Yorkshire Moors

Wildlife spot

Fen Bog nature reserve

By Jon Cosson · Updated 10 October 2026

A Yorkshire Wildlife Trust 'quaking bog' and SSSI in the bottom of Newtondale near Goathland, bog wildlife with steam trains passing right by it.

Open moorland in the North York Moors near Newtondale, close to the Fen Bog reserve

What you might see

Dragonflies, rare butterflies including Large Heath, and specialist bog plants, a genuinely unusual habitat, and one of the reasons the moors hold so many range-edge species.

Getting there and parking

Limited roadside parking off the A169 between Goathland and the Hole of Horcum; there is no proper car park and campervans are not suited to it. Check before you travel. Nearest fuel is Pickering or Whitby.

Access

Not step-free, boggy and difficult underfoot. Wear boots and take care. Check before you travel. The reserve is fragile, so keep to firm ground.

Nearby

The steam line runs through Newtondale, and the Hole of Horcum is a few minutes south. Details verified August 2026.

Map and how to get there

Area
Newtondale, near Goathland
Coordinates
54.3750, -0.7100
Parking
Check before you travel. Check before you travel.
Nearest fuel
Pickering or Whitby
Access
Not step-free — boggy and difficult underfoot, with only limited roadside parking off the A169.
Driving directionsOpen the larger mapBuild a day around it

More to see nearby

Wildlife spot

Wykeham Forest Raptor Viewpoint

Wykeham Forest (Pickering–Scarborough)

Late winter for displaying goshawk; summer for honey buzzard.

Wildlife spot

Forge Valley National Nature Reserve

West Ayton (near Scarborough)

Not season-specific in our notes — woodland birds use the feeders year-round.

Wildlife spot

Scaling Dam Reservoir

A171 (northern moor edge)

Autumn and winter, when wildfowl and wader numbers are highest.

Wildlife spot

Ravenscar — seals & clifftop

Ravenscar (coast)

Seals year-round; grey seals pup in November and common seals in summer.

Nearby guide

North Yorkshire Moors Railway

The steam line runs right through Newtondale below the reserve.

Nearby guide

Hole of Horcum walk

A few minutes south on the A169. The classic moorland circuit.

Nearby guide

Goathland

The nearest village, with parking, tea rooms and Mallyan Spout.

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.

Browse places to stay

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 wildlife can you see in the North York Moors?

Moorland birds including red grouse, curlew, golden plover and the merlin (Britain's smallest bird of prey), deer, and on the coast seals and seabirds, with occasional whales and dolphins offshore. Spring brings lambs and daffodils.

Wildlife →

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 →