Goathland-Grosmont, North York Moors UK

• 4-star hikes
• 3 to 8 mile options
• Easy & Moderate | Gain 200-320m (310-1,070 ft)
• Goathland, UK | North Yorkshire
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Goathland railway station platform and sign. An ornate red metal footbridge crosses the tracks. The platform is lined with plants and flowers. The station is surrounded by trees and greenery.

Goathland Station, aka Harry Potter's Hogsmeade Station.

Originally built as a horse-drawn railway between Whitby and Pickering, the rails were removed when the introduction of steam locomotives required the building of an adjacent alternative route. Now known as the Goathland to Grosmont Rail Trail, it is a popular walking trail between two picturesque villages within the North York Moors National Park.

We map out several routes, including a one-way journey between the villages with a return trip on the heritage steam railway, a loop including some upland trails and scenic views, and an extended loop that visits the impressive 70-foot Mallyan Spout waterfall. The upland return includes some crossing farm fields on a public right of way, but we've mapped an alternate road diversion through the roughest of them. Separately we also show an 0.8 mile out-and-back spur to Thomason Foss waterfall.
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4★ Goathland-Grosmont One Way 3.4 mi, easy, gain 90m (310 ft) or 200m (650 ft) S-N
AllTrails · GPX File · Directions

4★ Goathland-Grosmont Loop 6.8 mi loop, moderate, gain 270m (900 ft)
AllTrails · GPX File · Directions

4★ Loop & Mallyan Spout 7.6 mi loop, moderate, gain 320m (1,070 ft)
AllTrails · GPX File · Directions

Both villages are worthy of a visit, though Goathland offers the most in terms of restaurants, cafes, ice cream and moorland views. Goathland is also a celebrated filming location, used in the Harry Potter films and known as the fictional village of Aidensfield for the long-running television show Heartbeat.

Directions linked above are for the large paid parking area in Goathland village, so we've included additional links other locations at the bottom of this article. Parking fees at the time of press were reasonable and offer other amenities including toilet facilities. There is some limited free parking at Beck Hole. You can also access this trail by beginning your journey from the southernmost station of the North Yorkshire Moors Railway at Pickering.

a wooden gate with several signs and notices attached, part of a fence along a grassy path. In the background, a person in an orange top walks away on the path through a green landscape with trees and open fields under a cloudy sky.

The pedestrian-only rail trail is uphill to Goathland.

The image is a split view with two scenes. On the left, a sign reads “Mallyan Spout Hotel” with an image of a waterfall, attached to an old stone building. On the right, a person in red stands on rocks, looking at a tall waterfall surrounded by lush greenery.

Mallyan Spout waterfall is in the valley behind this Goathland hotel.

The image is a split view with two scenes. On the left, three people walk on a grassy path surrounded by trees under a partly cloudy sky. On the right, a waterfall cascades into a pool, surrounded by rocks and dense vegetation.

Typical rail trail terrain. | Thomason Foss.

vintage train shed with multiple old locomotives and train parts. The focus is on a large, black steam locomotive. There is a pile of coal in the foreground.

Take the tunnel to visit the Grosmont engine shed & shop.

Tangents:
• External Link: North Yorkshire Moors Railway
• Public Maps at AllTrails: Rail Trail
• Additional Directions: Goathland Station, Grosmont Station
• Facebook Group: Comment on this article

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