If you’re looking for some escapism right here in sunny old Yorkshire, the region plays home to some incredibly quaint places that wouldn’t look out of place in a picture book. Transport to a different era with some pretty, traditional villages Yorkshire has to offer.
When you’ve got a beautiful county like Yorkshire, it can be difficult to narrow down the best places to visit, but we’ve given it our best shot. with out list of the most charming villages across the region.
It’s got a fascinating history with its villages ranging from old fishing spots, mining villages and model villages built for workers of local mills next to babbing rivers and canals and more.
1. Haworth, West Yorkshire
Known as Brontë county, this West Yorkshire village is famed for its literary history and being the home of the famous Brontë sisters, attracting visitors from around the globe.
For a small village, it has fantastic pubs, old-fashioned sweet shops and the best place for a Sunday Roast, The Hawthorn for those looking for some food.
Discover Wuthering Heights itself at Top Withins, and explore the Haworth circular walk – a five-mile walk which showcases some of the incredible landscape, including Brontë waterfall. The small town is beautifully picturesque, with little shops to explore while you walk around.
2. Marsden, West Yorkshire
One of the most pretty villages in Yorkshire with impeccable views of the surrounding Peak District, Marsden makes for a picturesque day trip to the country.
The pretty little village has a tiny high street where visitors can take in the old fashioned buildings and traditional pubs, as well as three reservoirs to uncover, and the entire Marsden Moors at its doorstep. A brilliant choice for amateur and professional walkers.
It’s also part of the Transpennine Real Ale Trail, so you know you’re in for a treat when it comes to sampling ales from the region and furhter a field.
3. Muker, Yorkshire Dales
Set in the Yorkshire Dales, Muker is a real treat for those looking to take in 360 countryside views. The traditional village is a real postcard-worthy place, with farm animals, vast countryside and limestone cottages.
The Swaledale village is very remote but it is famed for its wildflower meadows, and boasts a village pub, tearoom, art gallery, and a couple of independent country shops too making it a great day out.
4. Hutton-le-Hole
A village in the idyllic North York Moors where sheep roam the streets at will, Hutton-le-Hole is as scenic as they come. Completely surrounded with countryside, the village lies within a natural hollow.
It’s the perfect, picturesque spot to explore in the spring and summer, with plenty of walking routes and picnic spots to discover
A Site of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI) the hay meadows in the Northern Pennine Dales Meadows is rich in a variety of wildflowers perfect for a summer’s walk.
You can enjoy such species as Wood Crane’s-bill, Melancholy Thistle, Yellow Rattle, Pignut, Lady’s Mantles, Rough Hawkbit, Cat’s-ear and Sweet Vernal Grass that litter the fields like a painter’s pallet.
5. Sandsend, Yorkshire Coast
A seaside village just a stone’s throw away from historic Whitby, Sandsend is a small fishing village with its own beach, making it one of the Yorkshire Coastline’s finest little gems.
Sandsend is a located in between Whitby and Scarborough. It has beautiful views of Whitby Abbey and a beautiful stretch of beach that has a stream running through it to the sea.
The coast is peppered with quaint fisherman’s cottages, and the village has a number of beautiful restaurants try – with some, of course, specialising in local seafood. Fossils can be uncovered on the beach, with rock pools housing crabs, shrimp and small fish.
6. Robin Hood’s Bay, Yorkshire Coast
Robin Hood’s Bay is one of the truly iconic villages in Yorkshire, with evidence of man residing there dating all the way back to 3000 years ago in the Bronze Age.
The bay is famous for its fishing, and its red-roofed fisherman’s cottages are a popular stop for photos. A popular beach for dog walks and more along the Yorkshire Coast it is one to visit.
While the village may be small, the place is bursting with history, with many believing that Robin Hood came to the village to fend off the pirates who came to steal the fisherman’s boats. Explore the seaside, shops and cafes on the beach front and discover shipwrecks along the coast.
7. Wentworth, South Yorkshire
North of Rotherham towards Barnsley, Wentworth village transports visitors to an old-feeling world, with some beautiful heritage spots to visit.
The place is home to the Fitzgerald Wentworth estate, which has a significant mining history and a pretty landscape to explore.
Other attractions include stately home Wentworth Woodhouse, the village’s cruck cottages, follies and the picture-perfect Paradise Square – a wonderful spot for a few snaps.
8. Levisham, North York Moors
Levisham is a remote village set in the North York Moors, with a population reported to be less than 100 people. The Yorkshire destination is well known for its steam heritage, with steam trains still passing through for visitors to enjoy.
Guests can check out the Hole of Horcrum, Skelton Tower, or even search for some of the filming spots used for shows such as Sherlock Holmes and Poirot. After exploring the village, you can stop for a pint and a pub lunch at The Horseshoe Inn, the only boozer in the village.
9. Hawes, West Yorkshire
Not only is Hawes one of the most beautiful villages to explore in Yorkshire, but it’s also the home of the Wensleydale Creamery, too – as well as being the highest market town in England.
Part of the River Ure flows right through the village, with mini waterfalls in between houses that make for beautiful water features. The village is a great spot for walkers, with Gayle Mill and Hardraw Force both worth a visit!
Pass through the stonewalled, patchwork countryside, quaint villages and immense natural beauty with lush greenery and wildflowers waiting to be enjoyed. The Dales is full of hidden gems and this seven-mile walk showcases some of its best hits.
10. Holmfirth, West Yorkshire
Holmfirth is famed for being the backdrop of classic TV show Last of the Summer Wine, but it has so much more to offer than just that. The small town is also popular with walkers, with scenery across the Holme Valley to take in.
There’s plenty of restaurants, tearooms and pubs to try out, and three reservoirs nearby to explore with unbeatable scenery. Fancy a real hit of nostalgia, why not stay at Nora Batty’s Cottage?
Just becomes Nora’s house remains a nostalgic haven doesn’t mean Holmfirth hasn’t change. The landscape remains a beautiful reminder of the sitcom with its green roll hills, but the food options are vast.
11. Goathland, North York Moors
Famously featured in Harry Potter as Hogsmeade station, Goathland attracts tons of visitors every single year. While its train station is a popular stop for movie fans, the village is also famous for being the home of popular TV show Heartbeat.
The heritage station is a great spot to check out the steam trains, while Wade’s Causeway lies just down the road with its 6,000 year old history. Walkers can take on the three-and-a-half mile Rail Trail, which guides visitors from Goathland station up to Grosmont with waterfall views.
12. Burnsall, Yorkshire Dales
Burnsall is a tiny rural village with just a few cottages there, all of which are wonderfully situated beside the sparkling River Wharfe. It is tucked away in the scenic Wharfedale, in the southernmost part of the Yorkshire Dales.
It’s an idyllic place for a summer dip surrounded by natural beauty along with Viking and Anglo-Saxon carved stones, which can still be seen to this day at the quaint parish church that stands tall above the waterside village.
13. Saltaire, West Yorkshire
One of the model villages in Yorkshire, Saltaire sits along side the Leeds Liverpool canal. It’s a UNESCO world heritage site that has a fantastic textile history.
The textile mill sits alongside the village and is home to a cool gallery with artwork from Bradford-born artist David Hockeny. Along with that, it’s been named one of the prettiest villages in the UK and is putting Bradford region on the map.
14. Slaithwaite, West Yorkshire
Sat along the River Colne and the Huddersifle Narrow Canal, Slaithwaite is one of the classic Pennine villages in Yorkshire with incredible independent shops and pubs and stone’s throw from the village.
One of our favourite pizzerias is also located in the village, Anello’s serves the most fantastic Neopolitan pizzas and the venue is designed with modern authentic feel to the place.
