Moors, Whitby & The Yorkshire Steam Railway Day Trip from York
Description
This small-group Guided Day Trip from York provides the opportunity to explore the scenic and picturesque North York Moors National Park, enjoy more than two hours in the seaside town of Whitby and take a Steam Train ride on the North Yorkshire Moors Railway (optional extra paid locally on the day)! You will also experience the traditional English moorland villages of Hutton-le-Hole and Goathland (Heartbeat and Harry Potter filming location) and travel back to York through the Howardian Hills, passing by Castle Howard. In Whitby, you will be able to see Whitby Abbey (inspiration for the Dracula books), visit the Captain Cook Attractions, shop for some Whitby Jet or Gothic Fashion, sample Fish & Chips from the famous Magpie Café or just enjoy the bustling port and waterfront – the choice is yours! Enjoy personal attention from your guide on this small-group mini-coach tour, limited to 16 people.
Tour Options
Itinerary
You will head off into the Vale of York, learning about life in Yorkshire as you pass through the villages of Strensall, Sheriff Hutton and Hovingham. The first stop is in the traditional National Park village of Hutton-le-Hole, where you can wander amongst the traditional stone-built houses and sheep roaming on the village common land, or just have a leisurely Yorkshire Brew in one of the cafes – the choice is yours!
We head off up over the North York Moors for some photo stops, passing the 16th century Lion Inn on Blakey Ridge (the highest point on the Moors) and Ralph’s Cross, then through the quaint and picturesque Yorkshire villages that lead down into Whitby. As you arrive in Whitby, you will hear stories about the seaside town’s history and your guide will tell you about the main places of interest that you may want to visit.
You will have two and a half hours free time in Whitby (two hours if taking steam train option), with options to visit Whitby’s newest attraction, The Endeavour Experience (one of only two full-size replicas of the HM Bark Endeavour in existence), the Captain Cook Museum, take the Bark Endeavour scale replica boat trip around the harbour, view Whitby Abbey (inspiration for the Dracula Books) or just explore the shops and market of the seaside town and experience Fish & Chips from the famous Magpie Café – the choice is yours!
If you prefer to spend a little less time in Whitby and take the opportunity of travelling by steam train on the North Yorkshire Moors Railway at our special discounted rate, you have the option of boarding the 2.00pm train from Whitby for the 45-minute moorland rail journey through Grosmont to Goathland (Hogsmeade Station in the Harry Potter movies), where you will re-join the Minicoach. This option is paid locally on the day with no need to book ahead.
We reach Goathland Station in time to see the other passengers arrive by steam train, then learn about “Hogsmeade”, before exploring the picture postcard fictional village of “Aidensfield” in the Heartbeat television series and maybe grab an ice cream from the village store.
We leave Goathland and have a couple more photo stops as you learn the history behind the mysterious RAF Fylingdales Pyramid on Snod Hill and the Hole of Horcum.
We head back towards York through the Howardian Hills with panoramic views of Castle Howard.
Highlights
What's included
Traveller Ratings
Important Information
- Infants and small children can ride in a pram or stroller
- Public transportation options are available nearby
- Suitable for all physical fitness levels
- Children must be accompanied by an adult
- Minimum age is 5 years
- Collapsible wheelchairs can be accommodated providing the passenger is accompanied by someone who can assist them board and disembark
- Operates in all weather conditions, please dress appropriately
- Service animals are allowed by prior arrangement only
Reviews(393)
Excellent day trip, guide and places.
90th Birthday present. Even though we were late for the 9.30 departure, we caught the train due to the prompt action of the car park man who contacted the engine driver. We rushed over the bridge, not easy at my age, waved apologies to the passengers and boarded with a friendly greeting from the platform staff. We’re on our way, clickety click went the wheels, through the beautiful countryside of North Yorkshire. This was an unforgettable experience of rail travel from a bygone era. I must congratulate all the voluntary staff for their courtesy and appreciate their care and attention. This was a day to remember and a perfect birthday present.
Whitby is a beautiful place, the drive to that town is pleasant with astonishing views. A relaxing day with lots of activities. Would like to revisit.
Brilliant day, our Guide (Mark) was excellent. His knowledge of the area was superb detailing everything from property prices down to Henry VIII and the English reformation. This whole experience was worth every penny and was topped off by the wonderful steam train experience from Whitby. If you get the chance do this, its excellent.
This is an amazing tour!!! So much information and our guide couldn't have been better. So knowledgeable, helpful, funny, friendly and safe. He did little extras to show us really cool stuff and everyone had a good time. I would HIGHLY recommend this tour and do the optional train trip, it was worth it!
I really enjoyed that tour, our guide was really attentive, kind and polite, he drove as around the moors choosing the most fascinating roots and places to stop by. I didn’t feel rushed or exhausted, the bus was comfortable with good AC. highly recommend choosing that activity to spend your time in Yorkshire
Hi there, Thank you for your lovely review! We are delighted to hear you enjoyed exploring the North York Moors, Whitby, and the Yorkshire Steam Railway with us. It is wonderful to know you felt well looked after throughout the day and enjoyed discovering some of the quieter roads, beautiful scenery, and hidden corners of Yorkshire along the way. With Yorkshire experiencing some unusually hot weather recently, we are especially pleased to hear you found the vehicle comfortable and appreciated the air conditioning. A relaxed and enjoyable journey is just as important as the destinations themselves. Thank you again for your recommendation. It means a great deal to our small local Yorkshire company and helps others looking for a North York Moors and Whitby day trip from York feel confident booking with us. Warmest wishes, Lucy Best of Britain – Yorkshire Day Tours
Mark, our tour guide, was amazing! His narration, instructions were clear, articulate. & accurate. His driving was attentive & smooth. He was always concerned for our comfort & did all he could to give us a very positive experience. The small group of guests (approx 15) was just the right size for friendly conversations during the day. We even had dinner afterwards with a fellow traveler we met on the bus. We highly recommend this tour.
Thank you very much, David, for your wonderful five star review of our Moors, Whitby and Yorkshire Steam Railway Day Trip from York. We are delighted to hear that you had such a positive experience exploring Whitby and the North York Moors with us. Providing a relaxed, enjoyable, and informative day out is exactly what we strive for, and it is lovely to know that you felt comfortable and well looked after throughout the tour. We are especially pleased that you enjoyed travelling as part of a small group. One of the great benefits of our small group tours from York is the friendly atmosphere they create, allowing guests to share experiences, meet fellow travellers, and enjoy a more personal experience than larger coach tours can offer. It is wonderful to hear that the connections made during the day even continued after the tour had finished. Thank you for your recommendation. Feedback like yours helps other travellers looking for a small group Whitby and North York Moors tour from York choose with confidence. We hope to welcome you again on another Yorkshire day tour in the future. Lucy Best of Britain – Yorkshire Day Tours
We had a lovely day out with Mark as our guide, despite the rather damp weather. Mark gave a continuous commentary as we drove to the North York Moors National park, stopping for mid-morning coffee, then a photo stop and on to Whitby. With recommendations for where to get fish and chips, and very clear instructions on meeting points and time we felt very well cared for. We really enjoyed the ride on the North York Moors Railway and the subsequent stop in Goathland where we heard about the filming of Harry Potter and the old TV series Heartbeat. It was a mixed group of nationalities and Mark’s delivery was very clear and slow so that everyone would be able to catch what he was saying. He made a point of learning everyone’s names and personalising the tour. Overall, I would recommend this tour On the downside, we ended up arriving a bit later than the rest of the group (but still 10 minutes for the departure time) as the minibus doesn’t have much signage and it was on the other side of the road to where we were looking. Mark came out and found us – but it meant we ended up sitting in the back row over the axle where we were bounced up and down a lot all day so the journey was not as comfortable as it might have been!
Hi Nikki and Rob, It was lovely to read your review, thank you for taking the time to share your experience. We are so pleased you enjoyed your day exploring the North York Moors National Park, Whitby, and Goathland. Even though the Yorkshire weather was doing its usual thing, it sounds like you still managed to make the most of the day. As we like to say, there is no such thing as bad weather in Yorkshire, just the wrong clothes! And without the rain, we would not have the beautiful green landscapes that make the Moors so special. It is great to hear that Mark helped everyone feel welcome and well looked after. We pride ourselves on creating friendly, personal day trips from York, and taking the time to get to know our guests is all part of that experience. Thank you also for your feedback regarding the departure point and seating. We are sorry you found the minibus difficult to spot initially, although we are glad Mark was able to find you before departure. We are always happy to help guests locate us before the tour and can be contacted directly if needed. Thank you again for your recommendation. It means a great deal to our small local Yorkshire company and helps others looking for a North York Moors and Whitby tour from York feel confident booking with us. Warmest wishes, Lucy Best of Britain – Yorkshire Day Tours
Highly recommended. The guide was Mark and he was very knowledgable and even took us to some out of the way places to make the experience even better than I'd expected it would be.
Thank you very much, Sheena, for your wonderful five star review of our Moors, Whitby and Yorkshire Steam Railway Day Trip from York. We are delighted to hear that the tour exceeded your expectations and that you enjoyed discovering some of the lesser-known places along the way. One of the advantages of a small group tour is the opportunity to include special stops and viewpoints that many visitors would never find when exploring independently. We are pleased that you found the day both informative and enjoyable. Thank you for your recommendation. Feedback like yours helps other travellers looking for a Whitby and North York Moors tour from York choose with confidence. We hope to welcome you again on another Yorkshire day tour in the future. Lucy Best of Britain – Yorkshire Day Tours
It’s an all day adventure with lots of stops and wonderful presentations from the driver Mark. We enjoyed it. Loved seeing Ainsville from Heartbeat.
Thank you very much, Cynthia, for your lovely five star review of our Moors, Whitby and Yorkshire Steam Railway Day Trip from York. We are delighted to hear that you enjoyed your day exploring the North York Moors and Whitby with us. It is wonderful to know that you particularly enjoyed visiting Aidensfield, the famous filming location from Heartbeat. It remains one of the highlights of the tour for many guests and offers a glimpse into a much-loved part of Yorkshire television history. Thank you for your kind comments and recommendation. Your feedback helps other travellers looking for a Whitby and North York Moors tour from York discover what makes this such a memorable day trip from York. We hope to welcome you again on another Yorkshire day tour in the future. Lucy Best of Britain – Yorkshire Day Tours
