Sutton Bank is a hill in the North York Moors National Park. Perhaps best known for the challenge it presents motorists attempting to drive up it (low gear needed and pray you don’t get stuck behind a slow-moving lorry!), the area is also perfect for a family day out.

Last weekend, on one of the last hot days of what has been a pretty poor summer, we drove up to Sutton Bank to take on one of the many walks that start from the car park. The trail we chose to take on was the White Horse walk, roughly a three mile round trip that offers fantastic scenery amid some challenging terrain.

The White Horse

For this reason, if you’re taking a little one, make sure you don’t make the error of taking them in a pram; use a sling or baby carrier!

Sling needed!

Sutton Bank is very near a gliding centre, so any parents of children who love watching planes should make this number one on their list of family days out. I hate flying but even I was transfixed watching the gliders soar above us as we strolled along.

Gliders soaring in the sun

If you have slightly older children, you can take advantage of the bike hire facilities at the National Park centre where you park your car. The National Park Centre gives details of different cycling trails available, designed to suit cyclists of different abilities, and if you encounter any punctures, rest assured that there is a cycle repair station at the centre itself!

Check out the view…

For younger kids, there’s an adventure playground or, for something slightly less active, you can borrow a ‘Story Time Box’ from the National Park Centre. This will let you and your kids spend some time in the company of Monty the Wood Mouse! The box contains such items as puppets and mask making materials, so you really can combine adventure, activity, and education at Sutton Bank.

With something for everyone at Sutton Bank and such amazing scenery to be found, it really does make a fantastic location for a family day out, especially in good weather. Oh, and one last tip that we can give from experience, if you have no cash for the car parking machine, you can pay on card if you go into the gift shop!