North Yorkshire offers a mix of historic cities, national parks, castles, and coastal resorts with well-connected transport links and rich cultural heritage.
Hardcastle Crags is a scenic Pennine valley in West Yorkshire featuring extensive woodland, walking paths, and the historic Gibson Mill, a renovated 19th-century water-powered cotton mill with sustainability exhibits. The site offers both indoor and outdoor experiences for nature and history enthusiasts.
7–31 Oct (another 22 days)
Halloween at Gibson Mill is a family event featuring spooky decorations, photo opportunities and Halloween-themed games. Visitors can take part in self-led arts and crafts activities, with pumpkin decorating offered during the final weekend.
Blakey Topping standing stones are a small group of ancient standing stones located in the North York Moors near Hole of Horcum. The site features several weathered stones that may be remnants of a stone circle or alignment, offering outdoor exploration of prehistoric monuments.
Braithwaite Hall is a 17th-century manor house located in Coverdale, North Yorkshire, known for its historic architecture and status as a Grade II* listed building under the care of the National Trust.
Roseberry Topping is a distinctive hill in North Yorkshire offering scenic outdoor experiences with panoramic views, historical significance, and geological interest within the North York Moors National Park.
8–12 Oct (another 3 days)
An exhibition of artwork by A-level students from The Northern School of Art, inspired by Ormesby Hall and the stories of Ruth and Jim Pennyman. Visitors can see photography, ceramics, textiles and paintings displayed in different rooms of the house.
Fountains Abbey is a historic ruined Cistercian monastery near Ripon, North Yorkshire, with architecture dating from the 12th century. It is part of Studley Royal Park, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, featuring landscaped gardens and industrial heritage. The site is owned by the National Trust and maintained by English Heritage, offering visitors extensive ruins, exhibitions, and scenic outdoor areas.
13 Oct (next Tuesday)
A volunteer-led tour of Fountains Mill explores the estate’s oldest building, its 12th-century origins and how it has changed over the years.
Nunnington Hall is a Grade I listed 17th-century country house in North Yorkshire featuring rich historic interiors, art collections, and period furniture. The hall sits beside the River Rye and is surrounded by organically managed gardens and orchards. It is managed by the National Trust and open to visitors interested in English heritage, architecture, and gardens.
7 Oct, 13–14 Oct…
A volunteer guide leads visitors through areas of Nunnington Hall that are normally closed to the public, introducing collection objects and the work involved in preserving the hall.
Moulton Hall is a 17th-century Grade I listed manor house in North Yorkshire, featuring a beautiful carved staircase and surrounded by extensive grounds. Managed by the National Trust, it is open to the public by arrangement and offers a glimpse into historic aristocratic life.
Middlethorpe Hall is a historic 17th-century English country house near York, set in extensive grounds with restored gardens and a lake. Owned by the National Trust and operating as a hotel, it offers visitors both indoor architectural heritage and outdoor natural beauty.
10–11 Oct, 17–18 Oct…
Visitors can follow a family-friendly trail through Goddards Gardens, finding hidden owls and collecting letters to solve an owl-related word. Completing the trail earns a sticker.
East Riddlesden Hall is a 17th-century historic manor house in West Yorkshire featuring well-preserved interiors, a medieval tithebarn, walled gardens, and a tea room, offering both indoor and outdoor experiences. It is notable for its architecture, royalist symbols, and as a filming location for various TV series and films.
7 Oct, 10–14 Oct…
An exhibition by textile artists Textilia 3, featuring artworks inspired by East Riddlesden Hall’s architecture, historic collection, past inhabitants and landscape. The works use techniques including stitching, felt, mixed media, ceramics, dyeing and print.
Keighley is a historic market town in West Yorkshire featuring Victorian architecture, a heritage steam railway, diverse cultural attractions, and a vibrant shopping and food scene.
Mount Grace Priory is a well-preserved Carthusian monastery ruin in North Yorkshire offering visitors both indoor historical exhibits and outdoor exploration of medieval monastic buildings and woodland setting. The site features a reconstructed monk's cell and a museum presenting the site's history, located within the scenic North York Moors National Park.
Beningbrough Hall is a large Baroque mansion near Beningbrough, North Yorkshire, featuring historic interiors, extensive gardens, and an art gallery exhibiting 18th-century portraits. The venue includes a restaurant, garden shop, and activities for families including a wilderness play area.
Treasurer's House is a Grade I listed historic house museum in York, showcasing architecture from the 12th century onwards with significant restoration by Frank Green. Owned by the National Trust, it offers tours including cellar and attic, features Roman archaeological remains, and a café and garden accessible to visitors. The house is notable for its reputed Roman soldier ghost sightings.
11 Oct, 18 Oct…
A tour at Treasurer’s House explores the lives and legends of some of its former residents, tracing the history of the house and its connections to York.
Brimham Rocks is a natural Site of Special Scientific Interest in North Yorkshire, England, known for its fascinating weather-eroded rock formations spread across heathland and woodland in the Nidderdale Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty. The site offers outdoor exploration, notable geological features, diverse flora and fauna, and is popular for family visits and rock climbing. Facilities include a National Trust visitor centre with food offerings and child-friendly discovery trails.
Nostell Priory is a historic Palladian house in West Yorkshire, England, featuring original 18th-century furnishings, extensive parkland with lakeside walks, notable artwork and furniture collections, and a rich monastic history dating back to the 12th century.
7 Oct–1 Nov (another 23 days)
Explore 30 Pikachu trading cards illustrated by different artists, learn facts about the character and design a Pikachu trading card of your own.
Gawthorpe Hall is a Grade I listed Elizabethan country house located on the banks of the River Calder in Lancashire. The house features historic architecture with roots as a pele tower, extensive restoration by Charles Barry, ornamental gardens, and serves as a trailhead for the Brontë Way footpath. The site also includes Burnley Football Club's training complex on its grounds.
7–11 Oct, 14–18 Oct…
An exhibition across five rooms displays historic textiles collected by Rachel Kay-Shuttleworth, including embroidery, patterned and printed fabrics, wool work, metallic threads and costume pieces, presented around the theme of colour.
Burnley is a historic market town in Lancashire, England, known for its industrial heritage as a major cotton production centre and ongoing advanced manufacturing, as well as cultural attractions including historic mills, museums, music festivals, and a lively nightlife scene.
Malham Tarn Estate is a large National Trust agricultural estate in North Yorkshire featuring woodland, grassland, and Malham Tarn, a glacial lake and national nature reserve with international wetland status, offering outdoor experiences like fishing and grazing landscapes.
9 Oct
A volunteer-led 7km walk around Malham Tarn explores the landscape’s formation and local history, including stories of glaciers, cave men, monks and drovers. The route follows grassed paths and estate tracks, with stops to hear about points of interest and a lunch break.
Ormesby Hall is a Grade I listed 18th-century Georgian mansion in North Yorkshire, offering visitors a blend of historic indoor interiors, including plasterwork and Victorian kitchens, alongside expansive gardens and estate walks. The venue showcases local heritage with a public model railway and hosts various events throughout the year.
21–31 Aug, 3–7 Sep…
Secrets of the Collection: Art is an exhibition at Ormesby Hall showcasing the Pennyman family’s artistic legacy and their connections to prominent artists. The exhibition displays highlights from the Pennyman art collection and the stories behind them, held on the first floor of the house accessible only by stairs. It takes place during the open days of Ormesby Hall, with normal admission charges applying and no booking needed to attend.
Middlesbrough is a historic port town in North Yorkshire known for its industrial heritage, cultural venues, parks, and modern university presence.
Goddards House and Garden in York is an Arts and Crafts historic house museum with well-preserved 1930s interiors and an extensive formal garden featuring a cruciform lily pool. Originally built for the Terry chocolate family, it now operated by the National Trust offers indoor heritage exhibits and outdoor garden exploration.
7 Oct, 10 Oct…
A guided tour of Treasurer’s House explores Frank Green’s vision for the historic house and its collection of furniture, clocks and art, alongside research into his life and the property.