Yorkshire Moors

Plan Your Visit

Plan your visit

A little planning makes a North York Moors trip go smoothly. Here's the practical stuff, getting here, the best times to come, bringing the dog, and a few ideas for filling your days.

Purple heather moorland stretching to the horizon in the North York Moors at golden hour

Getting here

By car, the A64 from York and the A170 through Pickering are the main routes into the southern Moors. By train, the nearest stations are Malton, Scarborough and York; the scenic Coastliner bus links Leeds, York, Malton, Pickering and Whitby, and from Malton bus 840 runs to Pickering for the steam railway. In summer the seasonal Moorsbus reaches many spots car-free. (Check current timetables.)

When to go

Every season has its moment: spring for lambs and blossom, summer for long days and, in August, the moors turning purple with heather, autumn for forest colour, and winter for crisp walks and some of England's darkest, clearest skies. For a full season-by-season breakdown, see our guide to the best time to visit the North York Moors. For the colour, the deer rut and the returning dark skies, see the North York Moors in autumn.

With dogs

This is wonderful dog country, miles of moor, forest and beach, and plenty of dog-friendly pubs and cottages, but the moors are grazed, so keep dogs on leads around sheep, especially in lambing season. See our full guide to the North York Moors with dogs, our walking with dogs guide for route-specific advice, or jump to quick rules and village-by-village dog notes on dogs in the moors. Travelling as a family? See the North York Moors with kids.

A few ideas

Pair Dalby Forest with the Bridestones; ride the steam railway to Goathland and walk to Mallyan Spout; combine Pickering's castle and church with the Hole of Horcum; or run down to Whitby for the abbey and fish and chips, our food and drink guide covers the pubs, tea rooms and farm shops worth planning around. Then find a base: see where to stay.

Ready-made itineraries

For a relaxed two-day route that ties together a market-town base, the steam railway, a classic moorland walk, Dalby Forest and the coast, follow our weekend in the North York Moors. For a broader range of trip ideas, see the full itineraries page.

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 →