Pickering
Things to do in Pickering
Pickering is that rare thing, a market town that makes a full day out in itself, and the perfect base for this side of the North York Moors. A Norman castle, one of England's finest sets of medieval wall paintings, a steam railway, a museum of rural life and a Monday market sit within a few minutes' walk of each other, with the forest, the moor road and the coast all within easy reach.
Pickering Market Place, the starting point for a day in the town.
In the town
Pickering Castle stands on a rise just north of the centre, a well-preserved Norman motte-and-bailey, first raised in timber and rebuilt in stone, used as a royal hunting lodge. It is cared for by English Heritage; the fuller story is in our Pickering town guide, and current opening and admission are on the English Heritage website.
The medieval wall paintings in the church of St Peter & St Paul are the town's quiet masterpiece, a 15th-century cycle of saints and Bible scenes covering the nave walls, whitewashed at the Reformation and revealed again in the Victorian era. The church is Grade I listed and normally free to visit.
The North Yorkshire Moors Railway starts from Pickering Station in the middle of town, running north through Newtondale to Levisham, Goathland and Grosmont, with many services continuing to Whitby. You can wander the platform and watch the engines without a ticket.
Beck Isle Museum, by the beck, fills a Georgian mansion and its outbuildings with recreated period shops and around 27 display areas of rural life. The Monday market fills the Market Place each week, and Pickering Community Park at Woodlands Park on the Whitby Road is a newer green space on the edge of town. The Memorial Hall, converted from a mill in 1922 as a memorial to the First World War, is still the town's community hub. For a gentle stroll, follow Pickering Beck and look for kingfishers and dippers.
Just outside town
Pickering Trout Lake is a fishing lake just outside the town. Cawthorn Roman Camps, dating from around 120 AD, sit on the moor edge with an easy circular trail of about a mile through the earthworks. A few miles east, Dalby Forest offers the Forest Drive, waymarked trails, graded mountain biking, Go Ape and some of the darkest skies in England.
Great family days out nearby
Flamingo Land, the theme park and zoo at Kirby Misperton a few miles towards Malton, is the big family day out of the area. Check opening and prices on their own site. Eden Camp Modern History Museum, an award-winning Second World War museum housed in a former prisoner-of-war camp about seven miles towards Malton, is largely under cover and absorbing for older children. Go Ape at Dalby adds high ropes and zip wires to a forest day.
The 1940s Wartime Weekend
Each October Pickering and the railway turn the clock back to the 1940s, reenactment camps, period vehicles, wartime music and dances, and steam trains full of uniforms and headscarves. It is one of the best-loved events in the region and the town is busy, so plan parking and book trains early; confirm dates on the railway's own site. See also what's on across the moors.
Using Pickering as a base for the Moors
This is where Pickering really earns its keep. The Hole of Horcum is eight miles up the A169; Goathland is Heartbeat's Aidensfield and Harry Potter's Hogsmeade; Thornton-le-Dale, Rosedale and Hutton-le-Hole (with the Ryedale Folk Museum) are all short drives. The coast at Whitby, Scarborough and Robin Hood's Bay is 15 to 40 minutes away. For a change of pace, Castle Howard is about ten miles and Malton, “Yorkshire's food capital”, about fifteen minutes.
Hungry or shopping afterwards? See places to eat in Pickering and our Pickering shopping guide.
Things to do in Pickering: FAQs
What is there to do in Pickering?
Pickering Castle, the medieval wall paintings in the church of St Peter and St Paul, the North Yorkshire Moors Railway, Beck Isle Museum, the Monday market and more than a hundred independent shops. Enough for a full day in the town itself, with Dalby Forest, Flamingo Land and the moors close by.
What can you do in Pickering when it's raining?
Beck Isle Museum fills a Georgian mansion with recreated period shops and around 27 display areas, the parish church and its wall paintings are indoors and usually free, and Eden Camp Modern History Museum is largely under cover about seven miles away. A steam train ride from Pickering Station is also a fine wet-weather day out.
What is there to do in Pickering with kids?
Pickering Castle is a hit with children, the steam railway runs from the middle of town, Dalby Forest has trails, cycling and Go Ape a few miles east, and Flamingo Land theme park and zoo is a short drive towards Malton. Beck Isle Museum works well for a rainy afternoon.
How far is Flamingo Land from Pickering?
Flamingo Land is only a few miles from Pickering, at Kirby Misperton towards Malton. An easy short drive. Check current opening times and prices on their own website before travelling.
How far is Dalby Forest from Pickering?
Dalby Forest is a few miles east of Pickering, usually reached via Thornton-le-Dale. The Forest Drive is a toll road; see our Dalby Forest guide for trails, mountain biking, Go Ape and dark-sky stargazing.
What is the Pickering Wartime Weekend?
Each October Pickering and the North Yorkshire Moors Railway transform into the 1940s, with reenactors, period vehicles, wartime music and specially themed trains. It is one of the region's best-loved events, check exact dates on the railway's website.