Winter Visit to North York Moors

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We may be in the mid-point of winter, but snow and frost just add to the otherworldly attraction of the North York Moors.

For the Moors are, after all, England’s link to the last Ice-age.

As soon as you turn off the A19 or A170 and head in a Northeasterly direction you can feel the land rising-up to meet the 1,500 square kilometer's of the high, open, rolling plateau that is the North York Moors National Park.

Here you are on hallowed ground, for you have just entered a spectacular and timeless land that resisted the spread of the Scandanavian ice-sheet that covered the rest of England some 10,000 years ago.

Marker stone winter 2

The North York Moors in Winter is a Brooding and Mysterious Land.

There are five defining landscapes that make up the North York Moors; and all are all worth exploring in Winter.

Firstly, you should visit the Yorkshire Heritage Coastline on the Eastern edge between Saltburn-by-the-Sea and Scarborough.

Along the coast, at Staithes, Runswick Bay, Whitby and Robin Hoods Bay you are never far from a good meal and a roaring open fire.

The Esk Valley and its tributary dales that cut through the Park as they flow Eastwards to the sea at Whitby offer a second distinctive landform.

The View Jan 10

Snow and Frost are Common on the High North York Moors in Wintertime.

Then there is the high Moorland Plateau above Rosedale Abbey in the centre of the park which offers a "classic" moorland landscape with stone crosses and other standing stones from early times dominating the landscape.

The river valley's of the Derwent, Seven, Dove and Rye that drain the moorland catchment towards the South offer their own unique ecology.

And lastly, the Cleveland and Hambleton Hills along the Western edge provide the Park's highest landscapes around 450m above sea level near Cold Moor.

It also says a lot for this distinctive corner of Northern England that even on the coldest days, you'll find so much to see and do.

Cycling in snow

Even in Winter, the North York Moors offer a Variety of Outdoor Activities.

At Hutton-le-Hole, you can visit the Ryedale Folk Museum; it contains over 20 reconstructed buildings which demonstrate how people have lived and worked the North York Moors since the last ice-age to the 1950s.

At Rievaulx you can visit the most magnificent of England's ruined Abbey and and Rievaulx Terrace Gardens.

In the fading winter light; and in this silent place with the wind in the trees, it seems as if you've been transported to another time.

In any weather you can go walking at Rosedale Abbey.

It is Yorkshire's first village to attain "Walkers are Welcome" status and offers numerous walks for all fitness levels.

The walk along the old cinder-track railway - now long abandoned - provides the best views across the high Moorland in the whole National Park.

And with three village Inns - the Coach House, White Horse Farm, and Milburn Arms - the village provides an ideal base for exploring the Moors further afield.

A short drive to the South of the Park will have you at the majestic house and grounds at Castle Howard.

Famed for its links to the Everlyn Waugh Novel - Brideshead Revisited - and more recently the "Death comes to Pemberly" TV series, you can spend all day wandering through this most amazing stately home in the warm and dry.

Helmsley View

Helmsley Offers Super Shopping in a Range of Independent Shops.

And then there is the independent shopping on offer in the North Yorkshire market towns of Pickering, Malton, Helmsley, Stokesley and Kirkbymoorside; all are dotted around the edge of the Park.

Moreover, York and Harrogate are only an hour or so away by car and both offer fantastic sights, dining, and points of interest.

In summary, visitors to the North York Moors in Winter will find a wonderland of places to visit, sights to see, and things to do that is unequalled anywhere else in England.

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About Rosella Cottage

Rosella Cottage is a one bedroom holiday-home located in the village of Rosedale Abbey; and catering for active couples wanting a luxurious retreat in North Yorkshire.

The cottage was constructed C1850 and was fully renovated in Spring 2013.

We've knocked-through two bedrooms to form one large Master bedroom with King-size bed, vaulted ceiling and exposed beams.  

There is also a lovely new en-suite, a cosy lounge (with sofa-bed for guests with younger children), and a small kitchen giving the added benefit of self-catering.

Rosedale Abbey is in the centre of the North York Moors National Park; and makes an ideal base for anyone wanting to explore this distinctive region.

The village has three pubs on hand, two cafes, a village shop, Primary School, ancient Church, pretty village green, and the Gilles Jones Glassworks Studio.

To check our availability and for bookings, simply click here.

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