Scenic Drives in North Yorkshire: Where to Stop, Sleep and Skip

Four routes through the Moors, the Dales and the coast, with the towns worth booking a bed in and the ones to drive straight past.

The A170 Across the North York Moors: Pickering to Whitby

Start in Pickering, where the A170 meets the A169, and take the moor road northeast through Newton-on-Rawcliffe and Lockton. The climb past Hole of Horcum is the drive's set piece: a 120-metre-deep amphitheatre of heather that turns purple from mid-August to early September and rust-brown by October. Allow an hour for the 30 miles to Whitby if you stop, 40 minutes if you don't. Fuel up in Pickering — there's nothing on the moor itself, and the two garages at Whitby are your next realistic option.

Book in Pickering if you want the moors on your doorstep and easy access to the North Yorkshire Moors Railway, whose steam services to Grosvenor Square-side Whitby run most of the year. Expect to pay roughly £90-£140 for a decent double in a pub-with-rooms, less in January and February. Whitby itself costs more in summer — £130-£220 in a harbour-view guesthouse — and the A171 back over the moor at dusk is genuinely tiring after a long day.

The Yorkshire Dales: Skipton, Grassington and the Buttertubs Pass

From Skipton, the A65 runs northwest while the B6265 climbs through Embsay and Rylstone to Grassington, a compact stone town with a monthly farmers' market and good pub food. Continue on the B6160 through Kettlewell and Buckden; the road narrows, the drystone walls close in, and you're into the best of Upper Wharfedale. The Buttertubs Pass between Hawes and Thwaite is the dramatic bit — steep, single-track in places, with laybys at the limestone potholes that give it its name.

Base yourself in Skipton for two or three nights: it has a train station on the Leeds–Carlisle line, a castle, and hotels from about £85 for a simple double to £160 for something with a spa. Grassington suits a single night if you want silence and walking. Skip Hawes as an overnight unless you're doing the full Dales circuit — it's charming but 50 minutes from anywhere else, and the drive back over the pass in rain is no fun.

The Coast Road: Scarborough, Robin Hood's Bay and Staithes

The A165 from Scarborough to Whitby is the fast way; the A174 through Sandsend and Runswick Bay is the pretty one, and it's worth the extra 20 minutes. Robin Hood's Bay sits at the bottom of a punishing 20% hill — park at the top, in the village car park, and walk down. Staithes, 10 miles north, is quieter and has the better pub-to-parking ratio. Both are best between May and early July, before school holidays push guesthouse rates up by a third.

Scarborough is the practical base: two bays, a castle headland, direct trains from York in under an hour, and the widest choice of rooms — from £70 for a seafront B&B to £180 for a hotel with a pool. Book Scarborough for a family week, Robin Hood's Bay for a romantic two nights, and Staithes if you want the same scenery with fewer people. Avoid driving the coast road on a sunny bank holiday Sunday; the Sandsend stretch backs up badly.

Nidderdale and the A59: Harrogate, Pateley Bridge and Ripon

Harrogate is the obvious gateway — it has the most hotels in the region, a conference centre, and the A61 and A59 both feed into the Dales and Moors within half an hour. Take the B6165 through Ripley and Burnt Yates to Pateley Bridge, then the B6265 west to Grassington for a quieter alternative to the A65. Ripon, 12 miles north of Harrogate, has the cathedral, a racecourse, and cheaper rooms — often £75-£120 against Harrogate's £110-£190.

I'd book Harrogate for a two-night city-and-country mix: you can walk to Bettys, eat well on Parliament Street, and still be at Brimham Rocks in 25 minutes. Pateley Bridge works for a single night if you're walking the Nidderdale Way. Skip the A59 east of Harrogate on weekday mornings — the York commuter traffic makes it slower than the A658 through Knaresborough, which is prettier anyway.

Questions, answered

What's the best month for a North Yorkshire driving trip?

Late May to early July, or September. Heather peaks on the moors in mid-August to early September, but roads and hotels are busiest in school holidays. September gives you the colour, quieter roads and rates about 15-20% below August.

Do I need a car for the moors and Dales?

Yes for the Buttertubs Pass and most moorland roads — buses are sparse and often seasonal. But you can reach Skipton, Harrogate, Scarborough and Whitby by train, then hire a car locally for day trips. That works well if you'd rather not drive long distances.

Where should I stay for a first North Yorkshire trip?

Harrogate or York for a city base with easy Dales and Moors access, or Pickering if the moors are the point. Scarborough suits families wanting the coast. Two nights in one place beats one night in three — you'll spend the time driving instead of seeing anything.

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