Yorkshire Moors

Plan Your Visit

A weekend in the North York Moors

With moor, forest, steam and sea all within an hour, the North York Moors packs a lot into a short break. Here's a flexible two- or three-day itinerary from a southern-moors base around Thornton-le-Dale, Pickering and Allerston. Mix and match to suit the weather and your pace.

Purple heather moorland rolling away to distant hills with a winding moor road in the North York Moors

Day 1, Forest & steam

Start close to home in Dalby Forest, a woodland walk, a family bike ride or the Gruffalo trail. Then lunch in Thornton-le-Dale or at the Cayley Arms in Allerston. In the afternoon, head to Pickering for its Norman castle and hop aboard the North Yorkshire Moors Railway, riding the steam line up to Levisham or Goathland. Round off with dinner at a village inn like the Fox & Rabbit.

Day 2, Moors & coast

Drive the A169 over the moors, pausing at the Hole of Horcum for a walk around the great hollow (the full circuit is about 5 miles, or just take in the view). Carry on to Whitby for the abbey, the 199 steps, the harbour and famous fish and chips, then down the coast to the cobbled smugglers' village of Robin Hood's Bay (tide permitting). If the sky's clear, finish with some dark-sky stargazing back on the moors.

Day 3, Choose your day

With a third day, take your pick:

  • History & the western moors: Helmsley, castle, walled garden and the ruins of Rievaulx Abbey, with the “finest view in England” from Sutton Bank on the way.
  • Film & waterfalls: Goathland, aka Harry Potter's Hogsmeade and Heartbeat's Aidensfield, plus the walk to Mallyan Spout.
  • A classic-car drive: the High Moor Loop over Blakey Ridge to the Lion Inn, one of England's highest pubs, with Rosedale below.

Make it your own

  • Only got a day? Pair Dalby Forest with the steam railway, or the Hole of Horcum with Whitby.
  • With kids? Dalby's Gruffalo trails and Go Ape, the steam train, and fossil-hunting on the coast.
  • Classic-car fans? Time your visit with a Mathewsons viewing day and drive the moor roads.
  • Seasons: heather turns the moors purple in August; autumn brings forest colour; winter delivers the darkest skies, see what's on.

Where to stay

A southern-moors base keeps all of this within easy reach, see where to stay, with plenty of options minutes from Dalby Forest.

North York Moors itinerary FAQs

How many days do you need in the North York Moors?
A weekend of two or three days is enough for the highlights, forest, steam railway, the moors and the coast. While a week lets you explore at a gentler pace.
What is the best base for exploring the North York Moors?
The southern villages around Thornton-le-Dale, Pickering and Allerston are central for Dalby Forest, the steam railway and easy runs to the coast; Helmsley suits the western moors and abbeys.
Can you see the North York Moors without a car?
You can reach Pickering, Goathland and Whitby by the steam railway and the Coastliner bus, but a car makes the moor roads and quieter villages much easier.

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 is there to do in the North York Moors in winter?

Stargazing (it's an International Dark Sky Reserve), bracing coastal and moorland walks, cosy country pubs, and the North Yorkshire Moors Railway's festive steam services. The moors are atmospheric and empty in winter.

What's on →

What are the top things to do in the North York Moors?

Ride the North Yorkshire Moors Railway, walk the heather moors and the Cleveland Way, explore Rievaulx and Whitby abbeys, see the Hole of Horcum and Sutton Bank, visit Goathland and Thornton-le-Dale, and spend a day on the coast at Whitby or Robin Hood's Bay.

Things to do →

What can you do in the North York Moors when it rains?

Ride the steam railway, visit museums (Beck Isle Museum in Pickering, the Ryedale Folk Museum at Hutton-le-Hole, Whitby's museums), explore abbey visitor centres, or browse the shops and tearooms of Helmsley and Whitby.

Pickering 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 →

Is it free to visit the North York Moors, and what does it cost?

The national park is free to enter, and most walking, moorland and viewpoints cost nothing; you pay only for parking, attractions (abbeys, the railway, museums) and refreshments. Prices vary, so check official sites.

About the Yorkshire Moors →

Can you camp in the North York Moors, and is wild camping allowed?

There are many campsites and caravan parks across the park, but wild camping is not a legal right in England and requires the landowner's permission, so use official sites.

Where to stay →