The Most Beautiful Villages in Yorkshire

Think of Yorkshire and a pint of real ale, flat caps and picturesque villages come to mind. From market towns to quiet corners of the dales, this part of England is full to the brim with places worth visiting. Here are some of the top destinations where you can experience a real slice of life up north. Let’s exploce The Most Beautiful Villages in Yorkshire below.

The Most Beautiful Villages in Yorkshire

Appletreewick

For those of you looking for a quiet escape, the tranquil village of Appletreewick, known locally as Aptick, is ideal. Walking down the main road here, you could be forgiven for thinking you have gone back in time a few hundred years. Mountain bikes are available to hire from the village livery, offering an ideal way of exploring the picturesque landscape.

Hutton-le-Hole – North York Moors

This beautiful village sits in a peaceful valley in the North York Moors National Park; it couldn’t be more idyllic. Picture postcard cottages sit contentedly on either side of a babbling beck while sheep wander about the village keeping the grass neat and tidy. On balmy summer evenings, you can still catch groups of men in flat caps playing the local game of quoits. And with a handful of tea rooms and a great village pub, there are plenty of options for eats too.
The excellent (and dog-friendly) Ryedale Folk Museum in Hutton leHole is an outdoor museum where you can learn about the history and heritage of the North York Moors through a collection of historic buildings and traditional workshops. Buildings range from an Iron Age roundhouse through to a 1950s style village shop.

West Burton – Yorkshire Dales

Just off the beaten track from Wensleydale to Bishopdale, West Burton is another one of those villages which just define the word pretty. A large village green flanked with old stone cottages is the centre point, with a waterfall and packhorse bridge to finish the scene. The stunning Jervaulx Abbey is just a hop, skip and a jump away too.
Make sure to seek out the beautiful Burton Fall waterfall which is just a short walk from the centre of West Burton and was once sketched by the artist J. M. Turner. West Burton is also just 2 miles from one of Yorkshire’s most famous waterfalls, Aysgarth Falls. The dramatic triple falls here were featured in Robin Hood: Prince of Thieves.

Osmotherley – North York Moors

Nestled between the glorious Cleveland Hills to the north and the Hambleton Hills to the south, Osmotherley occupies an enviable location on the western cusp of the moors. Something of a tourist hot spot these days, it retains an old world charm without succumbing to the twee. There are several lovely cafes and pubs to enjoy in and around Osmotherley and the village is flanked by some of the finest scenery in the moors.
Osmotherley is a perfect base for a walking holiday, it’s located on the 119 mile Cleveland Way which is one of England’s National Trails and turned 50 in 2019. A short walk to try is the 3-mile route from Osmotherley to nearby Mount Grace Priory, it’s one of only nine Carthusian priories in the country.

Hawes

Home of world-famous Wensleydale cheese, the small market town of Hawes is one of the most popular destinations in the Yorkshire Dales. Dating back to the early 14th century, it has plenty o activities and events for the discerning day tripper, not least the still functioning creamery, which is open for tours. Come on a Tuesday for the popular market.

Hebden Bridge

A magnet for writers and artists in the 1970s and ’80s, the village of Hebden Bridge has a more artistic feel than the rest of Yorkshire. The village is filled with independent shops, cafés and galleries to discover, and it hosts an annual arts fair that brings visitors from across the county. Just outside of the village is peaceful woodland waiting to be explored.

Thornton-le-Dale – North York Moors

Said by some to be the prettiest village in Yorkshire, Thornton-Le-Dale is proper chocolate-box material. Quite literally in fact as images of the thatched cottage beside Dalby Beck are regularly used on biscuit tins and calendars. 17th century almshouses and a small village green complete the scene making this a lovely base from which to explore the North York Moors.
And if you you’re into cycling, there are some fantastic trails at nearby Dalby Forest. Dalby Forest has fantastic dark skies so is the perfect place to spend a romantic evening under the stars. The Milky Way can regularly be spotted and you may even catch a glimpse of the beautiful Northern Lights.