Top 10 Free Things To Do and Attractions in Pickering

"There are ruined abbeys, and there are picturesque ruined abbeys. And then there's Whitby Abbey, dominating the skyline above the East Cliff like a great Gothic tombstone silhouetted against the sky. Looking as though it was built as an atmospheric film set rather than a monastic establishment, it is hardly surprising that this medieval hulk inspired the Victorian novelist Bram Stoker (who holidayed in Whitby) to make it the setting for Count Dracula's dramatic landfall."

"There’s something special about the ruins of Whitby Abbey brooding over the harbour from the East Cliff. These ruins were mentioned in Bram Stoker’s Dracula (1890), and even at that time the monastery had been abandoned for 350 years. It was set up in the middle of the 7th century by Oswy, the King of Northumbria."

"As we dropped down into the town, we managed to find a parking space next to Whitby Abbey. It was a perfectly base for our little adventure and (being members of the National trust) didn’t cost us a penny."

"Next we made our way up the hill to Scarborough Castle. This medieval keep is in a commanding location, it would have been a spectacle to behold and easy to defend. The castle is mostly ruined now, but it is great to walk around and learn about the 3000 year history of the site."

"Wonderful views of the bay, informative guides and very helpful staff. Lots of space to walk around and have a picnic or food from the tea room. There is a good cafe on the site with plenty of choice."

"Just a stone's throw from the centre of Whitby, Pannett Park offers a haven of peace and quiet with an exciting new play park for children and beautifully kept gardens, lawns and wooded areas for the whole family to enjoy. Click here to view the Friends of Pannett Park website."

"Pannett Park, a haven of peace and tranquillity and located close to the centre of Whitby in North Yorkshire, is well worth a visit, whichever season of the year. Excellent for family and nature walks."

"Just behind the North Bay is the fanciful Peasholm Park, designed in an Oriental style in 1912. At that time the park was Scarborough’s venue of choice for extravagant galas and exhibitions, but its glory faded as the century wore on. The park closed in 1999 after its pagoda was damaged by arson, but reopened in the 2000s and is now a treasured part of the resort."

"There is a miniature railway which will take you to Scalby Mills and back with a miniature steam train. A must visit when in Scarborough. Address : North Bay, Scarborough YO12 7TR, United Kingdom"

"Stately homes may be two a penny in England, but you'll have to try pretty damn hard to find one as breathtakingly stately as Castle Howard, a work of theatrical grandeur and audacity set in the rolling Howardian Hills. This is one of the world's most beautiful buildings, instantly recognisable from its starring role in the 1980s TV series Brideshead Revisited and in the 2008 film of the same name (both based on Evelyn Waugh's 1945 novel of nostalgia for the English aristocracy)."

"Standing in the Howardian Hills to the west of Malton, Castle Howard is an outstanding example of English baroque, with a distinctive…"

"One of those things you simply have to do in Whitby is to climb the 199 steps that wind up from Church Lane to St Mary’s Church on the East Cliff. You’ll be treading the same path as the creature “resembling a large dog” that climbed up to the abbey in Dracula. The stairway is vertiginous, but the higher you go, the better the views back over the roofs of the old town and the harbour."

"Climb the 199 steps to the top of East Cliff for views over the town and harbour. At the top you will find the medieval church of St Mary."

"Sealife Sanctuary at North Bay has long been a family favourite attraction housed within three distinct triangular buildings on the resort’s main headland and featuring a mix of indoor and outdoor marine exhibits. See seals, penguins, otters and more and this hands-on interactive underwater world. There’s plenty of opportunity for rock pooling and a host of year round children’s activities and events."

"At the top of those 199 Steps, and before you get to Whitby Abbey, you’ll be confronted by the compact Church of St Mary. The building goes back to a Norman church, consecrated at the start of the 12th century. The tower, choir and parts of the nave all date to that earliest period, and at the transept you can look for the three Gothic lancet windows."

"The 199 steps of Church Stairs lead steeply up from the end of Church St, passing the spooky graveyard of St Mary's Church, a favourite haunt of Goth courting couples. The atmospheric interior of the church is..."

"In the secluded valley of the River Rye about 3 miles west of Helmsley, amid fields and woods loud with birdsong, stand the magnificent ruins of Rievaulx Abbey (ree-voh). The extensive remains give a wonderful sense of the size and complexity of the community that once lived here, and their story is fleshed out in a series of fascinating exhibits in a new museum. There's also a cafe with floor-to-ceiling windows and outdoor terrace from which to gawp at the ruins."

"One of the more beautiful churches in Scarborough, St Martins is filled with gorgeous stained glass windows with designs from celebrated artists including William Morris, Sir Edward Burne-Jones and Dane Gabriel Rosetti."

"One of those things you simply have to do in Whitby is to climb the 199 steps that wind up from Church Lane to St Mary’s Church on the East Cliff. You’ll be treading the same path as the creature “resembling a large dog” that climbed up to the abbey in Dracula. The stairway is vertiginous, but the higher you go, the better the views back over the roofs of the old town and the harbour."

"Climb the 199 steps to the top of East Cliff for views over the town and harbour. At the top you will find the medieval church of St Mary."

"One of the more beautiful churches in Scarborough, St Martins is filled with gorgeous stained glass windows with designs from celebrated artists including William Morris, Sir Edward Burne-Jones and Dane Gabriel Rosetti."

"On West Cliff, overlooking the mouth of the River Esk, is the Whalebone Arch, an archway formed from a set of 20-foot-high whale jaw bones. The arch is a reminder of the role played in Whitby's heritage by the whaling industry in the 18th and 19th centuries. The original arch was erected in 1853."

"Whitby was once a whaling town and the arch made from 2 whale jaw bones is a reminder of its past. The bones that stand there today are not from illegally hunted whales but those from a whale killed legally by Inuits in Alaska."

"Popular coffee house on Wheelgate run by Simon Robertson, a 3 time winner of ‘Barista of the Year’. 16 Wheelgate, Malton YO17 7HP01653 691321www.leonimalton.com"

"24/25 Newborough, Scarborough YO11 1NA EnglandItalian, Pizza, European, GrillLunch, DinnerTakeout, Seating, Street Parking, Highchairs Available, Wheelchair Accessible, Serves Alcohol, Full Bar, Wine and Beer, Accepts Mastercard, Accepts Visa, Cash Only, Free Wifi, Reservations, Accepts Credit Cards, Table Service, BYOB[email protected]+44 1723 507336http://www.pomodoropizzeria.co.uk"

"Situated in a charming Yorkshire inn, The White Swan Restaurant is a lovely place to dine with it's own charcoal oven and an elegant dining room. Open for breakfast, lunch, and dinner, the menu uses locally sourced ingredients to create a variety of British favourites including fish and chips with homemade tartare sauce. For something a little different, opt for the Yorkshire tapas, consisting of a selection of small plates that showcases the region’s most popular cuisine."