10 highlights of the Yorkshire Wolds

Adored by walkers of all abilities, the Yorkshire Wolds Way National Trail stretches for 79 miles, offering the most incredible views along the way. The route was first proposed in 1967 but it wasn’t until 1982 that it was officially established as the Wolds Way. It is renowned for its peace and tranquility, with stunning dry valleys and wide airy field tops. It is one of the least strenuous of all the National Trails, rising at its highest point near Thixendale to 705ft/215M and takes an average 5 or 6 days to complete it as a full route, whilst many enjoy day visits to some of its stunning locations. Some points of interest along the trail include -

• Wharram Percy, which is considered to be the finest example of a deserted medieval village in England.
• The Humber Bridge, the most spectacular modern man-made structure to cross any of the National Trails
• Londesborough Park, a very attractive parkland section of the Londesborough Estate, renowned as a location to spot red kites
• Filey Brigg, the fascinating jagged reef used by the Romans for a signal station and now very popular with birdwatchers 
• The WANDER artworks and Poetry Benches, such as “Waves & Time” near Thixendale
• The Robert Fuller Gallery – just off the trail near Thixendale

Learn more about the Yorkshire Wolds Way National Trail

Continuing along the theme of enjoying an active visit to the Yorkshire Wolds, the quiet country lanes are perfect for cyclists, with wonderful views, wildlife, historic places and pretty villages. Linking all of this together is a 146-mile Yorkshire Wolds cycle route, which is probably best ridden in a clockwise direction.

Learn more about the Yorkshire Wolds cycle route

Other activities on offer include horse riding at Wolds Riding and Woldgate Trekking Centre and golf at the KP centre, Driffield Golf Club and Filey Golf Club. Or how about watersports at Allerthorpe Lake or viewing the Yorkshire Wolds from above on a two-seater glider at Wolds Gliding Club?

Millington Wood is described as the richest botanical woodland in the East Yorkshire, with many rare plant species to spot. A spring walk through the bluebell-carpeted woodland with the pungent smell of wild garlic is a lovely experience, whilst in the summer, giant bellflowers towering above the flower filled verges. They can grow up to five or six feet high!

Learn more about Millington Woods

Discover award-winning producers in the Yorkshire Wolds and make your visit even more memorable with a food and drink tour.

Wold Top Brewery produce a unique range of beers alongside limited edition cask and bottled beers. They use traditional brewing methods, home grown barley and filtered water taken from a borehole just metres away but don’t just take our word for it. With tours running throughout the year, you can see it for yourself.

 At the Spirit of Yorkshire whiskey distillery, tours run daily at 11am and 1pm.

And you don’t have to travel all the way to France for exceptional wine. Award-winning vineyards can be found right here in East Yorkshire! Little Wold Vineyard and Laurel Vines Vineyard and Winery both offer tours, picnics, and tasting sessions.

Cheers to that!

There’s plenty of family fun to be had in the Yorkshire Wolds and Woldies Lavendar and Nature Farm and William’s Den are here to deliver it in bucket loads!

Set within ½ mile from the Wolds Way Walk, Woldies Lavendar and Nature Farm grow over six acres of lavender, creating a wonderfully colourful and fragrant day out. But that’s not all! You’ll find lots of facilities for little ones here, encouraging creative play through interactive gardens.

A ride on the Woldie’s Miniature railway is a must. Take your seat and enjoy a whistle-stop tour of the lavender farm. The willow maze is always a hit with visitors too. First planted in 2011, around 2000 willow trees make up this living and growing maze which is home to a variety of wildlife. There are also a number of trails to walk including a timber trail, habitat trail, tree trail, insect orienteering and woodland walk.

Creative and imaginative play is also the focus at William’s Den with a huge range of play structures to help satisfy your child’s hunger to learn and explore new things. Watch their faces light up as the whizz across fields on zip lines or appear from tunnels to show you their masterpiece den building skills.

Two of East Yorkshire’s great stately homes lie in the Yorkshire Wolds and they’re a real treat to visit.

Built in 1173, the characterful Burton Agnes Hall and Gardens has never changed hands through sale and has instead passed from family to family over the years. In fact it is still a lived in family home today! As you explore its magnificent rooms and see where royalty once slept, you can’t fail to be impressed by it’s huge proportions and opulent décor. Venture outside to appreciate the walled gardens and woodland area which are especially impressive during the spring and summer when their colourful blooms come out in force.

Steeped in history, with lots of stories to tell, Sledmere House is full of unique collections of artwork, furniture and antiques. Enjoy a guided tour and learn about the captivating family history spanning over 250 years. The 18th century walled garden is renowned for its seasonal interest and inspired planting.  You can expect to see the seasons filled with sparkling displays of snowdrops, daffodils, tulips, roses, summer exotics and wonderful late summer perennials.  The extensive grounds are the perfect place to enjoy a long walk or a peaceful stroll taking in the spectacular scenery.

Located in the lovely market town of Pocklington, Burnby Hall Gardens offers the most stunning scenery. Their magnificent lakes are home to over 100 varieties of waterlily and their gardens are abundant with wildlife and colourful displays of flowers. Don't forget to buy a bag of fish food on your way in as feeding the thousands of hungry resident fish is quite an experience! After you've finished exploring the grounds, head to one of the picnic tables for a lovely homemade feast or there is an onsite cafe if you'd prefer. 

Learn more about Burnby Hall Gardens

After your visit, enjoy a short walk to Pocklington’s pretty town centre where you’ll find a great selection of independent shops and cafes with some of the most attractive, traditional shop fronts in all of East Yorkshire! If you visit on a Tuesday you’ll enjoy the added benefit of the weekly market too.

Learn more about Pocklington

Spread over 300 acres and dominated by two huge reservoirs, Tophill Low Nature Reserve is a wonderful place to get lost in the greenery for a while and spot the local inhabitants. Located near Driffield, spend the day wandering through the woods, wetlands and grasslands marvelling at all kinds of wildlife from otters to dragonflies and over 160 bird species. The reserve is an active Yorkshire Water treatment works but was formally opened as a nature reserve in 1993 so has been welcoming visitors for 30 years now.

Learn more about Tophill Low Nature Reserve

If you need to brush up on your cookery skills or fancy learning how to make your favourite sweet and savoury dishes, we know just to place. The award-winning Yorkshire Wolds Cookery School offers you the opportunity to learn from experienced guest chefs in a relaxed and welcoming setting. Street food, Spanish tapas, inspirational Indian cuisine, and everyone’s favourite carbohydrate – pasta! There are plenty of option that you and your taste buds will love.

Learn more about Yorkshire Wolds Cookery School

The cookery school is part of Wold Escapes which also offers a range of excellent quality accommodation. We can’t think of a better way to relax after cooking up a storm in the kitchen than a dip in your own hot tub with uninterrupted views of the Yorkshire Wolds followed by the best night’s sleep in a peaceful glamping cabin. Pure bliss.

Learn more about Wold Escapes

When you think of the Yorkshire Wolds, does your mind immediately conjure up images of the countryside and green rolling hills? In that case you may be surprised to know that it also includes a section of the stunning East Yorkshire coast! Whilst exploring the Yorkshire Wolds, take the opportunity to breathe in some sea air and enjoy the views from Flamborough headland where one its iconic lighthouses stands proudly on the cliff edge and and Bempton Cliffs which is home to one of the UK’s largest bird colonies.