North York Moors Walking Weekend - Lockton
Enjoy a sociable walking weekend in the North York Moors, exploring stunning landscapes like the Bridestones, Hole of Horcum, and Castle Howard, with all meals and guided walks included. Relax, make new friends, and experience the best of Yorkshire’s natural beauty.
Experience Type: Multi-Day Experience
Duration: 2 nights
Accommodation: Hostel
Group Size: Maximum 18
Level: Active
Age: 18+
Dogs: No dogs, except trained assistance dogs
In a Nutshell:
Marvel at the varied scenery – from dramatic coastline, striking geological formations, gently rolling hills and wild moorland.
Feel invigorated after days out in the fresh air whether it’s involved strolling with plenty of view stops or tackling tougher terrain.
Be captivated by the many sights along the way, including the grandness of Castle Howard and intriguing rock formations.
Slow down and relax as the charms of Lockton work their magic.
Book today…
Cracking walks, charming tea rooms and Castle Howard’s stately presence…
Embark on a delightful walking weekend in the North York Moors, where stunning landscapes and rich history meet social fun and relaxation. Set in the tranquil village of Lockton, this weekend is all about exploring the best of the North York Moors and Howardian Hills, with guided walks taking you through breathtaking scenery, including the famous Bridestones and the majestic Hole of Horcum. You'll also have the chance to visit the iconic Castle Howard, a grand estate steeped in history.
Throughout the weekend, all your meals are included, with evenings spent enjoying home-cooked dinners and lively conversation in the cozy comfort of our hostel. With a Large Outdoors host on hand to ensure everything runs smoothly and guides leading the way on our walks, this is the perfect opportunity to connect with nature, make new friends, and soak in the beauty of this unique part of Yorkshire.
Suggested Itinerary
Here’s what we’ve got planned - of course, we may have to offer alternatives or make amendments if the weather misbehaves or other unexpected situations arise!
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Arrive in the peaceful village of Lockton, nestled in the heart of the North York Moors National Park. From 5pm, you’ll be greeted by a Large Outdoors host, who will introduce you to your fellow walkers. As you settle in, there’s plenty of time to relax and mingle before we gather around 8pm for a freshly-prepared evening meal. The night continues with good food, a cheeseboard, and friendly chatter, making it easy to form connections and unwind after a busy week.
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Start your day with a leisurely breakfast, where the conversation flows as freely as the tea and toast. After breakfast, we’ll confirm the day’s walking plans. Our qualified guides will choose from a selection of stunning routes, ensuring a great day out tailored to the group’s interests and the weather.
Walk Options:
The Bridestones: A 10-mile walk that begins right from our doorstep, taking you through quiet woodland trails and out onto Staindale Moor. Here, you’ll explore the famous Bridestones, naturally occurring sandstone rock sculptures, before looping back to Lockton.
Hole of Horcum and Levisham: A more challenging route that delves into the dramatic Hole of Horcum, a striking 400-foot-deep natural amphitheatre. This walk takes you through ancient woodlands and along the edge of the valley, with views of Skelton Tower and the steam train line.
Other potential walks could include the coastal paths between Whitby and Robin Hood’s Bay, the charming village of Rosedale, or the daffodil-lined trails of Farndale. And of course, no visit to the North York Moors is complete without a stop at a local tearoom—after all, this is the ‘Capital of Cake’!
After a day of exploration, return to the hostel to relax and enjoy a home-cooked evening meal. The night is yours to unwind, with the option to stay up and chat late into the evening.
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After breakfast, we’ll pack up and head to the Howardian Hills, a designated National Landscape. Our destination is the magnificent Castle Howard, a grand stately home made famous by the TV series Brideshead Revisited.
We’ll take a gentle walk through Castle Howard’s parkland, following the Centenary bridleway along easy tracks, with views of temples, follies, and monuments like the Temple of the Four Winds, The Mausoleum, and The Pyramid.
After the walk, there’s time to visit Castle Howard’s farm and gift shop, and possibly enjoy lunch at a nearby tearoom or pub before heading home.
Essential Information
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Meeting Time: from 5pm
You can arrive any time from 5pm - the Large Outdoors host will be at the accommodation to welcome you. Dinner will be served around 8pm so if you intend to arrive later than this, please ensure you have something to eat on the way.Meeting Location:
YHA Dalby Forest
Old School
Lockton
YO18 7PYPlease note that you DO NOT need to access Dalby Forest to reach the hostel. The hostel is in the village of Lockton, north of Pickering.
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Parking: Parking is available at the hostel.
Public Transport: The hostel is located 19.5 miles from Scarborough Train Station and 15.5 miles from Whitby Train Station. The Coastliner bus route (Leeds/Scarborough/Whitby) services a stop at Lockton Lane End, which is just a few minutes’ walk to the hostel.
Finish Time: We aim to finish on the final day between 1pm and 3pm - the exact finish time may depend on the planned/chosen activity, group dynamic, weather conditions, whether the group chooses to grab a coffee or lunch together during/after, etc. If you’ve travelled via public transport, please ensure you book onward travel accordingly (i.e. an open return ticket), to allow for flexibility.
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You’ll stay at YHA’s Dalby Forest hostel for this weekend. Despite the name, this isn’t located surrounded by trees in Dalby Forest itself, but in the pretty North York Moors village of Lockton. This former school has a cosy lounge with wood burning stove and offers a great location to explore the North York Moors and surrounding areas.
Bedding is provided - but please bring a towel and don’t forget your own toiletries.
Accommodation Address:
YHA Dalby Forest
Old School
Lockton
YO18 7PYRoom Types:
You can book one of the following options, subject to availability:
Bed in a Shared Female Room
Bed in a Shared Male RoomAt this hostel there are Shared Rooms, where you’ll be sharing a dorm room - with bunk beds - with other participants (room sizes vary and bathrooms are shared).
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Included:
2 nights’ accommodation at YHA’s Dalby Forest (Lockton) hostel.
A Large Outdoors host/guide to welcome you, deal with meal preparation and the logistics for your experience.
Guided walks on two days (Day 2 and Day 3).
Home-cooked set 2-course dinners at the accommodation on both evenings.
A DIY breakfast each morning (toast, cereals, fruit and yoghurt provided).
A DIY packed lunch (sandwich and snacks) for Day 2’s walk. Please ensure you bring a lunch box or dry bag - to reduce waste, we do not supply cling film or sandwich bags.
Tea (including decaf and herbal options), coffee (including decaf option), and squash at the accommodation.
Bedding - but please bring a towel and don’t forget your own toiletries.
The chance to make new friends and meet like-minded people - Large Outdoors is all about making outdoor adventures sociable.
Pre-event support from the Large Outdoors team - give us a shout if there’s any advice or information you need and check out our Blog for useful articles too.
Not included:
Travel to and from the meeting location.
Travel from the accommodation to activity start points and back, where they don’t start from the door. On some days there could be a short drive required - we don't include transport and participants normally car share.
Bottled water - tap water and squash are available at the accommodation, so please ensure you bring sufficient water bottles or carriers to fill up and take out with you.
Alcoholic drinks - please feel free to bring something with you to enjoy at the accommodation.
Any food, drinks or goods you choose to purchase at any shops, restaurant, pubs or cafés visited.
Travel/activity insurance - we recommend having insurance to cover, at a minimum: cancellation and curtailment; medical and emergency expenses (including repatriation); personal accident; injury and death.
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Please see our Residential (Walking) Kit List.
The compulsory items are selected for your safety, which is of paramount importance to us at Large Outdoors. Each participant should be carrying the items listed.
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• What level of fitness is needed?
This experience is rated as Active. Click here to see Large Outdoors’ Experience Levels.• Can I attend on my own?
Absolutely. The majority of our participants are solo travellers and adventurers. Plenty of fun, laughter and numerous long-term friendships (and a few marriages!) have begun on Large Outdoors experiences since 2008, so there’s no need to feel worried about your first experience, or indeed trying a new type of outdoor activity, with us.• I am currently on a specific diet / have an allergy - can you cater for me?
Unfortunately, we are generally unable to cater for a wide variety of diets or food preferences due to the nature and cost of our catered trips and/or the use of shared kitchens. However, we can offer vegetarian meals, vegan meals, provide meals with gluten* free ingredients, and/or provide dairy* free meals - these options can be selected when booking. *Please see our general FAQs for more information about dietary options.• What transport is provided during this trip?
We do not provide any transport for this experience. On some days there could be a short drive required to activity start points and back, where they don’t start from the accommodation - participants normally car share.• Can I bring my dog?
Dogs are not allowed on this experience, except for trained assistance dogs. If you wish to bring your trained assistance dog, please let us know in advance of booking so we can discuss the itinerary and any activity/equipment/accommodation, and of course additional safety requirements or considerations that may be necessary. -
North York Moors National Park
The National Park is a special place where forests and moorland eventually give way to a coastline which combines dramatic headlands with sweeping bays of golden sands.Throughout the National Park there are hints of days gone by, whether it’s the remains of a mine or the features and sights in the coastal villages that re-create those days when smuggling and fishing were in their heyday.
The Howardian Hills
Nestled between the National Park and the Vale of York, the Howardian Hills are a designated National Landscape - characterised by gently undulating countryside clad in a patchwork of arable and pasture fields and woodland, interspersed with picture-postcard villages.The area is steeped in history most notably with Castle Howard, a stately home that needs little introduction, and which is surrounded by miles of beautiful parkland.
This map is provided for guidance regarding the general location. For detailed meeting information, please refer to the 'Meeting Time & Location' section.