# Sessay Staycation Guide — Where to Stay & What to Do > Discover Sessay, a quiet North Yorkshire village near Thirsk with cricket, fishing lakes and easy access to the Hambleton Hills. Source: https://staycation.co.uk/sessay (Staycation.co.uk). Cite the source page, not this text version. A quiet corner of the Vale of Mowbray, near Thirsk Photo © Christopher Busby, Google Maps [Guide](https://staycation.co.uk/sessay) [🏨 Hotels](https://staycation.co.uk/sessay/hotels) [🏡 Cottages](https://staycation.co.uk/sessay/cottages) [⛺ Camping](https://staycation.co.uk/sessay/camping) [🎟️ Attractions](https://staycation.co.uk/sessay/attractions) [🍽️ Restaurants](https://staycation.co.uk/sessay/restaurants) Sessay is a small, unhurried village in North Yorkshire's Vale of Mowbray, lying around four miles south-east of Thirsk and a couple of miles west of the A19. It sits on flat, fertile farmland close to the East Coast Main Line, with Birdforth Beck threading south of the village towards the River Swale. A field near here has even been suggested by the Ordnance Survey as a candidate for the geographical centre of Yorkshire, which says a lot about how quintessentially rural this pocket of the county is. The village itself is a classic Yorkshire linear settlement, first recorded in the Domesday Book as 'Sezai', with a history that runs through the Percy, Darrell and Dawnay families. Today it is best known locally for its cricket club, founded in 1850 and twice a winner of the National Village Cup at Lord's, and for Grade II* listed St Cuthbert's Church, rebuilt in the 1840s by the noted architect William Butterfield. It is a village to pass through slowly on the way to the Hambleton Hills, rather than a destination with a high street of its own. ## Getting to Sessay Sessay lies just off the A19 between Thirsk and York, making it an easy stop by car for anyone travelling the York-to-Teesside corridor. Thirsk railway station, on the East Coast Main Line, is the nearest station with regular services to York, Darlington and beyond; Sessay itself lost its own station back in 1958. From Thirsk it is a short drive or a pleasant cycle out into the surrounding villages. ## Best time to visit Sessay Summer suits Sessay best, when the cricket season is in full swing and the surrounding farmland and hedgerows are at their greenest. Spring and autumn bring quieter roads and good walking weather in the nearby Hambleton Hills, while winter has a stark, wide-skied charm across the Vale of Mowbray, though country lanes can be exposed in poor weather. ## Where to stay in Sessay [All hotels in Sessay →](https://staycation.co.uk/sessay/hotels) About staying in Sessay Sessay is a village for those who want a genuinely rural base rather than a bustling tourist hub. Hotels in the immediate village are non-existent, but the surrounding villages and the market town of Thirsk, just four miles away, offer a good range of options, from traditional coaching inns and pubs with rooms to farmhouse bed and breakfasts set among working farmland. Staying nearby puts you within easy reach of the Vale of Mowbray's quiet lanes, the Hambleton Hills escarpment, and the North York Moors National Park a little further east, while Thirsk itself gives you shops, restaurants and the James Herriot connection on your doorstep. Because Sessay is so small, most visitors treat it as a peaceful stopover or a day-trip destination rather than a base with its own hotel infrastructure. Country house hotels and inns around Thirsk and the wider Hambleton area tend to make the most of their setting, with gardens, log fires and locally sourced menus featuring Yorkshire produce. If you are visiting for the cricket, for fishing at The Oaks Lakes, or simply for a quiet weekend away from the crowds, booking a room in Thirsk or one of the neighbouring villages gives you the flexibility of a short, easy drive back to Sessay itself, along with a wider choice of evening dining than the village can offer on its own. [Oak Tree Inn Raskelf Road, York](https://staycation.co.uk/york/hotels/oak-tree-inn) [The Angel at Topcliffe Long Street, Thirsk](https://staycation.co.uk/thirsk/hotels/the-angel-at-topcliffe) [The Swan Main Street, Thirsk](https://staycation.co.uk/thirsk/hotels/the-swan) [Plum and Partridge Husthwaite Low Street, York](https://staycation.co.uk/york/hotels/plum-and-partridge-husthwaite) [9.1 ★★★★★5 star Crab Manor & The Crab and Lobster Asenby, near Thirsk from £195/night](https://staycation.co.uk/thirsk/hotels/crab-manor-crab-and-lobster) [8.3 ★★★3 star Premier Inn Thirsk Sowerby Gateway, edge of Thirsk from £72/night](https://staycation.co.uk/thirsk/hotels/premier-inn-thirsk) [The White Horse Lodge Hotel Sutton Road, Thirsk](https://staycation.co.uk/thirsk/hotels/the-white-horse-lodge-hotel) [Burton Grange Farmhouse Bed and Breakfast Helperby, Boroughbridge](https://staycation.co.uk/boroughbridge/hotels/burton-grange-farmhouse-bed-and-breakfast) ## Things to Do in Sessay [All attractions in Sessay →](https://staycation.co.uk/sessay/attractions) Top things to do near Sessay Sessay is more about peaceful countryside and nearby market towns than a run of visitor attractions, but there is plenty within easy reach. - **Thirsk** — The historic market town made famous by vet-turned-author James Herriot, with the World of James Herriot museum, a cobbled marketplace and regular markets. - **The Oaks Lakes Fishing Complex** — A coarse fishing venue with several stocked lakes and an on-site café, right on the edge of the village. - **Hambleton Hills and the Yorkshire Wolds** — The escarpment rises to the east, with walking and cycling routes including views towards Sutton Bank. - **Sessay Cricket Club** — A genuine slice of village life; matches are played through the summer at this Lord's-winning club. - **Byland Abbey and Rievaulx Abbey** — Impressive ruined Cistercian abbeys within a short drive, set among the Hambleton and Howardian Hills. [Pumpkin Picking at Spilmans ⭐ 4.6](https://staycation.co.uk/sessay/attractions/pumpkin-picking-at-spilmans) [Spilmans ⭐ 4.6](https://staycation.co.uk/sessay/attractions/spilmans) [Monk Park Farm Visitor Centre ⭐ 4.7](https://staycation.co.uk/sessay/attractions/monk-park-farm-visitor-centre) [Twiggys Play ⭐ 4.5](https://staycation.co.uk/sessay/attractions/twiggys-play) [World of James Herriot ⭐ 4.8](https://staycation.co.uk/sessay/attractions/world-of-james-herriot) [York Bird of Prey Centre ⭐ 4.9](https://staycation.co.uk/sessay/attractions/york-bird-of-prey-centre) [🎟️Historic Houses & Gardens Newby Hall Adventure Garden](https://staycation.co.uk/sessay/attractions/newby-hall-adventure-garden) [Ripon Museum Trust ⭐ 4.4](https://staycation.co.uk/sessay/attractions/ripon-museum-trust) ## Where to Eat in Sessay(2) [All restaurants in Sessay →](https://staycation.co.uk/sessay/restaurants) Food and drink near Sessay Sessay does not have its own pub, so the nearest options are just outside the village. The Moor & Pheasant in neighbouring Dalton is a popular country pub, while the café at The Oaks Lakes Fishing Complex is known locally for its breakfasts. White Rose Holiday Park also has its own on-site pub. For a wider choice of restaurants, cafés and traditional Yorkshire pubs, Thirsk market town is only a few miles away. [Stone Barn Cafe @ Spilman's ⭐ 4.6](https://staycation.co.uk/sessay/restaurants/stone-barn-cafe-spilman-s) [IPN (Inspired Pet Food) ⭐ 3.8](https://staycation.co.uk/sessay/restaurants/ipn-inspired-pet-food) [Bagby Airfield Club ⭐ 4.6](https://staycation.co.uk/sessay/restaurants/bagby-airfield-club) [Old Black Bull ⭐ 4.7](https://staycation.co.uk/sessay/restaurants/old-black-bull) [The Angel Inn at Topcliffe ⭐ 4.5](https://staycation.co.uk/sessay/restaurants/the-angel-inn-at-topcliffe) [🍽️Restaurant The Hungry Monk](https://staycation.co.uk/sessay/restaurants/the-hungry-monk) [Plum and Partridge ⭐ 4.6](https://staycation.co.uk/sessay/restaurants/plum-and-partridge) [Thirsk Garden Centre ⭐ 4.3](https://staycation.co.uk/sessay/restaurants/thirsk-garden-centre) ## Attractions Near Sessay [All attractions in Sessay →](https://staycation.co.uk/attractions) Worth the trip — within 50 miles of Sessay. [1 mi Pumpkin Picking at Spilmans Thirsk · ⭐ 4.6](https://staycation.co.uk/thirsk/attractions/pumpkin-picking-at-spilmans) [1 mi Spilmans York · ⭐ 4.6](https://staycation.co.uk/york/attractions/spilmans) [4 mi Monk Park Farm Visitor Centre Thirsk · ⭐ 4.7](https://staycation.co.uk/thirsk/attractions/monk-park-farm-visitor-centre) [4 mi Twiggys Play Thirsk · ⭐ 4.5](https://staycation.co.uk/thirsk/attractions/twiggys-play) [5 mi World of James Herriot Thirsk · ⭐ 4.8](https://staycation.co.uk/thirsk/attractions/world-of-james-herriot) [6 mi York Bird of Prey Centre Easingwold · ⭐ 4.9](https://staycation.co.uk/easingwold/attractions/york-bird-of-prey-centre) [🎟️Historic Houses & Gardens 8 mi Newby Hall Adventure Garden Ripon](https://staycation.co.uk/ripon/attractions/newby-hall-adventure-garden) [9 mi Ripon Museum Trust Ripon · ⭐ 4.4](https://staycation.co.uk/ripon/attractions/ripon-museum-trust) ## Camping in Sessay [All campsites in Sessay →](https://staycation.co.uk/sessay/camping) About camping in Sessay Wild camping is not permitted in England without the landowner's explicit permission, so anyone keen to camp near Sessay should stick to proper sites rather than pitching on farmland or verges around the village. The good news is that the flat, fertile Vale of Mowbray and the rising ground towards the Hambleton Hills give this part of North Yorkshire a good spread of caravan and camping parks within a short drive, several of them built around fishing lakes or family-friendly facilities. The Oaks Lakes Caravan Park, right on the edge of Sessay itself, combines touring pitches with coarse fishing lakes and is a natural first choice for anyone wanting to stay close to the village. A little further afield, Thirkleby Hall Caravan Park and the White Rose Holiday Park near Thirsk offer a broader range of pitches and static options, along with on-site pubs and, in White Rose's case, a swimming pool, making them well suited to families. For something closer to genuine wild countryside, sites towards the Hambleton Hills and the fringes of the North York Moors give access to open moorland walking without straying from a proper, permitted pitch. Camping here works best from late spring through to early autumn, when the Vale of Mowbray's farmland is at its most scenic and evenings are long enough for a walk down to Birdforth Beck or an evening at the cricket ground. Ground can be heavy after wet weather given the low-lying, clay-rich land, so a well-drained pitch matters more here than in the hills proper. Glamping options are thinner on the ground immediately around Sessay than in the more tourist-heavy North York Moors villages, but static caravans and camping pods at the larger parks nearby offer a comfortable alternative for anyone who wants fixed accommodation with all the countryside on the doorstep. Whichever you choose, the appeal is the same: wide Yorkshire skies, quiet lanes, and easy access to both Thirsk and the moors beyond. [White Rose Holiday Park ⭐ 4.1 · from £299/night](https://staycation.co.uk/thirsk/camping/white-rose-holiday-park) [Thirkleby Hall Caravan Park ⭐ 4.6](https://staycation.co.uk/thirsk/camping/thirkleby-hall-caravan-park) [Sowerby Caravan Park ⭐ 4.2](https://staycation.co.uk/north-yorkshire/camping/sowerby-caravan-park) [The Hideaway@Baxby Manor ⭐ 4.8](https://staycation.co.uk/north-yorkshire/camping/the-hideaway-baxby-manor) [The Hideaway at Baxby Manor ⭐ 4.8](https://staycation.co.uk/amplecarr/camping/the-hideaway-at-baxby-manor-amplecarr) [✨Glamping Skonoker Certificated Location](https://staycation.co.uk/north-yorkshire/camping/skonoker-certificated-location) [York House Holiday Park ⭐ 4.8](https://staycation.co.uk/north-yorkshire/camping/york-house-holiday-park) [Abbots Green Luxury Holiday Lodges ⭐ 4.7](https://staycation.co.uk/north-yorkshire/camping/abbots-green-luxury-holiday-lodges) ## Self-Catering Cottages in Sessay [All cottages in Sessay →](https://staycation.co.uk/sessay/cottages) [🏡Cottage The Cosy Caravan 2 bed · sleeps 4 · from £341](https://staycation.co.uk/north-yorkshire/cottages/the-cosy-caravan-syk1171345) [🏡Cottage Elm Tree Cottage 1 bed · sleeps 2 · from £297](https://staycation.co.uk/north-yorkshire/cottages/elm-tree-cottage-syk1169682) [The Millsteam Barn 1 bed · sleeps 4 · from £1,639](https://staycation.co.uk/north-yorkshire/cottages/the-millsteam-barn-ukc7567) [🏡Cottage The Old Dairy Loft 2 bed · sleeps 6 · from £1,639](https://staycation.co.uk/north-yorkshire/cottages/the-old-dairy-loft-ukc7550) [Lighthouse Point 1 bed · sleeps 4 · from £1,465](https://staycation.co.uk/north-yorkshire/cottages/lighthouse-point-ukc7583) [Pine Tree Lodge 2 bed · sleeps 4 · from £1,639](https://staycation.co.uk/north-yorkshire/cottages/pine-tree-lodge-ukc7545) [🏡Cottage The Round Barn 1 bed · sleeps 4 · from £1,465](https://staycation.co.uk/north-yorkshire/cottages/the-round-barn-ukc7640) [Ashfield Lodge 1 bed · sleeps 4 · from £1,465](https://staycation.co.uk/north-yorkshire/cottages/ashfield-lodge-ukc7473) ## Common questions about Sessay Where can I eat in Sessay? We list 2 restaurants, pubs and cafes in and around Sessay. ### 🏨 Find Hotels in Sessay Search hotels, B&Bs and self-catering on Booking.com. [Search Accommodation →](https://www.anrdoezrs.net/click-101762279-15734754?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.booking.com%2Fsearchresults.en-gb.html%3Fss%3DSessay%252C%2BUnited%2BKingdom) Affiliate link ### Explore Sessay - [🏨 Hotels & B&Bs](https://staycation.co.uk/sessay/hotels) - [🏡 Cottages](https://staycation.co.uk/sessay/cottages) - [⛺ Campsites & glamping](https://staycation.co.uk/sessay/camping) - [🎟️ Attractions](https://staycation.co.uk/sessay/attractions) - [🍽️ Restaurants](https://staycation.co.uk/sessay/restaurants) ## Staycation ideas for Sessay [All staycation ideas →](https://staycation.co.uk/staycation-ideas) [The Best Last-Minute UK Staycations Six well-connected UK towns and cities worth booking at short notice, chosen for easy travel and a decent spread of accommodation once the school-holiday crowds have thinned.](https://staycation.co.uk/staycation-ideas/best-last-minute-staycations) [Rainy Day Staycations: Best UK Breaks for Bad Weather When the forecast turns grim, these UK cities and spa towns keep their appeal indoors, with museums, galleries and grand architecture to fill a wet weekend.](https://staycation.co.uk/staycation-ideas/rainy-day-staycations-uk) [The Best Dog-Friendly Staycations in Britain From Cornish coast paths to Lake District fells, these six British destinations offer the open beaches, moors and forests that make a staycation genuinely enjoyable for dogs and their owners alike.](https://staycation.co.uk/staycation-ideas/dog-friendly-staycations) [The Best UK Staycations for Families with Young Kids From New Forest ponies to Cornish rock pools, these six UK destinations combine easy logistics, safe beaches and family-friendly attractions for a stress-free break with young children.](https://staycation.co.uk/staycation-ideas/best-staycations-for-families)