Landmarks

North Yorkshire is a county of expansive countryside and impressive structures. Both nature and man have left their mark on the landscape, leaving behind a wealth of fascinating landmarks, unique beauty spots and breath-taking viewpoints.

Recent additions of public artworks such as the Coldstone’s Cut above the Valley of Nidderdale compliment the White Horse of Kilburn that looks out over the Vale of York.  Many a hilltop features a tower or structure as a memorial to those lost at war, and visible for miles in all directions.

Railways built by Victorian visionaries have provided Yorkshire with tremendous viaducts and bridges that were built for function but in the modern age have become majestic as they reach across gorges or valleys.

During the 18th century, the wealthy developed a penchant for building architectural follies as part of their garden design, physical evidence of their dominance over the land. These extravagant displays of wealth provided work to local people during times of hardship – now they provide interest and intrigue to the rolling landscape as romantic ruins, monuments, temples and towers.

Yorkes Folly or Two Stoops in Nidderdale 1 1

North Yorkshire also has a long history of rural industry and pioneering projects across the hills and valleys.  The industries may have died, but there remain a variety of intriguing structures, mysterious ruins and left over reminders of a once heavily worked landscaped.

Remote as many of these iconic places may seem, you are never far from a village pub or tearoom where you can sample local produce, often farmed from the very land you have been exploring.

Discover the landmarks and viewpoints scattered across our district, and the fascinating stories behind them.

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Helmsley - Moors

Howardian Hills

Designated a National Landscape, the Howardian…

Whitby - Coast

Whitby Marina

Whitby Marina sits within the River Esk and is…

Harrogate - Heart

Almscliffe Crag

Almscliffe Crag is a large outcrop of Millstone…

Masham - Dales

Thornborough Henges

Explore the remains of our Neolithic history at…

Whitby - Coast

Cliff Lift - Whitby

Whitby Cliff Lift was opened in 1931 and consists…

A bronze monument of Captain Cook on the West…

Harrogate - Heart

The Stray, Harrogate

One of Harrogate’s best known landmarks, the…

Pickering - Moors

Vale of Pickering

Bordered by the Tabular Hills and North York…

The twenty four arch Grade II* listed Ribblehead…

Pateley Bridge & Nidderdale - Dales

Yorkes Folly (Two Stoops) & Crocodile Rock

Yorke's Folly & Crocodile Rock are a popular pair…

Knaresborough - Heart

Bebra Gardens, Knaresborough

This small, colourful, public park is a hidden…

Knaresborough - Heart

St Robert's Cave

St Robert’s Cave and chapel in Knaresborough are…

Scarborough - Coast

Scarborough Star Disk

The largest illuminated "Star Disk" in the UK…

Pickering - Moors

Bridestones Moor

The Bridestones has peculiar shaped rocks,…

Filey - Coast

Coble Landing

Coble landing at Filey is the slip way down to…

Scarborough - Coast

Scarborough Harbour

The harbour is situated under the Castle Headland…

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View across Nidderdale - trees, fields, drystone walls and blue sky