Advantages: Lots of history, quite well preserved Disadvantages: Admission charges
Pickering Castle can be found just outside the town centre of Pickering, a quaint little market town on the edge of the North York Moors National Park. It is clearly sign posted from the middle of the town, but be warned when I visited here a few weeks ago some prankster had turned around the sign and I went trudging off along the road towards Malton (on foot) for about a mile in completely the wrong direction.
I did eventually find the castle, although even though the land around here is quite flat it is not, unlike most castles visible from afar. Pickering Castle is located just to the north of the town centre, just beyond the point where a modern post-war housing estate ends.
The castle is a typical motte and bailey style fortification, characterised by a large mound of earth (the motte) on which the castle stands. This is ...
Advantages: Interesting to see, nice setting Disadvantages: Only dates from 19th century
For many years my brother lived in Wiltshire under the shadow of a white horse carved into the limestone hillside above Westbury. I was always fascinated by this figure so when I discovered that there was a similar white horse in NorthYorkshire within a day trip of where I live it became a place that I wanted to see.
There are many examples of figures of horses cut into the landscape in England but in northern England they are quite rare and the one at Kilburn in NorthYorkshire is the most northerly such example in Britain. The practice of carving white horses and occasionally other figures into the landscape dates back to prehistoric times, the reasons behind their creation vary but many have religious origins. There is even an official name for the creation and study of these horses called "leucippotomy".
The Kilburn Whitehorse ...
Advantages: Good accomodation, really good food. Disadvantages: A couple - see the review
Firstly I have to say when writing this I was wondering whether I was rating a pub, a restaurant, a hotel or the package as a whole. The place itself describes itself as a boutique hotel but is perhaps better known for its food and is clearly in the shell of a pub. I decided on my experience as a whole.
The Heifer is located in Wensleydale, the valley of the River Ure, itself in the Yorkshire Dales national park. It can be found in the village of West Witton located between the market towns of Leyburn and Hawes with Aysgarth and its falls (the filming location for the tussle between Robin and Little John in the film Robin Hood Prince of Thieves) just down the road. The area is a good base for all the sights and walking this area offers.
The inn has 9 rooms. Each is individually themed and a little unique in what it does and doesn ...
