A cycle-friendly route along a former railway line reveals a distinctive side of Yorkshire And The Humber: the Cinder Track runs between Scarborough and Whitby. It combines the history of a former railway with a versatile route for cyclists. The Yorkshire Coast offers a different perspective: high cliffs and rocky shores shape the coastline, and a cliff-top trail stretches for more than 30 miles. This means very different landscapes sit side by side within the region.
Coast, cliffs and moorlands
At RSPB Bempton Cliffs, around half a million seabirds gather on chalk cliffs above the North Sea between March and August. A level path leads to the cliff top and is suitable for pushchairs.
The Yorkshire Dales also offer striking contrasts: heather-covered moorlands, prominent peaks and small-scale fields and pastures were shaped by ancient glaciers; the area is also rich in fossils. Many recommended walks in the Yorkshire Dales National Park start and end at public transport stops, including connections to the Settle-Carlisle Railway. Waterfalls, rivers and lakes are popular places for picnicking, paddling and swimming. Kayaking, canoeing, sailing and windsurfing are also enjoyed there.
The North York Moors are home to England’s largest expanse of heather moorland. At Brimham Rocks, by contrast, the focus is on huge rocks with unusual shapes. According to geological interpretation, they were formed by a mighty river—100 million years before the first dinosaurs appeared. The heather moorland there is designated a Site of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI). Ling heather, bell heather and cross-leaved heath are the three regional heather species named in this context.
Sculptures and wildlife
Yorkshire Sculpture Park brings together outdoor sculptures and a 500-acre landscape managed for conservation. Here, art and landscape are two distinct aspects of the same place. At Yorkshire Wildlife Park in South Yorkshire, the focus is on an immersive wildlife experience. The grounds cover more than 150 acres and include three unique walk-through animal reserves. In Hull, The Deep offers another way to experience wildlife: the educational and conservation charity runs an aquarium overlooking the Humber Estuary.
History written into the landscape
Fountains Abbey & Studley Royal combines ancient abbey ruins with an impressive water garden and deer park; the estate is a World Heritage Site. The deer park is home to 300 wild deer. A circular path crosses vaulted bridges and follows the winding River Skell. The ruins, garden and riverside landscape each make their own impression, without reducing the site to a single historical period.
Saltaire offers a glimpse of the Industrial Age: this complete and well-preserved 19th-century industrial village includes textile mills, public buildings and workers’ housing. Its town planning and ideas about social welfare influenced the garden city movement in 19th-century Britain and eventually around the world. Saltaire therefore tells a story not only about factories, but also about how planning and social ideas shaped the built environment.
At York Castle Museum, a social history collection reflects everyday life in the county. Highlights include Kirkgate, a reconstructed street that has influenced museum design around the world. The museum is housed in a former debtors’ prison and an adjoining former women’s prison; both buildings are Grade I listed. Yorkshire as a whole is also associated with stories: the region served as the setting for literary classics such as Dracula and Wuthering Heights, as well as a filming location for productions ranging from Downton Abbey to Harry Potter.
These differences can be a useful starting point when planning your trip: coastal and moorland landscapes, outdoor sculpture, wildlife experiences and industrial heritage each offer their own way to discover the region. Think about which themes interest you most, then choose which places you’d like to explore further.
More destinations
Discover more destinations: Filey, Scarborough, Rotherham, Sheffield, Doncaster, Barnsley, Kirklees, Wakefield, Calderdale, East Riding Of Yorkshire, Kingston Upon Hull, Leeds, North Yorkshire, Bradford, York, Stockton On The Forest, West Yorkshire, Penistone, South Yorkshire.
For the broader travel overview: Great Britain.
