Wake in Helmsley and start with a slap-up Yorkshire breakfast and the short drive to Sutton Bank National Park Centre (or it’s a 17km walk along the Cleveland Way, if you’re feeling fit). Follow the White Horse Walk to the eponymous turf-cut stallion (created in 1857), along the high escarpment. From here, the vales of York and Mowbray lie spread below, with the Pennine mountains glowering in the distance – a panorama once described by renowned vet James Herriot as ‘England’s finest view’. Don’t forget to look up either – you’ll likely see the craft of the Yorkshire Gliding Club, which have been soaring on these perfect thermals since 1933. The club offers taster flights, if you fancy an even better view.

The Park Life Café will keep you fuelled (its wonky vegetable soup is especially popular), so you can spend the afternoon exploring Sutton Bank on two wheels. Hire a mountain bike from Sutton Bank Bikes and take your pick: there are trails for all abilities, from the beginner-friendly Cliff Trail to the rocky, technical singletrack of the Paradise Trail. Or hit the exhilarating pump track, to ride its loop of banked turns and rollers. There are great options whatever your experience.

If you’d prefer a more tranquil afternoon, drive back towards Helmsley via Rievaulx Abbey (500m off the Cleveland Way). These impressive ruins, in a truly tranquil setting, reveal one of England’s most powerful Cistercian monasteries; the state-of-the-art visitor experience here will help you immerse yourself in the lives of the monks who once called it home.

Overnight in Helmsley. There are many options – see Accommodation, left.

Rise with the lark to meet the owls. Helmsley is home to the National Centre for Birds of Prey, where you can not only watch raptors sweep over the skies of Duncombe Park, but sign up for a full-on Owl Experience: by 10am, you’ll be on the flying ground, ready to feel the thrill of the trained birds swooping straight to your leather-gloved hand, followed by the chance to hold some of these beautiful creatures

Alternatively, hang out in Helmsley. Start at the castle, which stands proud above the town and which, in its 900 year history, has variously been a medieval stronghold, a Tudor mansion, a Civil War citadel and a romantic Victorian ruin. Nearby is Helmsley Walled Garden. Founded in the 18th-century, restored in the 1990s, it’s now a fragrant, restful haven where you can stroll among the glasshouses, apple orchards, wildflower meadows and community allotments. Call in at the Vine House Café for lunch, which uses the garden produce to create lovely dishes, served beneath the Victorian vines.

Today’s ‘wow’ lookout lies a 30-minute drive north, in Lord Stones Country Park. Trace a magnificent section of the Cleveland Way up onto Cringle Moor. It’s a stiff climb, but worth it for the views of the Cleveland Plain, Roseberry Topping and Captain Cook’s Monument. Plus the Lord Stones Café at the bottom will top up your energy levels nicely.

And you can toast your minor exertions back in town at Helmsley Brewery’s tap room. Try a selection of their artisan beers, including a pint of Striding the Riding, the official beer of the Cleveland Way

Overnight in Helmsley. There are many options – see Accommodation, left.

Today, drive to Thirsk to travel back in time. James Herriot, the world’s most famous vet, lived, worked and wrote in this North Yorkshire market town; his former home – fully restored to its 1940s glory – is now a museum dedicated to the man. See recreations of his surgery, play around on the mock-up TV sets and enjoy a nostalgic journey into bygone Yorkshire life.

Next, drive north for another scenic slice of the Cleveland Way. From the handsome stone cottages of Osmotherley, walk to Mount Grace, the best-preserved Carthusian priory in England, hidden at the foot of the Cleveland Hills. Walking to this peaceful place, via the reconstructed monk’s cell, Arts and Crafts garden and lovely Lady Chapel feels a far cry from the hectic modern world.

You could grab a bite in the Mount Grace cafe or one of the characterful old pubs in Osmotherley itself. But do leave room to end your visit in the highest style: Helmsley has two Michelin-starred restaurants within a few miles. For the ultimate dining experience, head for the Star Inn at Harome, where chef Andrew Pern takes the best Yorkshire produce and cooks it to perfection, in a historic thatched pub. Or try the Black Swan at Oldstead, where Tommy Banks – Britain’s youngest chef to win a Michelin star – creates dazzlingly different tasting menus from ingredients grown on site.

Overnight in Helmsley. There are many options – see Accommodation, left.