Villages & Places
Allerston
Allerston is a small, quiet farming village on the A170 between Pickering and Scarborough, tucked between the Vale of Pickering and the wooded slopes of the Moors — and, handily, right at the gateway to Dalby Forest.
St John's Church, Allerston — the village's landmark, a minute's walk from the A170.
A peaceful base
Off the main tourist trail but minutes from everything, Allerston is the sort of place people choose precisely because it's calm: a knot of stone houses and farms, with the National Park, Dalby Forest, Thornton-le-Dale and Pickering all a short drive away, and the coast under an hour.
The village church
The most obvious landmark is St John's Church, whose square, battlemented stone tower rises above the churchyard wall at the heart of the village. There are benches on the green beside it and a noticeboard with village news — it's a pleasant spot to pause with a coffee before heading up into the forest. Service times are posted at the gate; check with the parish for anything specific.
On the doorstep
Dalby Forest's toll drive begins nearby, so the forest's trails, biking and dark skies are effectively local; Thornton-le-Dale (and Bangers & Cash's Mathewsons) is the next village along; and Pickering and its steam railway are a few minutes west. It makes an ideal, unhurried base for exploring the southern Moors — which is exactly why it's home to Allerston Cottage, a classic-car-themed self-catering cottage. See where to stay.