York to Whitby the Scenic Way: A Sightseeing Transfer with Moors and Coast on the Way
If you are travelling from York to Whitby, you have a choice.
You can take the quickest route and arrive at the coast with your luggage, your travel day largely behind you and not much else to show for the journey.
Or you can make the transfer part of the holiday.
That is the idea behind Highwayman Tours’ private sightseeing transfer between York and Whitby. It is available in either direction, with your luggage travelling safely with you while we take a scenic route through historic Yorkshire, the North York Moors and the Yorkshire coast.
This is not a straight taxi ride.
It is a proper sightseeing journey that finishes directly at your Whitby hotel.
Why turn a York to Whitby transfer into a tour?
Changing hotels can be a bit of a faff.
You have to check out, move your cases, find the station or arrange a taxi, work out connections and then do it all again when you reach the other end. Some people do not mind that. Plenty of people would quite reasonably rather not spend half a day managing luggage and timetables.
That is the problem.
The journey between York and Whitby already takes you through some of the most interesting scenery in North Yorkshire. Instead of losing that time to transport, you can use it to see more.
With a private sightseeing transfer, we collect you and your luggage from your York accommodation, stop at places worth visiting and then take you directly to your Whitby hotel.
No returning to York.
No dragging cases through several stations.
No coach group waiting for everyone to finish taking photographs.
Just your group, your luggage and a route built around seeing more of Yorkshire.
What can you see between York and Whitby?
The typical route includes:
- Kirkham Priory
- Malton
- Hutton-le-Hole
- Goathland
- Robin Hood’s Bay
- Whitby
The exact order can change when travelling in the opposite direction, but the idea stays the same: historic ruins first, then Yorkshire food and market-town character, followed by moorland villages and the coast.
It is a lot more varied than simply pointing the sat-nav towards Whitby.
First stop: Kirkham Priory beside the River Derwent
Kirkham Priory is a peaceful place to begin the journey.
The ruins sit beside the River Derwent in a green, wooded setting. It is an Augustinian priory dating from the 1120s, with the gatehouse standing out as one of the site’s most distinctive features.
There is something very Yorkshire about the way Kirkham appears almost quietly in the countryside. You are not arriving at a large visitor complex or a busy city attraction. You are stepping out into a riverside landscape and looking at centuries-old stonework with the sound of the water nearby.
English Heritage currently lists Kirkham Priory as free to enter during reasonable daylight hours. Opening arrangements can change, so it is always worth checking the official Kirkham Priory information before travelling.
This is an excellent early stop because it gives you a sense of Yorkshire’s history before the route moves towards the food, villages and open moors.
Malton: a proper lunch stop
From Kirkham Priory, the route continues towards Malton.
Malton is often called Yorkshire’s food capital, and it makes a natural place to stop for lunch. You can expect independent food shops, cafés, delis, market-town streets and plenty of local produce.
Lunch is built into the sightseeing transfer, but food and drinks are paid for separately. We do not force you into one particular restaurant or pretend every group wants the same thing.
Want a relaxed café? Fine.
Want something more substantial? No problem.
Want to browse a food shop and keep things simple? That can work too, where timing and availability allow.
The important thing is that you get a sensible break before heading into the North York Moors.
Because sightseeing is better when nobody is hungry.
Hutton-le-Hole and the North York Moors
After Malton, the scenery begins to change properly.
The road leaves the lower countryside and climbs towards the North York Moors, with open views, stone walls and smaller roads replacing the busier routes around York.
Hutton-le-Hole is one of the classic villages in this part of Yorkshire. Its village green, stream and stone cottages make it feel exactly like the sort of place many visitors hope to find when they picture rural Yorkshire.
But it is not just about taking a photograph and getting straight back in the vehicle.
You can have a wander, take in the village and enjoy a quieter section of the day. Depending on the season, weather and time available, the route can be adjusted so the stops do not feel rushed.
The North York Moors can look very different from one day to the next. Bright sunshine brings wide views across the heather. Cloud and mist give the roads a more atmospheric feel. Neither is necessarily better.
It is Yorkshire. The weather does what it likes.
Goathland: moorland village and railway country
The journey then continues towards Goathland.
Goathland is surrounded by open moorland and is closely associated with the North Yorkshire Moors Railway. It is also familiar to many visitors from its television connections, although you do not need to be a television fan to enjoy the village.
The appeal is really the setting.
Old stone buildings, open moorland roads and that feeling of being properly away from the city. It is one of the stops that helps you understand how quickly Yorkshire changes once you leave York behind.
This is also where the route begins to feel as though it is heading towards the sea. You are crossing the moors rather than taking the most direct road, and that is the whole point.
You are not simply travelling to Whitby.
You are seeing the landscape between York and the coast.
Robin Hood’s Bay: the first real taste of the coast
Before finishing in Whitby, the route reaches Robin Hood’s Bay.
The village is built into the coast, with steep lanes leading down towards the sea. It has a long history as a fishing village and is known for its narrow streets, old cottages and coastal atmosphere.
You will want sensible footwear here. The lanes are steep in places, and the route down to the beach is not completely flat. You do not need to turn the stop into a long walk, but a little care makes it much more enjoyable.
Robin Hood’s Bay gives you a different view of the Yorkshire coast from Whitby. It feels smaller, more tucked away and a little less formal. The sea is always close, even when you are wandering among the old buildings.
If you enjoy coastal views, old roads and places with a bit of character, it is a very worthwhile stop.
Then we continue directly to your Whitby hotel.
Arriving in Whitby
By the time you arrive in Whitby, you have already had a full day of Yorkshire sightseeing.
You have seen riverside ruins, stopped for lunch in Malton, crossed the North York Moors, visited traditional villages and reached the coast through Robin Hood’s Bay.
That makes the arrival feel different.
You are not checking into Whitby after spending the whole day staring at a motorway or waiting for connections. You have already started exploring the town’s wider setting.
Whitby itself has plenty to keep you occupied, including:
- The harbour
- Independent shops
- Fish and chips
- Historic streets
- Coastal walks
- Whitby Abbey
- Gothic and Dracula connections
Whitby Abbey stands high above the town, with the ruins looking out across the sea. The setting is a large part of its appeal.
The abbey has long been connected with local myths and legends, and Whitby’s Gothic reputation was strengthened by Bram Stoker’s visit and the town’s links with Dracula. You do not have to be interested in gothic history to enjoy Whitby, but the abbey, harbour, steep streets and North Sea weather do give the town a distinctive atmosphere.
Grey skies are not a disaster here.
Sometimes they suit the place rather well.
How does the private sightseeing transfer work?
The transfer is designed to be straightforward.
1. We collect you
We pick you up from your York accommodation at an agreed time. Your luggage comes with you and stays with the vehicle throughout the day.
2. We explore Yorkshire
We follow the typical route through Kirkham Priory, Malton, Hutton-le-Hole, Goathland and Robin Hood’s Bay, with time for photographs, short walks and lunch.
3. We finish at your hotel
We drop you directly at your Whitby accommodation, rather than returning you to York or leaving you to arrange another taxi from a station.
The transfer is private for up to four guests. There is no coach group and no strangers added to your booking.
The published York to Whitby route price is currently £450.50 for the whole private group, including the FareHarbor booking fee. Prices and availability can change, so check the current transfer details before booking.
Luggage capacity also matters. The vehicle carries up to four guests, but four passengers with several large cases may need checking before the booking is confirmed. Send us the details and we will tell you honestly what is practical.
Is this available from Whitby to York?
Yes.
The sightseeing transfer works in either direction. If you are leaving Whitby for York, we can reverse the route and finish at your York accommodation.
The same practical idea applies:
- Your luggage travels with you
- The route is private
- Stops can be adjusted where timing allows
- Lunch is included as part of the day’s structure
- You travel directly between your hotels
- You see more than you would on a standard transfer
Weather, traffic, attraction opening times and your interests may affect the exact route. We cannot promise every date will be free or that every stop will suit every group, but if we can make it work, we will.
A better way to travel across Yorkshire
There are plenty of ways to get from York to Whitby.
A bus can be scenic. A train can be enjoyable. Hiring a car gives you independence, although parking and unfamiliar roads can add their own bit of faff.
A private sightseeing transfer is for when you want the journey to do more.
You are not just paying to be moved from one hotel to another. You are using a travel day to see:
- Riverside heritage
- Yorkshire food and market-town life
- North York Moors villages
- Open moorland roads
- Robin Hood’s Bay
- Whitby and the Yorkshire coast
That is the whole point.
If you are planning a Whitby tour from York and would rather see more of the county on the way, send Highwayman Tours a message with your date, group size, luggage and hotel details.
We can talk through what is realistic.
The journey is already in your plans. You may as well make it a proper Yorkshire day.
Kes, Highwayman Tours
