Best of Britain – Yorkshire Day Tours
BEST FOR
Ages 5+
WHERE
York
What it’s like
A small-group minicoach day out on the North York Moors, with a steam train ride on the North Yorkshire Moors Railway thrown in.
You meet at Duncombe Place for a punctual 9am start, then it's off in a 16-seat minicoach with a guide who knows the North York Moors and the Yorkshire Dales properly. The steam train leg on the North Yorkshire Moors Railway is the bit everyone remembers, but the stops in villages and coastal towns along the way give kids a proper stretch and a look round too.
This isn't really one for under-fives. The company won't take them without special approval and your own car seat, so it's built for kids five and up, with booster cushions on hand for five to twelves and an adult required alongside every child. Ticket prices for the trips themselves aren't listed here beyond a sample gift certificate at £45, but a family or group of four or more gets a 10% discount, and booking two different trips together earns another 10%.
What you don't get in the price is entry to attractions or food, so factor that in if you're stopping at a village with a museum or a good chip shop. The guides do apparently negotiate discounts at places you visit and will give you their honest opinion on whether somewhere's worth the money, which is a nice touch given you're paying to be steered right.
There's no hotel pickup. Regular toilet stops are built into the day, and trips run whatever the numbers, so a quiet day won't get you cancelled on.
Need to know
- Best for
- 5 to 15, built round a steam train ride and moors scenery
- Booking
- Free cancellation up to 24 hours before departure
- Wheelchairs
- Standard wheelchairs can be carried in luggage compartment
- Dogs
- Registered Assistance Dogs only, by prior arrangement
- Getting there by bus or train
- Less than half a mile from York train station, approximately 10-minute walk
- Worth knowing
- 10% discount when booking multiple different trips at the same time
- Wheelchairs go in the luggage compartment as standard, but there are three steps at the entrance with handrails
- Only registered assistance dogs are allowed, and only by prior arrangement
- Trips run on set days depending on the route, so check which days match the tour you want
- Don't book onward travel too close to your return time, since traffic can push things back
Plan your visit
How much does it cost?
Exact ticket prices aren't given here, though a gift certificate example runs to £45. Book four or more together and you get a 10% family or group discount.
Is it suitable for a toddler?
Not really, under-fives aren't accepted unless it's specially arranged in advance with head office and you bring your own car safety seat. It's built for five and up, with booster cushions for five to twelves.
Do we need to book ahead?
Book online or through the Visit York Information Centre, and you can cancel free up to 24 hours before you go. Space is limited to 16 seats a trip, so early booking matters if you've got a date in mind.
Where do we meet, and is there a pickup?
You meet at Duncombe Place, less than half a mile from York train station, about a 10-minute walk. There's no hotel pickup, though the local bus service drops off two minutes from the meeting point.
Is food included, and are there toilet stops?
Food isn't included, so budget for lunch or snacks along the way. There are regular stops with toilet access built into the itinerary.
Can we book a private tour?
Yes, half and full-day private tours run any day of the year from York, Harrogate or Thirsk, for groups of 1 to 4, 5 to 8 or 9 to 16. Bigger groups can be handled with coaches and an adapted itinerary.
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