Retirement properties in Ripon

Ripon has a range of local amenities including supermarkets and shops, cafes, restaurants, pubs, museums and historical buildings. These include the stunning Ripon Cathedral and Ripon Spa Gardens which contain a Victorian bandstand.

Other markers of the past include the Market square, which features a 300 year old Obelisk. The weekly market is held here every Thursday and hosts lots of stalls selling fresh food, flowers, plants and clothes. This is also the site where the local Hornblower sounds his horn at 9pm every evening while other cultural attractions include an annual procession to celebrate the city's founder Wilfrid and traditional Morris dancing and long sword dancing.

Lovers of the outdoors can take a waterside stroll along Ripon canal or slightly further afield, visit Newby Hall with its spectacular gardens and woodland walks. The monastic ruins of Fountains abbey and Studley Royal Park are just a 15-minute drive away Ripon is also perfectly placed to enjoy the stunning scenery of the Yorkshire Dales.

For sports lovers, Ripon Racecourse offers a full calendar of events and makes for a great day out with friends and family and there is also an established local golf and cricket club.

LeedsTransport options are also strong in the city, linking residents of Ripon with surrounding areas. Although there is no train station in the city, nearby Harrogate and Thirsk both offer rail links while numerous bus services operate within Ripon to keep locals mobile.

These include routes to Leeds, Harrogate, Knaresborough, Boroughbridge, York, Leyburn and Richmond. Route 36 covers Harrogate and Leeds and runs every 20 minutes during the day from Monday to Saturday and every 30 minutes on Sunday. Evening buses run hourly.

Just a 20-minute drive to the A1M makes travelling to the North or South of the country an easy option.