Ripon receives national acclaim as a ‘little city that packs a punch’ with an ‘outsized cultural impact’ in a feature article by the Mirror

In an article written by Ollie Corfe and Alex Croft, Ripon is painted as a hidden jewel of the North.

The Mirror then indulges in a mini-history including lesser known details about the city’s Racecourse which held Britain’s first-ever female jockey race in 1723.

The article praised the city’s proximity to notable attractions such as the “breath-taking” Yorkshire Dales and World Heritage Sites of Studley Royal Park and Fountains Abbey.

The Mirrors authors complimented the city’s carnival atmosphere with its “curious collection of events” which form the pride of Ripon’s annual calendar and are “sure to delight visitors no matter what the time of year”.

Ollie Corfe and Alex Croft, who described the city’s links to Lewis Carroll as being “magical”, said: “Its animal carvings are also said to have fascinated Lewis Carroll, who spent a great deal of time there with his family.

“The gypsum sinkholes dotting the surrounding landscape are thought to have provided the idea for the beginning of Alice’s journey.”

The authors then described the city’s charms as “out from the Cathedral sprawl, a maze of narrow, atmospheric streets lined with an eclectic mix of shops, cafes and pubs”.

Not forgetting the Michelin-starred restaurant with Shaun Rankin at Grantley Hall nearby for those with “fancier tastes”.

Finally, the article boasts there are only two other cities in England that are smaller, “but neither have quite the same outsized cultural impact as Ripon”.