Jasmine Holiday Cottage UK - Middleton, Pickering

Middleton/Pickering is an ideal base from which to explore North Yorkshire and all of the varied attractions of the area. It is ideal for those wishing to walk or cycle the North Yorkshire Moors. Pickering is the terminus for the famous North Yorkshire Moors Steam Railway that runs between Pickering and Grosmont via Goathland (famous for the TV series Heartbeat). There are excellent walks and bridleways with many pretty villages such as Rosedale Abbey, Hutton-le-Hole and Egton Bridge. There are many welcoming countryside public houses where liquid refreshment and food can be found. There is a cottage brewery at Cropton serving excellent beer.

For birdwatchers there is Bempton Cliffs, a drive away at Flamborough Head, where the UK's largest breeding colony of seabirds can be observed.

For the golfer there are golf courses at Kirkbymoorside, Malton, Flamborough Head and a championship course at Ganton. There is also a par 3 course at Brigham Park between Pickering and Malton. Courses north of York are also close by. Those interested in fishing are also well catered for.

For younger members of the family requiring roller coaster thrills, there are two theme parks within easy reach, Flamingoland near Pickering and Lightwater Valley near Ripon.

For those preferring stately homes and castles try Castle Howard, Helmsley, Rievaulx Abbey and Pickering, to name a few. The imposing world heritage site, Fountains Abbey, is a car drive away near Ripon. The Rydale Folk Museum is close by in Hutton-le Hole and the Beck Isle Museum of Rural Life is in Pickering. There is also the Modern History Museum at Eden Camp near Malton.

Within easy access of Middleton/Pickering are the coastal resorts of Whitby, Scarborough, Filey and Bridlington. (You should sample the seafood at the world famous Magpie Café in Whitby). There are some lesser-known pretty bays such as Runswick Bay and Robin Hood's Bay. For those preferring towns and cities, York, Harrogate, Ripon and Scarborough are close by. All of this is available in less than 1 hour by car.