Snainton

Snainton makes a handy, low-key base for exploring this stretch of North Yorkshire, sitting on the A170 between Pickering and Scarborough with the North York Moors rising just to the north. Hotel-style accommodation in the village itself is limited, largely centred on rooms at The Coachman Inn, so many visitors base themselves a short drive away in Pickering, Malton or Scarborough, all within about ten miles, where the choice of hotels, guesthouses and B&Bs is far wider. From any of these, Snainton and its surrounding attractions, including Dalby Forest, the Bridestones and Flamingo Land, are an easy day trip.

Pickering is the closest larger town with a good hotel selection, combining traditional coaching inns with newer boutique stays, and the added draw of the North Yorkshire Moors Railway terminus. Scarborough offers everything from classic seafront hotels with sea views to smaller independent guesthouses, along with the beaches, harbour and castle that make it North Yorkshire's best-known coastal resort. Malton, sometimes billed as Yorkshire's food capital, has a smaller but growing range of quality places to stay and eat, and sits roughly midway between Snainton and York.

Wherever you choose to stay, the A170 keeps everything connected: Snainton, Wydale Hall, Dalby Forest and the moors to the north, and the Vale of Pickering and coast to the south and east, are all within a short drive of one another, so a hotel base in any of the nearby towns works well for a holiday centred on this part of Yorkshire.

Snainton is a small village, so its own list of sights is short, but it is ringed by some of North Yorkshire's best-known attractions, all within easy reach.

• Dalby Forest — a large Forestry England woodland a few miles north of the village, with waymarked mountain bike trails for all abilities, walking routes, a toll road drive through the forest, and a visitor centre at Low Dalby.
• The Bridestones — striking wind-eroded sandstone rock formations on open moorland within the Dalby Forest area, reached by a walking trail and a favourite spot for photographs and picnics.
• St Stephen's Church — Snainton's parish church, rebuilt in 1836 to a design by John Barry but retaining its older lych-gate and font; a peaceful stop in the heart of the village.
• Wydale Hall — a Christian conference and retreat centre just outside the village at Brompton-by-Sawdon, set in gardens and grounds overlooking the Vale of Pickering, with public events and grounds walks at times.
• Flamingo Land — the well-known theme park and zoo near Kirby Misperton is around nine miles from Snainton, an easy day out for families staying in the village.
• North Yorkshire Moors Railway — the heritage steam line running from Pickering, about eight miles west, up through the moors to Grosmont and Whitby.
• Scarborough — the nearest coastal resort, roughly nine miles east, with its two bays, castle headland, and traditional seafront.

The Coachman Inn is Snainton's village pub, offering a bar, restaurant and rooms on the main road through the village, and is the natural focal point for a meal or a drink while staying locally. Beyond that, choice within the village itself is modest, but Pickering and Scarborough, both under ten miles away, offer a much fuller range of cafes, restaurants and traditional pubs, including well-regarded fish and chip shops on the coast, making Snainton a peaceful base to return to after a day out.

England has no general right to wild camp, so pitching up on open moorland or in Dalby Forest without the landowner's or Forestry England's permission is not allowed; stick to licensed campsites and you will avoid any issues. The good news is that the country around Snainton, straddling the edge of the North York Moors and the flat Vale of Pickering, is well supplied with them. Forestry England runs campsites within Dalby Forest itself, giving direct access to the mountain bike trails and forest walks from your pitch, while further sites are dotted around Pickering, Thornton-le-Dale and the wider Vale, ranging from simple touring and tent fields to larger family-oriented parks with facilities for caravans and motorhomes.

The terrain shifts quickly around Snainton, from gently farmed lowland immediately around the village to steep, heather-clad moorland and dense conifer forest just a mile or two north, so it is worth picking a site that matches what you want from your stay. A pitch in or near Dalby Forest suits walkers, cyclists and families wanting shade and trails on the doorstep; a site out in the Vale of Pickering offers more open, level ground and easier access to Pickering and the coast road. Moorland weather can turn quickly even in summer, so a waterproof tent and warm layers are worth packing whatever the forecast says at the coast.

Late spring to early autumn is the best camping season here, with May and June often giving long, dry evenings and the forest at its greenest, while August brings the moors above the village into purple bloom with heather. Midsummer weekends and school holidays are the busiest times, particularly at sites close to Dalby Forest and Flamingo Land, so early booking is worthwhile. For anyone who would rather skip the tent-pitching, glamping options including pods, safari tents and shepherd's huts have sprung up across the North York Moors and Vale of Pickering in recent years, offering a more comfortable way to enjoy the same forest and moorland scenery around Snainton.