At over 554 square miles, the North York Moors is the largest heather moorland in the United Kingdom. The moors became a National Park in 1952, soon after the National Parks and Access to the Countryside Act was passed through Parliament, following World War Two. The park has many small villages within its border, giving the moors a total population of 25,000.
What is so special about the park is the great range of changing landscapes across the area; there are cliff faces on the eastern edge of the park overlooking the North Sea, and moving inland the North York Moors contains hills, valleys, lowlands and rivers.
Within the North York Moors there are many special places of interest, holding particular historical significance and archeological or architectural importance. Within its boundaries, you can discover Abbeys, Castles, Museums, Geological areas of interest and a great deal of British wildlife. Did you know that there are 12,000 archaeological sites and features in the park, including 700 scheduled ancient monuments?
Throughout the year there are hundreds of different events being coordinated on the North York Moors. Many of these involve treks of varying types, as well as smaller events set in and around the small villages found in the park.
How to get to the North York Moors
North York Moors has many activities for visitors, including cycling, walking and horse riding.
By public transport: you can take the North York Moors bus called Moorsbus. The Moorsbus travel on extensive routes across the moors, but the two easiest to travel on leave from York UK and are the M15 and 840. The prices for the bus run between four and seven pounds per person although family concessions are available.
By private car: there are many different areas you can travel to and given the size of the North York Moors, there are plenty of places to park. The choices of areas are numerous and depend greatly on what you wish to do while in the National Park.
The Moors are free to visit and are open all year round, although the highest visitor volumes occur during the warmer summer months.
Address:
North York Moors National Park
The Old Vicarage
Bondgate
Helmsley
York
YO62 5BP
01439 770657