The best hiking routes in North York Moors National Park

The North York Moors National Park is defined by a distinct contrast between its high, open heather moorland and its deep, cultivated dales. Walking here does not involve climbing high peaks or navigating rugged mountain passes. Instead, the landscape consists of a vast, gently tilted plateau of sandstone and shale, capped by acidic soils that support the largest expanse of heather in England. On the high ground, the terrain is dominated by wide, purple-brown heathland where the path underfoot is often a mix of peat, gravel, and sandy tracks. In August, the heather blooms into a deep purple, transforming the color of the entire plateau.

As you descend from the open tops, the landscape changes abruptly into steep-sided valleys like Farndale or Bilsdale. Here, the vegetation shifts from heather to ancient oak woodlands, pastures, and bracken. The walking surfaces in these dales are typically grassy paths, clay tracks, and stony bridleways, which can feel very different from the springy peat of the high moors. Stone-paved trods, which are historic packhorse tracks made of flat sandstone flags, still survive in several areas and provide a firm footing across the wetter sections of the moor.

Choosing where to walk depends on your preference for exposure or shelter. The high moorland offers long, uninterrupted views across low-growing vegetation, where navigation relies on clear tracks and occasional stone crosses. The dales and the dramatic coastal fringe, where the sandstone cliffs meet the North Sea, offer more sheltered routes through woodland and small villages. While popular hubs like Danby or the coastal path near Robin Hood's Bay attract more visitors, the interior moorland tracks remain quiet and feel remote.