Guide to North York Moors National Park

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North York Moors National Park

Planning a trip to the North York Moors? This national park is one of the best spots in the UK for stunning views, peaceful walks, and a mix of coast and countryside.

From wide open moorland and forest trails to historic abbeys and seaside towns, there’s plenty to see whether you’re visiting for a day or staying longer. In this guide, I’ll walk you through the top things to do, and useful tips to help you plan your visit and make the most of your time in the Moors.

Only have a day to explore the National Park? 🚐

This GetYourGuide trip takes you to the best spots in just one day – click here to see.

Why visit the North York moors national park?

I could give you so many reasons to visit the national park, but I will keep it short & sweet! You should visit the North Yorks Moors National Park for its incredible diverse scenery from full of scenic hills, forests, and dramatic coastline, with charming villages tucked in between. It has everything to offer for a perfect escape.

The national park is rich in heritage and history, offering plenty of places to explore and stories to discover.

It’s less crowded than many other national parks, making it a peaceful and authentic place to explore.

What to do in the national park?

The North York Moors National Park is packed with activities and sights for everyone. From scenic walks and charming villages to historic abbeys and coastal towns, there’s plenty to explore no matter how long you’re visiting. Here is a list of places to go and visit and see:

Dalby Forest

Explore the forest by walking, cycling, and wildlife spotting through scenic forest trails. There is so many trials to enjoy and lots of places to park.

Click here for the Dalby Forest Walks

There is also a Go Ape in Dalby forest if you are feeling adventurous.

Ainthorpe and Little Fryup Walk

Explore this peaceful valley and enjoy a mix of hills, streams, and charming countryside views.

Follow this route on Alltrails.

I would always recommend downloading the route offline as occasionally you don’t get signal in the park.

Thornton-le-Dale

Picturesque village with stone cottages, tea rooms, and local shops. It has a fairy tale charm to the village. We stopped at the café called Baldersons which was also a cute gift shop. They also have a ice cream shop next door which you need try, they had the best kinder bueno ice cream.

Farm Shops

Sample local produce, homemade treats, and artisanal goods. The farm shop we visited was Cedarbarn Farm Shop – this shop is on the way to Thornton le dale from Pickering.

Goathland

Historic village famous for Heartbeat and Harry Potter filming locations. You can also do a beautiful waterfall walk from here called mallyan spout waterfall and thomason foss. This is my next must do for the north york moors as it started raining so badly when were going over to visit.

👉Follow this route on All Trails.

Whitby

Whitby is a costal town where you can wander the cobbled streets, climb the famous 199 steps up to the abbey for amazing views, enjoy the beach, and of course grab some proper fish and chips!

Staithes

Staithes is a picturesque little fishing village with winding streets, colourful cottages, and a beautiful harbour – perfect for a walk, or just soaking up the coastal views. It also has a beautiful coastal walk and we stayed for sunset.

Skinningrove Beach

A quiet beach which is perfect for a peaceful walk by the sea. It is a hidden gem, as its less crowded than the better-known coastal spots, making it a great place to visit.

Roseberry Topping

Luckily my family live around a 30 minute drive from Roseberry Topping. It is a short, but steep hike up to the top. You are then rewarded with beautiful views of the North York Moors. Roseberry Topping is usually quite busy. It is around a 4-5km hike.

Wainstones Walk

On my next trip to the national park, this walk is definitely on my to-do list. The Wainstones Walk looks like a brilliant little hike with amazing views.

👉Click here to the Alltrails link for the Wainstones Walk.

Rievaulx & Byland Abbeys

If you are into history then you can explore historic ruins set in beautiful valleys, perfect if you are wanting to learn about history whilst also taking a quiet walk.

I haven’t had chance to visit here, but it is next on my list when I visit the North York Moors. You can get your tickets here.

Getting around

By Car:

The park covers a large area, so the easiest way to explore is by car and this has been my personal experience of exploring the North York Moors. It gives you the freedom to visit villages, walking trails, and coastal spots at your own pace. Parking is available at main attractions or visitor centres at places which you will need to pay for.

By Bus:

If you prefer public transport, there are local bus routes connecting towns like Whitby, Pickering, and Helmsley, though services can be limited in smaller villages.

I would highly recommend checking the local timetable, near where you are. I also think Google Maps is always the best for this.

By Train:

For a scenic experience, hop on the North Yorkshire Moors Railway.

The train in the North York Moors is famous because of the North Yorkshire Moors Railway , one of the most popular heritage railways in the UK. It runs vintage steam through the heart of the national park, between Pickering and Whitby. Stopping at stations like Goathland, which became well known as “Hogsmeade” in the Harry Potter films.

The train journey has stunning views of the moors, valleys, and villages along the way.

Get tickets here for the train through the scenic spots of the national park.

Where to stay?

There are plenty of options for staying in and around the North York Moors, depending on the kind of experience you want.

Lots of cosy cottages and holiday rentals are available in the park. When I first visited, I stayed in Pickering with family, as it was the perfect base—offering plenty of restaurants, pubs, and supermarkets, along with convenient access to the park’s best attraction

We stayed here in this cosy Air BnB.

Whitby is another excellent base for exploring the national park, with plenty of restaurants, bars, and shops. Being on the coast, it also offers easy access to many of the national park’s highlights.

Click here for hotels in Whitby

We only visited Whitby for the day and it was summer time, therefore it was really busy. If you are wanting a quieter experience, you could stay in the hills or villages. This would be a more traditional experience as there is many country inns, B&Bs, and small hotels offering local charm.

For those who prefer being closer to nature, countryside cottages, camping, or glamping sites are great options, offering the chance to wake up to stunning scenery just outside your door.

Click here for cottages in North Yorkshire Moors

If you are preferring to be closer to nature, we stayed in a small town called Fryup. Yes like the breakfast haha! We stayed in a random Airbnb, I would highly recommend for a group of friends but preferably not for a couple. We were after a cheap weekend away but it was really fun. It was at the yorkshire cycle hub. They did sell a good Fryup in Fryup (haha I couldnt not) The stay also sold a good section of coffee & cakes.

Click here too see the Airbnb in Fry-up.

The Yorkshire Cycle Hub is surrounded by beautiful scenery of the hills. I would highly recommend coming just for the views. You can also do the Little Fryup walk which I mentioned above, which takes you through beautiful countryside of the north york moors national park.

Conclusion

The North York Moors National Park has everything you need for a weekend away. It has the perfect mix of countryside, coastline, historic sites and cute villages. Whether you come for walking/hiking, history, or just a peaceful break from busy life, the Moors offers something for everyone. With so many hidden gems and fewer crowds than some of the UK’s better-known national parks, it’s a place you’ll want to return to again and again.

In my blog post, I have added things which were on my list to do, but unfortunately I didn’t get round to doing.

My next to dos in the national park are:

Goathland, Skinningrove Beach, Wainstones Walk and Rievaulx & Byland Abbeys.

👉 There’s so much hiking to enjoy in the North York Moors, and I’d recommend checking All Trails if you’re looking for different routes to try. Click here to view.

Wanting to explore more of the UK – view my guides here