Pickering
If you are looking for an ancient market town you won’t do much better than Pickering in North Yorkshire. The town is located in the heart of the Vale of Pickering and is officially regarded as being the gateway to the wonderful North Yorkshire Moors National Park, known locally as the Yorkshire Moors. The Vale stretches from Scarborough to Helmsley in an east to west direction and encompasses many pretty villages that are worthy of exploration. There is a local legend that claims that the town was founded by King Peredurus in 270BC, but if there is any hard evidence to support this belief it has long since turned to dust, although evidence has been found that suggests that there was a settlement here after the ice age.
The town of Pickering is surrounded by rolling moors covered in the distinctive heather that turns the landscape purple when it flowers. Around the region there are a number of wonderful stately homes, beautiful gardens, forests and of course the breathtaking Yorkshire coastline. There are plenty of attractions to please all kinds of holidaymaker from the very young to the more mature and anyone who comes here will discover that Pickering is a fabulous base for exploring everything that the county of Yorkshire has to offer.
Things To Do
There are lots of attractions in the area for you to visit from stately homes to family theme parks and Zoos. Within the county of Yorkshire there is Dalby Forest to the forest of Cropton. The North Yorkshire Moor Steam Railway is great for kids and adults alike, it holds the status of being the longest working steam railway in the whole of England. There are a number of picturesque market towns to explore such as Malton and Helmsley which make for a wonderful day out.
Flamingo Land Theme Park and Zoo makes for an exciting day out with the kids with adrenalin pumping rides as well as lions and tigers – pack a picnic and make a day of your visit there. Duncombe Park and Castle Howard are also very popular attractions. Television viewers will know the area from the Heartbeat series and fans of Harry Potter will enjoy visiting the locations that were used for the filming of Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone which can begin at Pickering Railway Station!
Places To Visit
Head to the coast and explore some wonderful seaside towns such as vibrant Scarborough, peaceful and secluded Robin Hood’s Bay and of course the Gothic and atmospheric seaside town of Whitby with its ruined Abbey perched upon the cliff top. The historic city of York is only an hour away with all of its incredible history and architecture including impressive York Minster, and not forgetting the Vikings that occasionally roam the streets there either. Pickering is a peaceful, tranquil place to relax and shed the stresses of everyday life for a while but it is also at the heart of a very entertaining and captivating part of the country.
