Getting here
Getting to Thornton-le-Dale: buses, routes and distances
You can leave the car at home. One of the most scenic bus routes in Britain stops in the village, the nearest town is six minutes away on it, and almost everything people come to this corner of Yorkshire for is inside an hour's drive.
By bus, the 840 Coastliner
The 840 Coastliner, operated by Yorkshire Coastliner (Transdev), runs Leeds – York – Malton – Pickering – Thornton-le-Dale – Goathland – Whitby, and has been voted the most scenic bus route in Britain. It is a sightseeing trip that happens to be public transport: the climb over the moors beyond the village is the part people remember.
For visitors the useful consequence is simple. Pickering is roughly a six-minute hop from the village on the 840, so Thornton-le-Dale works as an easy car-free base, Pickering and its steam railway, Whitby and Scarborough are all reachable on the network without ever starting an engine.
Car-free in a sentence
Train to Malton or York, pick up the 840, get off in the village. Walks, shops, pubs and the woods are all on foot from there, and bikes cover the rest.
Other services
Eastward and westward, the EY128/X28 runs Scarborough to Helmsley via Pickering, calling here on the way. In summer the seasonal Moorsbus network adds services across the North York Moors, which is the way to reach the higher, emptier parts of the park without a car.
Timetables and fares change with the season, so check the operator's own site before travelling. Bus stops in the village are on the main street, and local taxi firms are best found in Pickering.
Why Pickering matters
Pickering is the nearest town, three miles west, about six minutes by bus, and does the jobs a village of this size cannot: supermarkets, a bank or two, the castle, and above all the North Yorkshire Moors Railway, whose southern terminus is the station there. Treating Pickering as your town and Thornton-le-Dale as your base is the way most repeat visitors do it. More on the day trips it opens up on things to do and walks, on yorkshiremoors.com for the wider moors, Whitby and Scarborough, and at neighbouring allerston.org, the next village east along the A170. An easy, level alternative to a day of travelling is a gentle day in the village.
Distances and drive times
The village makes an unusually good base, because almost everything people come to this corner of Yorkshire for is inside an hour's drive. Mileages below are approximate road distances, and the times assume an unhurried run in ordinary traffic. Add a good deal in the school holidays, and on the coast road on a hot Saturday.
| From the village to | Distance | By car | Route and what's there |
|---|---|---|---|
| Pickering | 3 miles | About 10 minutes | Straight along the A170 west. Castle, church wall paintings and the North Yorkshire Moors Railway. |
| Malton | About 7 miles | About 15 minutes | South-west via Pickering or the Marishes. Nearest mainline railway station. |
| Scarborough | About 16 miles | About 30 minutes | East on the A170 through Allerston, Snainton and the Aytons. |
| Whitby | About 20 miles | About 40 minutes | North over the moors on the A169 past the Hole of Horcum. Slow going in fog or snow. |
| York | About 25 miles | 40–45 minutes | Via Malton on the A64, or the quieter run down through Kirby Misperton. |
| Leeds | About 60 miles | Around 1 hour 45 minutes | A64 the whole way once you are past Malton. |
Nearer still, Dalby Forest is a few minutes up the road out of the village, and Ellerburn is a half-hour walk north through the woods rather than a drive at all. Both are on things to do and walks.
Parking when you arrive
If you do drive, the village car park off Maltongate (satnav YO18 7SD) is a two-minute walk from the centre, and the tariff, EV charging, Blue Badge rules, coach and motorhome bays and the village's other car park are all covered on the parking guide.
Common questions
How do I get to Thornton-le-Dale by car?
The village sits on the A170 Thirsk to Scarborough road, about three miles east of Pickering. From the west you come through Pickering; from the east you come in along the A170 past Allerston. Post town Pickering, postcode area YO18, dialling code 01751.
Is there a train to Thornton-le-Dale?
No, there's no station. The nearest mainline station is Malton, about seven miles away on the York to Scarborough line, with Scarborough about 16 miles east; from either, pick up the bus. Pickering station, three miles west, is the southern terminus of the heritage North Yorkshire Moors Railway rather than a mainline stop.
Which buses serve Thornton-le-Dale?
The 840 Coastliner, operated by Yorkshire Coastliner (Transdev), runs Leeds–York–Malton–Pickering–Thornton-le-Dale–Goathland–Whitby, and was voted the most scenic bus route in Britain. East Yorkshire's EY128/X28 runs Scarborough–Helmsley via Pickering, and the seasonal Moorsbus adds summer services across the moors.
How far is Thornton-le-Dale from Pickering by bus?
Thornton-le-Dale to Pickering is roughly a six-minute hop on the 840, which makes the village an easy car-free base. Pickering is the nearest town and the southern gateway to the North Yorkshire Moors Railway.
How far is Thornton-le-Dale from Pickering?
About 3 miles (5 km) east along the A170, roughly a 10-minute drive.
How far is Thornton-le-Dale from Scarborough?
About 16 miles east, roughly a 30-minute drive.
How far is Thornton-le-Dale from Whitby?
About 20 miles north over the moors, via Pickering and the A169, roughly a 40-minute drive.
How far is Thornton-le-Dale from York?
About 25 miles south-west, around 40–45 minutes by road via Malton and the A64.
How far is Thornton-le-Dale from Malton?
About 7 miles south, around 15 minutes by road.
How far is Thornton-le-Dale from Helmsley?
About 16 miles west along the A170, around 30 minutes by road.
How far is Thornton-le-Dale from Leeds?
About 60 miles by road to the south-west, roughly an hour and a half of driving via the A64 through York and Malton. The 840 Coastliner runs the same corridor as a through bus service from Leeds, though it takes considerably longer than driving.