Pickering Castle
North Yorkshire, England
Key facts
- Operator
- English Heritage
- Condition
- Partial ruin
- Access
- Staffed, ticketed
- Entry pass
- English Heritage Overseas Visitor Pass
- Nearest station
- Malton, 8.2 miles (straight-line)
Pinpoint
Castlegate, Pickering YO18 7AX
Telephone 01751 474989
Possible Opening Hours*
*Opening times change. Always check the official website before you travel.
| Monday | 10:00 AM – 5:00 PM |
| Tuesday | 10:00 AM – 5:00 PM |
| Wednesday | 10:00 AM – 5:00 PM |
| Thursday | 10:00 AM – 5:00 PM |
| Friday | 10:00 AM – 5:00 PM |
| Saturday | 10:00 AM – 5:00 PM |
| Sunday | 10:00 AM – 5:00 PM |
Visitor essentials
- Parking
- Free parking about 75 metres from the entrance on a loose gravel surface, with some disabled spaces closer in.
- Access
- Grass and rough, uneven pathways; wheelchair loan is available, and the motte has 50 steps to the top with about 20 steps up the Diate Tower.
- Facilities
- The shop sells gifts, books, toys and drinks; separate male and female toilets are on site.
- Dogs
- Well-behaved dogs on leads are welcome.
- Safety
- Mole hills are a trip hazard, and the Chapel and Diate Tower have areas of low lighting.
A compact motte-and-bailey ruin in the market town of Pickering, small enough to see properly in under an hour, with staff reviewers praise for filling in the gaps left by the absence of an audio guide. Some towers are open to climb for views, and there's occasional dress-up and outdoor activities for children.
Worth the trip
The staff themselves - reviewers repeatedly say a knowledgeable member of staff talking you through the site does more work here than any signage.
Before you go
There's no audio guide, so timing your visit for when staff are free to talk you through it is worth doing; non-EH members should weigh the roughly £10 entry fee against how quick a visit this is.
Reviewers generally enjoy Pickering Castle as a compact ruin with a welcoming, engaging member of staff, though a few feel it's a fairly quick visit compared to somewhere like nearby Helmsley. One notable gap flagged by more than one reviewer is the lack of an audio guide, and one visitor felt the roughly £10 entrance fee was a bit steep for the amount there is to see.
“Part of British Heritage, so used my pass purchased in Australia.”- Gordon Holley, visitor review
Practical notes from visitors
Quoted from individual Google reviews, not verified with the operator - treat as a steer, not gospel, and check before you travel.
- Parking
- “There are toilets in the car park area, and a small car park for a few cars.” - Helen Andrews
- Terrain & accessibility
- “I'm all for encouraging people to visit EH sites but the entrance fee for non members is about £10 which I think is a bit steep for this particular site.” - Matt Longville
Common questions about Pickering Castle
Where is Pickering Castle?
Pickering Castle is in North Yorkshire, England, at Castlegate, Pickering YO18 7AX.
Do you need a ticket to visit Pickering Castle?
Yes - Pickering Castle is a staffed, ticketed attraction run by English Heritage. Ticket prices and opening hours change through the year, so check the official site before travelling.
What is the highlight of visiting Pickering Castle?
The staff themselves - reviewers repeatedly say a knowledgeable member of staff talking you through the site does more work here than any signage.
Is Pickering Castle a ruin or still intact?
Pickering Castle is a partial ruin.
