Helmsley is a handsome market town sitting at the southern edge of the North York Moors, its cobbled square surrounded by traditional shops, tea rooms, and coaching inns. The impressive ruins of Helmsley Castle guard the town, while nearby Rievaulx Abbey is one of England's finest medieval monasteries in a beautiful wooded valley. Duncombe Park, an 18th-century mansion, has extensive gardens and parkland open to visitors. The Cleveland Way long-distance path starts in Helmsley, while numerous other walks explore the surrounding moors and dales.