Whitby Showground

Don't forget the North Yorkshire Moors Railway, whose steam puffers chuff their way from Whitby through the cracking landscape down to Pickering (40 minutes' drive). Walkers can choose to hop off this heritage steam railway at the restored stations of Levisham or Newton Dale Halt (40 minutes and an hour from the site) for paths across the moors and there's more fine hiking turf around Goathland (25 minutes), whose station had a starring role in the first Harry Potter film. For coastal time, it's a quarter of an hour's drive to Robin Hood's Bay, or half an hour to Scarborough for assorted shark/dolphin/sting ray interactions at Sea Life Scarborough. There are more rides and thrills to be found at Flamingo Land Resort (40 minutes); for treetop walks and zipwires, Go Ape Dalby (35 minutes) is on hand, on the edge of the walking, cycling and nature-spotting area of Dalby Forest Park (40 minutes). Other days out nearby might take you to Eden Camp Modern History Theme Museum (40 minutes), Castle Howard (an hour), North Yorkshire Water Park (45 minutes) or for a fragrant wander through Wolds Way Lavender (45 minutes). York is an hour and 15 minutes away for even more history.