Hello,
My husband and I will be visiting York for 4 days coming from London on the train. I would appreciate suggestions of where we could visit outside of York that doesn't require a car but perhaps another train trip or tour and then walk around in the area. I would love to see the Yorkshire coast, Whitby, Castle Howard to give you some examples. We will be staying at Warren's Bed & Breakfast which got excellent reviews through the Trip Advisor. Will report on this at a later time. Thanks everyone!

Daisy
I feel bad that no-one has responded to you. I live near York and the places you want to visit are great (you haven't mentioned Fountains Abbey and Studley Royal, don't miss!) but I don't have much idea how you could do all this without a car. Is there no way you could hire a car in York and then get to see these places? I am sure there ARE tours to some of them, but they are so restricting. If you were driving I could easily do you a suggested tour of the coast, Whitby etc, but without a car I don't know where to start. Driving in Yorkshire is easy - much slower paced than London, honest!

To Morgana

My wife and I are staying in Ampleforth for a week over May-June - have been wondering what we should see in the Richmond-Whitby-York-Ampleforth area. What are the do-not-misses? We will have a car.

Hello Tassiedevil
I'll be happy to try and suggest some places for you to go. Can you give me some idea about your interests before I do so? For instance the Dales are perfect if you enjoy walking. The coast is beautiful and you can go fossil hunting if that appeals. Let me know the sort of things you and your wife like and I will respond over the weekend.
M

It's easy to get from York to Whitby. Take a train to Scarborough, then a bus. Buses go from outside Scarborough station about every hour, and the journey gives great views of the coast and the moors.

Daisypups,

You can reach both Castle Howard and Whitby directly by bus from the York rail station. The company is Yorkshire Coastliner, here's the website:
http://www.yorkshirecoastliner.co.uk/

The trip to Whitby takes less than 2 hours and there are great views of the North York Moors on the way.

There may be other companies as well that do this type of trip. There is a branch of the tourist office in the York rail station and they should have info and flyers.

Enjoy York! It's my favorite.

Jan

I'm living in Oxford and recently took a long weekend to York and the coast. You must see Robin Hood's Bay (8 miles south of Whitby). I hike the gorgeous Cleveland Way National Trail from Scarborough to Robin Hood's Bay, and I can't imagine there being more beautiful coastline in Britain (except perhaps in the Scottish highlands or in Cornwall). The beautiful Robin Hood's Bay is a must see, and the small town named the same hugs the cliffs and offers a snug place to have lunch or stay the night. Make sure to be up for sunrise.

Morgana

We don't walk a great deal. We do like old houses, so Castle Howard is an obvious place to visit. We visit many churches and cathedrals. We poke about pretty villages. We love gardens. We also like to pack a picnic lunch and stop and enjoy views - both inland and by the sea. We like birds so had wondered about the bird sanctuary near Flamborough Head. Does this help?

Hi Tassie
Ok, some suggestions. Rather than writing reams I’ll keep it as short as I can but give you websites so you can investigate more to see if it appeals. Also if you click on my name you will find a suggested day out (under daytrip from York) which you could easily do. I think you would like Ripon. Happy to provide any more info but just to warn you I am off to California to visit my son next week and won’t be back home until April.
1) Fountains Abbey and Studley Royal (www.fountainsabbey.org.uk)
2) Many other National Trust properties – go to www.nationaltrust.org.uk and click on Yorkshire on the map of England. You will be staying very near Rievaulx Temple and Terraces (the Abbey isn’t N Trust). Other favourite NT properties – Beningborough Hall, Mount Grace Priory, Nunnington Hall. Lots of them have delicious tea shops attached.
3) York – a search on Fodors will give you a thousand reasons to visit this city.
4) Whitby. www.whitbytourism.com For the best fish and chips in the world go to the Magpie Café www.magpiecafe.co.uk . The White Horse and Griffin also does great food. Whitby was famously photographed by Frank Sutcliffe www.sutcliffe-gallery.co.uk These prints make lovely presents and there is a gallery in the town.
5) Robin Hoods Bay. Picturesque fishing village. The main street is very narrow and VERY steep – you have to leave your car at the top and walk down. At the bottom of the village you have access to the coastal path. Also Ravenscar close by has places to park up on top of the cliffs and enjoy the views.
6) The Yorkshire Dales – large, beautiful area. Loads of pretty villages, waterfalls, hills and dales etc etc. Happy to give you a suggested tour if this appeals to you. I urge you to go! We go walking in this area most weekends and it keeps me sane. Great picnic places! Great cheese! (Wensleydale)
7) Castle Howard. www.castlehoward.co.uk
8) North Yorks Moors Railway www.nymr.demon.co.uk
9) I’ve only been to Flamborough Head once, and I recall I saw puffins. Sounds ideal for you.
Better stop now – given you enough for a month! Apart from item 9 I know all this places very well and can hopefully answer your questions. Lastly, and most importantantly I hope you both have a wonderful time in Yorkshire.

Morgana

That is great - a wonderful insider's view. Just one request before you travel to the USA: would you have time to give details of your suggested tour of the Yorkshire Dales.

Thanks a million.

Hi again
Well, I'm going to cheat a little here, because a walking website I use has a brilliant suggested car tour, and why reinvent the wheel? Go to www.skiptonweb.co.uk, then look for the link 'walks with Cragface'.Towards the bottom of the walks page you will see 'A Dales Drive'. He also has some good text, links and photos. The Yorkshire Dales is a very large area and this tour is just a taste of it, but a very good one with lots of stoppoing off points. The drive leaves from Skipton which has an interesting castle.
M

Tassie
Further to the suggested Dales tour. When going to Burnsall do stop off at the Red Lion www.redlion.co.uk
In Grassington make sure you park and then visit the main street full of little shops - a bit touristy but interesting. In Malham park and walk to the base of the cove (I don't expect you to climb it but there are steps!). Bolton Abbey is also wonderful and very atmospheric.

Morgana

Thanks once again.

Now, you go and enjoy California; I'm sure that we'll enjoy all you have given us.