Plan your visit

The Esk Valley rewards a slower kind of visit. Base yourself in one of the villages or in Whitby, let the train do the driving, and give yourself time for a riverside walk, a pub lunch and a steam train. These pages will help you plan.

Getting around

• Getting here and getting around: trains, buses, driving and cycling.
• Ideas for a day out: itineraries by train, on foot and with the family.
• Cycling in the valley: lanes, the Cinder Track and taking bikes on the train.

Staying, eating and drinking

• Where to stay: inns, B&Bs, holiday cottages, camping and Whitby.
• Food and drink: pubs, tea rooms and local produce.

Making the most of it

• The Esk Valley with children: stepping stones, steam trains, waterfalls and beaches.
• Wildlife and dark skies: salmon, otters, grouse, heather and stargazing.
• A short history of the valley: monks, martyrs, ironstone and railways.
• Walking safely and the Countryside Code: what to carry and how to look after the dale.

When to come

Every season has its case. Late summer brings the heather, which turns the moors purple from late July to early September, and most of the agricultural shows. Spring has bluebells in Arncliffe Wood and lambs in every field. Autumn means salmon leaping at Ruswarp weir and golden woods along the river. Winter is quiet, with the darkest skies, roaring fires and the Plough Stots at Goathland. Whitby is busy in school holidays and at Goth Weekend; the villages rarely are.

See what's on for dates.

Practical

• Stations on the Esk Valley line: what to expect at each stop and where to walk from the platform.
• Whitby park and ride, Whitby tide times and webcams and weather.
• Frequently asked questions.

Nearby coast

The coast either side of Whitby is a short bus or bike ride away: Robin Hood's Bay, Staithes, Runswick Bay, Ravenscar and Boggle Hole. See all nearby coast.

The valley's own

• Pubs, cafés and tea rooms and places to stay listed individually.
• Fishing on the Esk and community and local organisations.
• The photo gallery.

Further afield

The Esk Valley is one corner of a big national park. Our sister site, North Yorkshire Moors, covers the rest: the coast village by village from Staithes to Robin Hood's Bay, the abbeys trail, Sutton Bank, Farndale's daffodils and a month-by-month guide to the year.