Dalby Forest Visitor Centre

In warmer weather children often end up paddling in Dalby Beck near the play area, so spare shoes and a towel are a sensible addition to the bag.

• Staffed information point covering walking, cycling and activities
• Gift shop stocking local products
• Cafe serving meals, coffee and cake, with child-friendly options and both indoor and outdoor seating
• Toilets, including accessible facilities
• Grandfather Oak play area just outside, with swings, slides, diggers, trees and a willow arch, plus a separate section for smaller children

Picnic sites, further toilets with baby changing, and the wider trail network are spread across the forest rather than part of the centre itself, and dogs are welcome in the forest. Visitors also mention bike hire operating in the area, and a Changing Places facility is at the nearby Courtyard rather than in the visitor centre.

The centre is at Low Dalby, Pickering YO18 7LT (grid reference SE 855878). Follow the A169 Pickering to Whitby road and the brown tourist signs, then use the visitor centre car park a short walk from the door. The nearest bus approach leaves roughly a 1.5 mile walk along footpaths and forest tracks, so arriving by car is simpler if you have the option.

This is a service hub rather than a sight in its own right, and the walking and riding that make the visit worthwhile begin once you leave the building. Food is straightforward, and some visitors prefer the separate courtyard cafe to the one here. Without a car, getting out this way takes planning.