A bonus of staying at Greets Farm is the easy access to the bright blue double-decker Yorkshire Coastliner network, with the journey across the North York Moors up to Whitby officially the country’s most scenic bus route. A short stroll from the campsite, it runs directly to York in one direction and the coast – Scarborough, Whitby and Filey – in the other. For a campsite in a quiet rural village, that's a genuinely useful thing to have on the doorstep.
York is around 45 minutes on the bus. You can leave the motorhome or caravan exactly where it is, spend a full day in one of England's finest cities, and be back at the site in time for a glass of something cold in the evening. No parking, no traffic, no stress. Here's how we'd suggest spending the day.
The Yorkshire Coastliner — What You Need to Know
The Coastliner (service 840 and 843) runs between Leeds, York, Malton, Pickering and the coast. From the stop, known as Welburn Lodge, the journey to York takes around 45 minutes depending on the service. Buses run regularly throughout the day — check the Transdev Yorkshire Coastliner website for current timetables before you travel, as times vary by season.
You can pay on the bus with contactless or buy a day ticket, which is good value if you're planning to hop on and off. The bus drops you at York's Exhibition Square, right in the heart of the city and a short walk from the Minster.
One practical note: most nights the last bus is 11.30pm. There is also an excellent park and ride running into York city centre from the Monks Cross retail park, which is well signposted around 20 minutes from the campsite.
Morning: The City Walls and the Minster
York's city walls are the most complete medieval walls in England, and walking them is the best way to get your bearings. The full circuit is about three miles and takes around an hour at a comfortable pace. Start at Bootham Bar, near Exhibition Square where the bus drops you, and walk clockwise. The views from the walls — over the rooftops, across the Minster, down into the gardens below — are excellent.
York Minster is the largest Gothic cathedral in Northern Europe and worth at least an hour of your time. The Great East Window is currently being restored in a long-running conservation project, but the nave, the chapter house and the undercroft are all extraordinary. There's an admission charge for the main body of the Minster; the exterior and the surrounding close are free.
Lunch: Where to Eat in York
York has no shortage of good places to eat. The Shambles — the medieval street of overhanging timber-framed buildings — is the most photographed street in the city, and the Shambles Market nearby has a good selection of independent food stalls. It's a fine place to pick up lunch if the weather is reasonable.
For a sit-down lunch, the area around Gillygate and Goodramgate has a good concentration of independent restaurants and cafés. Skosh on Micklegate is worth booking ahead if you want something more considered — it's a small-plates restaurant that has built a strong reputation. For something simpler, there are several good sandwich shops and bakeries around the market. The Lyon family have been going to Delrios Sardinian restaurant for over 30 years and always recommend the set lunch and early evening menu at the French bistro Rustique, centrally located just across from Fenwick's department store.
If you're a coffee person, York has a strong independent coffee scene. Brew & Brownie near Museum Gardens is a reliable choice, and Attic is popular with locals. Sarah has a handy list of her family’s favourite places next to the potwash.
Afternoon: Museums, Gardens and the Shambles
York has an embarrassment of museums. The Yorkshire Museum in Museum Gardens covers Roman, Viking and medieval York and is genuinely excellent — the Middleham Jewel alone is worth the entrance fee. The Jorvik Viking Centre on Coppergate is a more theatrical experience, with a ride through a reconstructed Viking-age street, and tends to appeal particularly if you're visiting with younger relatives (though Greets Farm is adults-only, of course).
The National Railway Museum is free and one of the best museums in the country, full stop. The collection includes Mallard — the world's fastest steam locomotive — and a Japanese Shinkansen bullet train. Allow two hours minimum. It's a short walk from the city centre or a quick taxi.
Museum Gardens themselves are a pleasant place to spend an hour in good weather, with the ruins of St Mary's Abbey providing a suitably atmospheric backdrop.
Late Afternoon: A Walk Along the River
The River Ouse runs through the centre of York and the riverside walk between Lendal Bridge and Skeldergate Bridge is one of the pleasantest ways to spend an hour in the late afternoon. The light on the water in the early evening is particularly good. There are several riverside pubs and bars if you want to stop — the Kings Arms on King's Staith is the most famous, partly because it floods regularly and has the watermarks on the wall to prove it.
Getting Back to Greets Farm
Catch the Coastliner back to Welburn just opposite where you arrived – just along from the side entrance to Marks & Spencer. The journey back takes around 45 minutes and drops you at the Welburn stop, from which it's a short walk of less than ten minutes back to the site.
A taxi from York to Welburn takes around 25 minutes and usually costs between £25 and £30. Uber operates in the city, although the Lyon family try to support local taxi firm Fleetways 01904 365365.
A Note on Staying at Greets Farm
Greets Farm is around 18 miles from York — close enough for a comfortable day trip, far enough away that you feel genuinely in the countryside rather than on the edge of a city. The combination of the Howardian Hills, Castle Howard three miles away, Malton five miles in the other direction, and York easily accessible by bus makes it an unusually well-connected rural site.
If you're planning a stay and want to make the most of the area, get in touch to check availability. We're happy to suggest itineraries based on what you're interested in.