What to see in the North Yorkshire Moors area

If it's space and a place to breathe then the North York Moors is a grand place to be - open your arms wide, breathe in the clear air, stretch as far as you can, survey the vast stretch of purple heathered moorland and know that all is well - for now anyway.

The steam railway crosses these moors from Grosmont to Pickering, with a station at Goathland, the popular 'Aidensfield' of the 'Heartbeat' TV series. North York Moors Railway: Web

Don't be spooked by the huge golf balls in the middle of nowhere - its only Fylingdales, part of our defence listening system.

Rievaulx Abbey:

3 miles northwest of Helmsley. One of the largest and finest Cistercian abbeys in England. Certainly a suitable rival to Fountains Abbey. It was founded in 1132 and was the first large Cistercian church built in England.

Rievaulx Abbey

For an an interesting historical tour of Rievaulx take a look at this web site and web

Following the Norman Conquest (1066) a multitude of continental monastic orders, Benedictine, Augustinian and Cistercians moved in. Their influence in the north was slower than in other parts, and it was the strict Cistercians who really came into their own in the county, making Rievaulx the centre of their order in England.

On your way over the moors there are lots of small villages to stop and take a peek at:

Lund: Situated at the side of the B1248, Lund is a picturesque village settled around the village green. There now stands on the green an old water pump and stone trough filled with flowers which forms a focal point on the green as well as being a permanent reminder of days gone by.

Pickering; Pickering is a market town at the centre of Ryedale. It has many historical buildings including castle ruins dating back to the 11th Century which were used by King Henry I to found the hunting grounds in Pickering forest. Between 1100 and 1400, almost every monarch spent some time in Pickering Castle to enjoy the hunting grounds. Not so fortunate was Richard II (d1399) who stayed as a prisoner on his way to Pontefract and death. It is said to be one of the oldest towns in the area dating back to 270BC founded by Peredurus - King of the Brigantes. The Church of St Peter and St Paul, contains some remarkable 15th century murals.

Byland Abbey - Ryedale "The order of monks who founded Byland was that of Savigny, a reforming branch of Benedictines. They first set out from the mother abbey at Furness in Cumbria and after several wandering and fruitless journeys, and a rather unchristian dispute with the Abbot back at Furness, they came to Byland in Ryedale."

Pocklington: "Fold upon fold of the encircling hills, piled rich and golden." wrote the noted local writer Winifred Holtby in describing this landscape that she loved so much. For the Wolds Way and Pocklington Sceneic Ride and more ideas for routes through this treasured area try

Castle Howard: If you saw (or even read) Brideshead Revisited then you may be interested to see the 300 year old house where this was filmed. It's on the A64 to Whitby. Web

Originally dating back to the reign of William the Conqueror, the site itself, is thought to have been occupied as far back as the bronze age, when the legendary 3 massive stone monoliths dating from 2000-1500BC. known as "The Devil's Arrows" were placed in a row on the edge of the present town; the last of which is taller than anything at Stonehenge! The largest is 30ft high. The bridge built over the River Ure formed an important link between Edinburgh and London and so the town became a natural coaching post. For history buffs this could be an interesting diversionary link Web

Thirsk is a small market town located within the Vale of York. Its prettiest feature is the cobbled market square. By the eighteenth century Thirsk had developed into an important coaching stop at the centre of a crossroads and was noted for its many coaching inns. Two old inns in Thirsk still in existence are the eighteenth century Three Tuns and Golden Fleece which sit almost opposite each other in the market square. Of course Thirsk is the town where the famous author of the James Herriot books, and TV series 'All Creatures Great & Small' had his practice. The house featured in the film was actually in Askrigg (see Wensleydale). Thirsk is also well known for horse racing. The church of St Mary's was begun in 1430 and completed in in the sixteenth century - a rather spectacular perpendicular church.

Thornton le Dale: Thornton le Dale was voted prettiest village in Yorkshire in the 1920s and 30s '. It is still regarded as the prettiest village in Yorkshire by many. With a population of 2000 it is likely to stay that way. There is a very pretty beck (stream) that runs through the heart of the village and the Christmas lights are a delight.

Malton: Malton has a population of over 4000 and has been the historic centre of Ryedale since Roman times. Old Malton is worth stopping at. It has ancient stone houses and quaint dwellings in the centre of which stands the most beautiful Gilbertine Priory in use in England - St Mary's. The building of a Norman Castle near to the river crossing encouraged the growth of a second town, the modern day Malton. For a closer look at Malton try this site Web

Whitby lies twenty miles north of Scarborough. Its importance rests on the venue of the River Esk as a haven for shipping. The town dates back to Roman times, when a signal station is believed to have been built here. Its history really began just over 1300 years ago, with the founding of the original abbey by King Oswy of Northumberland which overlooks Whitby. Benedictine monks served this community until it was finally closed down by Henry VIII in 1539. The first monastery was laid waste by Viking raiders in the 9th century, and then rebuilt shortly after the Norman Conquest.

The old town of Whitby huddles at the foot of the church stairs - the famous 199 steps that connect the parish church on the cliff top to the town below. Narrow alleyways lead down to the harbour.

In Grape Lane, can be found the Captain Cook museum. In 1746 the house belonged to Captain John Walker, a ship owner whose vessels carried coal from the Tyne to the Thames. It was in this year that he took on an apprentice, the 17-year-old James Cook. Captain Cook, was of course killed during a violent quarrel on the beach at Kealakekue Bay, following the theft of a boat from "The Discovery". Captain Cook's monument sits on West Cliff near to the famous whalebone arch. Whaling was an important industry to Whitby.

Scarborough: An old-fashioned seaside town - not big enough to get lost in but if you fancy a bit of candyfloss and seaside flavour then you could stop here. A castle stands proudly overlooking Scarborough and a generous walk can be had along the promenade.

Robin Hoods Bay: Up the coast from Scarborough is a wonderful old fishing village at the end of the Coast to Coast walk. Park your car at the car park on the top of the hill and have loads of fun meandering (and quite possibly getting lost!) in and out of the maze of old cobbled streets. Think of the number of smugglers who passed this way in time gone by. Robin Hood's Bay originally started out as a fishing village in the 1500's. It is a popular diving spot hosting wrecks from the first world war, including the wreck of "The Wallsend" which was sunk by a German U-Boat in 1918