With countryside as far as the eye can see, the possibilities for …
With two National Parks, the North York Moors and the Yorkshire Dales, two Areas of Outstanding Natural Beauty and a stunning coastline, North Yorkshire[1] has all of the natural ingredients to enjoy the great outdoors.
North Yorkshire’s natural retreats are in abundance – stunning peaks, lush valleys, rugged moorland and gentle rolling hills and here are some ideas to get out and about.
Explore on foot
North Yorkshire has an abundance of scenic walking routes including Malham (Image: YDNPA Stephen Garnett)
One of the best ways to discover the North Yorkshire Coast, the North York Moors and the Yorkshire Dales is by foot. There are a number of recognised long-distance routes which crisscross the county, including the Coast to Coast and The Pennine Way.
As part of the celebrations of His Majesty King Charles III, the England Coast Path has now been renamed the King Charles III England Coast Path. When complete the path will cover 2,700 miles and will be fully walkable by the end of 2024. The latest section was opened in Filey in May connecting Easington, East Yorkshire to Filey and the Cleveland Way coastal section.
In terms of 360’ walks, Sutton Bank was a favourite of James Herriot author, Alf White, and is often described as the ‘Finest View in England’. Alfred Wainwright preferred Clay Bank on the 109-mile Cleveland Way, which starts in Helmsley, crosses the heather moorland of the North York Moors National Park and snakes its way up the rugged beauty of the Yorkshire coast, ending in Filey.
You’ll be walking through history with every step, in one of Britain’s most important archaeological landscapes. Discover fossil hunting on the ‘Dinosaur Coast’, like Boggle Hole and Cayton Bay; mysterious ancient trackways with standing stones as lonely guides; and iconic castles and abbeys – like Rievaulx or Whitby – with historic walks in between.
Blakey Ridge and Danby Beacon along the Esk Valley Walk will take your breath away, while the Hole of Horcum is legendary. Discover more[2]. In Selby, there are lots of great walks including Skipwith Common, Towton Battlefield, and Barlow Common. Discover more here[3]. Visitors to North Yorkshire are expected and encouraged to follow the Countryside Code[4].
Explore on two wheels
Cycling in North Yorkshire is one of the most enjoyable ways to explore (Image: Russell Burton/NYMNP)
On two wheels is a great way to explore North Yorkshire. The county offers gentle rides, steep climbs and everything in between. Back in 2014, Yorkshire hosted the first stage of the Grand Depart of the Tour de France. The event put Yorkshire on the road cycling map. Since then, the Tour de Yorkshire[5] and the Tour of Britain[6] have been through parts of North Yorkshire and have showcased exceptional routes to explore North Yorkshire.
Across the North York Moors, there are many miles of country roads, bridleways, forest tracks and disused railway lines, as well as three dedicated cycling centres: Dalby Forest, Sutton Bank and Great Fryup Dale.
The National Park also has the Moor to Sea Cycle Network, which features 150 miles to explore. Route 1 of the network is a quiet off-road route on the coast, the Scarborough to Whitby Cinder Track, an old railway line, which used to operate along the Yorkshire Coast from 1885 until 1965. It’s a 21.7-mile walk or cycle route and takes you through stunning scenery, from Whitby, through beautiful Robin Hood’s Bay and Ravenscar to Scarborough. On a sunny day, you will see for miles! Discover more here.[7]
Over in the Yorkshire Dales, the Roman and mining tracks across the fells mean there is no shortage of suitable routes. Visitors can stay at the Dales Bike Centre. If you’re after more challenging road routes, try the Yorkshire Dales Cycleway, a superb but challenging 130-mile circular route visiting most of the major dales across the Yorkshire Dales National Park. And The Swale Trail is a family-friendly cycle trail in the Yorkshire Dales. Discover more.[8]
If you fancy something longer and a bit of a challenge the Way of the Roses coast-to-coast cycle route is 170 miles between Morecambe and Bridlington, cutting right through the heart of North Yorkshire.
For the mountain bikers, the county has been popular with off-road mountain biking since the sport took off and the Nidderdale Classic is an all-weather mountain biking classic.
Nature and forest trails
Fountains Abbey & Studley Royal Water Garden is fantastic for walks and each season brings its own unique delights to see (Image: Charlotte Gale)
On the Yorkshire Coast, encounter spectacular marine wildlife, with some of Europe’s richest fishing seas attracting whales and dolphins, and a bountiful shoreline perfect for rock-pooling (and food-foraging). It’s also one of the best places in Britain to spot seabirds, with over 250,000 flocking to the coast each year – including the irresistible puffin! Discover more.[9]
Bempton Cliffs Nature Reserve over in East Yorkshire is the most accessible seabird colony in the UK, also home to guillemots, razorbills and kittiwakes. It’s accessible and has viewing points. Other places to see wonderful wildlife include Skipwith Common, Skylark Centre and Nature Reserve at Drax and RSPB Fairburn Ings.
If you fancy some time out at sea, Whitby Coastal Cruises run some great boat trips for whale watching. There’s also a huge nod to responsible tourism along the coast with visitors being reminded of the marine responsible watching guidance. Discover more.[10][11]
North Yorkshire also boasts two International Dark-Sky Reserves from which to enjoy the beauty of the cosmos. The North York Moors National Park and the Yorkshire Dales National Park International Dark Skies Reserves are two of only 21 in the world. They both became International Dark Sky Reserves in December 2020 and, at 3,615 square kilometres, together form the largest region of protected night skies in the UK. Discover more here.[12]
At Scar House & Angram Reservoirs, the very top of Nidderdale, there are ground nesting birds enjoying the surrounding moorland, and the shallow banks of the lake provide feeding grounds for wading birds and waterfowl. As well as the call of the skylark, the call of oystercatchers can often be heard overhead.
Several birds of prey call Upper Nidderdale home, including buzzard, red kite, but also the rarer merlin and hen harrier. Red squirrels are an increasingly rare sight in England, however, if you are in The Yorkshire Dales try the Snaizeholme Red Squirrel Trail. Red squirrels can also be seen at the Yorkshire Arboretum in the Howardian Hills AONB. Discover more.[13]
World Heritage site Fountains Abbey & Studley Royal Water Garden is especially striking in the summer. There are easy, accessible walks around the estate that take you around the abbey ruins and water gardens, with their follies and statues. Enjoy a day out at the beautiful RHS Garden Harlow Carr in Harrogate, and Thorp Perrow Arboretum near Bedale boasts one of the finest collections of rare, notable and historic trees in the North of England.
And if you are looking for some inspiring nature trails, Dalby the Great Yorkshire Forest is situated on the southern slopes of The North York Moors and offers more than 8,000 acres of woodland to explore including plenty of waymarked trails for all abilities. Are you up for a Treetop Challenge? Go Ape! at Dalby Forest and Ripon Treetop Nets could be the place to visit. High ropes and zip wires will test your limits in the glorious wilderness.
Outdoor pursuits and activity centres
Scarborough and the rest of the North Yorkshire Coast are popular with paddleboarders, wakeboarders, and kayakers
The Yorkshire Coast is one of the UK’s top locations for water sports, with a passion for exhilarating adventure on the high seas – thanks to a tradition of sea-faring swashbucklers from Vikings and pirates, to the world’s greatest explorer, Captain Cook.
Surfing is a firm favourite in Scarborough as well as Cayton Bay and Whitby. You can also try a host of other activities including paddleboarding or if you need some speed – jet skiing! The coastline is also a firm favourite with wakeboarders and kayakers.
Canoeing is popular on the upland rivers of The Yorkshire Dales. Windsurfing and sailing take place on several stretches of open water including Semerwater.
North Yorkshire Water Park, at Wykeham Lakes near Scarborough, is home to one of the largest watersport lakes in North Yorkshire where a whole host of activities is on offer and the park is wheelchair accessible.
How Stean Gorge specialises in outdoor pursuits, group activities and team-building days, in Nidderdale ANOB and Harrogate Climbing Centre has 65 climbing lines and two dedicated bouldering areas for all levels. For more inspiration click here.[14]
Getting to North Yorkshire
North Yorkshire is one of the UK’s premier holiday destinations and is easily accessible by rail, coach, bus and car. There are train stations at the main towns of Northallerton, Thirsk, Harrogate, Scarborough, Whitby, Filey, Malton, Skipton and Selby, acting as gateways into the surrounding countryside. Travelling by heritage railway lines is also a great way to see the great outdoors and travel – North Yorkshire Moors Railway, Embsay & Bolton Abbey Steam Railway, Wensleydale Railway and the Settle to Carlisle route – these lines cut through many miles of magnificent North Yorkshire scenery with opportunities to hop on and off to explore the surrounding countryside.
The area is well served by National Express, while the Yorkshire Coastliner connects Leeds and York with Malton and Scarborough, with the scenic 840 route connecting Pickering, Goathland and Whitby. There are also the seasonal services, Dalesbus and Moorsbus that transport visitors into and around the two National Parks. Once you’re here, North Yorkshire has a good network of rail and bus routes, serving many of the main towns and villages (if you don’t want to get out on those walking and cycling trails!)
References
- ^ North Yorkshire (noplacelikenorthyorkshire.co.uk)
- ^ more (www.northyorkmoors.org.uk)
- ^ here (exploreheartofyorkshire.co.uk)
- ^ Countryside Code (www.gov.uk)
- ^ Tour de Yorkshire (letour.yorkshire.com)
- ^ Tour of Britain (www.tourofbritain.co.uk)
- ^ here. (www.northyorkmoors.org.uk)
- ^ more. (www.yorkshiredales.org.uk)
- ^ more. (www.discoveryorkshirecoast.com)
- ^ responsible watching (www.gov.uk)
- ^ more. (www.discoveryorkshirecoast.com)
- ^ here. (www.darkskiesnationalparks.org.uk)
- ^ more. (www.yorkshiredales.org.uk)
- ^ here. (www.discoveryorkshirecoast.com)