North York Moors National Park
Perfect days, starry nights
Make magical memories in a peaceful corner of northern England.
Sweeping moorland, a crinkly coast, ancient woods and timeless villages – the North York Moors is a special place, forged by nature and shaped over generations. Give yourself time to discover its secrets, from amazing wildlife to dazzling night skies.
Key activities
Well-being
Reinvigorate your mind, enrich your senses and connect with nature in our wide open spaces and magical places.
Special qualities
Overview
The North York Moors is a special place – here’s why!
Our wildlife will surprise you – from the moorland merlin, the UK’s smallest bird of prey, to whales off the North York Moors coast.
The North York Moors has vast areas of clear, dark skies – you can often see up to 2,000 stars, including a swathe of our own galaxy, the Milky Way.
There’s history and heritage in every step you take, from Gothic ruins to Victorian steam trains, Cistercian monasteries to stately homes, ironstone mines to fishing villages. The National Park also features over 800 Scheduled Monuments and 1,500 ancient boundary stones and crosses.
Our 44,000 hectares of heather moorland are designated a Site of Special Scientific Interest for its heathland habitat and breeding birds, such as red grouse, curlew and golden plover.
There are 26 miles of Jurassic-era coastline to explore, including the famous old fishing villages of Staithes and Robin Hood’s Bay.
You could walk or cycle every day for a year and still not cover every corner of the National Park – there are 2,250 kilometres of rights of way alone, not to mention country lanes, quiet backroads, coastal tracks, forest trails and a National Trail.
Did you know?
Welcome to the North York Moors
The North York Moors was established as National Park in 1952 – a treasured landscape in the heart of North Yorkshire, protected for everyone to enjoy. We cover 1,436 square kilometres between Scarborough, Thirsk and Teesside.
Of the 1,500 ancient boundary stones and crosses here, probably the most famous is Young Ralph Cross, adopted as the National Park’s distinctive logo. We like to think that this stone cross on the spreading moorland stands for a state of mind – this wonderful landscape, it’s saying, is somewhere to come and refresh your spirits. It’s the place where magical things happen – where the stresses and strains of daily life disappear, and where relaxation, holidays and adventure begin.
Discover the places and meet the people to take you on this journey. Experience the very best of the North York Moors and forge lasting memories with family and friends. Join wildlife experts from Yorkshire Coast Nature and set sail from Staithes in search of Minke whales. Smell the myriad of sweet scents at Helmsley Walled Garden, featured in the 2020 film adaptation of The Secret Garden. Taste your way through delicacies from our moorland and coast – whether it’s kippers from Fortune’s, Whitby’s traditional smokehouse or a jar of Westfield honey from hives set amongst the heather around Fadmoor. Find your inner peace with Adventures for the Soul who teach the practice of mindfulness whilst out in nature.
The open moorland – ablaze with purple heather in summer – will give you a rare sense of space. Away from the noise of traffic, you can hear the cries of moorland birds, the trickling water in a stream and the buzz of insects in the heather. On the coast, experience the roar of the sea, the wind in your hair, the sand between your toes. The dales form a rich patchwork of earthy colours, hedgerows and drystone walls – landscapes, created generations ago, still maintained by today’s farmers. Our woodlands and ancient trees provide a sense of well-being and a link to the past. And far from the artificial lights of towns, there are truly dark skies where you can see majestic skyscapes full of stars. The North York Moors – it’s where we want you to feel at home.
Getting around
The delightful Esk Valley Railway (Middlesbrough to Whitby) passes through the heart of the National Park; while the North Yorkshire Moors Railway runs steam heritage services from Pickering to Whitby. Or enjoy a ride on Coastliner 840 from York – voted Britain’s most scenic bus route!
Getting there
We’re closer than you think! Rail services and long-distance buses from across the country run to surrounding towns – and London to York can take less than two hours by train. Local bus links get you to scenic spots like Pickering, Helmsley, Goathland, Robin Hood’s Bay and Thornton le Dale.
💭You might have heard of peatland, but what exactly is it and why does it matter so much?
Peatlands are our natural climate allies. They store vast amounts of carbon, support rare wildlife, improve water quality, reduce flood risk and preserve thousands of years of archaeological and cultural history.
Some of the UK`s most important peatlands are found within our National Parks, making them critical places for tackling the climate and nature crises.
Across the UK`s National Parks, peatland restoration projects are helping damaged peatlands recover, benefiting both nature and people.
📍Dartmoor National Park
#NationalParks #Peatlands #NatureRecovery
Our National Parks tell the stories of the people and places that came before us.
A new Joint Statement on the Historic Environment in the National Parks of England, Scotland and Wales has launched.
Bringing together the 15 National Parks and heritage partners, the statement sets out a shared commitment to protecting the historic places and features that help shape our landscapes.
From ancient monuments and archaeological sites to historic buildings and traces of past generations, our National Parks are home to thousands of years of history.
Together, we’re working to care for these special places so their stories can continue to be discovered, valued and enjoyed for generations to come.
Read the full statement via the link in our bio 🔗
#NationalParks #UKHistory #Heritage
Hello, August. 💚
Some habits we’re holding on to this month, for our National Parks and for ourselves.
Little changes can have a lasting impact when it comes to caring for our 15 special places.
What will you be taking into August?
#UKNationalParks #UKOutdoors
Take a moment to pause in this ancient woodland 🌿
Even a small moment in nature can help us to feel calmer, more connected and refreshed.
For centuries, National Parks across the country have given people the space to reconnect with the natural world. Moments like this are why these places matter, and why we must continue to protect them.
📍This beautiful footage was captured in @exmoornp.
#Exmoor #UKWoodland #NationalParksUK
☀️Summer can unfold quietly in nature across our National Parks.
In @pembscoast it’s happening right now.
Wildflowers brighten the clifftops, from sea pinks and oxeye daisies. These colourful blooms don’t just look beautiful - they are also provide a vital food source for butterflies and bees. 🐝
These simple seasonal moments are a gentle reminder to slow down, take a closer look, and notice the quieter side of summer in nature. 🌼
#ParkSpotlight #Summer #UKNature
💚 It’s Love Parks Week! Share this with someone who loves the National Parks, or add it to your story to show others that you do too.
There’s so much to love about our National Parks. They’re not just great places to visit, they’re places that protect habitats, restore nature, support local families and businesses, and bring communities together.
We all have our own reasons for why these places are so special to us.
#LoveParksWeek #NationalParksUK
🦋 Some of the UK’s rarest butterflies find a home in our National Parks. Here are just a few.
From flower-rich meadows to ancient woodlands and heathlands, many of our landscapes provide the ideal conditions that butterflies need to thrive.
Every butterfly is a reminder of why these places matter and how we can all play a part in protecting them.
The Big Butterfly Count is happening now. If you’re out exploring this summer, take part and help build a picture of how our butterflies are doing 👉 bigbutterflycount.org
Photography 📸
@lloydlanephotography
Tammy Andrews
Lloyd Lane
Neil Hulme
#BigButterflyCount #ButterflyConservation #UKNature
There’s something truly magical about the craft and skill of dry stone walling. 🪨
These remarkable walls still zigzag for more than 5,000 miles across the Yorkshire Dales National Park.
They’re a lasting reminder of the generations of craftsmanship that have shaped our landscapes, and of the traditional skills that continue to thrive across the UK’s National Parks.
🎥 Yorkshire Dales National Park
#ParkSpotlight #YorkshireDales
