Pickering is a market and agricultural town in the Ryedale district of North Yorkshire, with the North York Moors rising behind. The town slumped from 1965 when it lost its railway, but this helped preserve its historic centre. It revived from 1973 when the line was restored as a heritage steam railway and tourism developed, and in 2021 it had a population of 7200.
The town is probably named for an Anglo-Saxon called Picer, so his family and dependents would be called Pickerings. The Domesday Book of 1086 counted 30 villagers organised into 9 plough-teams, and the whole lot was worth £1 and tuppence.
Get in
[edit]
By road
[edit]From the south take A64 east past York to Malton then A169 north; this road winds on across the moors from Pickering to Whitby.
A170 crosses the moors from Thirsk: caravans and heavy vehicles must not attempt Sutton Bank, where the road climbs the western scarp of the moors. A170 continues east via Helmsley and Kirkbymoorside to Pickering, and on through Brompton to Scarborough.
There are car parks on Eastgate (near the roundabout), The Ropery and Vivis Lane. Whilst The Ropery is short stay, Vivis Lane and Eastgate are long stay. All three are operated by Ryedale District Council.
All approach roads and car parks get congested on summer weekends.
By bus
[edit]Coastliner 840 runs from Leeds (hourly M-Sa, two hourly Su) via Tadcaster, York and Malton. From Pickering, alternate buses either turn back at Thornton le Dale, or roll onwards up hill down dale to Goathland and Whitby. Sit upstairs for this last scenic section across the moors.
East Yorkshire Bus 128 plus X3 runs hourly from Scarborough via Seamer, Brompton and Thornton le Dale to Pickering (one hour), Kirkbymoorside and Helmsley (another 40 min).
Aug-Sep Su Su Moors Bus M6B runs three times from Pickering to Kirkbymoorside and Danby. In 2025 this service is disrupted by interminable roadworks at Rosedale Abbey.
The main bus stop is west end of Eastgate at the roundabout with Malton Rd.
By train
[edit]The nearest mainline railway station is Malton. This has hourly trains from Manchester Victoria via Leeds and York, heading to Scarborough. From London and the south, change at York. At Malton change for Coastliner Bus 840; the bus and railway stations are adjacent.
Pickering is the south terminus of the North Yorkshire Moors Railway. It's a heritage standard-gauge line running from Whitby, often steam-hauled, and seasonal, see below. In summer there are four trains a day so it's a realistic transport option.
1 Pickering Railway Station is on Park Street north side of town centre.
Get around
[edit]Walk - everything in town is close by. But you need wheels to get out into the moors.
Call a Car is the local taxi, on +44 1751 444444.
See
[edit]- Market Place is the focus of the attractive old town.
- St Peter and St Paul's Church on Hall Garth is an Anglican church with remarkable wall paintings from circa 1450. They were plastered over in the Reformation and forgotten until 1852 when the plaster crumbled: the shocked vicar had them whitewashed over. His successor 25 years later restored them.
- St Joseph's RC Church on Potter Hill is from 1911.
- 1 Beck Isle Museum, Bridge St YO18 8DU, ☏ +44 1751 473653. Apr–Oct:M-Th & Sa 10:30AM-4:30PM. Local history museum: the Georgian building was for many years a medical practice. Exhibits major on the Victorian era. Adult £8, child £4.
- 2 Pickering Castle, Castlegate YO18 7AX, ☏ +44 1751 474989. Daily 10AM-5PM. Norman castle built in stone in the 12th century, replacing a timber fort. It's well preserved as it took little part in later conflicts. Adult £7.50, conc £6.50, child £4.
- Town park is just north of the castle.
- Pickering Railway Station, Park Street YO18 7AJ. Daily 9AM-6PM. You can stroll around the station and watch the steam trains free without buying a ticket. The station tea room serves meals and snacks and there's a souvenir shop. The line is 24 miles of standard gauge from Pickering via Levisham, Newtondale, Goathland and Grosmont to Whitby - moorland walks branch off from the intermediate halts. Trains run Apr-Oct with four or more per day at the height of summer.
- 3 Ryedale Folk Museum, Hutton-le-Hole YO62 6UA, ☏ +44 1751 417367. Mar-Nov Sa-Th 10AM-5PM. Open air museum of life on the moors. The gallery has rotating art exhibitions. Adult £10.50, child or conc £9.
- See North York Moors for Dalby Forest.
- See Helmsley for Nunnington Hall and Rievaulx Abbey.
- See Malton for Castle Howard.
Do
[edit]
- Trips on the steam railway cross the moors to Whitby, see above. Day trips are feasible.
- 1 Ryedale Sports Centre, Lady Lumley School, 41 Swainsea Lane YO18 8NG, ☏ +44 1751 476726. M-F 5-9PM, Sa Su 9AM-4PM. Gym, climbing wall, sports hall and fitness classes, no pool.
- 2 Ryedale Swim and Fitness Centre, Mill Lane YO18 8DJ, ☏ +44 1751 473351. M-F 7AM-9PM, Sa Su 8AM-4PM. Gym and 25 m swimming pool.
- Kirk Theatre is on Hungate.
- 3 Flamingo Land: see Malton for this theme park and zoo.
- Ryedale Show is held in Kirkbymoorside in July, see Helmsley.
- Ryedale Festival is a music festival in late July, with some events held in Pickering.
Buy
[edit]- Market day is Monday, with Market Place closed to traffic. The Country Market is held Th 9:30-11:30AM in WRVS Hall on Hungate.
- The Hidden Market indoors off Market Place is mostly homeware and clothing. Coop Food is next door.
- Lidl in town centre is the main superstore. It's open M-Sa 8AM-10PM, Su 10AM-4PM.
Eat
[edit]
- Caffe Stop, 1 Eastgate YO18 7DP, ☏ +44 1751 471400. M-Sa 8AM-4PM, Su 9AM-3PM. Family-run cafe with breakfast, lunch, coffee, drinks and snacks; has tables and outdoor seating.
- Feast is a deli and cafe at 3 Market Place, open M-Sa 9AM-4PM.
- Namaste Bengal is at 21 Market Place, open Tu-Su 5:30-11PM.
- Figaro, 2 Birdgate YO18 7AL (opposite Black Swan), ☏ +44 1751 477733. Tu-Sa 5-10PM, Su 4-9PM. Cheerful place serving pizza and other Italian staples.
- Willowgate Bistro, Willowgate YO18 7BE, ☏ +44 1751 476300. Th-Sa 5-11PM. Great reviews for their trad food with GF options.
- Spice 4 U, 41 Hungate YO18 7DG (opposite Forest & Vale), ☏ +44 1751 473334. Daily 5-11PM. Reliable Indian restaurant serves all the classics.
- Fortune Inn is a Cantonese on Park St near the station, open daily 5-11PM.
- White Swan gets the best ratings in town for food, see Sleep.
Drink
[edit]- Bay Horse, 8 Market Place YO18 7AA, ☏ +44 1751 472526. M-Sa noon-midnight, Su noon-9PM. Friendly central pub with good food.
- Rose Inn, Bridge St YO18 8DT, ☏ +44 7823 568956. Daily noon-10PM. Pleasant pub by the waterside.
- The Sun, 136 Westgate YO18 8BB, ☏ +44 1751 473661. M-Th 4-10:30PM, F-Su noon-11PM. Traditional free house serving Tetleys Cask and guest ales plus selection of cider. Beer garden, dog-friendly, often has live music.
- Black Swan: see below.
Sleep
[edit]
- 1 Ingledene Beckside Campsite, Mill Lane YO18 8DJ, ☏ +44 7508 823785. Friendly well-run camping and caravan site half a mile south of town, fully open Mar-Oct, no showers or toilets Nov-Feb. Pitch £28, hook-up £35.
- Swallowtails offers camping, glamping and yurts 200 yards south of Ingledene, corner of Mill Lane and Goslipgate.
- White Swan Inn, Market Place YO18 7AA, ☏ +44 1751 472288. Charming small hotel in centuries-old inn. Some street and bar noise. B&B double £200.
- 17 Burgate House is a B&B at 17 Burgate just north of town centre.
- 2 The Black Swan, 18 Birdgate YO18 7AL, ☏ +44 1751 798209, [email protected]. 17th-century coaching inn with its own brewery, good food. B&B double £180.
- Bramwood Guesthouse is at 19 Hall Garth by St Peter & St Paul church.
- 3 Forest and Vale Hotel (Best Western), Malton Rd YO18 7DL, ☏ +44 1751 472722. Well-run friendly franchise hotel in a Georgian mansion. B&B double £140.
- 4 Cawthorne House, 42 Eastgate YO18 7DU, ☏ +44 1751 269339. Lovely welcoming stylish B&B. B&B double £130.
- 5 Premier Inn, Thornton Rd YO18 7HZ, ☏ +44 333 003 8101. Boxy modern chain hotel east edge of town, for when you've had enough of Pickering's twee gentility. B&B double £140.
- Hungate Cottages, Recreation Rd YO18 7ET, ☏ +44 7876 404152. 11 self-catering cottages near town centre, the smaller cottages sleep 4, the largest 11. Rentals are by the week from Saturday, shorter breaks available out of season. Dogs welcome in several cottages.
- Old Manse Hotel is at 19 Middleton Rd west of town centre.
- Pear Tree is a B&B at 103 Westgate, the main road out of town.
- 6 Lastingham Grange, High St, Lastingham YO62 6TH, ☏ +44 1751 417345. Charming little hotel in 17th-century farmhouse with extensive gardens, set in the North York Moors. Open Mar - Oct and serves brunch / afternoon tea to non-residents. B&B double £250.
Connect
[edit]As of Sep 2025, Pickering and its approach roads have 4G from EE, O2 and Vodafone, and 5G from Three.
Go next
[edit]- Whitby has an attractive harbour and ruined abbey. It's where Bram Stoker's Dracula reached England, perhaps planning to attend the town's Gothic Festival.
- Scarborough is a Victorian seaside resort. Cliffs stretch north through picturesque Robin Hood's Bay to Whitby, and south through Filey to Flamborough Head.
- York retains its medieval walls and has a great collection of sights and attractions.