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Home , Beck Hole, Bilsdale, Bransdale, Byland Abbey, Cleveland Hills, Duncombe Park

Whitby Regatta North Moors

celebrating and promoting a special place

Ancient tree on Estate,

Farndale Show Cropton Forest looking towards the North Moors Railway Images courtesy of: Colin Carter Mike Nicholas RJB Photographic Tracey Phillips Mike Kipling Mark Antcliff Cyril Schönbächler Tessa Bunney Tammy Andrews Tony Bartholomew

Lanes and views around Moors and More… What makes the and special and distinctive? The information in this Toolkit was to take advantage of new trends in visitor developed in conjunction with over 130 behaviour and to use the area’s strong sense businesses and local people who of place to inspire visitors. wanted to share their inside knowledge of Any tourism, food and drink or retail this beautiful area. business in the area is welcome to use These notes are part of a local the information from this Toolkit in their own print material, website and other distinctiveness project, Moors promotional activities. & More, commissioned by the Please remember this is only a starting North York Moors National point, and this project is ongoing. You Park Authority, with can find updates and more detailed Leader funding. information on the project website www.NorthYorkMoorsTourism.com Our aim is to help In addition to this Toolkit we have a range tourism, retail, of copyright-free images for businesses to food and drink, use and new videos showcasing the area’s and creative special features. We have also published a businesses in the Handbook for businesses, with marketing North York Moors advice and ideas on how to use the area to encourage information in this Toolkit. visitors to stay This is a LEADER funded project: longer and spend you can see the area covered on more, spreading the www.moorscoastandhills.org.uk economic benefits The LEADER area also includes part of of tourism. We want and and the . Danby Beacon 3 You know you’re in the North York Moors when you see…

n the sheep wandering freely along the n the and smugglers grassy village greens and on the moors trails leading up steep coastal hills n the white bird’s-mouth fencing next and snaking across the moors to a crystal clear babbling beck n the cloud inversions, sweeping n traditional village name plates made of views and big skies metal with inset glass beads n the amazing night skies, and stop to n the Bridestones on the moor listen to the silence, which is actually full of the sounds of nature! n the banks of bluebells in the Howardian Hills or in Newton Wood, below

Bridestones Pretty Wood, Castle Howard 4 Don’t leave until you’ve… n Gone underground at the n Marvelled at the Hole of Horcum n Bought local food and crafts from Cleveland Ironstone Mining Museum n Seen the old fashioned treasures in the the award winning Hovingham and experienced an explosion (safely)! Motor Museum at Thornton-le-Dale Village Market on the first Saturday of each month n Ridden the oldest water balanced n Discovered why Hambleton is the home Cliff Lift at Saltburn of the Thoroughbred n Spotted the City of Troy Maze n Found out who lived in the n Been to a gig at The Band Room n Tried your hand at spinning at Boggle Hole and discovered on the North York Moors, ‘the greatest Wheeldale Wool Crafts or felt the story of the Hobs small venue on earth’ making using wool from their own flock of sheep! n Seen the ancient graffiti on the n Been to the Reading Room, Wainstones and Ship Stone Appleton-le-Moors: a cinema in a tin shed! n Solved a mystery as you explore near Tripsdale the region’s fantastic locations n Spotted clocks on station houses at with a Treasure Trail. n Recognised the places where , and Harry Potter and Heartbeat were n Taken an apple tour at filmed at and explored and seen the orchard and the famous nearby village cider being made

Cliff Lift Saltburn Reading Room Ampleforth Abbey cider 5 Spirituality and tranquillity In the 12th century Aelred, of Abbey, summed up the spirituality of the North York Moors area when he wrote: “Everywhere peace, everywhere serenity, and a marvellous freedom from the tumult of the world.” Visit the ruins of Rievaulx Ampleforth Abbey is home to the largest Benedictine community in Britain and Abbey set in the tranquil remains at the heart of the famous Roman valley of the Rye and Catholic boarding school. Now it has a you’ll see this still holds visitor centre and is known for its award- true. One of Britain’s most winning cider, beer and liqueurs. complete and impressive Handale Priory was founded by William de Percy in 1133 and housed a small abbeys, its displays show the community of Benedictine nuns sent links between the and here from as a penance. their beautiful surroundings. Handale Abbey Walled Garden has recently been restored; a 19th century listed walled was once one of ’s garden, it’s a hidden gem. greatest monasteries, inspiring the design of church buildings throughout the North. The area continues to attract those in search of peace and tranquillity. A new order Mount Grace Priory, huddled on the edge recently arrived in the area: members of of the , is the best-preserved the Conventus of Our Lady of Consolation Carthusian priory in Britain, complete with relocated from to the eco- reconstructed ’s cell and intriguing friendly Stanbrook Abbey near Wass, a medieval plumbing. stonemason’s throw from Byland Abbey. 6 Thomason Foss Waterfall, Beck Hole

From time to time, it’s good to escape the in summer; pick delicious bilberries in the Rail Trail between Goathland and hustle and bustle of today’s busy world. autumn; a bracing walk followed by a drink Grosmont, the Esk Valley Walk, or the Some ways to enjoy the serenity of the North by a log fire in a traditional pub in winter. . York Moors National Park and Howardian n Experience the amazing dawn chorus at n Climb a hill for a picnic with a 360 degree Hills Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty: Skelton Tower on Moor or on a view. Clamber up distinctive Roseberry n Slow down, fill your lungs with fresh air, nature walk in Dalby Forest. Topping, take in Newgate Bank top on a walk on the moors to enjoy the solitude n Marvel at the stars from Sutton Bank, the circular walk or look out across the Vales and awe-inspiring nature. observatories outside Dalby Forest Visitor of York and Mowbray from Sutton Bank. n Enjoy each season: evocative calls of the Centre and on the moors. n Listen to the sound of tumbling breeding curlews and impressive acrobatic n Leave the car behind and explore at a water at Thomason Foss, Mallyan displays of male lapwings in spring; watch pace to suit you. Walk a section of one Spout and Falling Foss waterfalls, the bees on the heather and the skylarks of the many well-marked trails such as especially after rain. 7 Market towns and villages The market towns and thriving villages in the North York Moors enjoy a strong sense of community. They each have their own character and personality, with independent shops and interesting nooks and crannies to explore. is known for its galleries, Yorkshire Moors Railway. A lively Monday street fencing as they enjoy the gently undulating boutique shops, luxury hotels, coffee market and first Thursday farmers’ markets are grassy areas beside the babbling beck. shops and restaurants. Friday is market a good source of local produce. Hutton-le-Hole is home to the Folk day. Explore the impressive ruins of Thornton-le-Dale is a well-known gateway Museum, with the Harrison Collection, an , enjoy the serenity of the to Dalby Forest. Visitors enjoy strolling incredible collection of English everyday Walled Garden. along the which flows through the antiques and rare curiosities put together by has a broad, cobble-lined village, looking out for the beautiful Beck Edward and Richard Harrison. Spanning five main street and fine Georgian buildings, Isle Cottage, one of the most photographed centuries of history, the collection covers with a market on Wednesday. chocolate-box thatched cottages in England. everything from cooking pots to brain surgery tools. Pickering is one of the area’s oldest towns, Hutton-le-Hole nestles beside one of the founded in 270 BC! It has a castle, an eclectic many flowing south towards the At the eastern edge of the Howardian museum and a wide variety of shops, cafés river Rye. Sheep roam at will, ignoring the Hills Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty and pubs, and is at the start of the North distinctive white painted birds’-mouth is Malton. It’s becoming a real magnet for

Railway in Wartime Weekend, Pickering Priory Ryedale Folk Museum 8 foodies and those who wish to enjoy its Living History Days when you can see Saturday market, Georgian buildings and traditional skills such as printing on the discover its links with . beautiful Columbian letterpress, wool spinning, lace making, blacksmithing Just beyond the northern edge of the National Park is Guisborough, with a ruined and rag rugging. 12th century priory dominating the top n Stroll from to St. Peter & of town’s Westgate, where Thursday and St. Paul church, where you can marvel Saturday markets are held. A town museum at some of the best surviving medieval and working watermill are nearby. murals in the country. Osmotherley is on the National Park’s n Discover something a little different at western edge and on the route of shops such as Homeworks, Cleveland Way. It is blessed with three Veneto, Libby Butlers, Hunters of Helmsley pubs including the only ‘Queen Catherine’ and Saltbox Gallery & Workshop in in the country. Helmsley. Treat yourself to tea and cake at the Black Swan Tea Room and Patisserie! Just outside the National Park is where you can visit the World n Sample the very best products from local of James Herriot. food producers and see demonstrations at the Malton Food Lovers’ Markets and Great ways to enjoy market towns and Food Festival. villages in the North York Moors: n Sit and listen to one of the bands playing n Hunt for a bargain at Bridge Street on the Thornton-le-Dale village green Antiques in Helmsley or admire on Sunday afternoons during the contemporary creations at the Helmsley Arts Centre. summer months. n n Step back in time during the Pickering War Wander around the craft workshops Weekend. Rub shoulders with the British selling and making handmade chocolates, soldiers and American GIs and travel on candles, glass, ceramics, furniture and the steam train to the German occupied prints in Hutton-le-Hole. French village of Le Visham (as Levisham n Explore more than 20 historic buildings becomes for one weekend only). representing people’s n Visit Beck Isle Museum in Pickering, lives from the Iron Age to the 1950s at the especially good on their Rural Arts and Ryedale Folk Museum. Helmsley 9 The North York Moors has more trees than the National Park. Forests and woods Visit the forests of Dalby, The North York Moors National Park has an abundance of forest Wykeham and Cropton and woodland, with ancient trees and diverse flora and fauna. to see for yourself! It’s also got the greatest Dalby, Langdale and Cropton Forests are music acts perform at open-air concerts part of what is sometimes known as the each summer. Gain a new vantage point concentration of ancient North Riding Forest Park, the country’s from the Go Ape! tree top ropes course in and veteran trees in largest upland heath forest. Dalby Forest. You can also hire a Segway, try . archery, paintballing or the low ropes course. Dalby is particularly known as a haven for mountain bikers. Night skies are very dark here: Scarborough & Ryedale Astronomical Society operates an Its southern part is divided by observatory in Dalby, which is celebrated as a number of valleys creating one of the best places in the country a “Rigg and Dale” landscape. to stargaze. The forest sits on an upland Langdale Forest contains an internationally plateau. Made up mostly of important mire known as May Moss, where pines and spruces, there are extensive and ongoing research into the also many broadleaf trees such climate and plant history of the area is carried out. as , beech, ash, alder and hazel both in the valleys and Cropton Forest is considered by the Forestry Commission as a ‘residential’ forest on the Riggs. Springs yield with campsite, forest cabins and outdoor clear streams that run north education activity centres. It is also possible and south out of the forest. to watch badgers from the hide. Dalby Courtyard complex provides There are two National Nature Reserves: workshop and office space to a range of National Nature Reserve shops and craftspeople, as well as a café and Forge Valley National Nature Reserve, Dalby Forest and bike hire business. Big name bands and which have swathes of ancient trees. 10 Sutton Bank and the escarpment Such is the importance attached to the tranquillity of Newtondale, the dramatic Climbing the 1 in 4 gradient of Sutton Bank is like rising into another gorge near Pickering, that the forest drive world. At the top, a wide plain-like landscape stretches for miles. through it was closed to general traffic by Sutton Bank has been named as an official Dark Sky Discovery Site, the Forestry Commission in November because the galaxy is often visible to the naked eye from the site. 2011. The North Yorkshire Moors Railway runs though the valley bottom though, so n See stunning panoramas across the vales n Stroll from Sutton Bank to the nearby tarn- there is still good access for walkers and of York and Mowbray from the viewing like Gormire Lake, the only natural lake in cyclists to what is described as Yorkshire’s point close to the Sutton Bank National the national park and a sheltered magnet most spectacular valley. Park Centre. for wildlife, and see the coppiced trees at n Find out how the neighbouring Garbutt Wood. landscape was formed by visiting Lime & Ice, the special exhibition at the National Park Centre. n During the daytime you may also spot gliders as this has been the home of the since the 1930s. n Sutton Bank is a good starting point for many biking and walking routes, including picking up the Cleveland Way. If you’d prefer a shorter walk, there are trails to the , a 300ft-long equine figure cut into the hillside, thought to be Britain’s largest white horse in surface area.

Dalby Forest View from Sutton Bank 11 and traditional fishing villages The Heritage Coast at the seaward edge of the North York Moors National Park is rugged and stunning. Running from Saltburn to Scarborough, it ranges from dramatic cliffs to sheltered harbours such as . The Heritage Coast has long been associated with exploration (Captain sailed from Whitby, where Endeavour was built), smuggling, fishing and creativity. Its beauty and light have Staithes harbour is much photographed and attracted countless painters painted, but it’s also a working harbour – make sure you sample its lobsters. Runswick and photographers who Bay is a favourite hunting ground for have tried to capture its hunters and ’s beaches provide special features, but there’s the perfect spot for seaside fun. Staithes and nothing like visiting each of Saltburn are magnets to experienced surfers the harbours and villages and who can enjoy the challenging conditions. seeing for yourself! Housed in a former bank, ArtsBank in Saltburn has four floors of art and crafts by Whitby is one of the finest places for whale local and national artists and plenty inspired watching on the . Join a by the glorious coastline. Whitby Coastal Cruise on a search for the dolphins and the minke whales that follow Robin Hood’s Bay’s vast sweep is renowned the shoals of herring swimming for its rich marine life and as the final Staithes south from the Arctic. destination on Wainwright’s Coast to 12 Coast walk. The bay ends in the imposing lucky, perhaps you’ll find a dinosaur footprint Fish company and then head out to one headland that is Ravenscar, once the site of a at Whitby or Robin Hood’s Bay! You can of the coves or , or take a boat from Roman signal station. learn all about your finds at Whitby Museum Staithes or Whitby. or the in Scarborough. The Yorkshire coast is a geologist’s dream. Don’t let the one that got away show Also known as the ‘fossil coast’, you can Fish! you up, you can always impress your wander among the rockpools at Runswick With so much wonderful fish on offer at the family and friends by bringing home the Bay and find hundreds of polished many seafood cafés, restaurants and pubs catch from a fish stall at Saltburn Farmers’ belemnites embedded in the rocks, look for you may be inspired to give fishing a go Market, Whitby Seafoods, or the Whitby the distinctive snail like ammonites that stud yourself. For expert advice and equipment, Fish Market! the stones at and if you are visit Keith Sports in Saltburn or the Redcar

Robin Hood’s Bay 13 Hidden valleys Deep, broad valleys dissect the North York Moors National Park, with hidden winding roads that suddenly lead to surprise views. This is a traditional pastoral farming landscape that often feels timeless. Wonderfully- named valleys such as Great Fryup Dale, Rosedale and weave in and out of the central park area. Farndale is famous for its spring displays of wild daffodils and you can also see them in Rosedale. is an ironstone mining village set at the mouth of Glaisdale, one of the North York Moors’ most stunning Dales and on the route of the Esk Valley Walk. Admire Beggars Bridge, an old packhorse bridge by the river Esk before following the stone trods through Arncliffe Woods, part of an ancient pannierway used in the past by monks, and travellers. The Esk Valley Walk follows the river Esk from its source high on the North York Moors to the coast at Whitby, mirroring the Esk Valley Railway and taking in traditional Yorkshire pubs along the way. Beggar’s Bridge, Glaisdale 14 The The Cleveland Hills include the distinctive landmark cone-shaped peak of Roseberry Topping and are dissected by the Cleveland Way. Bilsdale is one of the lesser known areas of the National Park, although walkers come to enjoy the views from or to walk in the wooded areas around Hawnby. The highest point in the North York Moors is the Face Stone. Nearby is the small village of once an inn and the centre of Bilsdale life. Round Hill on Urra Moor (454 m above sea , where walkers can enjoy local It closed its doors for the last time in 1914 level). Urra Moor is noted for its prehistoric venison at the Buck Inn. when the new Sun Inn was built. Spout remains: barrows, several carved rocks House is now open as a small visitor centre The remarkably well preserved 16th century, including some cup and ring carvings and during the summer months. thatched cruck-framed Spout House was

Roseberry Topping 15 Railways Steam engines, rural stations and uniformed staff make a trip on the North Yorkshire Moors Railway feel like stepping back in time. Running from Pickering to Grosmont, on certain days you can go all the way to Whitby under steam power or change onto the . The Esk Valley Railway connects the historic seaside town of Whitby with the city of travelling across , through woods, valleys and pasture and into the industrial landscape of Teeside. There are many picturesque villages to stop at along the way such as , Danby and . Try one of the popular summertime Friday evening Music and Real Ale Trains, sampling the local brew and visiting one of the village pubs along the line. For a rather different but fun rail experience, you can ride on one of the miniature trains at . The Ryedale Society of Modern Engineers operate a multi-gauge railway and have ‘passenger days’ when, for a nominal fee, you can take a trip on one of their tiny trains round the entire 400 yard line. 16 Amazing Buildings The North York Moors is an area distinguished by its architectural heritage. Castles, fine houses and atmospheric abbey ruins punctuate the landscape. Designed by Sir John Vanbrugh for the third Fire your imagination with a Discover some of the early work of Earl of Carlisle, Castle Howard is actually visit to medieval Helmsley one of Britain’s finest church architects not a castle but one of the finest houses in Castle exploring the on the Temple Moore Trail. From his Britain. Home to the Howards for over three towering ruined keep and first commissioned church at Carlton, hundred years, it was the setting for both Temple Moore’s connection with the the acclaimed television adaptation and impressive earthworks. Castle North York Moors continued for fifty the later film of Evelyn Waugh’s ‘Brideshead enthusiasts also shouldn’t years during which he designed or Revisited’. Visitors love its 1000 acres miss the fascinating remains modified more than twenty churches in of idyllic gardens that include a lake, of an original motte and the area earning him the reputation as woodlands, statues and fountains. bailey castle at Sheriff Hutton. one of the masters of the Gothic Revival.

Castle Howard Helmsley Castle 17 Arts and Crafts Staithes has a rich artistic heritage and was the birthplace of George Wetherill, ‘The Turner of the North’. In the early twentieth century, artists including Dame Laura Knight and her husband Harold Knight, formed the Staithes Art Club living and painting among the fishermen and developing the work that would make the Staithes Group famous throughout the world. Later in the twentieth century Lilian Colbourn, Eric Taylor and Fred Williams, inspired by the winding lanes and wild coastline, came to live in Staithes. Painting from his studio high on the cliffs at , Len Tabner creates his elemental works inspired by the ever changing sea. Award winning artist David Curtis regularly works ‘plein air’ at Staithes and is a guest teacher at the Staithes Art School. Steve Iredale is an artist with a difference eschewing the fine carving tools of the traditional sculptor in favour of a chainsaw! 18 His fabulous woodland creatures can contemporary Saltbox Gallery and be discovered at the Whitby Calla Beck Workshop and The Bridge Street Gallery Sculpture Trail, Dalby Forest and at which shows paintings such as the Guisborough Forest. wildlife art of Jonathan Pomroy. Helmsley also has a thriving arts centre with Working from their studio in the village of regular exhibitions, concerts and theatre Rosedale Abbey, Gillies Jones is the award- productions. You can also join a studio winning partnership of Stephen Gillies workshop with nature and wildlife artist and Kate Jones who are designers making Rob Parkin and the National Trust. contemporary glassware inspired by the Ryedale Festival beauty of their rural surroundings. Discover the legacy of Robert Thompson at The Mouseman Visitor Centre in For two weekends in June, Kilburn. The furniture maker became North Yorkshire Open famous across the country for his pieces Studios gives visitors to the in oak incorporating a small carved North York Moors the rare mouse, examples of which can be found opportunity to meet painters, at Ampleforth Abbey. printmakers, sculptors, textile John Bunting was an art teacher at artists and designers in the Ampleforth College and a talented sculptor. He rebuilt the beautiful Scotch places that they work. Find Corner Chapel near in memory Chapel out what inspires them, how of friends killed in the Second World War. they create their art and There are regular open days at the Chapel maybe spot a masterpiece in when you can see many of his sculptures. creation at one of the many Enjoy the arts scene at the Esk Valley quirky studios. Theatre and the Ryedale Festival, two weeks of music and arts every July. Potter Sophie Hamilton, photographer Phil Cornelius and papermaker Niki Hampson are just three of more than thirty artist members that make up Ryedale Artworks. This artist-led community also incorporates

Hands On Traditional Crafts Centre, Grange nine exciting galleries including Helmsley’s 19 Nature This is just a small selection of the wildlife, flora and fauna to be found in this area: Coast: humpback and minke whales, Moors: birds: skylarks, , and streams: dippers, grey and common seals, dolphins, porpoise, curlew, lapwings, golden plovers, merlin, common sandpipers, kingfishers, basking shark; sea birds: sandwich, wheatear, ring ouzels, short-eared owls, sand martin, freshwater pearl mussels, common and arctic terns, purple sandpipers, mammals: pygmy shrew; reptiles: grass otters, salmon, water vole. redshank, turnstones, gannets, fulmars, snakes, adders. puffins, razorbills, guillemots, black-legged kittiwakes, great northern divers.

Lapwing Grouse 20 Woodlands – mammals: badgers, Over 150 different species of roe deer, Alcathoe’s bat; birds: goshawk, moth have been recorded in honey buzzard, nightjars, long-eared owls, turtle dove, redstart, tree pipit, crossbill, the gardens at Shandy Hall. siskin, redpoll, marsh tit; butterflies: the rare Pearl Bordered Fritillary and Duke of Burgundy butterflies.

Alcathoe’s bat © Cyril Schönbächler Short-eared owl 21 Outdoor Adventures Walkers can enjoy the Cleveland Way and the Way National Trails which go through the North York Moors area. The coastline makes up part of the international North Sea Trail. Those exploring on two tracks linking the historic wheels can take in some towns of Scarborough, Whitby, of the historical sites and Pickering and . experience the dramatic western scarp of the North For a more extreme cycling adventure, York Moors on route 65, test your skills on one of Dalby Forest’s mountain bike trails where you can visit Sustran’s The White Dalby Bike Barn for advice, hire, repairs and Rose Cycle Route or ride the the latest bike gear. Guisborough Forest whole or parts of the Moor is also popular with mountain bikers and to Sea Cycle Network, a 150 there are many routes across the moors that mile way marked network of include killer climbs, tricky descents and The Cleveland Way near Sutton Bank quiet lanes and cross-country some of the best singletrack in England. 22 Saltburn

You can also try a range of other activities n Make lasting memories on an with Nero or Valley Adventures including unforgettable wildlife trip with Yorkshire bushcraft, survival skills, surfing, raft Coast Nature. Whether you like to spot building, and even circus skills. snakes and badgers or honey buzzards and puffins, there will be a nature safari Different ways to enjoy and explore: to suit you. n Hop on a steam train on the North n Learn a new skill – try your hand at dry Yorkshire Moors Railway and get off at stone walling with Hugh Boyd, enjoy a Newtondale Halt, walking through the woodland overnighter with Mark Barker woods to Levisham Station to get on a Bushcraft or cook some treats at Arches train again. Cookery School n The Esk Valley Railway also offers n Enjoy a guided walk with the The Hawk you the chance to leave the driving to & Owl Trust at Moor. someone else whilst you admire the passing landscape. There are many more ways to enjoy nature n Discover the coast and all its treasures and the outdoors, walking and cycling on a ‘Real Staithes’ experience with routes and other fresh air adventures on fisherman Sean Baxter and his family. www.northyorkmoors.org.uk and On a circular walk from Staithes you www.howardianhills.org.uk can find plants for dyeing and eating, find and , spot seabirds and enjoy a seafood picnic at their old fisherman’s hut in Port Mulgrave. 23 Distinctive features of the North York Moors National Park The North York Moors takes its name from the spectacular moorland plateau at its heart – the largest area of uninterrupted heather moorland in England, internationally recognised for its important habitats and the moorland bird population it supports. But there is much more to the Moors. In fact, it's the sheer variety of beautiful and unspoilt landscapes in the North York Moors that makes it stand apart from other National Parks:

n A dramatic and partially forested western n The pattern of field boundaries and northwestern scarp slope rises to – a combination of stone walls and an extensive plateau that tilts south hedges in the dales, while the higher eastwards and is dissected by distinctive moorland areas are largely unfenced – dales, some narrow and wooded, some sheep roam at will and big skies open up deep and broad. with breathtaking panoramas. n Majestic coastal cliffs, sheltered n An abundance of forest and woodland harbours and bays, distinctive coastal that's rich in wildlife. The south-west hosts headlands, traditional fishing villages a nationally important concentration of and sandy beaches. The coastline from ancient woodland sites and veteran trees, Saltburn to the north of Scarborough is including the most important area of oak designated as a Heritage Coast. trees in the north of England. n Special landforms from the Ice Age – this is a place of exceptional coastal Captain Cook’s Monument geology and rich fossil resources. 24 n History abounds – and settlements reflect n You'll also notice locally distinctive n Distinctive skills, dialects, songs and their agricultural, fishing or mining past. buildings and building materials customs are all here – there's a strong There's a wealth of archaeology from – rubble limestone or dressed sandstone sense of community and friendly people. prehistory to the 20th Century. Crafted by with red pantile roofs, unusual in upland n It's an inspiring place – down the generations, the hedges and woods, trods areas, or slate roofs. years the Park has inspired artists, and walls, farms and houses, castles, abbeys n Remoteness and tranquillity is also part scientists, writers and explorers like and early industrial sites all have a story to and parcel of the Park – it's a place for Captain Cook. tell. The moors are rich in rock art, bronze- spiritual refreshment, dark skies at night There’s a wealth of information age barrows, cairns, forts and historic and clear unpolluted air. tracks. There's also the largest iron-age hill about the North York Moors on n It has the highest density of breeding fort in northern England at Roulston Scar www.northyorkmoors.org.uk which curlew and lapwing on open moorland and around 1,500 boundary stones and we’d like to encourage visitors to use. in the UK and internationally important moorland crosses, many of them thousands The walking and cycling pages include populations of breeding merlin and of years old, plus the remains of important lots of walking routes and cycle rides to golden plover. early industrial sites, including ironstone download. You’ll also find details of our mining and a railway heritage. n A vibrant network of rivers and upland events, exhibitions and guided walks, streams are home to a captivating range as well as more background about n Religion has played a strong role – ancient of wildlife including otters, kingfishers and the National Park’s special habitats churches and the ruins of great abbeys, water voles. and wildlife. including the 12th-century Rievaulx Abbey, add to the sense of history.

The North York Moors has the most extensive swathe of heather moorland in England

Staithes Curlew 25 Castle Howard Kirkham Bridge Distinctive features of the Howardian Hills Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty To the south of the North York Moors National Park are the Howardian Hills. Designated an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty in 1987, it covers 79 square miles between the National Park, the Yorkshire Wolds and the . 26

This sparsely settled area feels like a world tapestry of rolling arable and small-scale on prominent hilltops to medieval castles and apart, a secret space full of delights and pasture fields, fens, hedges and walls, formal monasteries. The numerous grand houses unexpected pleasures. parkland and scattered attractive villages. with parkland landscape, such as Castle Howard, Newburgh Priory, Hovingham Hall, These are the reasons why it’s designated an A landscape of high visual quality: The and Nunnington Hall, have a Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty: variety of landform and land use produces a dramatic effect upon the landscape. An unusual landform: A key area of contrast in scale, colour, texture and form. The limestone landscape, its deep-cut Kirkham settings of the historic houses, the extensive An important wildlife resource: The river Gorge is a unique winding valley, formed as an woodlands, the broad sweeping views and the Derwent flows through its eastern edge, with overflow channel from glacial unspoilt farming landscapes and traditional outstanding wild plants and animals. Other and it is of great scientific importance. building styles have a special aesthetic appeal. habitats of national importance include fens and relatively extensive remnants of ancient A richly varied landscape: The landform A remarkable heritage: The Howardian semi-natural woodland. consists of a complex system of ridges, hills Hills is rich in archaeological and historical and valleys. Wooded countryside meets a features, ranging from Iron Age earthworks 27 Fylingdales

Saltburn

For more information please see www.northyorkmoors.org.uk and www.howardianhills.org.uk The Moors & More Local Distinctiveness Project website is www.northyorkmoorstourism.com

Written by Susan Briggs (The Tourism Network) and Catriona McLees (North York Moors ) Designed by roomfordesign.co.uk Beck Hole