TOURIST attractions across Ryedale are preparing for a bumper Yorkshire Day on Saturday as they begin to reopen to visitors.

Castle Howard will open the house on Fridays and Saturdays throughout August, from this week.

As part of the initial reopening, in order to maintain social distancing guidelines, the bedrooms and the chapel will not be open due to these being particularly small spaces with confined access. The rest of the house will be open with a one-way system. The house gift shop and Fitzroy cafe will also be open on Fridays and Saturdays.

Helmsley Walled Garden reopens on August 1 after raising £50,000 to help secure its future,

Tricia Harris, marketing and communications manager, said: “It’s wonderful to be back and we want people to enjoy your visit. Achieving this goal has meant more than words can express.

“We are excited to reopen Helmsley Walled Garden - with social distancing measures, a one-way system and pre-booking tickets.”

North Yorkshire Moors Railway (NYMR) is also restarting services on Saturday.

General manager Chris Price said: “We are delighted to be welcoming back passengers, staff and volunteers to the railway. It’s great to see activity up and down the line, preparing for reopening on Yorkshire Day.”

Elsewhere, Nunnington Hall’s walled garden opened earlier this month, however tickets should be booked by 3pm the day before.

Ryedale Folk Museum also reopened on July 18 and is open seven days a week, from 10am to 5pm.

Jennifer Smith, director, said they had taken numerous steps to ensure visitors can feel confident. “It has been really heartening to see the support for the museum. It has meant a great deal to us during lockdown and it’s wonderful to be open,” she said.