The North York Moors

I could write all day about why I love this village and all the many things you can do without even getting in a car, if you enjoy walking, you could set out on a different route every day of the week. 

Head to our dedicated page “Walk with us” to see our suggested routes in the village. 

Once you have worked up an appetite, you have a few different options for sustenance. 

Next door to us is the Mallyan Hotel, who serve bar meals and food in their restaurant 7 days a week. They also have the Coach House café which serves lighter bites. Both have outdoor seating, which on a fine day is glorious. When we were first opening up, lots of people asked “what do they think next door of your plans” and I am pleased to say, that Nicky, Stuart and Kay are great friends of ours – and I used to actually babysit all their 5 children every Saturday night back in my teenage days, so we are lucky to have such fantastic neighbours.  

We often find ourselves on our day off heading down to the village tea room for a lunch we don’t have to cook ourselves. Sheila runs a very welcoming and well stocked tea room, which serves breakfast, lunch and cakes. They have plenty of indoor seating (open fire in winter) and have a wonderful garden out the back with a small pond, and views over the fields. 

Once in the centre of the village, which is about 10 minutes walk from us, there is a row of shops, including village Post Office which also has a great selection of store cupboard items, so this is the place to go if you need cooking supplies, newspapers, stamps, along with lots of lovely gifts and vegan friendly products.  

The North Yorkshire Moors Steam Railway is around 20 minutes walk from us. Take a stroll down and if you’re lucky you will see the trains passing through, the timetable does changes seasonally so best to visit their website for up to date information. Once down there, you can visit the café for refreshments and either sit inside the old engine shed, or sit on one of the many benches outside. There is also a gift shop and toilets.  

If you like proper ales and quaint pubs, then you have to get down to Beckhole and visit the Birch Hall Inn. One of the smallest pubs in the UK, this place has all the charm in the world. Two small bar areas are separated by a little sweet shop. During the warmer months they also have a lovely beer garden overlooking the river. Worth noting they only take cash, and opening hours vary. Find them on facebook to check current opening times.  

We are really fortunate in Goathland to have a thriving community with lots going on all throughout the year. There are a few places to check for events if you are planning a visit: 

• Goathland Community Hut – Situated by the cricket pitch, this space hosts various weekly events such as our village library, along with a new wellbeing offering with all sorts of therapies soon to be available. There is also a fairly frequent stream of one off gigs, arts, and functions.  

• If you use social media, there are various Facebook groups to search for that have been set up for news, search for “Goathland Village” “Goathland Village News” “Goathland Community Hub – The Hut” 

• The North York Moors National Park website is also a fantastic place for searching for events happening in the area, along with more walks and places to visit. 

A favourite day out of mine, is walking to Grosmont along the old railway line, which will take you around 1.5 hours depending on pace. There are benches along the way if you want to sit and soak up the scenery. When you arrive, the footpath comes out just by the train station and right next to the Old School Coffee Shop. Their outdoor seating is the perfect spot to sit and watch the trains go by, or if you want to get cosy head inside where they have a woodburning stove on the cooler days, and cosy corners to enjoy your coffees. 

Down the road and into the village, pop in to the Geall Gallery, home to Chris Geall a local landscape oil painter, who also showcases other guest artists.  

There are a handful of other independent shops to browse before either heading back along the rail trail, or if you want a quicker route home, why not get the train back along the North Yorkshire Moors railway.  

Whitby is an ancient and beautiful sea port, surrounded by the magnificent countryside of the North York Moors National Park. Explore the Heritage Coast, to discover quaint fishing villages such as Staithes and Robin Hood’s Bay clinging to the steep cliffs to the north and south of Whitby. 

Lovely beaches, the harbour, arcades, lots of cafes and shops, Whitby Abbey, leisure centre with swimming pool. 

Getting there: 

Coastliner bus – we are fortunate to have a bus that services the village and the bus stop is right outside the Homestead. To check the current timetable please visit their website. The bus to Whitby takes around 20 minutes. The best place to get off is down at the bus station in the centre of town, and from here you can explore this bustling seaside town.  

Train – During the peak season you can also get a train from the North Yorkshire Moors Steam Railway in Goathland over to Whitby. For times and prices please visit their website directly.  

If you want to immerse yourself in the history of the town, you have a few options.  

Make your way towards the famous 199 steps and visit Whitby Abbey. Another favourite place for some peace and quiet can be found within Pannett Park, where you have beautiful open outdoor spaces to explore, along with a great children’s play area, and Whitby Museum. 

Once you’ve taken in the sights from up on the clifftops, make your way back down and via the cobbled streets stopping at a few fantastic independent shops:  

Honeyz for homemade soaps 

Furbellow and co for an excellent selection of home and gifts, and they even have an onsite barber 

Sandy seahorse sell gorgeous homewares 

Whitby yard sell sustainably made clothing 

You can’t go to the seaside without having fish and chips, and Whitby has no shortage of options! Here are just a few of our suggestions. 

Royal fisheries – 48 Baxtergate 

Hadley’s – 11 Bridge Street  

Robertson’s – 6-7 Bridge street – good options for vegan and gluten free diets 

If you find yourself walking down as far as Sandsend, you should also check out The Fish Cottage. It does get busy in Summer, but definitely worth it!  

If you are looking to dodge the batter and find something more like coffee and a light bite, here are a few suggestions: 

Sanders yard bistro, Church street 

Mr Coopers Coffee House, 72 Church Street  

Jet black jewel, No.10 Skinner street, serving breakfast, brunches and lunches their menus are inspired by Whitby’s rich history of folklore, legends, and tales.  

Rusty Shears – indoor and outdoor seating, excellent coffee and gin! They serve breakfast, brunch and lunch. 

Beckett’s – 9 Skinner Street. Famous for it’s excellent selection of soups, cakes, and Beckaninnis!  

Botham’s – a true Whitby business, family owned for many years. The most incredible cream cakes, biscuits, pasties, and more. They also do filled Stotties (big bread buns!). They have 2 cafes/shops in Whitby, one on Skinner Street and the other on Baxtergate. 

If you do have a car with you, why not also venture a few miles out of town and visit Falling Foss Tea Garden. Delicious, honest, homemade treats served in the heart of an ancient forest beside a stunning waterfall. It’s a rustic, outdoor setting. Think picnic tables and wellington boots rather than fine china and linen table cloths. 

Robin Hood’s Bay is a picturesque old fishing village on the Heritage Coast of the North York Moors. It is a fantastic place for adults and children alike with a beautiful family friendly sandy beach, as well as rock pools to explore and ancient fossils to discover.  Wandering through its narrow, twisting cobbled streets and alleyways, you can easily imagine the sailors and fishermen, smugglers and press gangs that walked these streets hundreds of years ago. Today it is a vibrant village, with a wide range of cafes, pubs, restaurants, small shops and places to explore, as well as many stunning coastal and country walks, cycle-paths and bridleways right on the doorstep.  

Have a browse of the visit Robin Hood’s Bay website for inspiration. 

Packed with popular tourist destinations, independent shops and markets, and beautiful historic and natural attractions, Pickering is a bustling and vibrant market town set at the edge of the majestic North York Moors.  

Getting there: 

Coastliner bus – we are fortunate to have a bus that services the village and the bus stop is right outside the Homestead. To check the current timetable please visit their website. If travelling by bus, why not make a stop off in Lockton for a walk around this beautiful village, with the main reason being a visit to Lockton Tea Rooms for incredible cakes and coffees. They also run a monthly supper club, so if you’re into your food keep an eye out for details and book quickly when dates are announced!  

Train – During the peak season you can also get a train from the North Yorkshire Moors Steam Railway in Goathland over to Whitby. For times and prices please visit their website directly.  

If you choose to get there by train, you will come out of the station at the bottom of the marketplace. From here, you could head straight over the road to Botham’s for a bite to eat, or why not pick up a sandwich and make your way up to Pickering castle.  

After exploring the history of the town, cut back down to the top of the marketplace to explore the town. There are a great selection of charity shops and cafes, and some must visit independent shops. 

Shops 

The Beehive, just over the bridge near the Memorial hall, a treasure trove of vintage finds 

The Old Weigh, found at the bottom of the marketplace, this zero waste shop has everything you need to help with your sustainable shopping, and don’t worry if you don’t have empty containers with you, they do have paper bags for spontaneous purchases. 

Pickering Book Tree – independently run, and a great way to support real books! They also have occasional events so do check out their webpage. 

Cooper’s – a wonderland of products, ranging from homewares, to garden equipment, paint, bathrooms, and everything in between. My place to go if I need pretty much anything useful for the home!! They also have lovely gifts, so definitely one to visit. 

SURROUNDING AREA 

If you do have a car, there are a few other gems we would recommend just a little way out of town. 

DALBY FOREST 

Located near Thornton Dale, just outside of Pickering. Head here for the day, you pay entry per vehicle, so once your inside it’s worth making the most of it. Famous for it’s mountain bike trails, nature walks, Go Ape climbing, visitor centre and café, you can tick all the boxes here. There are also a couple of children’s play areas located both in the centre and further out at Adderstone fields. It’s also worth noting that there are occasionally live music events so perhaps arrange a visit to coincide with that! 

HUTTON-LE-HOLE 

Another place to go for a whole day out is the village of Hutton-le-hole, 15 minutes from Pickering, or 35 minutes from Goathland, as you descend down the hill into the village, the winding road follows the bubbling stream, with sheep meandering around, you will feel transported into tranquillity! Park sensibly and use the car park, and from here you can either head over the moors for a walk, or for a more structured activity there is the wonderful Ryedale Folk Museum.  

ROSEDALE 

Stunning moorland walks, and I don’t know if you can see the theme yet, but I tend to seek out places to visit based on good food! So when in Rosedale, you have to go to Graze on the Green, a gorgeous little café overlooking the green in the heart of Rosedale village with a breakfast menu and an all-day selection of sandwiches, soupes and cakes. 

A lovely village approximately 40 minutes drive from us. First stop, pop in to the Danby Health store for any supplies you need, and make your way to: 

Danby Lodge National Park Centre  

Danby Lodge National Park Centre (northyorkmoors.org.uk) 

A fantastic place with something for everyone. There is playground for the little (and big!) ones to let off steam, their art gallery Inspired by which showcases local artists, café, gift shop and lots more. If you’re looking for a day out with beautiful scenery this is the place to head to.  You can find out about all the many other things going on by visiting their website. 

Free entry. Check the website out for up-to-date opening times. 

Helmsley is around a 40 minute drive from here, and you can easily spend a whole day there. Park up in the long stay carpark, or if you can find a spot there is on street parking as you head into the town.  

A bustling market town, Helmsley is a little haven of shops, cafes and history.  

Once there, you have a few options for your day: 

Helmsley Walled Garden and Vinehouse cafe –  Located just behind the long stay car park is this magical place, far from the hub bub of the marketplace. The walled garden is largely run by volunteers and is a welcoming and relaxing place to meander for an hour or two. On site you also have one of my favourite places for a coffee and bite to eat. Do check their website for opening hours as it does vary seasonally. 

Helmsley castle, Helmsley – Also just off from the main carpark is Helmsley castle, rich with history, and a perfect stop off for your tour of the town. 

Mannion & Co – as you leave the castle and head back into the centre of town, make sure you stop off at Mannion & Co, they can get busy but trust me it’s worth the wait! Open for breakfast, brunch, and lunch, they have a regularly changing specials board, alongside their classics such as Rarebit, full English and of course excellent coffee! 

Duncombe Park – This stately home and it’s grounds are walking distance from the centre, and you can choose to either take a walk in the beautiful spaces, or check the website for special events within the house itself. If you are a fan of wildlife, you can also visit their Bird of prey centre. 

If you need to pick up any supplies whilst in the town, the delicatessen Hunters is the place to go. Situated right in the centre in the short stay car park, they stock a huge array of both dry and fresh foods, and have a great deli counter for lunches and not forgetting local ice creams from Ryeburn.  

Lucky enough to visit when the sun is shining? Check out the Open Air Swimming Pool. When we lived in Harome I used to love being able to pop down for a swim. There is plenty of space around the pool so you can take a blanket and relax with a book in between lengths!