While off the regular tourist track, attractions - both historical and scenic - are at your doorstep: York, Durham, castles, ruined abbeys, stately homes, gardens, and a wealth of charming little market towns and pretty villages dotted across North Yorkshire.

Moors & Dales

		Nearby is the North York Moors National Park, offering some of the finest landscapes in Britain: a stunning expanse of moorland heather, picturesque villages, secluded beaches and dramatic coastal scenery.

.	A short drive away is the Yorkshire Dales National Park, displaying some of the most majestic scenery in the world: rolling patchwork valleys and some of the finest upland scenery in the country with stone-built villages, flower-filled meadows, high fells, and woodland scattered with stone barns, dry-stone walls and waterfalls.
	The Durham Dales, stunningly beautiful, among the highest, wildest and finest scenery in England, and part of the North Pennines Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty. Characteristic dry-stone walls, picturesque field barns and green meadows.
	The Northumberland National Park, England’s most tranquil place, with dramatic hills and sheltered valleys stretching from Hadrian's Wall to the Scottish border.
	The Lake District with breathtaking mountain scenery, sparkling lakes, countless attractive villages and hamlets, and rugged peaks soaring above beautiful valleys and lakes.
	Bronte Country, with the wild and windy moors of the West Yorkshire Pennines, the setting of Emily Bronte’s Wuthering Heights.

Towns & Villages

You’ll find a wealth of charming little market towns and pretty villages dotted all over North Yorkshire.

		Nearby are Stokesley and Great Ayton, with Georgian and Regency frontages and characteristic bridges over the river Leven, flowing gracefully through the village. Close by is the small picturesque town of Yarm, with its tall terraced houses, exclusive boutiques and up-market shops on a wide cobbled street voted as the UK's best High Street by BBC Breakfast viewers. Gracefully nestling in a loop of the river Tees, it is set in picturesque surroundings by the idyllic river.
		While away your time in the many and varied pretty villages all over the Moors, for example near to hand – pretty Osmotherley, or further afield – charming Helmsley, Old Byland and fascinating Hutton-Le-Hole
		Further over, you'll find quaint fishing villages, attractive cobbled streets and sandy bays at Robin Hood's Bay, Staithes, Runswick Bay and Sandsend. And then there's Whitby, with its winding cobbled streets and quaint shops and restaurants, not to mention Whitby Abbey and the Dracula museum. Higher up the coast is Saltburn-by-the-Sea, with its Victorian pier (winner of the NPS Pier of the Year Award in 2009), as well as one of the world's oldest water-powered cliff lifts.

		History and culture aplenty await you in magnificent York, less than an hour away. Outstanding architecture and 2000 years of history combine with bustling shopping streets and numerous award–winning attractions. With over 30 museums, galleries and tours to choose from, you can enjoy York whatever the season. Among the numerous historical attractions are its world-famous Minster, which is the largest Gothic cathedral in northern Europe, the City Walls, and the famous Shambles – a narrow cobbled street with fine shops and cafes along its length, Europe’s most visited street. The various ghost hunts and tours are an experience in themselves. Never heard of Betty's Tea Rooms? A treat awaits you!

An hour in the other direction is Durham, offering a stunning visual and architectural experience. It is home to one of Britain's first World Heritage sites – Durham Cathedral and Castle. The narrow, winding medieval streets of the city centre and Victorian markets sit perfectly beside the modern shopping and cinema complexes, while the attractive riverbanks offer a peaceful retreat from the bustling city streets.

And then there’s Richmond, with its town’s medieval cobbles and fine market place, described as the most romantic town in the North of England; Thirsk, with the original home and surgery of the famous vet James Herriott; Harrogate, an elegant spa town, famous for its tea shops, flower shows and Turkish baths – England's oldest spa water; Ripon with its magnificent cathedral, medieval streets, filled with fascinating shops and homely tearooms, not to mention the Hornblower sounding his horn to ‘set the watch’ guaranteeing city residents their safety for the night. We could go on and on.

History & Heritage

Cathedrals
	York Minster in the city of York	Durham Cathedral in the city of Durham
Abbeys & Monasteries
	Mount Grace Priory near Osmotherley	Rievaulx Abbey not far from Helmsley	Byland Abbey not far from Helmsley
	Whitby Abbey overlooking the town of Whitby	Fountains Abbey beyond Ripon	Studley Royal Water Garden beyond Ripon
	Richmond Castle above the town of Richmond	Raby Castle beyond Darlington in County Durham (visitor attraction of the year in 2006)	Durham Castle in the city of Durham
	Jervaulx Abbey beyond Bedale	Bolton Castle just past Leyburn
Historic Houses & Gardens
	Sion Hill Hall between Thirsk and Northallerton	Millgate House beyond Richmond	Shandy Hall between Thirsk and Helmsley
	Sutton Park Stately Home & Gardens between Thirsk and York	Helmsley Walled Garden ust outside Helmsley	Duncombe Park not far from Helmsley Walled Garden
	Kiplin Hall on the way to Richmond	Newby Hall & Gardens not far from Ripon	Castle Howard between Helmsley and York
	Beningbrough Hall & Gardens near York	Royal Horticultural Society Garden Harlow Carr just beyond Harrogate

Walks & Drives

The hills and dales of the North York Moors and the Yorkshire Dales provide a wealth of opportunities for delightful walks and drives. You'll find plenty of ideas in the cottage to inspire you.

A further recommended source of simple-to-follow walks, compiled from the author's own experience, is Happy Hiker This website also provides GPS downloads and gives basic advice on a variety of walking issues. All absolutely free.

Exploring by Bus

There is a comprehensive bus network throughout the region, not only linking main towns but also a series of local buses, varying in services, not to mention the Moorsbus Network operating in the North York Moors during the summer months. Details can be found on the following websites:
http://www.northyorkstravel.info/bus.html
http://countrygoer.org/nymoors.htm
http://visitnorthyorkshiremoors.co.uk

Exploring by Train

A perfect starting point for a day out, a visit to the North Yorkshire Moors Railway is like taking a step back in time. Steam trains run several days a week during the summer months between Whitby, Grosmont, Goathland ("Aidensfield") and Pickering. Goathland's station features in the recent Harry Potter films as Hogworts station.
The ESK Valley line, operated by Northern Rail, also deserves a special mention. This is widely considered to be one of the hidden gems of the British railway network. It offers a succession of constant surprises and stunning views along its 36 mile run to and from the traditional Yorkshire fishing port of Whitby.

During the summer months there are special evening music trains on the Esk Valley Railway. Information boards at most stations give details of local facilities and walks. Details can also be found on the following websites:
for the Esk Valley: http://www.eskvalleyrailway.co.uk/
for the North Yorkshire Moors Railway: http://www.nymr.co.uk/

Other attractions...

The World of James Herriot, at Thirsk, where you can visit the original home and surgery of the famous vet and relive the TV series 'All Creatures Great and Small' in three studio sets.

Thorp Perrow Arboretum, just south of Bedale, with Woodland Garden and Falconry Centre.

Captain Cook Country, where you can go on a journey of discovery following the life of Britain's most famous seaman and explorer.

Mouseman Visitor Centre, Learn about the life and work of the 'Mouseman of Kilburn', world famous furniture maker and wood carver. Find the famous mouse, past and present, in the beautifully restored village joiner's shop.

Preston Hall Museum, set in magnificent parkland. Explore the domestic life of the past, see a recreation of a typical Victorian street, and much more besides.

and many, many more (see also information in the cottage) .....

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