Pickering
Where to stay in Pickering: holiday cottages, inns and practical tips
By Jon Cosson · Updated October 2026
Pickering is a practical base for the southern moors and the coast. It is a market town on the A170 with the southern terminus of the North Yorkshire Moors Railway, a Norman castle, a Monday market and town car parks within walking distance of the Market Place. Dalby Forest, the Hole of Horcum and Thornton-le-Dale are close, and the steam railway and the Coastliner bus both run through to Whitby.
This page covers which part of town to stay in, the kinds of accommodation in and around Pickering, and what to check before booking one of the Pickering cottages. This guide is independent: we book nothing, take no commission and carry no paid listings. Any business we name is described only from its own website, and we receive nothing for including it.
Which part of Pickering to stay in
The Market Place is the centre of town, with the Monday market, pubs, cafés and independent shops, and a coaching inn with rooms. Staying on or just off it means you can walk to almost everything, including Pickering Castle, Beck Isle Museum and the parish church with its fifteenth century wall paintings.
The station is a short walk from the Market Place. Staying near it suits anyone planning several days on the North Yorkshire Moors Railway, which has its southern terminus here.
Eastgate is a tree lined street a short stroll from the centre, with houses, holiday cottages and the long stay Eastgate car park. During Mathewsons viewing weeks the car park is also a stop on the free weekday shuttle (see below).
Outside the town, farm and mill cottages on the edges of Pickering and in nearby villages such as Thornton-le-Dale give more space, at the cost of driving or walking in. If you want to stay in Thornton-le-Dale itself, see the Thornton-le-Dale where to stay guide.
Kinds of accommodation in Pickering
Pickering has a mix of self catering cottages in town and on its edges, inns and hotels around the centre, and bed and breakfasts. Holiday cottages in Pickering are let by individual owners with their own websites, by local and national letting agencies and by small groups of farm or mill cottages just outside the town.
For a stay without cooking, look at the inns on and around the Market Place. For touring caravans and tents, see our camping and caravanning page.
Holiday cottages in Pickering: what to check before you book
Pickering town centre is compact, and cottages here are usually easier to reach with luggage than those in the steep coast villages. Check whether a cottage has its own parking space. If not, the town has three pay and display car parks: the Ropery (short stay), Vivis Lane and Eastgate (both long stay), with EV charging points at Vivis Lane and Eastgate. The railway also has its own car park at the station, run by a private operator.
Some cottages in Pickering North Yorkshire accept dogs, and some cottage groups on the edge of town have enclosed dog paddocks or gardens. Check each listing for how many dogs are allowed and whether any cottages are pet free.
Minimum stays vary. Some cottages set a minimum of three nights, so check the booking terms before planning a short break.
If you are coming for a classic car auction, remember that the Mathewsons auction site lists no pets among its visitor rules during viewings, so plan for your dog while you visit.
When to book
Mathewsons, the classic car auctioneers from Bangers and Cash, open their auction site on the edge of Pickering to the public only during the six day viewing period before each sale, closed on Sundays. On weekdays during the viewing period, Mathewsons run a free shuttle bus between Thornton-le-Dale, the Pickering auction site and Eastgate car park in Pickering, which makes Eastgate and the town centre a convenient base for viewings. The remaining 2026 viewing periods are Wednesday 21 October to Tuesday 27 October and Wednesday 25 November to Tuesday 1 December. If you want to stay close by during a viewing week, book early.
The North Yorkshire Moors Railway runs mainly from spring to autumn, with special services such as the Santa Specials, and its themed event weekends bring extra visitors to the town. Check the railway's own website for event dates before you book. The school summer holidays are the busiest time for Pickering cottages generally.
Staying in Pickering without a car
Pickering is one of the easier places in the North York Moors to stay without a car. The Coastliner bus links York, Malton, Pickering and Whitby, the nearest mainline station is Malton, and the steam railway runs north through Levisham and Goathland to Grosmont, with many services continuing to Whitby. Moorsbus runs seasonal services in spring and summer. See our page on getting around without a car.
Places to stay in Pickering: what each publishes
The White Swan Inn
- Type:
- Coaching inn with 21 bedrooms
- Where:
- Market Place, Pickering YO18 7AA
- Sleeps:
- 21 bedrooms, including rooms in the inn and ground level Hideaway rooms
- Dogs:
- Up to two dogs in the Hideaway rooms (not the Hideaway Treat)
- Parking:
- Free off street parking
- Booking:
- Online, by phone or by email via its website
- Checked:
- October 2026
Lavender Cottage
- Type:
- Self catering cottage (2 bedrooms)
- Where:
- Eastgate, a short stroll from the town centre
- Sleeps:
- Not published (a king size and a double bedroom)
- Dogs:
- Dog friendly, with a fully enclosed garden
- Parking:
- Free parking
- Booking:
- Availability and contact pages on its website; minimum stay 3 nights
- Checked:
- October 2026
Low Costa Mill
- Type:
- Seven self catering cottages
- Where:
- About 1.5 miles from Pickering
- Sleeps:
- Not published on the home page
- Dogs:
- Five of the seven cottages are dog friendly; enclosed dog paddock
- Parking:
- Not published
- Booking:
- Online, by phone or by email via its website
- Checked:
- October 2026
Details are what each business publishes on its own website, checked October 2026. We have no connection with any of them and receive nothing for listing them.
Frequently asked questions
Are there holiday cottages in Pickering town centre?
Yes. There are cottages on and around the streets near the Market Place and on Eastgate, as well as farm and mill cottages on the edge of town. Check whether a town centre cottage has its own parking.
Where should I park if my Pickering cottage has no parking?
Vivis Lane and Eastgate are the long stay pay and display car parks; the Ropery is short stay. Ask your host which is closest.
Are there dog friendly cottages in Pickering?
Yes, some accept dogs, and some cottage groups just outside town have enclosed dog paddocks. Check each listing for its dog policy.
Is there a shuttle bus for Mathewsons viewing weeks?
Yes. On weekdays during each viewing period, Mathewsons run a free shuttle bus between Thornton-le-Dale, the Pickering auction site and Eastgate car park in Pickering.
Should I stay in Pickering or Thornton-le-Dale for Bangers and Cash?
Either works. The auction site is on the edge of Pickering, the Mathewsons shop and museum are in Thornton-le-Dale, and the weekday viewing shuttle links both. Pickering has more inns and car parks; see the Thornton-le-Dale where to stay guide for the village.
Which is better to stay in, Pickering or Whitby?
Pickering is closer to Dalby Forest and the southern moors and is the southern end of the steam railway; Whitby puts you on the coast. Our Whitby or Pickering page compares them.
Can you stay in Pickering without a car?
Yes. The Coastliner bus links Pickering with York, Malton and Whitby, and the North Yorkshire Moors Railway runs from Pickering to Grosmont and Whitby.
Sources: Plan your visit (Mathewsons); Pickering (North York Moors National Park Authority); Directions and parking (North Yorkshire Moors Railway); Eastgate car park toilets, Pickering (North Yorkshire Council); Stay (The White Swan Inn); Dog friendly stays (The White Swan Inn); Lavender Cottage (Lavender Cottage); Low Costa Mill (Low Costa Mill).
Where to stay in the North York Moors
Self-catering cottages, village inns and farmhouse boltholes right across the moors, from the southern villages to the coast.
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