Circular walk from Pickering.

Pickering is an attractive market town with a small shopping street leading up to the Parish Church at the top of the Market Place. This is well worth a visit to see the medieval wall paintings and the Georgian chandeliers and pulpit. Our walk started near Pickering Castle - go left at the top of the Market Place up Burgate which becomes Castlegate where there is often parking to be had.

It is an important motte and bailey castle dating back to William the Conqueror. It had long associations with the kings and also John of Gaunt, Bolingbroke, Sir Francis Bacon as well as Cromwell and other key figures in history. We chose to walk clockwise round the Castle, anti-clockwise or widdishins was thought to be the work of witches but that way has a rather slippery surface. There is a good view down to the road to Newbridge,

the beck as it slips past the Trout Farm, the railway and in the background Lady Lumley's School and the Beacon. The latter is a mound where a bonfire could be lit to warn neighbouring parishes of troubles. There was a second world war shelter built into it but I declined a place in it in case of nuclear strike as it was but a single survivor offer. A well shod path skirts the Castle walls and an offshoot heads away to the north. Take this branch and note the very shallow wall crossing as you will drop down to the left a little, 10 paces further on. This muddy, rooted and at times glass strewn path threads its way through the woods for about half a mile to reach Lowther House at Newbridge.

The woods are a natural regrowth on 18th century quarry workings. They later were used as a Victorian dump which explains the wide variety of glass and pottery that has been dug over the years. During the last war they were used for final training before heading to Europe. We are trying to build a bike trail through the woods in addition to the bike jumping area in the quarry you will pass.

In time there will be an active woodland management plan with an ambition to recreate ancient woodland habitats and perhaps offer an example of every native English tree to search out. We will offer discount for any green wood turner who wishes to stay while giving classes in the wood! As you reach Newbridge there is a flight of steps leading down to the road,

 almost opposite is a row of houses and a metal bridge

that will take you past the front doors and to a gated crossing of the single track of the NYMR railway. Once safely across turn to the left and follow the path that runs back towards Pickering.

On the right is a valley side where our children used to gather fossils for me to carry home... You will pass close to the Pottery

and house of an interesting family of artists. There is always plenty of interest and photo opportunities.

Our children warmly recall their holiday courses where they emerged dirty, happy and carrying some pottery treasure. You will see the trout farm on the left and some tunnel like openings on the right which are derelict, and perhaps dangerous, lime kilns.

Roasting lime altered its chemical composition and became useful for putting on the land to encourage grasses rather than bracken. A gate near the Rookers house

takes you into a large field, you should head slightly to the left to meet the wall end by the beck. You will see various bits of railway carriage awaiting renovation. The steep green slope on the right - the Rookers - is where the youth of Pickering used to gather to sledge down on anything that slithered on the snow - including younger sisters. The whole field is rippled by the ploughing practice of rig and furrow which either increased surface area for planting or offered a variation of moisture content of the soil, and may have offered family sized strips for cultivation. The beck runs close to the wall side path

towards the level crossing and the approaches to the station via the car park. Its always interesting to see rolling stock renovation taking place either here or at the main depot at Grosmont.

The station has many fascinating features and characters, never the more so than at War Weekend when all are dressed in period costume. We crossed the beck again by a metal bridge and walked along Wells Walk towards Pickering.

This was the original road to Newton but somehow was never written down as a public right of way so has been surrounded in controversy of late. You will pass Beck Isle Museum on the left which was the site of the first agricultural college in the country. It houses a remarkable collection of photographs by Sydney Smith as well as an Aladdin's Cave of household artefacts. On the far side of the road is the Memorial Hall where there is a large mural by Rex Whistler. By now you may wish to consider the large number of opportunities to take tea or have a bite to eat in the town. There must be a style and price to suit everyone as you make your way up the Market Place and take the

left at the top and head back towards the Castle. You will have passed nearly all the key buildings in the town but there are plenty of delightful corners yet to discover

.