"Northallerton" Northallerton by spidermiss

Ruth, my friend, suggested Northallerton for us to meet up for the day. I've had former friends in Northallerton. So I had my reservations about revisiting the town but with a Betty's Cafe being there I knew I would enjoy my day out!

My perceptions about Northallerton being a typical ordinary market town changed a lot on this visit. I was delighted to see a variety of high street and independent shops, family run and chain cafes/restaurants and a thriving market which are held twice a week at the Market Square and the High Street. It had a very lively feel with locals getting about with their business.

It was also nice to visit a town which doesn't offer much in the way of tourist attractions but there is an abundance of town's history. We learnt more of the history when we did the town trail and I somehow appreciated the town a lot more. What was refreshing was not seeing the tourist crowds which we would have seen with the likes of York and the Yorkshire Dales villages.

Northallerton is the administrative centre for North Yorkshire county and acts as the commuter centre for many of the county workers and visitors where there are transport links to rest of the county and also to the Yorkshire Dales but also to Darlington, Teeside and Durham.

Northallerton was originally a Saxon settlement. The Anglo Saxons and the Normans won The Battle of the Standard in 1138 in the town against the Scots. The Prince Bishops of Durham also built a summer palace and church during the Middle Ages.

Northallerton started to thrive when the town received its market charter and the town was on the main London to Scotland road and it became a stopping point to coach and horse travellers. Northallerton is the gateway to both the Yorkshire Dales and North Yorks Moors National Parks and the railway station is situated on the London to Edinburgh railway network.

I look forward to revisiting the town in the not too distant future.

• Pros:A pleasant market town with something for everyone!
• Cons:Not enough pedestrian crossings!
• In a nutshell:A non touristy Yorkshire town with interesting history!