Start in and around Thirsk
Westgate, Thirsk
The Ritz Cinema
Make room for a film at Thirsk’s volunteer-supported cinema. A local evening out with a community effort behind the screen.
Why it’s featured A place where volunteers help keep cinema part of the town’s everyday life.
Your journey: Check the film’s finish time before agreeing a return pickup. If you’re staying in town, check whether walking suits your route and access needs.
See what’s showing ↗In town — walkable
World of James Herriot
Why it’s featured A distinctive connection between Thirsk’s streets, its people and its best-known stories.
The original 1940s house and veterinary practice at 23 Kirkgate, restored as the real "Skeldale House" behind the James Herriot novels. Thirsk's best-known attraction, and it's right in the town centre.
Taxi note: Central — no taxi needed if you're already in town.
~6 miles east of Thirsk
Sutton Bank National Park Centre
The view James Herriot himself called "the finest in England," with walking and cycling trails, a café, and a National Park visitor centre. Free admission to the centre itself.
Taxi note: No direct bus link for most of the day — book a return taxi with a fixed pickup time rather than relying on finding one there.
Kilburn, near Sutton Bank
White Horse of Kilburn
A large hillside figure cut into the escarpment, with views over the Vale of York. Often combined with a Sutton Bank visit. Parking at the Kilburn Forest car park now carries a charge.
Taxi note: Same rural access as Sutton Bank — arrange your pickup time before you set off.
Sion Hill Hall, near Thirsk
Thirsk Birds of Prey Centre
Falconry displays and around 100 birds across roughly 50 species, set in the grounds of Sion Hill Hall.
Taxi note: A short taxi ride from town — worth booking the return leg at the same time as the outbound one.
Bagby, near Thirsk
Monk Park Farm
A family-friendly animal park with hands-on feeding — lambs, alpacas, llamas, donkeys and more — in the village of Bagby just outside town.
Taxi note: A village stop rather than a town one — confirm the driver knows Bagby specifically when you book.
Near Osmotherley
Mount Grace Priory
The best-preserved Carthusian priory in Britain, set in woodland, with a reconstructed monk's cell to explore. A bit further out than the other attractions here.
Taxi note: Check the fare and journey time when you book rather than assuming a short local rate.
In town — walkable
Thirsk Museum
Housed in the birthplace of Thomas Lord, founder of Lord's Cricket Ground — a small local history museum in the town centre.
Taxi note: Central — no taxi needed if you're already in town.
Make a day of the abbeys & country houses
These destinations extend the guide beyond Thirsk itself. Check opening arrangements, tickets and access with the venue before settling your travel plans.
Near Helmsley
Rievaulx Abbey
Tall abbey ruins in a green valley make this a distinctive heritage day out. The photograph looks down from Rievaulx Terrace; the terrace and abbey have separate visitor arrangements.
Your journey Specify Rievaulx Abbey when booking, and agree the return pickup before you explore.
Abbey visitor information
Byland, near Coxwold
Byland Abbey
The surviving west front and spread of ruined walls give a sense of the scale of this medieval monastery. A natural addition to a planned visit around Coxwold.
Your journey Use the abbey’s visitor directions to agree where the car can safely stop. Arrange a separate onward leg if you are combining destinations.
Byland visitor information
A day out near Ripon
Fountains Abbey & Studley Royal
Abbey ruins and a landscaped water garden offer a larger estate to explore. Allow the visit its own space in the day rather than treating it as a quick roadside stop.
Your journey Check the entrance you plan to use and agree it with your driver; collection from a different entrance needs arranging.
National Trust visitor information
Further afield, near York
Castle Howard
A grand country house framed by gardens and parkland. This is a separate excursion from Thirsk, with house visits, grounds and seasonal activities to check before setting off.
Your journey Request a quote for both legs and allow time for your chosen visit. Agree whether the driver returns later or waits.
Castle Howard visitor informationArt, craft & local stories
A creative afternoon in town, a literary visit in Coxwold or a look at Kilburn’s furniture-making tradition. Check the individual venue’s programme before setting off.
Westgate, Thirsk
Rural Arts at The Courthouse
An arts venue in the old courthouse, with workshops, performances, exhibitions and a café. Look through the programme for something to build a town visit around.
Your journey Check the venue address on your event booking: Rural Arts also presents work away from The Courthouse. Agree collection around the session’s finish time.
Coxwold
Shandy Hall
A historic house and gardens associated with Laurence Sterne, with exhibitions and a bookshop among its visitor interests. Check the arrangements for a house visit separately from the gardens.
Your journey Confirm your visit before arranging a Coxwold pickup. If you want to include Byland Abbey, ask for an onward stop and agree any waiting time.
Kilburn
Mouseman showroom & viewing gallery
Discover Robert Thompson’s oak furniture and carved mouse signature at the showroom in Kilburn. The showroom and viewing gallery have their own visiting arrangements.
Checked 11 September 2026: the operator says the Visitor Centre and T-Café are currently closed. Check the official visit page before travelling.
Your journey Specify the Mouseman premises in Kilburn when booking. The village and White Horse viewpoints are different stops, so arrange any onward journey explicitly.
Gardens & days further afield
Give these destinations time in your itinerary. Confirm seasonal opening and visitor arrangements, then book the outward and return journeys together.
Near Bedale
Thorp Perrow Arboretum
A destination for trees, gardens and seasonal walks, with a bird-of-prey and mammal centre among the attractions. Choose the parts of the visit that suit your group.
Your journey Plan this as a separate outing from Thirsk. Book the return leg and agree a pickup point at the visitor entrance.
Near Scorton, Richmond
Kiplin Hall & Gardens
A historic house with gardens, lakeside and woodland walks, and a visitor centre café. A choice for a day combining history with time outdoors.
Your journey Give the full venue name and address when requesting a quote from Thirsk. Allow for the house visit and grounds when choosing the collection time.
Near Ripon
Newby Hall & Gardens
A country-house and garden visit with family attractions including an adventure playground and miniature railway. Check what is operating on your chosen date and which tickets you need.
Your journey Agree a return time around the activities you have booked. Tell the operator about children, buggies and luggage when discussing the vehicle.
More places discovered through Thirsk Tourist Information and checked against the venues’ own websites on 11 September 2026. Each link above goes to the venue for current visitor information.
Booking for a rural attraction
- None of the sites outside the town centre have a taxi rank or a reliable stream of passing cars — plan the return journey before you set off, not after you arrive.
- Give the driver the specific place name, not just "Sutton Bank" or "the White Horse" — several of these attractions share the same general area but have different car parks and access roads.
- If you're combining two or more of these in one trip (Sutton Bank and the White Horse are often paired), say so when you book — it changes the waiting arrangement.
💡 Local Tip
For anything up on Sutton Bank or out toward Kilburn, agree a specific return time with the driver rather than a vague "give me a call when I'm ready" — mobile signal up on the escarpment isn't reliable everywhere.