Dalby Forest from Thornton-le-Dale

Dalby Forest is a working and recreational forest managed by Forestry England, in the heart of the North York Moors National Park. Forestry England's history page and the National Park both give it as over 8,000 acres (Forestry England's main Dalby page says over 8,500). The forest centres on the Low Dalby valley, where the visitor centre, cafes, shop and cycle hub sit, with more than a dozen car parks spread across it. The land has a long history of royal hunting and rabbit warrening, and the Forestry Commission bought it in 1921. Today it is also a place of protected habitats and archaeological sites, including the rabbit warren remains near Sneverdale Rigg.

Thornton-le-Dale is the closest village. Our days out page rates it the nearest big day out to the village, and the one most visitors underestimate.

By car. Forestry England's directions are to take the A169 between Pickering and Whitby and follow the brown tourist signs, and its sat nav postcode for the visitor centre is YO18 7LT. From the village it is a short drive. Ask locally if you would like the best way in. See also getting here for the wider road distances.

On foot or by bike. You do not have to drive in at all. The direct low-level route from the village to Low Dalby is about 2 miles each way, following the Moor to Sea route past Ellerburn church and into the forest by track. Our cycling page has the detail, and the Ellerburn circular walk covers the first part on foot. Forestry England says visitors who arrive by bike or by public transport pay nothing.

By bus. There is no bus into the forest itself. The National Park says the Coastliner stops at the Fox and Rabbit Inn at Lockton, about a 1.5 mile walk from the visitor centre by footpaths and forest trails. Check the live timetable on getting here before you plan a journey.

Dalby Forest charges for parking by duration. Forestry England uses a barriered number-plate recognition system, and you pay by card on exit. The charges Forestry England publishes (checked October 2026) are:

• up to 1 hour: £3.50
• up to 2 hours: £6.50
• up to 3 hours: £9.50
• up to 4 hours: £12.50
• over 4 hours: £15

Motorcycles are free, and a drive straight through the forest completed within 30 minutes is free. Forestry England members park free. Only one vehicle is allowed per visit. Minibuses are £25 and coaches £35. These charges change, so check before you travel on Forestry England's Dalby Forest page. Our parking page holds the full tariff alongside the village car park, and a day in the village with a ride or walk in is considerably cheaper than a day's parking in the forest.

At busy times Forestry England suggests the Seivedale overflow car park, just beyond Go Ape.

The hub is Low Dalby. The visitor centre has an information point, shop and a cafe, and the Courtyard alongside has a second cafe, workshops and the cycle hub. Forestry England lists toilets (including accessible toilets and a Changing Places facility in the Courtyard, for which a Radar key is needed), baby changing, picnic areas, public Wi-Fi and a Ranger's Office.

The visitor centre is open 9.30am to 5pm from 1 March to 31 October, and 9am to 4pm from 1 November to 28 February, closed on Christmas Day, Boxing Day and New Year's Day (Christmas Eve 9am to 12 noon). The forest itself is open 8am to 8pm every day. Cafe hours are not published separately, so check before relying on food, especially for an evening event.

Forestry England lists 14 walking trails at Dalby, from short accessible loops to a full day. Lengths from its trail leaflet (May 2023):

• Lakeside Trail: 0.6 km (0.4 miles), boardwalks and well-surfaced paths, accessible.
• Nissen Hut Trail: 1 km (0.6 miles), fully accessible, to a sculpture.
• Crosscliff View Trail: 0.8 km (0.5 miles), accessible, with moorland views.
• Waitcliff Trail: 2 km (1.25 miles), gentle and level, accessible.
• Ellerburn Trail: 2.8 km (1.7 miles) short route or 4.5 km (2.8 miles) long route, flat and accessible, following Ellerburn Beck from the Courtyard. Forestry England calls it its most popular trail in Dalby.
• Pexton Moor Blue Trail: 2.6 km (1.6 miles), woodland views.
• Housedale Rigg Trail: 4.63 km (2.9 miles), steep start then undulating, listed as suitable for tramper hire.
• Sneverdale Rigg Rabbit Run: 3.3 km (2 miles), some steep slopes.
• Dalby Beck Yellow Trail: 6 km (3.7 miles), with a steep hill to views over Low Dalby.
• Woodcock Way: 7 km (4.5 miles), or 4.8 km shortcut, the longest of the set.

Others include the Jerry Noddle, Adderstone Rigg and Deepdale Habitat trails. Distances on third-party sites differ slightly, so use the Forestry England leaflet and the trail maps sold at the visitor centre. For walks that start in the village and reach the forest, see our walks page. The Ellerburn Bank reserve is reached from Haygate car park.

Dalby is a well-known mountain biking forest, with graded green, blue, red and black trails and gentler family routes. Our cycling page covers riding in from the village, the Moor to Sea route, hire and repairs, and the cheaper option of parking in Thornton-le-Dale. Trail detail and hire prices belong to Forestry England and the Dalby Forest Cycle Hub, so check with them before you go.

Go Ape at Dalby runs two tree-top courses, with the rules and the parking cost explained on its own page. For younger children, Forestry England lists play from structured to wild, including a play area, the Gruffalo orienteering course and the Room on the Broom Trail. Ask at the visitor centre for the current play areas and where to find them. See also our families and rainy days guide.

Dalby Forest was awarded Milky Way class Dark Sky Discovery status in January 2013, and the North York Moors was designated an International Dark Sky Reserve in December 2020. Forestry England says stargazing is run in the Low Dalby Courtyard by Astro Dog, with occasional public events by the Scarborough and Ryedale Astronomical Society at the John Harper Observatories near the visitor centre. Our stargazing page covers getting there after dark, the village car park's midnight expiry and where to eat, and the Dark Skies Festival page covers February. Allow extra time for the drive after dark.

Forestry England lists a changing programme at Dalby, including a free parkrun on Saturdays at 9am and seasonal family events and workshops. Dates change, so see Forestry England's events listing, check parkrun's Dalby Forest page for any cancellation, and see our what's on page for the village.

Dogs are welcome across the forest, and assistance dogs too. The National Park says there is dog-friendly seating at the forest's two cafes. Forestry England's Dog Code allows dogs off the lead if they are under control and come back when called. Please clean up after your dog. Our walks page has the livestock and lead notes for routes that cross fields, and our dog-friendly guide covers the village. Keep dogs away from Go Ape's zipwire landing zones, as explained on the Go Ape page.

Dalby has 17 accessible parking bays, accessible toilets and a Changing Places facility, accessible picnic tables, and a portable hearing loop at the visitor centre. Forestry England lends all-terrain mobility scooters (trampers) free of charge for a half or full day to anyone over 16 with limited mobility, short or long term; you do not need to be registered disabled. Booking ahead on 01751 460295 is recommended, and you collect it from the visitor centre. The Ellerburn, Lakeside, Nissen Hut, Crosscliff View, Waitcliff and Jerry Noddle Viewpoint trails are listed as accessible in the leaflet, and Housedale Rigg and Ellerburn are suitable for tramper hire; hired scooters cannot be used on Crosscliff View. Full detail, including which trails suit which scooter, is on our accessibility page. Check Forestry England's current rules on blue badges before you travel.

• Signal. Neither Forestry England nor the National Park publishes mobile coverage for the forest; the National Park warns that signal is limited along much of the Moor to Sea route. Forestry England lists public Wi-Fi at the visitor centre, so download maps first.
• Weather. Conditions can differ from the village, so bring an extra layer.
• Charges. Parking is charged by duration, so check the current rules before you travel.