Whitby, Robin Hood's Bay & the Moors

Explore the Yorkshire coast on a tour from York

Discover the Yorkshire coastline, the rugged Moors and the beauty of the English countryside on this fabulous small-group tour from York.

With hotel pick-up and drop-off included, you can join Grand Yorkshire and discover the amazing North York Moors and the beautiful Yorkshire coastline in the company of an experienced Yorkshire guide.

Full itinerary:

Beginning with pick-up at your accommodation in York city centre, the tour starts with a journey into the countryside north of the city. We pass through charming rural villages and beautiful farmland scenery as we head towards the hills of the North York Moors. We pause for photographs along the way as we travel up to the idyllic village of Hutton-le-Hole on the edge of the Moors. Here you can stroll across the village and perhaps enjoy a cup of coffee at the Forge Tearoom, before we continue from there into the very heart of the North York Moors National Park, pausing to take in the spectacular views over Rosedale — one of the most beautiful sights in Yorkshire.

We continue through the Moors as we make our way through the wild, rugged scenery and head for the coastline. Our route takes us on the tiny farmland roads that are inaccessible to larger touring vehicles, giving us enjoy a ‘behind the scenes’ look at the Moors, away from the busy roads and traffic. After several photo stops, we reach the coastline for a short visit to Staithes, the seaside town where Captain Cook once worked. Here you can take in views of Staithes from above the town, with spectacular views of the towering cliffs on this stretch of Yorkshire’s Jurassic coastline.

Our destination over lunchtime is the fishing town of Whitby, where you have two hours to explore at leisure. You can discover ‘Dracula’s abbey’, visit the Captain Cook Memorial Museum, take a boat cruise from Whitby harbour and perhaps enjoy fish and chips in the famous Magpie Café (or one of the many other excellent ‘chippies’ in Whitby).

Leaving Whitby, we continue along the coast to the indescribably beautiful fishing village of Robin Hood’s Bay. Here you get lost in the maze of tiny back streets and twisting lanes that weave their way through the 17th century buildings clinging to the cliffside.

From Robin Hood’s Bay we head back into the Moors for a visit to Goathland – a small village famous for its connection to Heartbeat and Harry Potter. You’ll have chance to see the famous ‘Aidensfield’ sights and the railway station used as Hogsmeade Station in Harry Potter.

We then begin another journey across the Moors to Pickering, where we will visit the Church of St Peter & St Paul. This historic church is a real hidden gem, with ancient wall murals that are 600 years old. Finally we continue back to York, arriving back in York at approximately 5 pm.