Beck Hole

Before you go: the practical facts

Open in Maps: Google Maps · Apple Maps · Directions to Goathland (Beck Hole Road)

Parking

we know of no public car park in Beck Hole, and both lanes in drop very steeply. Use the National Park car park on Beck Hole Road in Goathland (YO22 5LX; card or PayByPhone only) and walk down. See /plan/parking.

Toilets

none in Beck Hole. The nearest are in the Goathland National Park car park, accessible with a RADAR key.

Shop and cash

the Birch Hall Inn has a small shop between its two bars. There is no cash machine, and the pub takes cash only.

Buses

none to the hamlet. The Coastliner 840 between Pickering and Whitby calls at Goathland on selected journeys, about a mile away.

Railway

Goathland station on the North Yorkshire Moors Railway is about a mile away. Grosmont, at the other end of the Rail Trail, is on both the heritage railway and the Esk Valley line.

Dogs

the Birch Hall Inn is listed as dog friendly.

A railway history in brief

the Whitby and Pickering Railway opened in 1836 with a station at Beck Hole. Here carriages were unhitched from their horses and hauled up the steep incline towards Goathland. In 1865 a new route was opened so that steam engines could run the whole line, and the old incline was abandoned. The Whitby Iron Company also built blast furnaces here, which began producing iron in 1860 and stopped after a few years.

The Rail Trail

the Rail Trail follows the original railway from Goathland to Grosmont, about 3.5 miles, and runs straight through Beck Hole. It is signposted the whole way. Walking from Goathland is mostly downhill, so many people walk to Grosmont and take the steam train back: check the railway timetable first. Allow two and a half to three hours, and wear boots after rain.

Thomason Foss and Mallyan Spout

Thomason Foss is a smaller waterfall in the ravine above Beck Hole, less than half a mile from the hamlet. The paths are narrow and muddy. Beck Hole is also on the Mallyan Spout circuit (/walks/mallyan-spout), which returns from the 70 foot waterfall through the hamlet and up the old incline.

Where to eat and drink

Birch Hall Inn, Beck Hole (YO22 5LE): a Grade II listed building, probably late 18th century, with two tiny bars either side of a small shop and a steep garden above the Murk Esk. It serves its own Beckwatter beer and simple cold food such as sandwiches, pork pies and beer cake. CAMRA lists it as cash only. Hours listed in January 2026: Monday, Wednesday and Thursday 11.30am to 3.30pm; Friday and Sunday 11.30am to 7.30pm; closed Tuesday and Saturday. Hours change between summer and winter and the pub closes for annual holidays, so ring 01947 896245 before you set off.

Nearby

• Goathland
• Grosmont
• Mallyan Spout
• Waterfalls
• Whitby

Beck Hole FAQs

Is the Birch Hall Inn cash only?

Yes. Its CAMRA listing says cash only.

When is the Birch Hall Inn open?

As listed in January 2026: Monday, Wednesday and Thursday 11.30am to 3.30pm, Friday and Sunday until 7.30pm, closed Tuesday and Saturday. Hours vary by season, so check first.

Can you park in Beck Hole?

Not easily: we know of no public car park there. Park in Goathland and walk down, about a mile.

How far is Beck Hole from Goathland?

About a mile. The Rail Trail from Goathland to Grosmont passes through it.

How do you get to Thomason Foss?

On foot from Beck Hole, less than half a mile on narrow, often muddy paths.

Sources checked 29 October 2026: CAMRA WhatPub, Birch Hall Inn; Historic England list entry 1295923; Yorkshire Post, Village of the Week: Beck Hole; North Yorkshire Moors Railway, Rail Trail; Land of Iron, Rail Trail path.