Winter Wonderland on the North York Moors
Snowmen, sledging and snowball fights have been the order of the day after we woke up to snow this week. Like icing on a scrumptious carrot cake, little flakes of snow have already started to dust the North Yorks Moors this year. So as the wintry weather took hold, we thought we’d dig out the girl’s sledges and head for the nearest hill to get an adrenalin rush in this beautiful National Park.
The North York Moors apparently covers an area of 554 square miles and has 26 miles of coastline plus the largest expanse of heather moorland in England and Wales (over 44,000 hectares or a 1/3 of the National Park). Making it a beautiful place and definitely worth a visit. Just like these others we’ve loved discovering in Europe (see below).
If like us you’re in the area in a motorhome surrounded by North Yorkshire’s snow. It’s also worth knowing that there are a few overnight options to free camp around the North York Moors. Places like Hole of Horcum on the A169 (north of Pickering on North Yorkshire Moors) or the A169 Pickering to Whitby road (just before the village of Sleights). Overnighting is possible in Scarborough at Wrea Lane or in Whitby at the car park on the West Cliff (park for 24 hours for £5). Failing that, there’s a cheap overnight option available at Pickering Antiques Centre too.
Everyone loves a little bit of snow…but unfortunately, for most of us living in the UK, it can be quite a rare sight! Prior to our European Roadtrip, we’ve often felt we’re missing out on some of the fun snow-related activities… snowball fights, building snow men, skiing and of course our girl’s favourite activity of sledging. So any chance is grabbed with both hands!!!
3G sledging fun
Like most kids, our girls love sledging and playing in the snow. It’s fantastic fun and a free family activity but also a great way to escape the bitter cold and get a little exercise too!!
We’ve also been luck it’s coincided with a chance to see the girl’s grandparents allowing some special ‘sledging’ time with them and our young labrador Tizzy (as they wait to collect their new motorhome from York). So we grabbed the chance to head out to Hutton on the Hole…
If we’d had time we’d have loved to have seen Goathland in the snow or hopped onto the North York’s Railway from Pickering, Or even driven the coastal stretch north of Whitby towards Port Mulgrave….. but perhaps not Rosedale’s Chimmney Bank (the steepest road in England!) but we eventually settled on Nawton & Hutton on the Hole…
It’s not just been snow related fun this week, we’ve also enjoyed meeting a fellow European Roadtripping family at Helmsley’s ‘free’ overnight aire. Both kids and grown ups loved the chance to exchange stories and hear more about their family road trip across Europe. In fact, you can even catch a glimpse of their travels next month to Europe’s Christmas Markets (via their daughter’s online blog (same age as Lottie) – click here)
magical
christmas market
Inspired by the thoughts of Christmas Markets, we returned back into York to share it with the girl’s grandparents who loved the array of Christmas stalls… But perhaps the most enjoyable part came in the shape of the enormously impressive ‘Käthe Wohlfahrt‘ Christmas shop (definitely one to visit if you’re in York before Christmas!!)
Fingers crossed, we’ll have a new motorhome to explore tomorrow as we head to bed with the snow still falling around us….
york
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