These are among the most picturesque villages in Yorkshire

Yorkshire is peppered with chocolate-box villages, from its wonderful coastline on the east to the dramatic Dales to the west.

Here are some the most picturesque:

Hutton-le-Hole – North York Moors

Picture-postcard cottages sit contentedly on either side of a babbling beck while sheep wander about the village keeping the grass neat and tidy.

The village green is the perfect spot for a picnic - especially as you can enjoy a paddle in the beck before you eat. It is also home to Ryedale Folk Museum.

West Burton – Yorkshire Dales

Just off the beaten track from Wensleydale to Bishopdale, West Burton is another one of those villages which just define the word pretty. A large village green flanked with old stone cottages is the centre point, with a waterfall and packhorse bridge to finish the scene. Jervaulx Abbey is just a hop, skip and a jump away too.

Osmotherley – North York Moors

The market cross stands on the green at the centre of the village. The low, stone table by the cross was probably used by market traders in the past and it's said that the Methodist preacher John Wesley also stood on here to address the villagers.

Mount Grace Priory is one of only nine Carthusian priories founded in this country and is the best preserved. The best way to approach the priory is on foot – three-mile gentle walk away.

Middleham – Yorkshire Dales

Technically not a village – it’s supposedly the smallest town in the Dales – Middleham is in Wensleydale. It has a castle and a folly. It also boasts two market squares packed with pubs, antique shops and historic buildings.

Middleham is the epicentre of racehorse training in the north and you can watch the horses being led through the village each day on their way to the nearby gallops.

Robin Hood's Bay – North Yorkshire

Venture just a few miles south of Whitby and you’ll find the gravity-defying picture-postcard village of Robin Hood’s Bay.

Once home to the busiest smuggling trade on the Yorkshire coast, said to involve fisherman, clergy and gentry alike, today the village has adopted a much more sedate pace of life with a maze of streets and alleyways to mooch around during a visit.

You can still see traditional fishing boats in the harbour at Robin Hood’s Bay and the dog-friendly beach is ideal for fossil hunting or a bracing walk with four-legged friends.

Robin Hood’s Bay also hosts a Victorian Weekend in December.

Lockton and Levisham

The pair of attractive moorland villages are separated by a deep gorge with Levisham Beck running through it. The popular walk between the two is thoroughly pleasant; both villages feature traditional North Yorkshire inns so reward yourself with a pint of real ale along the way.

Look out for the famous Hole of Horcum, a spectacular giant natural amphitheatre carved out of Levisham Moor which makes for a great view en-route.

Both villages are mentioned in the Domesday book and the 13th-century church of St Giles in Lockton is well worth visiting and features a beautiful stained glass window.

Marsden – West Yorkshire

Where poet Simon Armitage grew up, this village is as picturesque as they come. Quaint, traditional pubs with a bubbling river and beautiful Yorkshire countryside. You can walk out into the countryside and enjoy nearby reservoirs.

Haworth – West Yorkshire

Situated on the Eastern slope of the Pennines, Haworth is West Yorkshire’s most famous village. It was home to the Brontë sisters – Anne, Charlotte and Emily – making it the literary mecca of Yorkshire. It also has beautiful cobbled streets, rolling moors and a vintage charm.

Follifoot – near Harrogate

The village name is derived from Old Norse translating as "place of the horse fight" and the village has a long association with horse sports.

Follifoot is not listed in the Domesday Book and the earliest known record is as Pholifet in the 12th century.

Anglo-Saxon remains have been discovered in and near to the village and an Anglian cross is displayed at the crossroads in the village.

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