Just for Mo - a bit late for this year but we came back over the moors as follows.

Whitby to Aislaby (the one just out of Whitby, there is one near Pickering), Egton (cars only - definitely not motor homes or caravans), Egton Bridge, take beginning of Goathland road and then straight on to Stape (3 ton limit), Cropton (brewery there), Wrelton, A170 west, Nunnington, Hovingham, Sheriff Hutton, Strensall, A1237 west (this avoids stupid roundabout with traffic lights at Hopgrove), join A64 west of York and then take your pick.

We live just south of Selby so took the A64 east to the A19 (next junction). Estimated driving time about 2 hours as opposed to 1hour 20min on a quiet run in winter or out of season. We stopped off for shopping at Dringhouses Lidl and still did it in less than 3 hours with next to no stress and the biggest traffic holdup was 30 seconds getting off the A64.

We live much closer to Whitby than you but find that treating the journey as part of the enjoyment and not just a means to an end works for us, it's a beautiful run.

Don't know where in Cheshire you are but the A59 used to be quite a pleasant cross country route in the days before the M62.

Best of luck and roll on next year.