FIND OUT WHAT IS JUST 20 MINUTES AWAY FROM
CLIFF HOUSE HOLIDAY COTTAGES
When picking a place to have a holiday, having lots to do is always a factor. At Cliff House Holiday Cottages, there are plenty of things to see and do without going too far from our cottages on the edge of the North York Moors National Park. We’ve made this short list of things to see and do that are within 20 minutes of our cottages, the list is far from exhaustive either as we haven’t mentioned some of the local golf courses, fishing lakes and not all of the local museums! And that’s all before you factor in our gardens with play equipment with ducks and chickens that you can feed, our games rooms with table tennis, pool and a lending library of toys and books and perhaps best of all our indoor heated swimming pool with dedicated slots for your exclusive use.
The North Yorkshire Moors Railway
Any visit to North Yorkshire would not be complete without a visit to the North Yorkshire Moors Railway. Pickering is the main station for this heritage railway and is less than 20 minutes drive from our holiday cottages at Cliff House in Ebberston. A ticket for the railway is now valid for a year, so make the most of it with a day trip to Whitby and then another day come back and do a walk between stations. For more details on how to make the most of your ticket have a look at our blog post.
The North Yorkshire Water Park
Just 10 minutes from our self catering holiday cottages, you can find the North Yorkshire Water Park. A fantastic venue offering a range of activities for all of the family including paddle boarding, zip lining, climbing wall, Total Wipe Out style assault courses and wake boarding. There are plenty of changing rooms and there is a great on site cafe. On Saturdays, the Water Park also hosts one of our local park runs.
Dalby Forest (aka The Great Yorkshire Forest)
Dalby Forest is quite literally 10 minutes up the road from Cliff House Holiday Cottages. Turn right as you leave our cottages and you have access to some of the quieter car parks in the forest (and avoiding parking charges). A regular easy walk for us is from Bickley Gate Car Park out to Jerry Noddle. Aside from gentle walks along forest access roads, there are down hill mountain biking routes (the mountain biking world cup was held here), orienteering and Gruffalo trails and Go Ape for zip lines. At the visitor centre there is mountain bike hire, and a number of cafes, as well as more walks. For a long walk, but level walk, you can walk in from the nearby village of Thornton-le-Dale following the Eller BEck all the way to the visitor centre.
Woldies Nature Garden, Trails and Play
Just 15 minutes away across the valley is Woldies Nature Garden and Play. Woldies is a private garden come lavender farm who grow and harvest their own lavender for distilling in to essential oils that they sell in their own shop. At Woldies there is a number of nature trails to follow as well as a maze, a perfect day out for those with younger families.
Pickering Castle
Ideal for families with English Heritage cards. This 13th century castle was used throughout the centuries and has been a royal hunting lodge, holiday home and a stud farm by a succession of medieval kings. Pickering Castle was originally a timber and earth motte and bailey castle. It was developed into a stone motte and bailey castle which had a stone keep. A visit to Pickering Castle can be joined up with a visit to the market town of Pickering and the church of St Peter and St Paul to have a look at the medieval painted walls.
Mathewson’s Car Auctions (aka Bangers and Cash)
Just three villages over and about a 10 minute drive from our cottages is the picture post card village of Thornton le Dale. Thornton is a great starting place for walks in to Dalby Forest and has a chippy and small convenience store if you need to stock on supplies. Thorton-le-Dale is also home to car auction firm Mathewsons, who many will recognise from the Yesterday Channel TV show “Bangers and Cash“. In Thornton-le-Dale they have a small selection of cars on display as well as their museum and shop. To see more of the cars that are up for auction, visit their auction house in Pickering another 5 minutes along the road.
During the summer months be sure to stop at Balderson’s for an ice cream and to dip your toes in the Ellerburn, the beck that runs through the village.
Eden Camp Modern History Museum
Coming in at one minute under 20 minutes away from our self catering cottages at Cliff House is Eden Camp Modern History Museum. Focusing on the Second World War, this museum was a prisoner war camp during the Second World War, first for Italians and then as the war progressed soldiers from Germany. With lots of exhibitions looking at various aspects of the Second World War, from life on the home front to the Great Escape. Bonus points to Dad’s who can spot the exhibit that links Easy Company from “Band of Brothers” with Operation Market Garden and “A Bridge too Far” 😉 Also at Eden Camp is a small cafe and children’s play area.
Flamingo Land Theme Park and Zoo
Flamingo Land Theme Park and Zoo is just 17 minutes from Cliff House Holiday Cottages. With 37 different rides there is something from everyone; from “Sik” a 2nd generation multi inversion roller coaster with 10 full inversions to the more sedate Muddy Duck Tractor Ride. Flamingo Land is also a zoo with a selection of farm animals as well as…flamingos… wallabys, African lions and rhino and much much more.
Scampston Hall and Gardens
15 minutes away is our local country house estate, which is still very much a family home. A perfect place to either explore the walled gardens (and cafe!), take a longer walk through the estate, taking in a landscape devised by “Capability” Brown. There are tours of the main hall, and booking in advance is recommended. The walled garden was restored, having been left unused for over 50 years and is one of the UKs largest examples of work by the Dutch garden designer Piet Oudolf.
Cedarbarn Farm Shop, Cafe and Miniature Railway
Cedarbarn is just 10 minutes away from us at Cliff House and makes a great place to go for breakfast (and any other meal) with its miniature railway and play park its a great place for the little ones. Inside there a farmshop and a butchers, with meat from the family’s own farm
OUR VERY
LATEST
A Day Out in York
York is a city that has a long history, and is only a 45 minute drive from our cottages here at Cliff House Holiday Cottages. Making it a great place to go for a full on day out with lots for everyone in the family to see and do. If you aren't going to take the train...
Snowdrops at Cliff House
The snowdrops in our gardens are just tipping past their best in our gardens, but let rewind the clock to two weeks ago when we made this little video. Every year the snowdrops come to the gardens at Cliff House Holiday Cottages and every year they never cease to...
A visit to Staithes
Up and out early on Sunday for the short 51 minute drive across the North York Moors to try and catch (and photograph) the sunrise at the fishing village of Staithes on the Discover Yorkshire Coast. Staithes is a picture postcard village set at the bottom of cliffs in...
