Places to visit in the North York Moors

At the market town of Pickering, the gateway to the North York Moors, start your adventure by climbing aboard the heritage North Yorkshire Moors Railway. Its trains travel north to the village of Grosmont, where you can disembark to check out its heritage station and tuck into coffee and cake in the Grosmont Tea Room.

Boarding the train once again, your next stop is Goathland Station – the famous Harry Potter train station, which starred as Hogsmeade Station in the first movie. Goathland is also famous for appearing in the TV show Heartbeat, and is a pretty village to wander around. Alternatively, you can reach Goathland Station by walking the Rail Trail.

From Goathland Station, take the 2.7 mile circular walk to Mallyan Spout waterfall which, at 21m high, is the tallest waterfall in the North York Moors. Returning to the station, catch the train back to Pickering.

Next, explore another of the top natural attractions in Yorkshire – Dalby Forest. You can walk or cycle its 8,500 acres, or swing through the treetops on its Go Ape high ropes course. It’s also a designated Dark Sky Discovery Site and runs guided stargazing sessions.

The North York Moors is full of fabulous places to stay and eat, and one of its top spots is The Abbey Inn overlooking Byland Abbey. Check in to the 19th Century pub with rooms; it’s helmed by chef Tommy Banks, who also runs the nearby Michelin-starred The Black Swan. One of the top foodie attractions in Yorkshire.

Begin the day with one of the most popular walks in the North York Moors, around Rosedale Abbey village – in the middle of the National Park. The whole circuit is 7.4 miles (12km); if you’d prefer a lie-in, stick to the beautiful village – before tucking into coffee and cake in one of its tea rooms. Proof that you don’t have to break the bank to enjoy the unique attractions in Yorkshire!

Walk or drive to the famous Lion Inn, high on Blakey Ridge. This 16th Century pub with rooms sits on the highest point of the North York Moors, with far-reaching views of Rosedale and Farndale valleys. For foodies, it’s one of the top places to visit in the North York Moors.

Craving wild attractions in Yorkshire? Depending on the time of year of your visit, join a foraging workshop to get you closer to nature – the National Park’s best attraction. From a mushroom-hunting masterclass at The Yorkshire Arboretum to a wild food walk, you can take your pick from a wide range of hands-on foodie experiences.

The North York Moors is full of great self-catering options, but one of the most memorable places to stay is The Lazy T – a luxury glamping eco-retreat near Rievaulx. Stay in one of its deluxe cabins or dome tents, and switch off in comfort.

The North York Moors is an International Dark Sky Reserve, with dazzling star-filled night skies. Tonight, swap your screens for stargazing: can you spot the Milky Way? For where to go and what to see, check the national park’s guide to local stargazing.

Visit one of the most popular attractions in Yorkshire: the ruins of Rievaulx Abbey. This former monastery is an English Heritage site, and the romantic ruins of the abbey – founded in 1132 – have inspired countless artists and writers. You’ll be following in the footsteps of everyone from J.M.W. Turner to William Wordsworth.

From Rievaulx Abbey, take the Rievaulx Loop walk – a 2.3-mile (3.7km), one-hour hike through the countryside, which has beautiful views and enviable social media snaps of the Abbey. This is one of a series of lovely new walks created as part of a Ryevitalise scheme around the River Rye, one of the top places to visit in the North York Moors.

After all that exercise, head to the foodie market town of Helmsley – to walk its charming streets and stop for lunch at one of its many cafés. For something fancier, head to another top attraction in Yorkshire: the Michelin-starred pub, The Star Inn, at Harome.

Heading south from the National Park, take a drive down to the Howardian Hills National Landscape for yet more beautiful views and walks. If you’re visiting over summer, stop at one of the top attractions in the area: the Yorkshire Lavender farm. This purple-hued paradise has scent-sational photo opportunities.

End your trip with a tour of one of the top attractions in Yorkshire: Castle Howard. Visit the magnificent house, which has appeared on film in everything from Brideshead Revisited to Bridgerton, and explore its 1,000 acres of parkland, gardens and woodlands.