Grassington

Grassington is one of the Dales villages visitors picture before they arrive: stone buildings, independent shops, narrow lanes and countryside immediately beyond the centre. It is lively enough to have places to eat and browse, but small enough to feel like a village rather than another town.

It features on Highwayman Tours' Yorkshire Dales, Falls & Market Towns route alongside Bolton Abbey, Linton Falls, Pateley Bridge and Brimham Rocks.

Coxwold

Coxwold is a very different proposition. It is quieter, elegant and closely tied to the historic landscape around Byland Abbey and the Howardian Hills. The broad village street and honey-coloured stone reward people who prefer somewhere calm to somewhere famous.

It works naturally on an abbey day north of York. The Abbeys, Ruins & Reformation route travels through this part of North Yorkshire.

Thornton-le-Dale

Thornton-le-Dale sits near Pickering and on the approach to the North York Moors. Its beck, stone cottages and traditional village centre make it an easy place to like, but the real advantage is location: it can be part of a wider day rather than requiring a trip entirely of its own.

If Whitby is your ultimate destination, Thornton-le-Dale can be the sort of short stop that turns a transfer into a Yorkshire journey.

Haworth

Haworth is technically famous enough to need no introduction, but it still earns its place. The steep Main Street, church area, Brontë Parsonage and surrounding moors make it one of Yorkshire's most distinctive villages.

The important thing is not to visit only the shopfronts. The Brontë Country route connects the village to the moorland that gives it context.

Hutton-le-Hole

Hutton-le-Hole is one of the North York Moors' most recognisable villages, with open green space, stone buildings and the landscape rising around it. It works particularly well for visitors who want a traditional rural stop without needing a long urban wander.

It is also a useful reminder that the North York Moors deserve a day of their own. Trying to combine every beautiful Yorkshire village in one itinerary usually means you experience none of them properly.

Kettlewell

Kettlewell is smaller and more intimate than Grassington. Surrounded by Wharfedale scenery, it is ideal if the road itself is part of the experience. You do not need hours here. A short wander and a look around can be enough before continuing through the Dales.

Which village is best for you?

Do you need a car?

Some villages can be reached by bus, especially on popular routes and in summer. The challenge is combining several of them. Rural Yorkshire is built around valleys and roads rather than a neat rail network.

If your dream day is "two villages, an abbey, a waterfall and somewhere good for lunch", private transport is usually the difference between a relaxed day and a timetable exercise.

Frequently asked questions