Discovering Northern England Through 3 Gorgeous Natural Parks
Still a little-known destination for French travellers, England is actually packed with things to see outside of London! While we still love the trendy atmosphere of Covent Garden and the shops on Oxford Street, it's well worth venturing beyond the capital's borders to discover the different facets of the English countryside. That's why, back in August 2023, we decided to take a vacation in Northern England: a unique, off-the-beaten-path itinerary that took us on a journey through local customs, age-old legends, and breathtaking landscapes.
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Protecting nature and preserving the cultural heritage of the region in question;
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Promoting these natural sites and encouraging the general public to understand and appreciate these places.
An ambitious program that we couldn't wait to see with our own eyes by crossing Northern England, from Yorkshire in the east to the Lake District in the west, which features some of the highest peaks in the country, among others!
North York Moors National Park: From Heather Moorlands to the Legends of Whitby
The North York Moors National Park is a nature reserve that was created in 1952. Its wide open spaces tinged with purple and bordered by the towering cliffs of Whitby won us over at first glance!
York, Gateway to the North York Moors
The journey begins in the city of York, a historic city in Yorkshire. Founded by the Romans in 71 AD, it later became an important Viking kingdom for a time before turning into one of the most significant cities of the Middle Ages. Surviving from this era are the magnificent 15th-century York Minster, the largest Gothic building in Northern Europe, as well as Roman-era city walls that you can still walk along for miles today! While you're there, don't miss The Shambles, an adorable alleyway where the narrow houses lean against each other, giving the impression they might collapse at any moment. This charming street notably served as the inspiration for the famous Diagon Alley in the Harry Potter adventures.
From York, the North York Moors National Park is just a stone's throw away, about a 45-minute drive! If you're taking the train, opt for the Transpennine Express, which takes you to Scarborough in 50 minutes. From Scarborough, you can easily reach Whitby or Pickering, two iconic towns in the park. In the summer, the local bus network is bolstered by the Moorsbus Network, which connects many of the villages.
The Charming Villages of the North York Moors National Park
Once you enter the park, the landscapes change drastically. The wooded edges around Pickering give way to miles of desolate plains that take on lovely purple hues in August, a park trademark and some of the most beautiful scenery to see in England. Small streams meander here and there, and sheep graze peacefully amid the dunes or along the roadside. Watch out if you're driving: the roads are narrow and rolling, so drive carefully! Numerous hiking trails crisscross the area, allowing you to explore the North York Moors at your own pace. Cycling enthusiasts will also be thrilled by the 276 km bike path that runs through the park!
This Yorkshire national park is packed with small villages, each cuter than the last. We completely fell in love with Goathland, with its stone cottages tucked away in the middle of nature. Goathland is also famous for its small railway station, one of the oldest in the country! Highly cinematic, it was used as a filming location in various Harry Potter movies to represent Hogsmeade station. Goathland's steam locomotive still runs today between Whitby and Pickering, giving visitors a wonderful ride aboard the world's most famous train, the Hogwarts Express!
Whitby, an English fishing port of a thousand legends
Over on the North Sea side, a true legend of British culture awaits you, perched high on cliffs and nestled like a cove right around the fishing port, dividing the town into two main districts: East Cliff and West Cliff. In the 18th century, Whitby was one of England's main whaling ports!
It is also known for being the training ground of the explorer James Cook, the first European to land on the Australian continent and the first navigator to sail all the way around Antarctica!
Whitby is undeniably charming for anyone who loves British gothic architecture and lively English docks, which are reputed to serve the best fish and chips in the UK , and having tasted them myself, that's no legend! Having become one of England's premier seaside resorts, Whitby is packed with pubs, cafés, and shops, and it's a pleasure to wander its old streets, which can get crowded in summer. When the weather's nice, its vast fine sandy beach appeals not only to brave swimmers but also to surfers, as Whitby is one of the UK's most popular surfing destinations!
Finally, you cannot mention Whitby without talking about its abbey, which sits proudly atop the headland, its weathered arches seemingly keeping watch over the town. Founded by William de Percy in 1078 after he freed the region from the Viking yoke, Whitby Abbey gradually fell into ruin following the dissolution of the country's monasteries ordered by Henry VIII in the 16th century. Still standing today, the abbey's skeletal remains stand out against the typical English countryside landscape: to admire them up close, you'll have to climb the region's most famous 199 steps.
Backed by the old St. Mary's Church and its gloomy graveyard, the buildings on the heights of Whitby inspired one of the greatest English novels of all time, Dracula, by Bram Stoker, many scenes of which take place in the town.
Yorkshire Dales National Park: between bucolic valleys and mountain peaks
The Yorkshire Dales National Park lives up to its name! Indeed, the "dales" are a collection of valleys formed during the Ice Age that stretch as far as the eye can see. Lands of contrast and a bucolic atmosphere live together in harmony in this iconic natural park of Northern England.
The Dales: the valleys behind England's stunning landscapes
Created in 1954, the Yorkshire Dales natural park is characterized by vast pasturelands where hundreds upon hundreds of Swaledale sheep graze, an English breed known for the distinctive spiral horns curling above their heads. The Yorkshire Dales quickly set the tone for your trip: you've landed right in paradise for ewes, rams, and little lambs! The animals roam completely free, except for where they are separated every now and then by pretty dry-stone walls running along the roadsides, creating a lovely patchwork grid on the horizon, a landscape typical of this region in Northern England.
Aside from their postcard-perfect scenery, the Yorkshire Dales are great for fantastic hikes, some of which can be quite challenging! To make the most of the panoramas offered by this rugged terrain, your best bet is to try scaling the three highest peaks in the park, located in its southern section: the peaks of Whernside, Ingleborough, and Pen-y-ghent. A 24-mile route, that's nearly 40 km!, lets you loop around them in a single day.
Another highlight of the Yorkshire Dales National Park is the Ribblehead Viaduct! Splendidly positioned in the middle of the moorland with mountains in the background, this viaduct towers over the valley with its massive stone arches. It's hard not to think of its more famous counterpart, the Glenfinnan Viaduct in Scotland, which also served as a backdrop for the Hogwarts Express. Harry Potter fans shouldn't miss Malham Cove: an 80-meter-high limestone cliff overlooking an amphitheater, which was used as a filming location for the camping scenes in the wizard's seventh and final adventure, Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows.
5-kilometre walk along Aysgarth Falls
The Yorkshire Dales are rich in diversity, offering wilder panoramas of winding rivers flowing through fern-covered forests. One of the most impressive spots in the park is located right by the small village of Aysgarth: Aysgarth Falls. These gorgeous waterfalls truly seem to cascade down the slope, and you will undoubtedly be struck by the volume and force of the current. It was certainly the spot we chose for hiking in the heart of the Yorkshire Dales.
The Aysgarth Falls are the ideal place for a stroll, as numerous trails have been waymarked all around the falls. Your best bet is to check in with the Visitor Centre right next to the waterfalls to get up-to-date hiking maps. We didn't bother, and we regretted it later on as we managed to get ourselves lost in the middle of some fields rather quickly! The hiking trails, or public footpaths, that loop around the Aysgarth Falls are great for discovering the national park, alternating between different types of scenery: from the waterfalls, you quickly move through wooded paths before hitting trails that zigzag across meadows and flocks of sheep!
The Yorkshire Dales National Park is particularly easy to reach by public transport! Indeed, numerous train and bus lines cross the area, taking you to all the main sights in this part of Northern England. Train lines depart from major cities like Leeds and pass right by the Ribblehead Viaduct mentioned earlier.
The Lake District: gorgeous landscapes of lakes and mountains in Northern England
Designated as a national park in 1951, the Lake District is one of the country's oldest protected natural areas, alongside the Peak District located south of Manchester. And for good reason! This extraordinary national park features 16 majestic lakes interspersed with the country's highest mountains, creating breathtaking landscapes that have inspired more than one visitor.
Visiting the Lake District: a must-see spot in Northern England
Spanning 2,280 km², the Lake District is England's largest natural park. If you're looking for a spot of wild, spellbinding beauty, come rain or shine, this is surely the Northern England natural park for you! A UNESCO World Heritage Site since 2017, the area has inspired many English poets like William Wordsworth and served as the home of the famous British children's author, Beatrix Potter.
A paradise for hikers, the Lake District features a few high peaks such as Scafell Pike, England's highest massif at 978 metres tall, as well as Helvellyn summit at 950 metres high, and the 931-metre Mount Skiddaw which overlooks the town of Keswick a bit further north. Sure, it's still a bit far from Mont Blanc, but this abundance of peaks combined with steep elevation changes is enough to impress even the most seasoned mountaineers among you!
One of the most picturesque parts of the park is around the isolated village of Buttermere. For us, Buttermere Lake is the prettiest lake in the Lake District, with its pine forests giving it a distinctly Canadian feel! To reach this part of the park, you'll need to head over Honister Pass by bus or car, a narrow and particularly steep mountain pass that leads to the summit, home to one of the last working slate mines in England. You can tour the slate mines, and the wonderfully remote setting only adds to the secret, mysterious atmosphere that hangs over the Lake District.
Outdoor and sports activities in the Lake District
If the Lake District is such a hit with travelers, it's largely thanks to the endless activities on offer, from water sports, rock climbing, and via ferrata to caving and all the lively events in surrounding villages like Bowness-on-Windermere and Keswick! In fact, this is our main gripe with the Lake District: pulling in close to 15 million tourists a year, mostly Brits, as we didn't run into a single French person the whole time, the park gets completely swamped in the summer. It's tough to find a quiet spot to take in the sheer scale of the landscape in peace, which is a real shame since everything about it practically begs for a bit of quiet reflection...
There are a few absolute must-dos in the Lake District, including:
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Taking a boat cruise on Windermere
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Tackling a Via Ferrata course at the Honister Slate Mine
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Going paragliding off the peaks of the Lake District
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Checking out the Castlerigg Stone Circle, a mini Stonehenge, a fascinating 3,000 BCE stone circle!
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Hitting up the restaurants and pubs in the local villages, especially Keswick, which is packed with little shops and great places to eat
While having your own car definitely makes getting around easier, the Lake District has a pretty solid bus network that gets you where you need to go. You can also take a train to Windermere from Manchester on the TransPennine Express. Finally, from London, trains run directly to Oxenholme Lake District station, which sits right on the edge of the national park.
Northern England hasn't run out of ways to amaze visitors! Between its breathtaking national parks and welcoming, vibrant towns, we found it to be the ultimate summer vacation spot. The weather spared us from any brutal heatwaves, and while a few rainy spells roll through now and then, the sun is never far away and always manages to break back through.
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