I caught the M1 Hull to North York Moors bus service and had a perfect day out

Last weekend, I was lucky enough to have a perfect day out thanks to a bus that took me direct from Hull to North Yorkshire.

While there are plenty of things to do in Hull, if you need a dose of fresh air it is well worth checking out the North York Moors M1 and M3 return bus services which recently returned for the summer season.

Departing from Hull Interchange at 9am every Sunday and Bank Holiday, it takes you all the way to picturesque North Yorkshire via Cottingham, Beverley, and Driffield. At its terminus in Pickering, there is a 30-minute break where passengers can use the toilet before the bus turns into the M3 service and takes you deeper into the moors, with the terminus at Danby.

I boarded at Hull Interchange at 9am on Sunday for the first M1 service of the season. A single ticket costs £3 and a Moors Rover ticket (which lets you change for the M3 service) is £10 for an adult and £3 for a child.

While it’s possible to make the same Hull to Pickering journey by car in one hour and 20 minutes, I enjoyed the serenity of the two-hour ride, looking at the changing landscapes through the window of the top deck and listening to music on my headphones.

Once in Pickering, I bought a fresh pasty and takeaway tea from Botham’s which also has a tearoom. I then headed to the North Yorkshire Moors Railway.

The beautifully restored 1930s themed station was a real treat. Tickets were more than I initially expected, £15 for a return to Newton Dale Halt, but I imagine the railway costs a lot in upkeep.

Onboard, the train has a wood panelled interior and squashy sofa-like seats. The route was scenic through forest and hilly landscapes and if you stay for the full journey it goes all the way to Whitby on the coast.

Newton Dale Halt is a request stop and was blissfully quiet. There is no traffic, so the area is often described as a “walker’s paradise”.

I then followed a trail south towards Levisham, with the aim of having lunch at the tearoom and then catching the train back to Pickering.

The path was well maintained for the most part and it was wonderful to be completely alone in the forest. The walk also took me through hills and cottage-style farms.

At one point, I met a pensive-looking cow staring out at the landscape. There were also a couple of sheep running free on the path – luckily they seemed to know their way home.

It was then it began to pour with rain. The weather forecast had predicted rain so it was not a massive surprise and I’d brought waterproofs so it did not put a dampener on the day.

Thankfully, it was a short rain shower and I dried out in the sunshine. At Levisham, I’d hoped to have lunch at the tearoom, but it was shut which was disappointing because there is nothing else nearby.

It was not a disaster because there was a train going back to Pickering just 10 minutes later, so I hopped aboard. In Pickering there was a tractor rally going on which was fun to watch.

Now very hungry, I got lunch at The Ropery Cafe, including a superb chocolate and orange cake. The M1 bus back to Hull was in Pickering, opposite the library in The Ropery, long before the 5:15pm departure time.

This was was a relief because there is no information or timetable for M1 at the bus stops so I was a bit worried about being in the right place. The journey back to Hull was equally peaceful and I got back around 7.30pm when it was still light,

Overall it was the best day out I can remember in a long time and could not have been more simple. Next time, I will try the M3 service from Pickering to The Moors Centre in Danby for the full moorland experience.