North York Moors National Park is a boon to walkers and nature lovers (though, in our opinion, not quite as lovely as the Yorkshire Dales, Peak District and Lake District). Located 25 mi/40 km north of York, the park's scenery ranges from bare, open moorland to the windswept coast.
The area is best visited from the comfort of lodgings in York, Helmsley (a charming village of gray stone houses near the marvelous ruins of Rievaulx Abbey and some fine country houses) or Whitby (an attractive coastal town also with great abbey ruins and a fine church). Near Helmsley is the award-winning Eden Camp, a 6-acre/2-hectare World War II museum. It gives a unique glimpse of what life was like for civilians during the war years.
Just outside the western boundary of the park, the town of Thirsk celebrates the life of James Herriot, veterinarian of All Creatures Great and Small fame. From the town of Pickering, you can pick up a steam engine train (Harry Potter fans will recognize the station from the movies) and ride across the moors to the coast.
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