Hotels near the North York Moors National Park

Encompassing 554 square miles of some of England's most amazing countryside, the North York Moors National Park was designated in 1952 (the year after the first National Parks were founded). With the country's largest expanse of heather moorland as well as 26 miles of spectacular coastline, it is a haven for flora, fauna, 25,000 residents and the millions of visitors seeking natural regeneration every year.

With three information centres around the park - the Old Coastguard Station at Robin Hood's Bay, the Sutton Bank Centre between Rievaulx and Thirsk and the Moors Centre at Danby - there is plenty of opportunity to learn about the local landscape, animal and plant life as well as the region's human history. Formed of rocks from the Jurassic period, moorland makes up more than a third of the total area, with agricultural arable and pasture lands and woodland each taking up a further fifth.

Visitors can take a bracing walk on the moors through the deep purple of the heather, a more sedate stroll through the famous Farndale daffodils in early April, or relive times gone by at the spectacular ruins of Rievaulx Abbey and the James Herriot Centre.

Whether it's looking for dinosaur footprints along the dramatic coastline or climbing up to Grime Moor's Bridestones (giant sandstone outcrops), this is a sensational area to visit. There are 1408 miles (2268km) of public rights of way throughout the park, encompassing 931 miles (1499km) of footpaths and 463 miles (747km) of bridleways. So much to do that it really deserves more than one visit...