FRIENDLY faces will be revealing their favourite places to celebrate English Tourism Week, which starts on Saturday and runs until April 6.

Drawing on their local knowledge, Ryedale people will be giving their insider tips on the best places to go for a walk, sample local food or head for a family day out.

The “Friendly Faces and their Favourite Places” campaign is being run by the North York Moors Tourism Network.

Tanya Eyre, an education officer for the Hawk and Owl Trust, said she was fortunate to have the views of Fylingdales Moor as her “office”.

“There is a sense of freedom and being in the wild on Fylingdales Moor, which is a haven for wildlife from adders basking in the spring to the blooming of the mauve ling heather in the summer,” she said.

Other friendly faces include:

•Amelia Palmer-Bunting, whose parents run Robin Hood Caravan Park, Slingsby. Her favourite place is the woods at Castle Howard;

•Chris Parkin, from Helmsley’s Carlton Lodge B&B, who escapes to Cow House Bank with its views of Bransdale and opportunities to spot buzzards, curlews and roe deer;

• Neil Armstrong, from Trailblazer Outdoors, in Pickering, who loves the changing view from the escarpment in Newtondale where he can relax and just enjoy being there, his thoughts broken only by the sound of the steam trains from the North Yorkshire Moors Railway.

Catriona McLees, North York Moors National Park Authority promotion and tourism chief, said: “Visitors want to discover a place by following the advice of locals who know their area inside out, as it enables them to explore places – often off the beaten track – with confidence.

“These local recommendations will enhance people’s time in the area and, in a highly competitive industry, will help to persuade them to re-visit the North York Moors and its surrounds again and again.”

In addition to the National Park’s social media, the insider tips are also available from the National Park Centres at Sutton Bank and Danby and will be People can download them from northyorkmoors.org.uk soon.