Yorkshire Moors

Classic Car Country

A Classic Car Weekend in the North York Moors

Three days, the greatest driving roads in the National Park, and the practical detail an older car actually needs. Fuel, parking, pubs and a gentle walk each day.

A classic sports car on a winding moor road through heather in the North York Moors

A weekend is enough to drive the best of the moors without hurrying.

The North York Moors is one of the finest touring grounds in England for an older car, and a weekend is enough to drive its greatest roads without hurrying. This three-day route strings the best of them together, the escarpment views of the west, the open heather of Blakey Ridge, and the moor-to-sea run to Whitby. With the practical detail an older car needs: where to fill up, where to leave the car, a good pub each day and a gentle walk to stretch your legs. Drive it in a classic, a modern car or a camper van; it rewards an unhurried pace whatever you are in.

Before you set off

  • Base, a western or southern village (Helmsley, Pickering, Thornton-le-Dale or Kirkbymoorside) puts every day within about 40 minutes. See where to stay.
  • Fuel, treat the moor tops as a fuel desert; fill up in the towns (Helmsley, Pickering, Kirkbymoorside, Thornton-le-Dale, Stokesley, Castleton, Whitby) before the high roads.
  • Older cars, low gears on the long descents, watch the temperature gauge in summer traffic, expect free-roaming sheep and cattle grids. The full route detail is on our driving routes page.

The route, stop by stop

Pick a day, then a stop, to centre the map. And follow the link through to the full guide. Use the left and right arrow keys to change day, and the up and down arrow keys to move between stops. A full written list of every stop is below the map.

Map centred on stop 1 of 6: Helmsley , Base for the day, market square, castle and fuel before the moor roads.

  1. Helmsley guide →
  2. Rievaulx Abbey guide →
  3. Roadside stop
  4. Roadside stop
  5. Roadside stop
  6. Sutton Bank guide →

Text alternative: every stop on the weekend

The same route in words, in order, for anyone who cannot use the map.

Day 1, The western moors and Sutton Bank

  1. Helmsley, Base for the day, market square, castle and fuel before the moor roads. Helmsley guide
  2. Rievaulx Abbey, Cistercian ruins in a wooded valley, with a short walk to the terrace viewpoint. Rievaulx Abbey guide
  3. Newgate Bank, First big view north over Bilsdale on the B1257, a natural photo stop.
  4. Chop Gate, Bilsdale, Lunch stop in the dale, halfway along the 'Yorkshire TT'.
  5. Clay Bank top, Cleveland Hills escarpment and Roseberry Topping on the skyline.
  6. Sutton Bank, National Park Centre, the escarpment edge view and the 1-in-4 descent. Sutton Bank guide

Day 2, Blakey Ridge, the roof of the moors

  1. Hutton-le-Hole, Sheep on the green and the Ryedale Folk Museum before the climb. Hutton-le-Hole guide
  2. Blakey Ridge & the Lion Inn, Open heather in every direction; one of the highest inns in England.
  3. Rosedale Abbey, Drop into the dale by the gentler road, not Chimney Bank in a marginal car. Rosedale Abbey guide
  4. Rosedale ironstone railway, Level walk along the old railway track with views back across the dale.

Day 3, Moor to sea on the A169

  1. Pickering, Fuel and a start on the A169, castle, market town and the steam railway. Pickering guide
  2. Hole of Horcum (Saltergate), Great moorland amphitheatre, with a moderate circular walk from the car park. Hole of Horcum walk
  3. Whitby, Park at the West Cliff or park & ride, abbey, 199 steps and the harbour. Whitby guide
  4. Goathland, Heartbeat's Aidensfield and Harry Potter's Hogsmeade station. Goathland guide
  5. Grosmont, Watch the steam locomotives being coaled and turned on the way home. Grosmont guide
Map data © OpenStreetMap contributors. Stop locations are approximate guides, not exact parking points.

Day 1

The western moors and the finest view in England

Rievaulx, the B1257 and the Sutton Bank escarpment

From a Helmsley base, start with Rievaulx Abbey in its wooded valley and the short walk to the viewpoint. Then head north on the B1257, the “Yorkshire TT”, over Newgate Bank and down Bilsdale with Roseberry Topping and the Cleveland Hills ahead, with photo stops at Newgate Bank and Clay Bank. Lunch in the Bilsdale valley (Chop Gate) or at Great Broughton near Stokesley. Return over the tops and finish at Sutton Bank: park at the National Park Centre and walk five minutes to the escarpment edge for the view over the Vale of York and Lake Gormire, with the Kilburn White Horse below. Evening in Helmsley, a market-square inn and the castle at dusk.
Drive
B1257 and Sutton Bank (A170)
Fuel
Helmsley or Stokesley
Parking
Sutton Bank National Park Centre (pay & display, café)
Walk
The Sutton Bank escarpment edge (easy, level) or Helmsley–Rievaulx
Pub
Helmsley
Note
Caravans are banned on Sutton Bank, and the 1-in-4 descent wants a low gear in an older car.

Day 2

The roof of the moors: Blakey Ridge

Hutton-le-Hole, open heather and the Lion Inn

Start at Hutton-le-Hole, sheep on the green and the Ryedale Folk Museum, then climb onto Blakey Ridge, the roof of the National Park, with open heather in every direction, Farndale on one side and Rosedale on the other, and in late August a purple horizon. Lunch at the Lion Inn at Blakey, one of the highest inns in England. Drop to Rosedale Abbey by the gentler road (not Chimney Bank in a marginal car), and take a level walk along the old Rosedale ironstone railway for the views back across the dale. Evening from a Pickering or Thornton-le-Dale base.
Drive
Hutton-le-Hole – Blakey Ridge – Rosedale
Fuel
Kirkbymoorside or Castleton (none on the ridge)
Parking
Hutton-le-Hole village car park, the Lion Inn (patrons), Rosedale Abbey
Walk
The old Rosedale railway track (level)
Pub
The Lion Inn
Note
High and exposed, mist can drop in minutes; Rosedale Chimney Bank is roughly 1-in-3 with a hairpin and best avoided in a heavily-laden or marginal car.

Day 3

Moor to sea: the A169 and Whitby

The Hole of Horcum, the harbour and the Esk Valley home

North from Pickering on the A169, climbing onto open moor to the great amphitheatre of the Hole of Horcum, park at Saltergate for the view (and a moderate circular walk if you have the legs), with coffee at the Fox & Rabbit at Lockton. Carry on over the moor, past the Fylingdales radar on the skyline, and drop to the sea at Whitby. Park at the West Cliff or the park & ride , the old town's lanes are no place for a classic. And walk down for the abbey, the 199 steps and fish and chips on the harbour. Return through the Esk Valley for a gentler, wooded contrast: Goathland (Heartbeat's Aidensfield and Harry Potter's Hogsmeade station) and Grosmont, where you can watch the steam railway being coaled and turned.
Drive
A169 Pickering–Whitby, returning via the Esk Valley
Fuel
Pickering or Whitby
Parking
Hole of Horcum (Saltergate), Whitby West Cliff or park & ride
Walk
The Hole of Horcum circular (moderate) or the abbey and 199 steps
Food
The Fox & Rabbit; Whitby fish and chips
Note
The A169 is a fast road with blind crests and cars slowing for the Horcum viewpoint; the long descent into Whitby is hard on older brakes.

A weekend for every season

Spring (March–May)

Wild daffodils along Farndale, lambs on the moor roads (leads on near stock), and clear, quiet driving before the summer crowds; cooler air suits older engines.

Summer (June–August)

The heather builds to its late-August purple and the coast holds long light evenings, but the coast roads and Whitby are busy at weekends and long climbs in queuing traffic are where older cooling systems feel the strain. Drive early and midweek where you can.

Autumn (September–November)

The connoisseur's season, golden colour in Dalby, Newtondale and the Esk Valley, the last of the heather, empty roads and soft light; arguably the best time to tour the moors in an open car.

Winter (December–February)

Crisp, clear days with enormous visibility, some of the darkest skies in England for an after-dinner hour, and cosy pubs at the end of the run. But short days, real cold and ice that lingers on the high roads; keep to the main roads, avoid the severe banks and check the forecast.

Touring it in your own classic

The moors suit different cars in different ways, and our sister archives cover the details: an MG T-Type loves the flowing B1257 and the dale lanes (MG T-Series Archive); a Triumph Stag makes an effortless grand-touring weekend of it (Triumph Stag Archive); an AC Aceca-Bristol is in its element on the open A-roads and the coast run (AC Aceca Archive). Our own touring journal follows these roads first-hand, and the full route detail is on the classic car driving routes page.

Classic car weekend FAQs

How many days do you need for a classic-car weekend in the North York Moors?

Two days covers the headline roads (the B1257 and Sutton Bank, then Blakey Ridge and the coast); three lets you add the A169 moor-to-sea run and Whitby without rushing.

What's the best base for touring the moors by car?

A western or southern village, Helmsley, Pickering, Thornton-le-Dale or Kirkbymoorside. Puts every route within about 40 minutes.

Is the North York Moors suitable for a 1950s classic?

Yes, with sense: fill up before the moor tops, use low gears on the steep descents, watch the temperature in summer traffic, and avoid the severe banks (Rosedale Chimney, about 1-in-3) in a marginal car.

Where's the last fuel before Blakey Ridge?

Kirkbymoorside on the south side or Castleton on the north; there is no fuel on the ridge itself.

Where do you park a classic car in Whitby?

Use the West Cliff car parks or the park & ride and walk down; the old town's narrow lanes are no place for a classic.

Can you do this trip in a camper van or a modern car?

Absolutely; the routes and stops work for any vehicle that enjoys an unhurried pace. Only the very steep banks (Sutton Bank, Rosedale Chimney) need care with a heavy or long vehicle, and caravans are banned on Sutton Bank.

Top answers for the Yorkshire Moors

All questions in the full FAQ hub →

Quick, straight answers to the questions visitors ask most. Each one links through to the fuller guide.

What do I need to know about driving in the North York Moors?

Moor roads are scenic but narrow, with blind summits, cattle grids and sheep. Sometimes free-roaming through villages like Goathland, on unfenced roads, so drive slowly and use passing places. High routes such as Blakey Ridge can be bleak or closed in snow.

Driving routes →

What are the best scenic drives in the North York Moors?

The Blakey Ridge road across the high moor (Hutton-le-Hole to Castleton, past the Lion Inn), the coast road between Whitby and Scarborough, and the A170 over Sutton Bank are the classics.

Driving routes →

Can you visit the North York Moors without a car?

Yes, though a car helps for the remote moor. The Yorkshire Coastliner bus (York–Malton–Pickering–Goathland–Whitby) is one of Britain's most scenic routes, the Esk Valley line serves the northern dales and Whitby, the seasonal Moorsbus reaches the high moors, and the North Yorkshire Moors Railway links Pickering, Goathland and Whitby.

Touring Journal →

When is Whitby Goth Weekend?

It runs twice a year, traditionally around late April and around Halloween, drawing thousands of visitors into the town. Dates shift year to year, so check the official Whitby Goth Weekend site. And book accommodation early, as the town fills months ahead.

Events calendar →

What is the highest point in the North York Moors?

Round Hill on Urra Moor, at 454 metres (1,490 feet). It sits on the Cleveland Way and the Lyke Wake Walk above Bilsdale, and the usual approach is the roughly three-kilometre climb from the Clay Bank car park.

Walks on the moors →

When does the heather bloom on the North York Moors?

Typically mid-August to early September, when the moors turn a spectacular purple; the Hole of Horcum and the high moor roads are classic viewing spots. Exact timing shifts a little year to year with the weather.

Walks on the moors →