Knaresborough is 3 miles from Lamont House — 15 minutes by train from Harrogate station, a 10-minute walk from Lamont House. A medieval castle, a Victorian viaduct still in daily use, England's oldest tourist attraction, and rowing boats on the river. All within easy reach before dinner.
Market Town Since 1206 · Castle · Viaduct · River Nidd
15 minutes by train
Direct service from Harrogate station — no car required
3 miles by road
Approximately 15 minutes via the A59 or B6163
Free parking in Knaresborough
Long Stay car parks near the castle and market place
Castle admission £7 adult
Children £4.50 · Under 5s free · Museum included
Knaresborough is one of the few day trips from Harrogate that is genuinely better by train than by car. The Harrogate Line runs direct services roughly every 30 minutes throughout the day. From Harrogate station — a 10-minute walk from Lamont House — the journey takes 12–15 minutes.
Knaresborough station sits at the top of the town, a short walk from the castle and the market place. The riverside, the viaduct viewpoint, and Mother Shipton's Cave are all within easy walking distance. You can spend a full day in the town without needing a car at any point.
This matters particularly for guests who have flown in, for families who prefer not to drive, and for anyone who wants to enjoy lunch or an afternoon in one of the riverside pubs without worrying about the drive back.
Northern Rail — Knaresborough Station →By Train (Recommended)
Walk 10 minutes from Lamont House to Harrogate station. Direct service to Knaresborough — 12–15 minutes. Trains run approximately every 30 minutes. Buy tickets at the station or on the Northern Rail app.
By Car
Approximately 3 miles via the A59 or the more scenic B6163 through Bilton. Allow 15 minutes. Long-stay car parks are available near the castle and the market place.
Knaresborough Station
Station Road, Knaresborough, HG5 9AA. A short walk uphill from the station brings you to the castle and market place.
How Long to Allow
Half a day for the castle and riverside. A full day to add Mother Shipton's Cave, a rowing boat, and lunch in the old town.
A 14th-century fortified castle perched on a dramatic gorge above the River Nidd. Built by the Normans and later held by John of Gaunt, the castle survived a Civil War siege before being partially slighted by Parliament in 1648. The surviving keep houses an excellent local history museum, and the views from the battlements across the gorge are among the finest in Yorkshire.
Plan your visit →The Victorian railway viaduct — built in 1851 and still in daily use — is one of the most photographed railway structures in England. The view from the riverside, looking up at the viaduct with the castle above it, is the defining image of Knaresborough. Rowing boats are available for hire on the Nidd directly below the castle, making this one of the most enjoyable afternoons in North Yorkshire.
England's oldest tourist attraction, open since 1630. The cave is the legendary birthplace of Ursula Southeil — 'Mother Shipton' — a 15th-century prophetess said to have predicted the Great Fire of London, the defeat of the Spanish Armada, and the invention of the motor car. The adjacent Petrifying Well, where objects left in the mineral-rich water slowly turn to stone, is genuinely extraordinary and unlike anything else in England.
Mother Shipton's Cave →Knaresborough's medieval market place has been in continuous use since 1206. The town retains an extraordinary concentration of independent shops, cafés, and pubs along its narrow streets. The House in the Rock — carved directly into the gorge face — and the Chapel of Our Lady of the Crag, a 15th-century wayside shrine cut into the cliff, are both worth seeking out on a walk through the old town.
Boat hire on the Nidd has been a Knaresborough tradition for well over a century. The stretch of river below the castle — with the viaduct above and the wooded gorge on both banks — is one of the most beautiful in the north of England. Rowing boats and canoes are available from the boathouse near the Low Bridge. Allow an hour for a comfortable circuit.
Laid out along the riverbank below the castle, the Bebra Gardens offer a peaceful walk connecting the town centre to the boat hire and the viaduct viewpoint. The gardens are named after Knaresborough's twin town in Germany and are particularly attractive in spring and early summer. The waterside path continues to the Dropping Well estate and Mother Shipton's Cave.
From the riverside below the castle, you can see three centuries of English engineering in a single view: the 14th-century castle keep on the clifftop, the 1851 railway viaduct spanning the gorge above you, and the River Nidd winding through the valley below. It is one of the most photographed scenes in North Yorkshire — and one of the most genuinely surprising for first-time visitors who arrive expecting a pleasant market town and find something considerably more dramatic.
Lamont House is a family-run Victorian guest house at St. Mary's Walk in Low Harrogate — 3 miles from Knaresborough and a 10-minute walk from Harrogate train station. It is the closest quality B&B to Knaresborough that is not in Knaresborough itself, which matters because Harrogate offers considerably more in the evenings: restaurants, the Turkish Baths, Betty's Tea Rooms, and the Montpellier Quarter.
Guests who use Lamont House as a base for Knaresborough typically spend the morning in Harrogate — breakfast, a walk through the Valley Gardens, perhaps the Turkish Baths — and take the afternoon train to Knaresborough, returning in time for dinner. It is one of the most satisfying day structures in the region.
Mike and Helen are happy to suggest the best approach based on what you want to see. Just ask when you book.
Full Yorkshire breakfast included — cooked to order each morning
En-suite rooms with complimentary Wi-Fi
Free on-street parking — no parking charges
5-minute walk to Harrogate train station
Gluten-free and coeliac-safe breakfast available on request
Mike and Helen's local knowledge — ask about Knaresborough or anywhere in Yorkshire
Knaresborough is on the Harrogate Line — direct trains run from Harrogate station approximately every 30 minutes throughout the day. The journey takes around 12–15 minutes. The train station in Knaresborough is a short walk from the castle and town centre. No advance booking is needed; simply buy a ticket at the station or on the train.
Lamont House is approximately 3 miles from Knaresborough — around 15 minutes by car via the A59 or B6163. By train, it is a 10-minute walk from Lamont House to Harrogate station, then a 12–15 minute train journey to Knaresborough. The whole journey door-to-door takes under 30 minutes without a car.
No — the train is the most enjoyable way to arrive. Knaresborough station is a short walk from the castle, the market place, and the riverside. The town is compact and almost entirely walkable once you arrive. Driving is straightforward if you prefer, with long-stay car parks near the castle and market place.
A full day is ideal if you want to visit the castle, Mother Shipton's Cave, hire a rowing boat, and explore the old town at a relaxed pace. If you have half a day, the castle and riverside are the priorities. Knaresborough is also pleasant as an evening visit — the town is lively on summer evenings, and the viaduct is beautifully lit after dark.
Mother Shipton's Cave is England's oldest tourist attraction, open since 1630. It is the legendary birthplace of a 15th-century prophetess, and the adjacent Petrifying Well — where objects left in the mineral-rich water gradually turn to stone — is genuinely unlike anything else in England. It is particularly good for children. Allow 1.5–2 hours. Admission is approximately £10 for adults and £8 for children.
Yes — Knaresborough combines naturally with Ripley Castle (8 minutes from Harrogate, 15 minutes from Knaresborough), Spofforth Castle (15 minutes south of Harrogate), or a walk along the Nidderdale Way. If you are interested in the wider castles of Yorkshire, Lamont House is within an hour's drive of eleven medieval fortifications — see our Yorkshire Castles guide for day-trip itineraries.
For York, Leeds, Skipton, and Thirsk the train is perfectly adequate. York is the easiest — 42 minutes by train, and you arrive straight into the city centre. For the Yorkshire Dales, North York Moors, Whitby, and Castle Howard, a car gives you significantly more flexibility. We have free on-street parking at Lamont House, and we can suggest local car hire companies if you are arriving by train.
Eleven medieval castles within one hour of Harrogate — three day-trip itineraries including Ripley, Skipton, and Middleham.
England's largest Cistercian monastery ruins — a UNESCO World Heritage Site, 20 minutes from Lamont House.
York, the Dales, the Moors, and the coast — all within reach. Why Harrogate is the strategic base for exploring the north.
St. Mary's Walk, Low Harrogate — a 5-minute walk from the train station, a full Yorkshire breakfast every morning, and Mike and Helen's knowledge of the region at your disposal. Knaresborough, Fountains Abbey, Ripley Castle, and the Yorkshire Dales are all within easy reach.
St. Mary's Walk · Low Harrogate · HG2 0LW