to reassure everyone that we will be working hard to complete the work so that we can reopen the road as soon as possible.”

Northern Gas Networks added there was no impact on gas supplies to homes and businesses in the area.

Car park charges to rise by up to 25% in Harrogate district

North Yorkshire Council is set to increase car park charges across the Harrogate district by up to 25%.

Notices have been put up announcing new prices for off-street parking from April 19.

People parking at Conyngham Hall in Knaresborough for short periods look set to be hardest hit, with the cost of one hour and two hour parking going up by 25%. Most other price hikes are around 20%.

It is not known whether on-street parking charges will also increase. The council is expected to issue a media statement this week.

According to the notices, the affected car parks in Harrogate are Dragon Road, Montpellier Shoppers on The Ginnel, Odeon and Park View, West Park and Station Parade. The multi-storey car parks are not mentioned.

The Montpellier Shoppers car park on The Ginnel.

The cost of an annual permit to park at the Odeon and The Ginnel will shoot up from £756 to £907.20 and £1,425.60 to £1,710.72 respectively.

The affected car parks in Knaresborough are Castle Yard, Chapel Street and Fisher Street, Conyngham Hall, Waterside and York Place.

An annual permit at York Place will rise from £270 to £324.

Notices displayed in car parks state the changes come under the Road Traffic Regulation Act 1984, which ‘provides that a local authority may vary the charges to be paid in connection with the use of its off‐street parking places by notice’.

It comes despite the council increasing council tax bills by 4.99% in 2024/25.

It means the amount paid by an average Band D property for council services will increase by £87.80 to £1,847.62.

The council faces a shortfall of more than £30 million for the next financial year.

Heavy rain causes flooding and travel disruption

Homes are at risk of flooding, travel is disrupted and attractions have closed as rain affects the Harrogate district. Follow our live blog for Storm Babet updates.

Please send storm news from your area to contact@thestrayferret.co.uk

6.10pm: RSPCA urges pet owners to keep animals safe

RSPCA water rescue teams are on standby.

RSPCA inspectorate commissioner Dermot Murphy said:

“In areas affected by flooding owners should be looking to bring small animals inside and move them upstairs, while livestock should be taken up to higher ground with enough emergency supplies for their needs. If householders do have to leave animals behind when they evacuate properties then they should keep them inside an upstairs room with plenty of food and water.

“Wild animals can also struggle in stormy weather but people can help them too. For example, they could leave some extra food out for hungry birds above ground level and perhaps even provide shelter for ground-nesting birds.”

5.48pm: Patio flooding in Killinghall

Reader Simon Beckett has sent us this photo of his patio in Killinghall, where standing water is beginning to accumulate.

If you have photos showing the impact of the storm please send them to us at contact@thestrayferret.co.uk

5.18pm: Northern warns of ‘ongoing disruption’ on trains

Rail operator Northern has urged people to check here for service updates before setting off.

4.51pm: Environment Agency warns of more flood warnings

The Environment Agency has just issued a press release saying more flood warnings are expected to be issued, including in Yorkshire in the next 24 hours.

It says:

People are being urged to prepare for the risk of significant flooding for the rest of this week. The public should sign up to flood warnings and check the latest safety as heavy downpours are likely to fall on saturated ground.

Mike Dugher, Yorkshire area director at the Environment Agency, said:

“Persistent and heavy rain brought by a combination of Storm Babet and following weather systems means significant river flooding is possible across Yorkshire today and into Saturday.

“We have flood alerts and warnings in place across Yorkshire and do expect more to come into place over the next 24 hours.

“We would urge people to stay away from swollen rivers and not to drive through flood water – as just 30cm of flowing water is enough to move your car. ”

4.16pm: Don’t visit the coast, urges North Yorkshire Council

In case you were thinking of heading to Scarborough, North Yorkshire Council has issued a press release advising against it.

Marine Drive was closed today due to overlapping seawater and street furniture being blown around in high winds.

A decision has also been made to cancel this evening’s two shows at Scarborough Spa as Spa Road will be closed due to the risk of overtopping. The cliff lift is also out of action because of the high winds.

3.45pm: Plane skids off runway at Leeds Bradford Airport

Emergency services are at the scene. You can read more here.

3.05pm: Persistent rain forecast until 4am

The amber weather warning for the Harrogate district is in place until 6pm tonight but the Met Office is still forecasting rain until 4am tomorrow morning followed by more intermittent lighter rain until 11am tomorrow. The sun may make an appearance on Sunday.

2.12pm: Flood warning removed for Pannal and Burn Bridge

The Environment Agency has removed its flood warning for parts of Pannal and Burn Bridge alongside the River Crimple — also known as Crimple Beck. It was issued at 4.14am. However, a less severe flood alert remains in place in the wider River Crimple catchment area.

Five other flood alerts remain active in the Harrogate district, including this one for the Middle River Nidd catchment area.

1.16pm: Mother Shipton’s to close tomorrow

Mother Shipton’s in Knaresborough has posted on social media:

“Due to the ongoing extreme weather conditions, we have made the decision to close the attraction on Saturday, October 21.”

12.47pm: ‘Do not ignore road closed signs’, say firefighters

North Yorkshire Fire and Rescue Service has issued a social media post urging drivers not to drive into floodwater or ignore road closed signs. You can read more here.

11.58am: Met Office upgrades local weather warning to ‘amber’.

A yellow weather warning has been in place for the Harrogate district until tomorrow morning. But the Met Office has now upgraded to a more severe amber alert from midday until 6pm today.

It said persistent heavy rain was likely to lead to some flooding and disruption.

11.22am: Power cuts in Great Ouseburn

Northern Powergrid’s live power cuts map currently shows 52 homes in Great Ouseburn and Little Ouseburn are without power. But this appears to be the only part of the Harrogate district affected right now.

10.44am: Fountains Abbey and RHS Harlow Carr closed

Fountains Abbey and Studley Royal, including the deer park, are closed all day. RHS Harlow Carr announced yesterday it would close today and its autumn garden weekend had also been cancelled.

10.30am: Current flood alerts and warnings

Here is the current Environment Agency map showing flood alerts and flood warnings in the Harrogate district. You can read more about each incident here. If you live near any and can provide any updates and images email us at contact@thestrayferret.co.uk and we will share the information.

10.21am: Harrogate to Leeds trains ‘returning to normal’

Rail operator Northern has posted on social media that the line between Harrogate and Leeds has reopened and services are returning to normal. The line closed due to flooding. However, Northern adds some services may still be delayed or cancelled.

10.11am: Flood alerts all along the River Nidd

The Environment Agency currently has flood alerts in place for the upper, middle and lower River Nidd. There are also alerts for the Lower River Ure at Ripon, the Lower Dunsforth Access and the River Crimple catchment. A more serious flood warning remains in place for the River Crimple at Burn Bridge and Pannal.