Rail
Following the closure of the coastal line in 1965, rail services have drastically reduced in the North York Moors. However, daily Northern trains run along the Eskdale line from Middlesbrough to Whitby, providing access to a series of fine walks in the northern part of the national park, www.northernrailway.co.uk. Seasonal steam-hauled services on the North Yorkshire Moors Railway, between Pickering and Goathland, catch the attention of walkers who want to enjoy a nostalgic railway journey to their walks, www.nymr.co.uk. All was not lost with the closure of the coastal railway, since the entire line between Scarborough and Whitby is now part of the National Cycle Route 1.
The North Yorkshire Moors Railway provides nostalgic steam-hauled services
Accommodation
Accommodation options around the North York Moors National Park are abundant, but bear in mind that during the peak summer season it can still be difficult to secure lodgings, and in the depths of winter some places are not open. At the budget end there are plenty of campsites, although youth hostels are rather thin on the ground. Following closures in recent years there is now only Whitby, Boggle Hole, Scarborough, Lockton, Helmsley and Osmotherley.
Walkers looking for B&B, guest house or hotel accommodation will find plenty of choice in some areas, especially the coastal resorts, but little or nothing in some of the less-frequented dales further inland. However, every standard is available, from homely B&Bs and basic farmhouse accommodation, to luxury hotels with every facility and full meals services. On the whole, serviced accommodation in the North York Moors tends to be a little pricey, but with careful research reasonably priced options can be found, especially with Airbnb, www.airbnb.co.uk. The tourist information centres at Scarborough and Whitby may be aware of last-minute vacancies during busy periods.
Food and drink
Most of the walking routes in this guidebook start and finish at places where food and drink is available. The starting point may be a town with plenty of pubs, restaurants and cafés, or it may be a village with a pub and a tearoom. There may be places en route that offer food and drink, such as wayside pubs and cafés, or there may be nothing at all. A note about the availability of refreshments is given in the information box at the beginning of each walk, although there is no guarantee that the places will be open when you need them! When booking accommodation be sure to enquire about meals, or to let your hosts know if you have any special dietary requirements. It goes without saying that you should be self-sufficient for food and drink for the duration of your walks.
When to walk
Most visitors – and indeed too many visitors – explore the North York Moors during the summer months, and when the moors are flushed purple with heather and the air is sweetened with its scent, this can be a delightful time. But be warned that when the sun beats down on the moors there may be little shade, and the longer a heatwave lasts, the more the air tends to turn hazy, so that colour and depth are lost from the views. The spring and autumn months offer good walking conditions, with plenty of cool, clear days – often cool enough to ensure that you keep striding briskly! There is also less pressure on accommodation and easier access to attractions along the way. In the winter months accommodation and transport are much reduced, and foul weather can sweep across the moors, which offer little shelter from wind or rain. However, there can be some exceptionally bright, clear days, and a dusting of snow on the landscape transforms the scene into something quite magical.
The heathery expanse of Spaunton Moor from above Lastingham (Walk 29)
Maps of the routes
Extracts from the Ordnance Survey Landranger series of maps, at a scale of 1:50 000, are used throughout this guidebook, with overlays showing the routes. These extracts are adequate for navigation on the walks, but if you wish to explore more of the countryside off-route, and want to see exactly where you are in relation to other walking routes, then obtain the appropriate Ordnance Survey maps. The Landranger maps covering the North York Moors National Park include sheets 93, 94, 99, 100 and 101. Greater detail and clarity are available on Ordnance Survey Explorer maps, at a scale of 1:25 000. The relevant Explorer maps are OL26, covering the western half of the national park, and OL27, covering the eastern half of the national park. Bear in mind that these maps are printed on both sides, so that each sheet has a North and South side. The relevant Ordnance Survey maps for each walk are quoted in the information box introducing the walk. The starting points for the walks can be pinpointed using the six-figure Ordnance Survey grid references supplied. The BMC/Harvey map of the North York Moors covers all but six of the routes in this guidebook.
Access to the countryside
Use up-to-date maps, as dozens of rights of way have been officially diverted over the years, often to avoid farmyards or fields of crops. On the high moors walkers who are good map-readers will frequently notice that the clear path or track they are following is not actually a right of way, and that the right of way shown on the map is quite untrodden on the ground! For the most part, walkers are voting with their feet and have done so for many years, and landowners seem to accept the situation.
Large areas of open moorland have been designated as open access land under the Countryside and Rights of Way (CRoW) Act 2000. Open access land should not be regarded as offering unlimited access. Some areas are indeed open at all times, but others are restricted and can be closed for various reasons, including grouse shooting and the movement of animals. In some areas there may be a complete ban on dogs at any time, or it might be a requirement for dogs to be kept on a lead, particularly in areas where ground-nesting birds are present. It is a good idea to check whether any restrictions or closures are in force, which can be advised by the Open Access Contact Centre, tel 0300 0602091. Remember that access is granted on foot only and doesn’t extend to bicycles or vehicles, nor does it imply any right to camp on a property. Also, remember that access to the area surrounding RAF Fylingdales is strictly forbidden.
National park visitor centres
There are two national park visitor centres in the North York Moors, and they perform the very important function of trying to interest visitors in and educate them about the necessary balance that needs to be struck between conservation and recreation in this fragile upland area. The busier of the two centres is beside the main road at the top of Sutton Bank, the quieter one is outside the little village of Danby in Eskdale. Both centres are full of information, dispensing maps, guidebooks and leaflets that cover walking opportunities, as well as presenting the history, heritage and natural history of the area. Audio-visual presentations are available, as well as guided walks with national park rangers. Both centres can be reached by Moorsbus services that operate at weekends during the summer.
Sutton Bank National Park Centre, tel 01845 597426
The Moors National Park Centre, Danby, tel 01439 772737
For administrative enquiries contact: North York Moors National Park Authority, The Old Vicarage, Bondgate, Helmsley, York, YO62 5BP, tel 01439 772700 www.northyorkmoors.org.uk.
Ralph Cross is an ancient moorland marker and serves as the national park logo
Tourist information centres
The main tourist information centres are on the coast at