IT is not always desirable to head far in to the countryside during the winter months.

Sometimes a short walk through an attractive town, complete with castle, a character train station and some pleasant woodland will do fine.

All of these you can find in Pickering.

Start the walk at Pickering train station. The railway line is run as a not for profit organisation and most of the day to day services are operated via volunteers. It is the largest preserved heritage railway in England and runs for 18 miles north to Grosmont.

The line is not open at this time of the year however there are some special ‘Santa’ trains laid on in the run up to Christmas.

The station itself at Pickering is a fascination in itself, a 1930s theme capped off with a magnificent roof, built in 1847.

Bradford Telegraph and Argus: The woods near Pickering The woods near Pickering (Image: Submitted)

From the station cross the river to the south of the station and turning almost immediately right/north up the road for 200metres.

Instead of following the road to the right carry on north along a signed footpath for a further 200 m.

Turn left along a lane and follow this as it passes between the school on the right and a prominent hill on the left.

This may have been a Motte but also may have been an outlying ‘seige’ castle overlooking the main castle to the east. It is also known as Beacon Hill.

Turn right on to the main road and follow this for 400 metres to a footpath on your right. Paralleling the road for a short while the path bends east and as it starts to drop back to the river meets a lane. The views to the main castle are excellent.

Turn left and follow this past the quarries and north for a third of a mile towards Newbridge, one of the gateways to the North York Moors National Park. The path drops to a footbridge over the river (Pickering Beck).

From here climb a few metres to a good footpath leading through Lowther Woods as it returns the Pickering. The woods are lovely at any time of the year but all too son you will emerge from them. However the highlight of the walk is still to come.

On re-entering the town it is impossible to miss the castle. It is a splendid Motte and Bailey castle built by the Normans as they attempted to suppress the ‘untamed north’. The reality though of the castle is that it was used as base for the excellent hunting in the nearby forests more than as a military stronghold.

Although English Heritage do not open the castle during the winter months it is possible to walk round and imagine why it was built on such a defendable place. Although little more than a ruin now it is still an impressive site.

From the castle it is a short walk back to the station.

* Fact Box:

Distance: Roughly three miles

Height to Climb: 50m (165 feet)

Start: SE 797842. I have suggested starting at the train station but it is possible to start the walk at any of the nearby car parks and then head for the station.

Difficulty: Easy.

Refreshments: Pickering is full of excellent pubs and cafes, most open over the winter months.

Be Prepared: The route description and sketch map only provide a guide to the walk.

You must take out and be able to read a map (O/S Explorer 27) and in cloudy/misty conditions a compass (essential on this walk).

You must also wear the correct clothing and footwear for the outdoors. Whilst every effort is made to provide accurate information, walkers head out at their own risk.

* Jonathan Smith runs Where2walk, a walking company based in the Yorkshire Dales:

He has published three books on walks in the Dales, ‘The Yorkshire 3 Peaks’, ‘The Dales 30’ mountains and the Brand New ‘Walks without Stiles’ book. All are available direct from the Where2walk website.

Book a Navigation Training day in Long Preston, near Settle (Beginners or ‘Compass & Contours’) The 2023 dates and further information are now available on the website.

Where2walk.co.uk also features hundreds of walks across Yorkshire and beyond, from easy strolls to harder climbs.