Heather season: the moors in purple
For a few weeks in August the largest expanse of heather moorland in England turns purple. Where and when to see it.
It will rain at some point. Here is how to enjoy the moors anyway.

The moors get a lot of weather. Some of it is the best kind, with cloud sitting in the dales and the sun breaking through on the tops, and some of it is a day of horizontal drizzle. For the latter:
- The North Yorkshire Moors Railway runs in all weathers and the carriages are warm
- Ryedale Folk Museum has enough indoors to fill a couple of hours
- Beck Isle Museum in Pickering, the Captain Cook Memorial Museum in Whitby and the Staithes Heritage Centre are all small, dry and interesting
- Nunnington Hall and the house at Mount Grace Priory are proper indoor visits
- The Moors Centre at Danby has exhibitions, a gallery and a cafe
Waterfalls are better after rain. Mallyan Spout and Falling Foss are both short walks and both roar after a wet night. The tea garden at Falling Foss is outdoors, so pick your moment.
Whitby fish and chips, a long pub lunch at the Lion Inn with the fire lit, or cake at Helmsley Walled Garden's vine house cafe.
Weather on the moors moves fast. Check the Met Office mountain forecast for the North York Moors and you will often find a dry window in the afternoon.
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