Accessible places to visit in the North York Moors

Dalby Forest sprawls across the heart of the North York Moors National Park. You can easily whizz around some of the 8,500 acres on an adaptive bike picked up from the helpful Dalby Forest Cycle Hub. There’s a wide range, including the ICE Recumbent Trike, with an electric assist meaning accessible routes can be easily followed.

For a trip back in time, ride the North Yorkshire Moors steam train. Board a handsome steam locomotive at the step-free station at Pickering - there’s a ramp to board the pullman carriage. You’ll travel through unspoilt countryside to coastal Whitby, indulging in cream teas as you go. Despite the history of the railway dating back to 1832, the accessible carriage is surprisingly spacious and easy to navigate by electric wheelchair.

Jutting dramatically against the coastal skyline, Whitby Abbey is the stuff of gothic legends including Bram Stoker's creepy character, Count Dracula. Despite the cliff-top setting, it has never been easier for disabled visitors to get around the revamped site. Whitby Abbey disabled access includes the main entrance leading to a lift to access the first-floor museum and ruins.

The crowd-pleasing fish and chips dished up at Trenchers Restaurant in Whitby draws hungry diners from around Yorkshire and beyond. Set by the seafront, there's also a booth for takeaways if you want to defy local seagulls' interest in your scampi or skate. Trenchers won the Best Independent Fish & Chip Restaurant in the UK at the 2019 Fish & Chip Awards. The good-looking venue has level access.

You've earned a special place to stay and that's the Inn on the Moor in scenic Goathland. Prepare for plump pillows, earthy colours and rich textures, which combine with roaring log fires to create spaces you'll struggle to leave. Accessible ground-floor bedrooms with adjoining wet rooms and rural views tick every box. Menus feature fresh, locally sourced comfort dishes such as the fish-finger bomb with beer-battered cod goujons and classic Yorkshire pudding and gravy.

Yorkshire-born and bred vet-turned-author James Herriot declared the view from Sutton Bank over the Vale of York and Mowbray the finest in England. The high spot is home to miles of easy-access paths explored by Tramper; two routes, both with cliff-top views, so prepare to be wowed. If the fresh air makes you hungry, refuel with smashed avocado toast and ethically sourced coffee at Park Life Café.

Grassy Rievaulx Terrace above the magnificent ruins of Rievaulx Abbey at Ryedale is a special place for a picnic of local goodies in any season. Admire the wildflowers in spring, grassy lawns in summer and richly coloured beech woods in autumn. The idyllic spot includes a temple at each end. There’s level access from the car park to an entrance at the side of the visitor centre; manual wheelchairs for hire and accessible toilets.

Part of the North York Moors National Park, Helmsley Walled Gardens date back to 1759. herbaceous borders and 100 varieties of apples are visible from mobility aids along the gravel pathways. The Vine House Café has level access and a seasonal menu with feta and green bean frittata and freshly baked scones. If time, slide by Helmsley itself, a charming market town lined with sandstone buildings housing galleries and top-notch restaurants.

Step back in time at Ryedale Folk Museum in the very pretty village of Hutton-le-Hole. The open-air collection of North York Moors buildings spans an iron-age forge, a medieval manor house to a well-stocked 1950’s village store. There’s an on-line accessible guide detailing how all buildings have ground floor access, manual wheelchairs and three mobility (motorised) scooters (free of charge).

After dark, the Danby Lodge National Park Centre along the banks of the River Esk at Danby is a top spot for stargazing with wheelchair-accessible paths. It’s an official Dark Sky Discovery Site, meaning on clear nights you can make out the Milky Way without using a telescope. There’s level access and Tramper and wheelchair hire available.