Lodges Near Pickering

Steam drifts across the platform, a whistle echoes off the hills and the morning train pulls out towards Goathland. That’s a normal day in Pickering. The old market town sits on the southern edge of the North York Moors National Park, with a Norman castle on the hill, a market that’s traded every Monday since 1201 and Dalby Forest a short drive away. Spend the day out on the heather, then head back to a lakeside cabin with the hot tub already bubbling.

We’ve picked six lodges near Pickering with top guest reviews, from lakeside cabins three minutes from the high street to a sea view getaway on the edge of Scarborough. Every one has hot tubs and welcomes dogs.

Where are the best lodges near Pickering?

Each one is within half an hour by car. Drive times come from our own data, so allow a little longer on summer Saturdays when the A170 fills up with coast traffic.

Pickering Lodges

Driving Distance: About 3 minutes (1.8 miles) | Sleeps: 6 | Hot tubs? Yes | Pet friendly? Yes

You can’t beat the location. Part of the Evermore collection, this property looks out over two quiet lakes just outside town, with French windows opening onto generous decking and long, open views. Inside, it feels stylish and comfortable, more like a holiday house than a cabin.

A glass-fronted restaurant on site means you don’t have to cook every night, and guests rate it 4.7 out of 5.

Snainton Luxury Lodges

Driving Distance: About 15 minutes (8.5 miles) | Sleeps: 4 | Hot tubs? Yes | Pet friendly? Yes

Couples love it.

This small boutique spot in the Autograph collection sits east of town on the Scarborough road. Its log cabins share a tidy cul-de-sac, each with a veranda and its own private hot tub, surrounded by open countryside and the golf course next door. It’s the perfect place for a romantic escape.

Brickyards Lakes Country Park

Driving Distance: About 18 minutes (8.6 miles) | Sleeps: 6 | Hot tubs? Yes | Pet friendly? Yes

Fourteen acres of natural beauty just outside Amotherby, in the heart of Ryedale. Many of the modern cabins sit right by the water behind glass-panelled decking, and you can fish the lakes too. Malton, often called the food capital of Yorkshire, is a short drive south, which makes this a good pick if you’re looking to split your time between moorland walks and the delis.

Yorkshire Spa Retreat

Driving Distance: About 18 minutes (10.9 miles) | Sleeps: 6 | Hot tubs? Yes, selected lodges | Pet friendly? Yes

Rated 4.9 out of 5, this is one of the newest places to stay in the area: a spa resort set in over 11 acres of parkland, part of the Magnificent collection with Hoseasons, providing a relaxing place to unwind for a few days.

The outdoor kit is the thing here. Every one has a Kamado Joe BBQ oven, and some add lit pergolas, outdoor kitchens and high-spec hot tubs. Please note that hot tubs are only available on selected units, so check yours before booking.

Scarborough Lodge Retreat

Driving Distance: About 25 minutes (17.7 miles) | Sleeps: 8 | Hot tubs? Yes | Pet friendly? Yes

Want the beach too? This Evermore spot sits on the edge of Scarborough, reached through its own private entrance with the sea spread out behind it. The accommodation offers roomy living areas and well-equipped kitchens, and the largest sleep eight, so look here for family parties and bigger groups. Guests rate it 4.9 out of 5.

Flaxton Meadows Luxury Lodges

Driving Distance: About 28 minutes (20.3 miles) | Sleeps: 5 | Hot tubs? Yes | Pet friendly? Yes

Another Evermore site, this time south towards York. Cabins wrap around a small lake, each with a big veranda and a private hot tub facing the fields. The location’s handy if you’d like to mix forest days with a trip into the city.

Pickering lodges with hot tubs, side by side

All six have hot tubs and take dogs, so the real differences are size and setting. Sort the table by drive time or by how many people each one sleeps.

If you need more choice for the dog, our dog friendly lodge search has a wider range, and it’s worth checking each one’s rules for dogs when you book.

Sharing a bigger cabin with friends or family is one of the easiest ways to get good value for money, especially with several adults splitting the bill. Pop in your own numbers below.

Things to do on a lodge break in Pickering

The town calls itself the gateway to the national park. It’s a fair claim. Most of these popular attractions are a short drive from wherever you’re located, and a few are a walk from the Market Place.

Ride the steam railway to Goathland and Whitby

Pickering station is the southern end of the North Yorkshire Moors Railway, a 24-mile heritage line that climbs through Newtondale towards the coast. Take a Day Rover and hop off wherever you like.

Where the trains stop

• Levisham, for the walk up to the village pub
• Newtondale Halt, deep in the gorge
• Goathland, which played Hogsmeade in the first Harry Potter film and Aidensfield in ITV’s Heartbeat
• Grosmont, home of the engine sheds
• Whitby, for fish and chips by the harbour

The full line reopened on 1 June 2026 after Bridge 42 at Grosmont was propped up, and permanent repairs are planned for the winter of 2026 to 2027. Shorter journeys started at £11.95 an adult this year, and Kids Go Free offers one child ticket per paying adult on standard services. Check the timetable before you go.

Climb the motte at Pickering Castle

A Norman motte with a stone shell keep, three medieval towers and a chapel full of finds, from arrowheads to manacles. Climb the steps for views across the Vale of Pickering, and you’ll enjoy the whole experience in an hour or two. English Heritage lists it as open daily from 10am to 5pm, and booking online by midnight the day before saves 15%.

Monday market and the medieval wall paintings

Plan a Monday in town. The market fills the Market Place from 9am to 4pm all year round, bank holidays included. A few steps up the hill, the Church of St Peter and St Paul has one of the most complete sets of late medieval wall paintings in Britain, including St George slaying the dragon. They date from around 1450, were whitewashed over at the Reformation and only came back to light in the 1800s.

Down by the beck, Beck Isle Museum holds around 50,000 objects on local life.

Walk, cycle and stargaze in Dalby Forest

Over 8,500 acres of forest a short drive north-east via Thornton-le-Dale, with walking and mountain bike trails, a Gruffalo trail for children, Go Ape in the trees and a visitor centre with two cafés. It’s a Dark Sky Discovery Site too, so on a clear night the stars over your hot tub are something else!

Forestry England charges for parking by the hour, and members don’t pay. Facilities include bike washing, picnic areas and free all-terrain mobility scooter hire.

The Hole of Horcum and Levisham

Drive up the A169 towards Whitby and the ground suddenly drops into the Hole of Horcum, a huge bowl in the heather. From Saltergate there’s a 2.4-mile loop around the rim, or a 5-mile circuit down through the woods along Levisham Brow. Go in late August, when the hillside turns purple.

Dog friendly pubs to finish a walk

• The Horseshoe Inn, Levisham: a village pub with a seasonal menu
• The Fox and Rabbit, Lockton: a scenic walk from the Horseshoe
• The White Swan Inn, in town: a 16th century coaching inn with water bowls in the bar

Thornton-le-Dale and the villages

A couple of miles east, Thornton-le-Dale is about as picturesque as Yorkshire villages get, with a stream running beside the main street, a market cross, old stocks and the thatched Beck Isle cottage that turns up on calendars and jigsaws. Nearby Hutton-le-Hole, to the west, has the open-air Ryedale Folk Museum.

Flamingo Land with the kids

The rides and zoo at Kirby Misperton are a few miles south, with activities for families of all ages, and this year it opened on 21 March and closes for the season on 1 November.

Day trips at a glance

When’s the best time to visit Pickering?

Spring through to October is when everything’s open and the trains run most days. Winter is quiet and cosy, perfect for long soaks under dark skies, but check opening dates first.

What to pack for your lodge break

Moorland weather changes fast, and you’ll want both boots and swimwear.

Where else to stay in the area

The town makes a great base, but it’s worth knowing what else is close. Our Malton lodge guide covers the market town eight miles south, and our Helmsley guide suits you if you’d rather explore the western side of the national park. For the coast, try our Whitby lodges, at the end of the steam line, or browse the Yorkshire Moors and Coast page and the whole of Yorkshire.

Pickering lodge FAQs

Ready to relax, unwind and escape everyday life? Browse all our hot tub breaks, or start a search on Book Holiday Lodge to see what each one has to offer.