Gateway to the Moors

Nestling between the Howardian Hills and the North York Moors, the historic market town of Kirkbymoorside is one of North Yorkshire’s best kept secrets. Located halfway between the tourist towns of Helmsley and Pickering, you need to turn off the A170 at the roundabout to discover the delights of this charming town. Take that small detour and you will find a beautiful little town with its independent shops, Wednesday Market, pubs, cafes and a long and fascinating history.

 

Called the ‘Gateway to the Moors’, the first mention of Kirkbymoorside was in the Domesday Book, and when in 1254, Henry III granted the town a Market Charter it was the biggest market town in the area with cattle being brought from Scotland to sell at the market. Nowadays it’s a bit quieter, an unspoilt warm and welcoming community where people take the time to say ‘hello’.

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For over 200 years it has been the home of the award winning Kirkbymoorside Brass Band, and more recently, the home of the annual Kirkbymoorside 10k race, where the whole town turns out to support the hundreds of runners. It's also the home of  Ryedale Auctioneers, a Yorkshire auction house with an international audience run by Kirkbymoorside resident and TV star Angus Ashworth, aka the 'Yorkshire Auctioneer'. Grace Lane Vets in Kirkbymoorside have also featured on the Yorkshire Vet series, and the town was featured on Escape to the Country. The local TV connections continue with Mathewson's Classic Car Auctions (featured on Bangers and Cash) which is only up the road in Pickering.

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With the ancient Manor Vale Woodland a few minutes walk from the town centre, the challenging Kirkbymoorside Golf Course and the Kirkbymoorside Sports Field right on the edge of town, the nearby Helmsley Open Air Swimming Pool and many wonderful walks and cycle rides all around the town there is plenty for the more energetic to enjoy here.

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Kirkbymoorside is 45 minutes from the A1M near Thirsk and 25 minutes from the A64 at Malton. Surrounded by stunning countryside, it's just 45 minutes by car to the amazing historic City of York and the same to visit lovely Scarborough or Whitby (and then onto the other wonderful beaches of the Yorkshire Coast), just 10 minutes to the stunning North York Moors, 15 minutes to Flamingo Land Resort and 40 minutes to the North Yorkshire Water Park, so a perfect base for a holiday or short break whilst enjoying the lovely community atmosphere of Kirkbymoorside at the heart of it all.