Whitby Abbey
Dramatic Gothic ruin on the East Cliff that inspired Bram Stoker's Dracula.
North York Moors National Park & Coast
Heather, coast, steam and stone.
Five hundred square miles of purple moorland, wooded dales, ruined abbeys, steam railways and a coastline of fishing villages and fossil beaches. Come and see it for yourself.
Start here
What kind of day are you after?
Don't miss
All places
Highlights of the moors
Rievaulx Abbey
One of the most complete and beautiful Cistercian abbeys in England, in a wooded valley near Helmsley.
North Yorkshire Moors Railway
Eighteen miles of heritage steam railway from Pickering through Newton Dale to Grosmont and Whitby.
Roseberry Topping
The distinctive mini-Matterhorn peak on the northern edge of the moors, with huge views for a short climb.
Sutton Bank and the National Park Centre
James Herriot called this the finest view in England. Easy walks, cycle hire and a cafe on the escarpment edge.
Hole of Horcum
A vast natural amphitheatre in the moors, said to have been scooped out by the giant Wade.
On foot
Walks for every pair of legs
From a flat lap of a reservoir to the 109-mile Cleveland Way, with waterfalls, ridges, abbeys and pubs along the way. Every route here has distance, time and a difficulty rating so you can pick one that suits.
Browse the walksRoseberry Topping circular
Short, steep and hugely rewarding: the classic climb to the moors' most recognisable summit.
Hole of Horcum and Levisham Moor
A full circuit of the great amphitheatre with views into Newton Dale and a possible steam train below.
Where to base yourself
All places to stay
Towns and villages
Through the year
When to visit
A place for every season
Spring
Wild daffodils in Farndale, lambs on the greens, bluebells under Roseberry Topping.
Summer
Steam trains, long evenings on the coast and the heather turning purple in August.
Autumn
Steam galas, agricultural shows, golden bracken and Goth Weekend at Halloween.
Winter
Dark skies, empty beaches, open fires and the Plough Stots dancing in Goathland.
What's on
All events
Coming up
25–27 Sep 2026
NYMR Autumn Steam Gala
Intensive weekend of steam with visiting locomotives, freight trains and late-running services.
30 Oct – 1 Nov 2026
Whitby Goth Weekend (autumn)
Twice-yearly gathering of goths, steampunks and Victorian costume in Dracula's town, with the Halloween edition the bigger of the two.
Sat 16 Jan 2027
Goathland Plough Stots
Long sword dancers in traditional dress tour the village on the Saturday after Plough Monday.
12–28 Feb 2027
North York Moors Dark Skies Festival
Fortnight of stargazing, night walks, astro-photography and talks celebrating the National Park's International Dark Sky Reserve status.
“The finest view in England.”James Herriot, on Sutton Bank
See it all on the map
Every place, walk and village on this site plotted on one map, so you can see what is close to where you are staying.
Open the map