Things to Do
Keldy and Cropton Forest
By Jon Cosson · Updated 28 October 2026
Checked 28 October 2026
Cropton Forest is a Forestry England woodland of about 3,660 hectares, roughly 9 kilometres north of Pickering on the eastern edge of the North York Moors National Park. Keldy, on its southern side near Cawthorn, is best known for its Forest Holidays cabins. The forest is open all year from dawn to dusk, and parking is free.
Before you go: the practical facts
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- Postcode: YO18 8ES for Cropton Forest. Forest Holidays Keldy is at Cawthorne, YO18 8HW.
- Parking: Forestry England says parking at Cropton Forest is free. There are no designated accessible spaces.
- Getting there: by car through Cropton village. There is no regular bus; a community bus calls at Cropton village on Mondays only.
- Fires: fires, barbecues and stoves are not allowed anywhere in the forest.
- Cabin sites: the two Forest Holidays sites are holiday parks for their guests; check with Forest Holidays before relying on their café or shop.
Walks and cycle loops
Forestry England's waymarked trails start from the two cabin sites.
| Trail | Type | Length | Starts at |
|---|---|---|---|
| Little Beck walk | Walk | 1.7 km (about 1 mile) | Cropton |
| Paradise Walk | Walk | 2.3 km (1.5 miles) | Keldy |
| Forest Ramble | Walk | 4.5 km (2.8 miles) | Cropton |
| Spiers Bank Walk | Walk | 4.8 km (3 miles) | Cropton |
| Spiers Bank family cycle path | Cycle | 4.6 km (2.8 miles) | Cropton |
| High Muffles cycle loop | Cycle | 5 km (3.1 miles) | Keldy |
The Spiers Bank routes follow forest roads, with steep sections and views over Rosedale and Spaunton Moor.
The Forest Holidays cabins at Cropton and Keldy
Forest Holidays runs two cabin sites in the forest, a short drive apart. Every cabin has its own hot tub.
- Cropton: cabins with one to three bedrooms, sleeping up to six.
- Keldy: cabins with one to four bedrooms, sleeping up to eight.
- Dogs: both sites have pet-friendly cabins.
Cawthorn Roman Camps
On the southern edge of Cropton Forest, about 4 miles north of Pickering, Cawthorn Roman Camps is a scheduled monument: two Roman forts, a Roman camp and a stretch of medieval trackway, the Portergate. The National Park's Edge of Empire trail is an easy 1-mile route with no steps or stiles and a mostly firm surface, marked by posts carved with a Roman helmet. The car park is run by the National Park Authority and charges.
Wildlife and dark skies
Forestry England manages Wild Newtondale, 458 hectares of the forest, as a wild core area, and a beaver family lives in the forest as part of a beaver trial. The whole National Park is an International Dark Sky Reserve.
Nearby
FAQs
Can you visit Keldy Forest without staying at the cabins?
Yes. Cropton Forest, including the Keldy area, is open to everyone from dawn to dusk, and parking is free. The cabin sites themselves are holiday parks for Forest Holidays guests.
Where is Keldy?
Near Cawthorn, on the southern side of Cropton Forest, about 7 miles by road from Pickering.
Are dogs allowed in Cropton Forest?
Yes. Follow Forestry England's dog code: keep dogs in sight and bag and bin their waste.
Is there a bus to Keldy or Cropton Forest?
No regular bus. A community bus calls at Cropton village on Mondays only.
Do the Keldy cabins have hot tubs?
Yes. Every Forest Holidays cabin at Keldy and Cropton has its own hot tub.
Sources: Cropton Forest; Cropton Forest activities; Walking trails; Cropton Forest plan; Forest Holidays Keldy; Forest Holidays Cropton; Cawthorn Roman Camps listing; The Romans; 173 Pickering to Rosedale
Where to stay in the North York Moors
Self-catering cottages, village inns and farmhouse boltholes right across the moors, from the southern villages to the coast.
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