North York Moors & Ryedale
The North Yorkshire Moors National Park is not only famous for wide open expanses of moorland but also for its quaint villages, fantastic walking and cycle routes and world famous steam railway. This is ‘Heartbeat’ country, known for its slow pace, friendly welcome and panoramic views.
The area known as the North Yorkshire Moors is where fresh air and wide open spaces abound – whether you want to walk, cycle or ride, there’s no shortage of way marked routes to explore and enjoy. The area is also a haven for wildlife and there are many nature reserves and trails here too that are perfect for days out for young and old alike.
The National Park is filled with beautifully modest moorland cottages, some dating back to the early 18th century. For those wanting to delve a little deeper into the area’s history, the Vikings’ rule in Yorkshire is still evident in the North Yorkshire Moors over a thousand years later, with many of the towns and villages maintaining their original names such as Danby, Lythe and Briggswath.
For a truly memorable day out, the North Yorkshire Moors Railway operates steam trains along an 18-mile line through the heart of the National Park. Sit back and relax while you take in a variety of scenery, from wooded valley to heather-clad moorland.
Not everyone craves for the hustle and bustle of Whitby or Scarborough, many enjoy the peace and quiet of the countryside and a walk across fields, so for those who prefer the solitude of a moorland village with sheep as neighbours and birdsong in the morning, we have many North Yorkshire Moors cottages to choose from up the breathtaking Esk Valley.
Lying on the main Teesside to Whitby railway line, there is Castleton, Danby, Glaisdale, Goathland (Aidensfield in TV’s, ‘Heartbeat’), Egton Bridge and Grosmont, home of the North Yorks Moors Railway. Other villages include West Barnby, Moorsholm, Liverton and Fryup Dale where a car is useful for shopping.
Not as well-known as the North York Moors, Ryedale has equally beautiful countryside and lots to see. The rural district of Ryedale in the heart of North Yorkshire covers 600 square miles of dramatic scenery, with picturesque villages, purple moorland, grassy dales, fertile valleys and quaint market towns. It extends from the outskirts of historic York, with its Castle Museum and fantastic shopping facilities, eastwards towards Malton, Scarborough, Whitby, Bridlington and Filey.
There are the rolling Yorkshire Wolds to the south and the dramatic North Yorkshire Moors National Park to the north. The market town of Pickering is the southern end of the North York Moors Railway from Grosmont and Flamingo Land is also a very popular theme park between Malton and Pickering.
