Stay at home: North Yorkshire

Forest trails, woodland walks, mountain biking and the great, great outdoors? Or tea and scones, Yorkshire puddings, steam trains, Dracula and Vikings? You can have it all

By Maria Pieri
Published 29 Oct 2016, 16:00 BST, Updated 7 Jul 2021, 17:14 BST

Wharfedale track, North Yorkshire. Image: Getty

Photograph by Getty Images

What to do

Dracula's landing

1. Head to the harbour town of Whitby Port, where Bram Stoker's Dracula first disembarked onto English soil and where Captain Cook served his seaman's apprenticeship.

2. Schlep up the steepish walk towards the ruins of Whitby Abbey.

3. Dine at Quayside and sink your teeth into the best fish and chips around.

Where to eat

The Blacksmiths Country Inn: This award-winning inn at the very edge of Cropton Forest serves up hearty, contemporary food — think pork medallions, Ryedale steak and Guinness pie or oven-roasted salmon with a creamy lobster, prawn and chive sauce.

Where to stay

Forest Holidays Keldy has 59 luxury forest cabins. We booked a two-bed silver birch cabin with kitchen, living room and shower, plus a hot tub on the deck. On-site activities range from pottery painting to archery, forest ranger activities to Go Ape.

We like

Board the North Yorkshire Moors Steam Railway at Pickering and splash out an extra £4 to travel in first-class style. En route, look over the seascape, the desolate North Yorkshire Moors and many pretty market towns — or just sit back and enjoy the ride.

Must-try

Yorkshire Puddings: The Crooked Billet pub in Saxton is one of many worth seeking out; it serves an entire roast dinner inside a giant pudding.

Published in the November 2016 issue of National Geographic Traveller (UK)

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