Huntington

Huntington sits on the northern fringe of York, straddling the River Foss as it winds down from the Howardian Hills towards the city. First recorded in the Domesday Book of 1086, the village grew up on the edge of the old Forest of Galtres, a royal hunting ground that once stretched across much of this flat, fertile stretch of North Yorkshire before it was broken up and drained in the 17th century. All Saints Church has stood here since the village's earliest days, a quiet anchor as the surrounding fields were gradually built over.

For centuries Huntington stayed a small farming settlement, recording barely 630 residents as late as 1901. Growth came later, spurred by the nearby model village of New Earswick and the opening of Queen Elizabeth Barracks at Strensall, then accelerated again with 1930s housing schemes that turned the old village into a York suburb in all but feel. Today it still has the shape of a village at its core, an old churchyard, a couple of pubs, a scatter of independent shops, wrapped in newer streets that run out towards the A1237 outer ring road. It is not a destination in its own right so much as a comfortable, unpretentious base: close enough to walk into York's city centre attractions on a good day, quiet enough to feel like the countryside once you are back home.

Top things to do near Huntington

Huntington's own charms are modest, but it sits only a few miles from one of England's most rewarding historic cities, plus some good stretches of Vale of York countryside.

• York Minster — one of the largest Gothic cathedrals in northern Europe, with medieval stained glass and a central tower you can climb for views across the Vale of York.
• York City Walls — the most complete medieval town walls in England, forming a roughly three-mile walking circuit around the old city.
• National Railway Museum — a free, vast collection of locomotives including a Japanese bullet train and royal carriages, a short walk from York station.
• New Earswick — the Quaker garden village built by Joseph Rowntree for his factory workers, with tree-lined streets and the Folk Hall still at its centre.
• Strensall Common — a Site of Special Scientific Interest of lowland heath just north of Huntington, good for a quieter walk away from the city.
• Yorkshire Museum and Gardens — Roman, Viking and medieval York laid out in one museum, set in ten acres of riverside gardens including the ruins of St Mary's Abbey.
• Monks Cross and Vangarde — the retail parks on Huntington's doorstep, useful for anything you didn't pack.

Getting to Huntington

Huntington lies just off the A1237 York Outer Ring Road on the city's northern edge, a straightforward drive from the A64 and the wider A1(M) corridor. York railway station, on the East Coast Main Line with direct trains from London, Edinburgh and Leeds, is around three miles from the village, and First York buses run regularly into the city centre. Huntington's own railway station closed in 1965, so the car or bus is now the practical way in and out.

Best time to visit Huntington

Spring and early summer suit the area well, with the Vale of York's farmland at its greenest and York's gardens, including the Museum Gardens, in bloom. Summer brings the busiest crowds into York itself, so a Huntington base a little outside the walls can mean an easier retreat at the end of the day. Autumn has its own appeal for those visiting the Yorkshire Museum or walking Strensall Common, while December sees York's Christmas market draw visitors from across the country, best reached from Huntington by bus or park and ride to avoid the city centre traffic.

Where to stay near Huntington

Huntington itself has little in the way of formal accommodation, but its position just outside York's ring road makes it a practical base, with a wider choice of hotels, guest houses and self-catering options a short drive away in York itself and in nearby villages such as Strensall and Haxby.

Food and drink near Huntington

The village has two pubs, the Hogshead and the Blacksmiths Arms, alongside a small parade of local shops including a post office, newsagent, grocer and butcher for everyday essentials. For a wider choice of restaurants, cafes and traditional Yorkshire pubs, York's city centre is a short drive or bus ride away.