Walks in the North York Moors
Moorland near Goathland in glorious late summer colour
Moorland near Goathland in glorious late summer colour
The North York Moors has been a National Park since 1952 and covers over 550 square miles of magnificent country, mainly comprising open moorland but also rich in coastal scenery and delightful deep verdant dales. The moorland offers a range of fantastic spacious walks with big skies and wide panoramas. The dales walks all have charm, and most visit quaint, friendly villages typical of the area. There are also a number of well-known walks which cross the North York Moors, including Alfred Wainwright's Coast to Coast, the Cleveland Way, and the Lyke Wake Walk 24-hour challenge. The most noted towns in and around the National Park include Helmsley, Great Ayton, Pickering, Kirkbymoorside, Guisborough, and Whitby. Well-known villages include Glaisdale, Grosmont, Goathland (of Heartbeat fame), Danby, Osmotherley, Sleights, and Kilburn with its famous White Horse. Enjoy a range of North York Moors walks from this page.
North York Moors Walking Routes Index
| Walk Route | Miles | Description |
|---|---|---|
| 1.0 | A short woodland walk to a wonderful waterfall and to a remarkable carved-out boulder. | |
| 1.9 | A wonderful walk to superb sandstone outcrops in a National Trust-managed area. | |
| 4.3 | A diverse walk of beautiful Yorkshire coast, countryside, woodland, and pretty villages. | |
| 5.0 | Hawnby Hill is a small and distinctly shaped ridged hill which is surrounded by giants. | |
| 5.3 | A short walk around the popular Osmotherley area on the edge of the North York Moors. | |
|
Goathland Moors & Waterfalls
Moderate
|
6.0 | This walk is a jewel with lots of absolutely brilliant moments including Mallyan Spout. |
|
Helmsley and Rievaulx Abbey
Moderate
|
6.2 | This walk links two of the North York Moors' most visited places — one inhabited and one deserted. |
|
Hole of Horcum from Levisham
Moderate
|
6.5 | There is a monumental hole to visit on this popular circular walk on the North York Moors. |
| 6.8 | A walk in the North York Moors, featuring the best of Ryedale. | |
|
Robin Hood's Bay & Ravenscar
Moderate
|
7.0 | A brilliant walk, part at sea level and part above the magnificent North Yorkshire sea cliffs. |
| 7.0 | Walk along a wonderful sandy beach to start this coastal adventure which includes a railway line. | |
|
Roseberry Topping
Hard
|
7.0 | A walk up Teesside's classic hill; the walk includes a trip to Captain Cook's Monument. |
| 7.1 | This fabulous dale is a draw in springtime for its famous daffodils. Enjoy them here. | |
| 7.2 | A scenic walk in the Derwent Valley and the countryside on the southeast edge of the Howardian Hills. | |
| 7.4 | A scenic walk from Swainby to the Cleveland Hills and then down to Whorlton Castle. | |
| 7.6 | A refreshing coast and woodland walk from this attractive coastal town loved by artists. | |
| 7.8 | A wonderful walk in the beautiful heritage area of Rosedale with a visit to a fantastic tea shop. | |
| 8.0 | A lovely moor walk from Nether Silton to the iconic hill of Black Hambleton. | |
| 8.3 | Gisborough Moor, Captain Cook's Monument, and Roseberry Topping all feature here. | |
| 8.8 | A stunning circular around the edge of one of the great moors of North Yorkshire. Superb views throughout. | |
| 8.9 | One of my best walks on the North Yorkshire coast is just one highlight of this spectacular countryside walk. | |
| 9.4 | A walk in a very pretty area of the eastern North York Moors in the midst of full heather blossom. | |
| 10.0 | A lovely walk across moorland with an exploration of the Wainstones on top of Hasty Bank. | |
| 10.6 | Walk to the ruins of Byland Abbey and then to the awesome views from Sutton Bank. | |
| 11.0 | A walk in the North York Moors, featuring the moorlands and reservoirs near Osmotherley. | |
| 11.2 | A spectacular walk on and below the North York Moors' fabulous escarpment — a geological marvel. | |
| 11.2 | This walk follows the Cleveland Way onto and over the North York Moors. Views abound. | |
| 11.6 | A Howardian Hills walk with landscaping, buildings, and follies of Castle Howard to be enjoyed on the way. | |
| 11.6 | A walk of ups and downs along the spectacular erosive coastline. Don't get too close to the edge! | |
| 11.8 | Walk along the ancient Waingate road and then into Bransdale with a beautiful secluded hamlet. | |
| 12.2 | One of the most popular eastern North York Moors walks with two geological features and wonderful moors. | |
| 12.2 | A super 12-mile walk with excellent views and visits to geological marvels of the Jurassic Era and last ice age. | |
| 17.5 | A walk to blow the cobwebs away on top of the North York Moors. | |
| 18.6 | A challenging walk from the North Yorkshire coast over moors into Eskdale. |
Feedback and Suggestions
I am always pleased to receive feedback on the structure and content of the website. I also welcome suggestions on how I can improve the website which may include new areas to cover, new walks or route alterations to existing walks. To get in touch with feedback and/or suggestions please contact me on one of my social media links. Thank you.
(Note: Walking without proper preparation can be dangerous. Information and downloads on this website are provided free of charge; it is each walker's responsibility to check the material and use accordingly. Postscript: My walk reports are not route guides and should not be treated as such. They are written with personal reflections of my walks.)
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