The Yorkshire Dales: softer valleys, rivers and villages

The Dales are shaped by valleys. Roads wind beside rivers, villages sit low in the landscape and the scenery changes repeatedly as you travel. In the southern Dales, places such as Bolton Abbey, Grassington and Linton Falls can be combined with Nidderdale stops such as Pateley Bridge and Brimham Rocks.

If you like the idea of stopping often, wandering through villages and seeing water as part of the landscape, the Dales are an excellent first choice.

The North York Moors: open horizons and a wilder road-trip feel

The North York Moors feel broader and more exposed. Heather moorland, long views and high roads give the journey a sense of space. The National Park also runs right towards the Yorkshire coast, so a moors day can naturally end in Whitby or another coastal stop.

The North York Moors National Park publishes current public transport ideas, including the Coastliner route through the park.

Which has the better villages?

The Dales probably win for the sheer density of classic stone villages. Grassington, Kettlewell and many smaller settlements create the postcard image people associate with Yorkshire.

The Moors answer with places such as Hutton-le-Hole, Thornton-le-Dale and Goathland, each with a different character and strong surrounding scenery.

So the better question is not "which has prettier villages?" but whether you want villages to be the main event or part of a bigger moorland road trip.

Which is better for waterfalls?

The Dales. Water is central to the landscape, from rivers and becks to famous falls. If waterfalls are high on your list, point yourself west rather than east.

Which is better for the coast?

The North York Moors, easily. Whitby sits just beyond the moorland route and can be built into a day from York. That combination of open moors, ruined abbey and North Sea is one of Yorkshire's strongest contrasts.

See Highwayman Tours' Castles, Coasts & Gothic Legends route for one way to join inland and coastal Yorkshire in the same day.

Which is easier without a car?

Both have public transport, but neither is a city network. The Dales National Park provides current bus and rail planning information, while the Moors have useful corridors such as Coastliner.

If you want one destination, public transport is very workable. If you want a string of rural stops, a car or private tour is much easier in either National Park.

The choice at a glance

What if you have two days?

Do both. They are different enough that the second day will not feel repetitive. A southern Dales day followed by a North York Moors and coast day gives you an unusually broad picture of Yorkshire from a single base in York.

Frequently asked questions