Howardian Hills National Landscape

The Howardian Hills roll across North Yorkshire like a proper landscape painter's dream - gentle valleys, woodland pockets, and sudden views that catch you off guard. This designated National Landscape stretches between York and the North York Moors, and it's the kind of place that rewards slow exploration rather than ticking boxes.

What you're actually doing here is walking. Miles of it, ideally, through beech hangers and over open farmland. The hills themselves aren't dramatic - nothing like the Pennines - but that's precisely the point. They're intimate, varied, and genuinely quiet. You'll pass through proper villages like Helmsley and Rievaulx (the abbey ruins are spectacular if you divert), and the whole area feels like somewhere locals still actually live, not a visitor attraction that's been processed for consumption.

Walkers will get the most from this. The terrain suits family rambles too - you're not clambering over rock faces - though you'll need decent stamina for full-day routes. History types should note the area's dotted with castles and monastic remains if you're into that sort of thing.

There's no charge for wandering the hills themselves. Allow anywhere from a couple of hours for a modest circuit to a full day if you're thorough. Spring and autumn are best - less mud than winter, less roasting than summer.

Stay at York Meadows Caravan & Camping Park or Ravensdale Glamping Retreats, both just a few miles out, and you're positioned perfectly. You can explore the Howardian Hills and still have York itself on tap.