Where to go
The Top 10 Places to Visit in the North York Moors
Whittling the North York Moors down to ten places is almost unfair, but if you are planning a first visit, or want the very best of it in a short trip, these are the ten that capture what makes this corner of Yorkshire special: a dramatic coast, romantic ruins, film-star villages, steam trains and some of the finest views in England. Here they are, with links to plan each one.
1.Whitby, the jewel of the coast
Whitby is the North York Moors at their most theatrical: a clifftop abbey ruin that inspired Bram Stoker's Dracula, the 199 steps climbing to it, a working harbour full of fishing boats, shops selling black Whitby jet jewellery, and what many people insist is the country's finest fish and chips.
2.Rievaulx Abbey
Often called England's most complete and majestic abbey ruin, Rievaulx stands in a wooded valley near Helmsley, soaring arches, a hush in the air and a setting that has drawn painters and poets for two centuries. Serene, spectacular and unmissable.
3.Goathland
The moorland village with two screen roles: Aidensfield in Heartbeat and Hogsmeade in Harry Potter. Sheep wander the greens, a steam station sits at the bottom of the hill and waterfalls hide in the woods a short walk away.
4.Sutton Bank & the Kilburn White Horse
The escarpment James Herriot called “the finest view in England”, looking west over the Vale of York. Below it lies the huge hillside Kilburn White Horse and the natural Lake Gormire, with gliders riding the ridge lift overhead.
5.The North Yorkshire Moors Railway
One of the world's great heritage lines, steaming from Pickering across the moor to Whitby by way of Levisham and Goathland. It is not merely transport, it is a grand day out in itself.
6.Roseberry Topping
“Yorkshire's Matterhorn”, a short, steep and utterly iconic climb up a half-collapsed cone of rock, rewarded with a 360-degree view across Teesside, the coast and the moors.
7.Dalby Forest
Thousands of acres of forest above Thornton-le-Dale, with world-class mountain-bike trails, gentle family cycle routes, Go Ape in the treetops and a Gruffalo trail for small legs.
8.Robin Hood's Bay
A jumble of red-roofed cottages and smugglers' passages tumbling down a ravine to the sea, with a brilliant fossil beach below the cliffs at low tide.
9.The Hole of Horcum
A vast natural amphitheatre scooped out of the moor beside the A169, ringed by walks and ablaze with purple heather in late summer.
10.Helmsley
The handsome market town that anchors the southern moors: a dramatic castle, a beautiful walled garden, the parkland of Duncombe Park and the gateway walk out to Rievaulx.
Also worth your time
Ten is never enough. Make room if you can for the picture-postcard village of Thornton-le-Dale, the castle-and-railway town of Pickering and the cliff-clinging fishing village of Staithes. Drivers should not miss the great run over Blakey Ridge and through Rosedale; walkers should seek out the moors' waterfalls such as Mallyan Spout; and in spring, Farndale's wild daffodils are worth timing a trip around.
Planning your visit
You can see the highlights in a long weekend, but three to five days lets you combine the coast, the moors, a steam-train ride and a few villages at a relaxed pace. Read up on when to come, find where to stay, and use our plan your visit guide for getting here and getting around.
Frequently asked questions
- What is the best place to visit in the North York Moors?
- Whitby, on the coast, is the single most popular destination. Its clifftop abbey, harbour and fish and chips draw visitors year-round. But Rievaulx Abbey, Goathland and Sutton Bank are close behind.
- What are the North York Moors known for?
- Heather moorland, a dramatic coast, steam railways, film and TV locations such as Heartbeat and Harry Potter, medieval abbeys and castles, and some of England's darkest night skies.
- How many days do you need in the North York Moors?
- You can see the highlights in a long weekend, but three to five days lets you combine the coast, the moors, a steam-train ride and a few villages at a relaxed pace.
- What is the prettiest village in the North York Moors?
- Thornton-le-Dale and Hutton-le-Hole are often called the prettiest, with Goathland and Robin Hood's Bay close behind.