One of the things I love most about living in Yorkshire is how many amazing places there are to explore here. The North York Moors National Park has so many fantastic places to visit and the area around Goathland is definitely one of them. This is one of my favorite hikes in the North York Moors! Goathland’s main claim to fame is as a film location—Harry Potter was filmed at the train station here, and the town is the set for the British TV show Heartbeat, a stand-in for the village Aidensfield. But besides the charming shops and cottages, the area around Goathland is beautiful! Here’s my guide for hiking from Goathland to Grosmont and back.

Starting the Goathland to Grosmont Hike

There are several options for parking in Goathland. There is a large car park operated by the North York Moors National Park, which costs £3.50 for all-day parking. This car park has (free) toilets. Your other option is to park in a large field that operates as a car park, right next to the national park car park. This also costs £3.50 for all-day parking, but you can pay by card. Goathland station also has a small car park which is again £3.50 for all-day parking. However, it’s not very convenient for this walk—it’s mainly meant for passengers using the train service.

This walk isn’t too difficult to navigate if you choose to take the Rail Trail both ways. However, I wanted to do a circular loop, to mix it up! You’ll need OS Map OL 27 North York Moors: Eastern Area for this walk. I chose to follow the walk route and directions on the North York Moors’ website from Grosmont to Beck Hole.

You should always be prepared with sturdy hiking boots and plenty of snacks and water for any hike. As the weather changes so much, I always recommend bringing a waterproof rain jacket as well. You can check out my outdoor gear guide for all my recommendations!

Hiking Along the Rail Trail to Grosmont

I chose to do this hike from Goathland and hike to Grosmont along the Rail Trail via Beck Hole, and then back through the woodlands and fields with a detour to Mallyan Spout. The Rail Trail was built in the 1830s and ran from Pickering to Whitby. However due to the steepness of the incline, a few decades later it was re-routed to where it is today (with present-day services thanks to the North Yorkshire Moors Railway).

The cinder track is easy to follow from Goathland to Beck Hole. If you want, you can add onto the walk and take the trail out to see Thomason Foss waterfall. Otherwise, you can continue on the Rail Trail towards Grosmont. There are lots of information panels about the history of the train line in the area. You pass over the Murk Esk river and it’s a very easy and flat walk.

It took us just under 1.5 hours to walk from Goathland (via Beck Hole) to this iconic view over Grosmont! The last climb up to this point is the only steep section of the walk, but it wasn’t too difficult as there are steps and the paved path to follow. You can see a lot of the train engines as you walk in towards Grosmont.

Grosmont is a cute village dominated by its rail station, serviced by the North Yorkshire Moors Railway (a heritage railway with steam-hauled services). There are a few shops, cafés, a church, and a pub. It’s very charming and worth a walk around!

Hiking Back to Goathland Via Mallyan Spout

As I said, I followed the directions from the North York Moors guided walk to get from Grosmont back through the woods and fields. Head out of town up the hill, and follow the footpath into Doctor’s Wood. You’ll pass through woodland, many fields, and over lots of stiles. Eventually you’ll get onto a small road that you can follow back to Beck Hole. Beware of the sheep on this route though—I’d suggest getting on the road and following it as soon as you can! We actually got chased out of a field by some angry-sounding sheep and it would have been easier to just take the road.

It took 1 hour and 10 minutes to walk from Grosmont back to Beck Hole. From there, it was easy enough to get back on the Rail Trail and head towards Goathland. We chose to make a detour to see Mallyan Spout, and I’m glad we did! Mallyan Spout is a 70-foot waterfall falling into the river. I first visited Goathland and Mallyan Spout in December 2017, and it wasn’t very impressive to be honest. On this visit, there had clearly been a bit more rainfall recently, as a gorgeous waterfall awaited us as we jumped over the rocks along the river!

It’s a steep hike up from Mallyan Spout back to Goathland. The path brings you out at the Mallyan Spout Hotel, but make sure to enjoy the views out over the moors on the way up. All in all, this hike took 4 hours from leaving the car to arriving back at the car. I’m not sure on the exact mileage, but my guess is about 8 miles including seeing Mallyan Spout (Goathland to Grosmont on the Rail Trail is 3.5 miles one-way). The detour to Mallyan Spout is well worth it on a nice day!

Planning Your Trip

You can easily do this walk one-way thanks to services on the North Yorkshire Moors Railway. The North Yorkshire Moors Railway runs from Pickering to Whitby and stops in both Goathland and Grosmont. You can park at one, walk to the next station, and get the train back, or do it in reverse and start your day with a train journey. You can also get to Goathland by bus from Leeds or York, as it’s a main stop on the #840 Coastliner Bus that runs to Whitby and back. It’s a great option for a car-free walk from York! Overall though, a car is your best option as it gives you much more flexibility and you’re not limited with bus or train schedules.

I did this walk as a daytrip from York, but there are options to stay overnight in Goathland and nearby as well. You can search for hostels here, and for hotels and B&Bs here. You can also sign up to and search accommodation on Airbnb here. Considering travel insurance for your trip? World Nomads offers coverage for more than 150 adventure activities as well as emergency medical, lost luggage, trip cancellation and more.

There are a lot of incredible places to visit around Goathland and Grosmont in the North York Moors. Whitby and Robin Hood’s Bay are both nearby. One of my favorite hikes is the Hole of Horcum, which is very closeby. It’s also easy enough to visit Thornton-le-Dale, one of the most charming villages in Yorkshire!

There is so much to see and do in the North York Moors. This classic hike from Goathland to Grosmont along the Rail Trail is excellent for its history and the varied scenery. I’d definitely make the trip out to see Mallyan Spout as well! I hope this helps planning a walk between Goathland and Grosmont in the North York Moors!

Have you been to Goathland before? What was your trip like?

You might also like my posts:

21 Of The BEST Places To Visit In The North York Moors

The Best Hikes in the North York Moors

The Best Car-Free Walks From York, England

North York Moors Hikes: Chop Gate To The Wainstones

Farndale Daffodils: An Easy Spring Walk In The North York Moors

Hiking The Hole Of Horcum In The North York Moors

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Walking From Whitby To Robin Hood’s Bay: One Of My Favorite Walks In Yorkshire

88 Incredible Places To Visit In Yorkshire

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