Bell End Farm - Rosedale, North York Moors, England

With over 1,400 miles of paths and tracks to choose from, this wonderful corner of North Yorkshire is overflowing with walking, cycling and horse riding opportunities.

Explore the local heritage

Explore the local heritage

Rosedale Abbey itself, while small, does have some sights of interest, as well as a rich ironstone mining heritage. The village, which sits in a valley approached by steep and winding roads, never actually had an abbey.

There are, however, the remains of a small 12th-century Cistercian nunnery, which closed in 1535. Now, only a stone turret or belfry is left; its stone was used for new buildings in the village, including the present church.

Rosedale Abbey's wild flower and herb nursery has over 60 types of wild flower, as well as herbs and cottage garden flowers. If you're feeling active, there is a riding centre and also a nine-hole golf course nearby.

Stepping back into the past

Stepping back into the past

Rosedale Glass was set up in the village because of its historical connections with glass. These go back as far as 400 years, when glass making was illegal. Visit the site of a remote furnace used at the time, which can now be seen at Ryedale Folk Museum.

Found in the popular village of Hutton-le-Hole (which actually lies in a hollow), the museum is home to a collection of reconstructed buildings. Craftspeople demonstrate skills such as rug making and leather working, and there's also an art gallery.

From castles to caving in Cropton

From castles to caving in Cropton

Just five miles south east of Rosedale Abbey is the limestone village of Cropton. Here you'll find the Cawthorn Roman Complex, a set of unique earthworks (including a group of military fortifications) that are more than 2,000 years old.

Cropton Castle, which overlooks Rosedale, was a motte-and-bailey castle. Its remains can still be seen and include earthworks, a rampart, a second ditch and an earth bank that defended the castle.

Mainly coniferous Cropton Forest has an outdoor education centre to help all the family to enjoy the woods. You can hire bikes in the village, and there's the Sutherland Lodge Activity Centre, which offers caving, climbing, trekking, water sports, archery and orienteering.

After all that activity, reward yourselves with a drink at the local New Inn, known for its real ales. It's supplied by Cropton brewery, which also offers tours to learn about the history of brewing.

Steam railways and rural life

Steam railways and rural life

The busy market town of Pickering is just a 15-minute drive away. It has a regular Monday market and a farmers' market on the first Thursday of the month.

The town sits at the southern end of the North Yorkshire Moors steam railway. Built by George Stephenson and opened in 1836, it reopened in 1973 as a heritage railway. Visitors can get on and off along the route, and there's a walkers' request stop.

Pickering Castle is also a motte-and-bailey castle, at which six English Kings have stayed, and visitors can still see its original keep, towers and walls. The Beck Isle Museum of Rural Life has a collection of reconstructed shops, farm tools and other items from the Victorian age.

Take a walk around the town to the cinema or the church of St Peter and St Paul, which has impressive restored medieval wall paintings. There's also a swimming pool, a leisure centre and fishing at the Pickering Trout Lake.

And there's plenty more!

And there's plenty more!

The unspoilt cathedral city of Ripon has a remarkable cultural heritage, with plenty of attractions both in the centre and nearby. These include the World Heritage Site of Fountains Abbey and Studley Royal, stately home Newby Hall, 14th-century Ripley Castle, Lightwater Valley theme park and the village of Masham.

The quaint seaside towns of Whitby and Scarborough are also within easy reach of Rosedale, as well as Helmsley with its ancient ruins and the abbeys of Byland and Rievaulx. Both Castle Howard (of Brideshead fame) and Eden Camp Museum, the former World War II POW camp, are less than 20 miles away.

For more information on any of these attractions or more, the North Yorkshire Moors National Park website has an excellent search facility.