DALBY FOREST VISITORS CENTRE

Dalby Forest is located on the southern fringe of the North York Moors National Park & covers 8000 acres of land with plenty to see & enjoy for everyone.

The forest is divided into a number of valleys which has created a ‘Rigg and Dale’ landscape, with springs running both north and south from the forest.

The woodland is mostly comprised of pines and spruce trees, however there are also beech, alder, ash, oak and hazel.

Dalby Forest is home to many birds including the crossbill and is visited in the summer by the mysterious nightjar, badgers and roe deer are commonly seen in the forest.

Dalby Forest has been shaped by people from the Bronze Age right through to today, it is defiantly well worth a visit.

Dalby Forest can be accessed via Thornton le Dale on the A170 Helmsley to Scarborough road.

Access can also been gained from the north of Scarborough through Langdale End and Hackness.

There is a nine mile drive around the forest which allows the beautiful landscape to be seen at its best.

From the forest drive play areas bbq’s, walking & cycling trails can all be accessed, If it’s a quiet trip you’re after then there are plenty of corners to sit back and watch the wildlife whilst taking in the scenery and fresh air.

Cycles can be hired from various places and refreshment facilities are available.

Adderstone Field found five miles along Dalby Forest Drive is a popular site for bat and ball games, several open air events and concerts take place here too.

Dalby Forest visitor centre is the main information centre for Dalby and the surrounding area.

The centre is situated one and a half miles from the entrance to the forest beyond the village of Low Dalby.

Here you can find a shop, toilets, a restaurant, and an exhibition area and information point.

There are disabled parking facilities, maps & leaflets about the areas trails are supplied here.

Low Dalby village has craft units, a café and picnic tables, bikes are also for hire here.

Foot, cycle & horse access is free; there is a charge for motor vehicles (coaches do have to make prior arrangements before arrival). Annual passes can also be purchased.

Dalby Forest Observatory owned by Scarborough Astronomical Society is open on the first Friday in each month, everyone is welcome and it is free of charge. At these sessions which start at 7.30pm particular features of the night sky can be viewed. For more information telephone 01751 470702.

Visit the award-winning high wire forest adventure course of rope bridges, tarzan swings and zip slides up to 40 feet up in the trees. For further information click Go Ape Hi Wire Adventure

At Crosscliff which is an area surrounded by pine trees the remains of Dargate Dikes an ancient network from before the Dark Ages can be found.

Crosscliff viewpoint has amazing views of panoramic landscape sculpted by the ice-age. A lonely hill to the west named Blakey Topping is to be said to have been created by a giant!

High and Low Staindale get their name from the Viking for ‘stony valley’, probably because of the rocky landscape of the close by ravines and rock formations of Adderstone and Bridestone.

A small lake in the valley is home to tufted duck and canada geese, with occasional visits from heron, goldeneye and dabchick.

Many species of woodland birds including great-spotted woodpecker, coal tit, bullfinch & siskin are often seen at the bird feeding station.

There is a lakeside trail circling the lake with benches along the way to sit back and enjoy the view.

On the brow of Pexton Hill overlooking Dalby Beck there is a small park called Haygate, there are picnic facilities here and it is another good bird watching area.

Overall Dalby forest is a fantastic place and makes a superb day out