The Local Area

One thing you can be sure of is that you will never be short of things to do and places to visit when you stay in the Thirsk area.

From the wild and beautiful bleakness of the North York Moors National Park with picturesque villages and miles of forests, through to the hustle and bustle of York, maybe England's most beautiful city with its famous Minster, narrow Shambles streets and Jorvic Viking Centre, just a few miles down the road.

The other side of Thirsk from the moors are the Dales, another National Park, again beautiful countryside but with a completely different character.

The very popular television series "All Creatures Great and Small" was filmed all around the area, in fact the original veterinary surgery in Thirsk is now the very interesting James Herriot museum.

More into sport? Then there are a selection of golf courses available (the Inn has its own golf society). A number of racecourses can be found locally. Apart from Thirsk itself we are close to York, Ripon, Wetherby, Catterick, Beverley, Redcar, etc. Horses are trained locally and we can even arrange a visit to a local training establishment. The Whitestonecliffe Inn has it's own successful racing syndicate.

If you are feeling adventurous then take a glider flight from the nearby North Yorkshire Gliding Club, one of the best in the country. You have a head start here as it is situated 1300ft up at the top of Sutton Bank. The views of the National Park are incredible!

There is an abundance of National Trust, English Heritage, and privately owned historic properties in the area including Rievaux Abbey and Temples, Mount Grace Priory, Nunnington Hall, and numerous castles.

From Pickering you can take the North York Moors Railway, now famous for Harry Potter, through to Goathland where the television series "Heartbeat" is filmed.

For Heartbeat fans who prefer to drive, "Heartbeat Country" is less than 40 miles away. This popular TV series is watched in some 40 countries, being especially popular in Australia, New Zealand and Canada, and this popularity attracts visitors from all over the world and from all parts of Britain. They come to see the real places which make regular appearances in Heartbeat - Aidensfield (real name Goathland) is a major attraction but so are the wonderful coastline between Staithes and Robin Hoods Bay, the awesome moors and the purple heather which is so beautiful in August.

If you need a day on the beach to relax, then take a beautiful drive across the moors to the coast where between Scarborough and Whitby the moors meet the sea, and places such as Robin Hood's Bay are to be found.

Feeling exhausted, just come back to your comfortable cottage, relax, and enjoy a meal and pleasant company in the inn and restaurant.