Orientation
Where are the Yorkshire Moors?
A plain-English orientation to the North York Moors: exactly where the park sits on the map, what surrounds it, how to reach it by car, train and bus, and roughly how long everything takes once you are here.
The short answer
The Yorkshire Moors are in North Yorkshire, north-east England. Officially the North York Moors National Park, they cover about 554 square miles between the Vale of York in the west and the North Sea in the east, roughly 30 miles north of York, 40 miles south of Newcastle, and reaching the coast at Whitby, Robin Hood's Bay and Staithes.
The park is not the same place as the Yorkshire Dales, which lie about 50 miles to the west on the other side of the A1. The moors are higher, heathery and closer to the sea; the dales are greener, walled and inland.
What sits on each side
- West: the Hambleton and Cleveland Hills, the steep escarpment at Sutton Bank, and Helmsley as the western gateway town.
- South: the gentler Tabular Hills easing down to Pickering, Thornton-le-Dale and Allerston, with Dalby Forest in between.
- East: the coast, Whitby, Robin Hood's Bay, Staithes and Runswick Bay, all on the Cleveland Way clifftops.
- North: the Esk Valley, Guisborough and the edge of Teesside, with Roseberry Topping standing over it.
- Middle: the high heather plateau and the dales cut into it, Rosedale, Farndale, Hutton-le-Hole and Goathland.
A simple map of the park
The map below shows the whole National Park area, from Helmsley in the west to the coast in the east. Zoom in for villages, or open it full screen to plan a route.
Map data © OpenStreetMap contributors. For walking, carry OS Explorer OL26 and OL27 rather than relying on a phone, mobile signal is patchy on the tops.
Getting here by car
Most visitors drive. The A64 from York and Leeds brings you to Malton and Pickering for the southern edge; the A19 from Teesside and the A1(M) serve the north and west; the A171 connects Whitby with Scarborough along the eastern side. The two main crossings of the park are the A169 Pickering–Whitby road, past the Hole of Horcum and the RAF Fylingdales radar, and the Blakey Ridge moor-top road from Hutton-le-Hole to Castleton.
| From | Approx. drive | Route |
|---|---|---|
| York | 45–60 min | A64 then A169 to Pickering |
| Leeds | 1 hr 30 | A64 via York |
| Manchester | 2 hr 30 | M62 then A64 |
| Newcastle | 1 hr 30 | A19 to the northern moors |
| Birmingham | 3 hr 30 | M1/A1(M) then A64 |
| London | 4 hr 30 | A1(M) north, then A64 |
Times are to the southern gateway around Pickering in normal traffic; add half an hour or more in summer, and allow extra for the slow, beautiful last few miles. Fuel is limited on the moor tops, so fill up in the market towns.
Getting here by train
There is no station in the middle of the moors, but several sit on the edge: Whitby and Middlesbrough on the Esk Valley line, Scarborough and Malton from York, and Thirsk on the East Coast Main Line for the western hills. From Whitby or Grosmont you can transfer straight onto the North Yorkshire Moors Railway and steam through the park to Goathland, Levisham and Pickering. The most enjoyable way in. Check current timetables before travelling.
Getting around without a car
It takes planning but it works. The Coastliner bus links Leeds and York with Malton, Pickering, Thornton-le-Dale, Goathland and Whitby; the seasonal Moorsbus reaches inland villages on summer weekends; and the heritage railway covers the Pickering–Whitby corridor. Combine bus or train with a linear walk, the walks section flags routes that start near a stop. Always confirm seasonal services on the operator's own site before you rely on them.
How big is it, really?
About 35 miles east to west and 25 miles north to south, small on paper, slow in practice. Pickering to Whitby takes around an hour; Helmsley to Whitby closer to 90 minutes. Plan two or three anchors a day rather than six, and see our weekend itinerary for a workable shape to a first visit.
Frequently asked questions
- Where are the Yorkshire Moors?
- The Yorkshire Moors, officially the North York Moors National Park. Lie in North Yorkshire in north-east England, between the Vale of York in the west and the North Sea coast at Whitby and Scarborough in the east, roughly 30 miles north of York.
- Where is the North York Moors?
- The North York Moors National Park is in North Yorkshire, in north-east England. It sits between the Vale of York and the Vale of Pickering to the west and south, and the North Sea coast at Whitby and Scarborough to the east — roughly 30 miles north of York.
- Are the Yorkshire Moors and the North York Moors the same place?
- Yes. 'Yorkshire Moors' is the popular everyday name; 'North York Moors' is the official name of the National Park. The Yorkshire Dales, to the west, is a separate national park.
- What is the nearest train station to the North York Moors?
- Whitby, Scarborough, Malton, Thirsk and Middlesbrough all sit on the edge of the park. From Grosmont and Whitby you can join the North Yorkshire Moors Railway to travel into the heart of the moors by steam.
- How long does it take to drive across the North York Moors?
- It is about 35 miles east to west and 25 miles north to south, but the roads are slow and winding. Allow about an hour to cross from Pickering to Whitby on the A169, and longer on the moor-top lanes.
- Do you need a car to visit the Yorkshire Moors?
- A car makes the villages and moor roads far easier, but you can visit car-free using trains to Whitby or Malton, the Moorsbus and Coastliner services, and the North Yorkshire Moors Railway between Pickering, Goathland and Grosmont.