Allerston

Allerston has only a small number of places to stay under its own roof, mostly self-catering cottages, converted farm buildings and the distinctive railway-carriage accommodation at The Old Station, rather than conventional hotels. This makes it a good fit for visitors who want a quiet rural base rather than a resort-style stay, with the freedom of a private cottage close to Dalby Forest and the open moors. Anyone wanting a wider choice of hotels, inns or guesthouses is best looking a few miles west to Pickering, which has a good spread of options within easy reach of Allerston, or further afield to Scarborough on the coast for larger seaside hotels. Wherever you base yourself, Allerston's position just off the A170 means the North York Moors, Dalby Forest and the coast are all within a short drive, so it is worth weighing up whether you want to stay in the village itself for peace and quiet, or in Pickering or Scarborough for a broader choice of places to eat, shop and sleep. Booking ahead is sensible in summer and around school holidays, when both the village's limited cottages and nearby town accommodation fill up quickly, particularly with families visiting Flamingo Land or the steam railway.

Allerston's own high street is short, but the surrounding area is rich in things to see and do, from ancient woodland to steam trains.

• Dalby Forest — A vast 8,500-acre Forestry England site right on Allerston's doorstep, with waymarked walking and mountain biking trails, a visitor centre, and family activities including Go Ape treetop courses and a weekly parkrun.
• Pickering — The nearest market town, five miles away, with a Norman castle, a bustling weekly market and independent shops, and the southern terminus of the North Yorkshire Moors Railway.
• North Yorkshire Moors Railway — A heritage steam line running from Pickering up through the moors to Grosmont and Whitby, passing through some of the most scenic stretches of the national park.
• Flamingo Land — A large theme park and zoo a few miles west near Kirby Misperton, popular with families staying in the area.
• Forge Valley Woods — A designated nature reserve and Site of Special Scientific Interest close by, with gentle riverside walks through ancient semi-natural woodland.
• Scarborough — The Victorian seaside resort on the coast, roughly 30 minutes' drive, with its two bays, castle headland and traditional seafront.

Allerston itself is small and does not have a pub or restaurant of its own, so most visitors head into Pickering for eating out, where the choice runs from traditional pubs to cafes and restaurants serving Yorkshire produce. Farm shops in the surrounding villages are worth seeking out for local meat, cheese and baked goods, and the Fylingdales and Dalby Forest visitor centres have cafes for walkers and cyclists passing through.

Camping and caravanning is the more natural way to stay around Allerston, and the village is home to the well-regarded Vale of Pickering Caravan and Camping Park on Carr House Farm, a family-run five-star site that has grown steadily since opening in 1986. It offers spacious grass pitches, modern toilet and shower facilities, a woodland walk and a play area, set in open countryside within easy reach of Dalby Forest. As with the rest of England, wild camping on open moorland or farmland around Allerston is not legally permitted without the landowner's express permission, so it is worth sticking to established sites such as this one or asking locally before pitching anywhere off-site.

The terrain here suits campers well: Allerston sits at the point where the flat, sheltered Vale of Pickering meets the rising ground of the North York Moors, so pitches tend to be more sheltered than sites higher up on the open moor, while still giving quick access to Dalby Forest's trails and the wilder moorland beyond. Late spring to early autumn is the best season to camp, when the forest tracks are firm and dry and evenings are long enough for a walk after setting up; midsummer weekends and school holidays are the busiest, so early booking is worth doing at popular sites. Fewer sites stay open through the depths of winter, given the exposed nature of much of the surrounding moorland, though some remain open for hardier caravanners in shoulder seasons.

For those who like the outdoors but want fewer of the practicalities of a tent, glamping options in the wider area include shepherd's huts, static lodges and pods, often on farms similar to the ones dotted around Allerston, giving a halfway point between a hotel stay and traditional camping. Whichever style of stay you choose, Allerston's position close to Dalby Forest, Pickering and the coast makes it a practical, well-placed base for exploring this part of the North York Moors National Park.