Bullamoor Memorial Park

The walk into Bullamoor Memorial Park near Thirsk takes you through proper Yorkshire moorland - open, rolling, and honest. It's a nature reserve that rewards people who actually want to walk rather than snap a quick photo and leave. You'll find yourself on decent tracks with views across the valley, the kind of place where you notice things: curlews, lapwings, heather in season. There's nothing flashy about it. No visitor centre, no café, just the moor doing what it does.

This is for walkers and birdwatchers mainly. Families with older kids will enjoy it; younger ones might find the lack of defined attractions a bit dull. Allow two to three hours depending on how you route yourself - the terrain isn't technical but it's not entirely flat either. Spring and early summer are best for the birds, but it's worth visiting most of the year.

It works brilliantly as part of a broader exploration of the Yorkshire landscape. Staying at Cote Ghyll Caravan Park or Hillside, both within six miles, gives you a proper base for tackling this and the other moorland walks in the area. Thirsk itself is close enough for supplies and a decent pint afterwards. The memorial aspect makes it feel purposeful rather than just another ramble - there's a sense of place here that you don't get everywhere.