York Guides

(Yorkshire Post)

The excursions have been introduced under the Moorsbus Network scheme in an attempt to combat carloads of visitors descending on the area in the summer holidays.
And to make things even easier, free journey planners are being produced to allow visitors a step-by-step guide to the trips.
The planners cover up to six different trips from towns and cities surrounding the North York Moors and include details of the bus routes as well as a description of each destination.
National Park tourism officer Bill Breakell said: "We appreciate that many of our potential passengers are new to the area, possibly haven't used public transport for a while, and may lack confidence in reading a timetable.
"So we've taken some of the guesswork out of planning a trip by designing a number of day-long and half-day itineraries."
The first series of trips have been launched and include days out from York, Hull and Beverley, Pickering, Danby and Castleton, Guisborough, Northallerton, Thirsk, Malton, Kirkbymoorside, Helmsley and Sutton Bank.
Tourism is worth almost £200m a year to the North York Moors – more valuable than farming, forestry and fishing put together.
About 10 million visitor days are spent in the North York Moors national park each year.
Janet Armstrong, responsible for Moorsbus operations at the national park, said: "Many visitors tell us that they would like to use the bus, but don't understand the local geography, nor have they time to find their way through a full timetable.
"These days out leaflets have become very popular, and we are keen to add more to the range."
The Moorsbus Network, run by bus companies on behalf of the national park, operates every day of the school holidays, and on Sundays in September and October. Services also operate on Tuesdays, Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays in September.
The bus network, supported by the North York Moors National Park Authority, was launched to offer greater access to the area, as well as to reduce the number of visitors in cars.
Mr Breakell added: "Last year a survey of visitors and residents showed that traffic was the greatest threat to the special qualities of the national park.
"Moorsbus offers an important way of safeguarding the area, including its economic base, without destroying the peace and tranquillity."
For more details ring 01845 597426.