Everyone knows this country best as the home of James Herriot and the Bront sisters. Walking here, you quickly come to understand the deep affection they held for the land. Along woodland paths and babbling brooks, across moors of purple heather and green valleys, you enter villages where life is unhurried and farming still follows traditional methods.
Stone walls impose an ancient order, and man-made monuments compete with nature.
Both are a walker's paradise, offering peace and serenity and a nice escape from the real world. The city dates from 71 AD, when Romans built a fortress above the River Ouse. Your introductory walk takes you along the medieval city walls, through the narrow Elizabethan streets to the renowned Shambles, and on to York Minster, the largest Gothic cathedral in Northern Europe. After exploring the city's historic past, your group gathers again for a welcome reception and dinner. Walk along the Cleveland Way to the valley of Upper Rye, which leads to the awe-inspiring ruins of Rievaulx Abbey.