A dog-friendly weekend in Richmond, North Yorkshire

Richmond is the kind of market town that rewards arriving slowly. A Norman castle sitting above the River Swale, a cobbled market place large enough to feel genuinely impressive, medieval ruins a mile downstream and a solid spread of pubs and cafés that welcome dogs inside — it earns two nights without having to try particularly hard.

The town has real texture. It was founded by Alan Rufus, a companion of William the Conqueror, in the late 1070s and preserves an exceptional amount of 11th-century Norman stonework; its great keep was added in the mid-12th century. Richmond later became one of the principal garrison towns in the north, a function it has never entirely lost with Catterick nearby. None of that is incidental — it is woven into the streets, the layout of the market place and the atmosphere you get just walking around.

This guide uses Richmond as a two-night base. Saturday is shaped around the castle. Sunday finishes at the abbey. What happens in between is mostly up to you.

Richmond: what you're arriving into

Richmond sits just outside the eastern edge of the Yorkshire Dales National Park, where the dale opens out and the River Swale curves below a steep wooded gorge. The castle keep rises above it all, visible from most of the town, which is either very useful for orientation or a reminder that you haven't visited it yet, depending on when you arrive.

The market place is one of the largest cobbled squares in England. It is not a heritage stage set — it functions as a working town centre, with shops, pubs and cafés arranged around it and a medieval church sitting inside the square itself (Holy Trinity, now home to the Green Howards Museum, which is a characteristically Richmond arrangement of history and confirms that dogs are welcome inside).

The military thread runs through the town's story in a way that is hard to miss. Catterick Garrison is close by, and the Richmondshire Museum, just off the market place, covers the local and social history of the area. Dogs are welcome inside on a lead, which makes it a useful wet-afternoon option if the weather takes a turn.

On arrival, the market place and Finkle Street make a natural first circuit — there are dog-friendly cafés and shops within easy reach, and the castle is visible from the square if you want to orient yourself before committing to anything. That is probably enough of a Friday plan. The rest of the things to do in Richmond will keep.

Saturday: Richmond Castle

Richmond Castle is the obvious shape of Saturday and it is a good one. The castle is managed by English Heritage, open daily from 10:00 to 17:00 with last entry at 16:30, and dogs on leads are welcome in the grounds and throughout the site. The indoor exhibition area is not accessible with dogs, but the rest of the castle — including the Great Keep — is open to explore together.

The site is perched above the River Swale, which accounts for much of its character. The outer walls are largely intact, the views from the outer areas are considerable and the scale of the place is apparent as soon as you are inside. The castle was founded in the late 1070s by Alan Rufus and preserves some of the finest 11th-century Norman stonework in England; the great keep itself was added in the mid-12th century. The castle was never quite finished as a royal fortress and passed through a succession of owners and uses over the following centuries, including a period during the First World War when it held conscientious objectors. That particular history is well documented and adds a distinct dimension to the place.

Parking: there is charged public parking in the market place, which is not managed by English Heritage.

After the castle, the market place is right there. Town Hall Pub & Dining is on the Market Place itself, dogs are welcome inside the dining area and the kitchen serves food daily. The Castle Tavern is also on the market place, dogs welcome in the bar, with food served Wednesday to Saturday noon until 3pm and Sunday noon until 4pm. Both are a natural end to a castle morning without turning it into a scheduled afternoon.

The market place and Finkle Street: food, drink and a browse

The market place and Finkle Street together form a genuinely dog-friendly pocket of town. The cluster is worth knowing about for whenever hunger or curiosity strikes during the weekend, rather than assigning it to a fixed slot.

For food and drink: Town Hall Pub & Dining on the Market Place welcomes dogs inside the dining area, with the kitchen serving food Monday to Saturday and Sunday noon until 6pm. Rustique on Finkle Street is a French-style bistro with dogs welcome inside throughout service — lunch menu daily until 4pm, à la carte from 4pm, open seven days. Both offer lunch, dinner and Sunday lunch. Drummer Boy Tearoom is on Finkle Street too — dogs welcome inside, open 9am to 5pm for breakfast and light lunch Monday and Wednesday to Sunday.

For coffee and cake: Mocha on the Market Place is a café and chocolate shop where dogs are welcome inside both the café and the retail space. It is open Monday to Saturday 9am to 5pm and Sunday 10am to 4:30pm, and the handmade chocolates are available to take away, which is either useful or dangerous depending on your willpower.

For a browse: Gone Barking is an independent dog shop where dogs are actively encouraged to sniff around the floor while you look. Dot's Place on the Market Place welcomes dogs inside for cards and gifts, and the owner's own dog is often there — a short lead and a calm greeting are appreciated. Meynell J & H on Finkle Street is a pet and garden supplies shop where dogs are welcome in on a lead, useful for practical restocking mid-weekend.

Sunday: Easby Abbey and the river

Easby Abbey is a mile or so from the town centre, beside the River Swale, and it offers a completely different register from Saturday's castle. Where Richmond Castle is commanding and well-visited, Easby is quieter, less structured and more ruin-as-ruin — roofless arches, weathered stonework and a riverside setting that gives the whole visit a different pace.

Dogs on leads are welcome throughout the grounds. The site is managed by English Heritage and entry is free. It opens daily at 10:00 — hours run to 18:00 from late March to October and to 16:00 in winter, so it is worth checking the current times before you set out. The terrain includes uneven surfaces, steps and the strong possibility of mud, which makes decent boots and a short lead sensible rather than optional. Parking is in the public car park signposted off the B6271, adjacent to the site.

Two English Heritage sites in a weekend, and they feel nothing like each other. Richmond does that well.

Further afield: a few worthwhile detours

If you have more time, or want a different shape for Saturday, three options stand out — each a different type of experience from the castle and from each other.

Kiplin Hall & Gardens is a 17th-century historic house and estate with formal gardens, woodland walks and a dog-friendly café. Well-behaved dogs are welcome in the grounds and café on a lead; the Hall itself is off-limits. Open Monday to Wednesday and Friday to Sunday, 10:00 to 17:00. Parking is close to the visitor centre and café. If gardens and a relaxed café stop appeal more than castle walls, this is the better fit.

Jervaulx Abbey is a privately maintained 12th-century Cistercian ruin set in open parkland between Leyburn and Masham. Dogs on leads are welcome throughout the grounds and ruins, with access from dawn to dusk daily on an honesty-box basis. Parking is in the car park across the road. Livestock graze the surrounding land, so close lead control is essential throughout — this is not a venue to arrive at with a dog that has selective recall.

Foxglove Covert Local Nature Reserve sits on the edge of Catterick Garrison and offers birdwatching hides, footpaths through varied habitats and a visitor information shelter. Well-behaved dogs are welcome on leads across the reserve and in the Field Centre, which opens Monday to Friday and Sunday. It is a quieter, wildlife-led alternative to the heritage sites and suits a different kind of morning entirely.

The full Things to Do directory for Richmond has more options if you want to extend the list.

Secure fields and the wider directory

If your dog needs structured off-lead time during the weekend, there are private-hire enclosed fields near Richmond. Paddock for Paws is on the edge of Richmond, offering fully enclosed 50-minute private-hire slots for off-lead running, training or nervous dogs — booking is required. Sammy's Field in Melsonby is similarly enclosed, with agility equipment, a dog pool and a refreshment cabin; an introductory session is required for first-time visitors. My Happy Hounds near East Cowton, around eight miles from Richmond, offers two secure paddocks for private hire.

For pubs, cafés, shops and everything else, the full Richmond town directory on TDFM covers the wider set. The dog fields page for Richmond lists current booking options.

Richmond earns two nights rather than one. The castle gives Saturday genuine weight, and Easby Abbey gives Sunday a reason to linger rather than simply head for the car. The market place fills in whatever gaps remain — there are enough dog-friendly options within the square and on Finkle Street to make the unplanned parts of the weekend as useful as the planned ones.

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