After admiring Pickering's ducks we had a look around one of its other attractions - Pickering Castle. The structure was first established under William the Conqueror in 1069-1070, though its stony solidity was only added in the centuries that followed under a succession of rulers. Sadly entry beyond the castle gates was closed at this time of the year.
Maybe next time. Not to be dissuaded by the partial access we got a good look at the curtain wall and its towers. An impressive structure indeed. And damn spooky too, with its filmic crows settling in poses on the stonework that would have had Poe scrabbling for a suitably Gothic phrase.
From our vantage at Pickering Castle we could see the old stream rail track. Making our way back down Debbie spotted a stream train getting ready to depart the station. This railway station has been restored in recent years to what it would have looked like in the 1930s. At the end of the week a special event was being organised with people dressed up in authentic costume, bringing that era back to life for a day at least. The little station has been used many times in television dramas and movies including Sherlock Holmes. Another station along the line was used in the Harry Potter films. The steam locomotive Debbie was snapping was one of only two survivors of its specific type, eleven of which were originally constructed during and in the decade after the First World War. The 18 mile long heritage line is one of the longest working steam locomotive lines in the country, the locomotives now plying their trade thrilling modern day tourists and enthusiasts. Whitby is now included in the connected route and it is hoped that one day the line will reconnect to Scarborough. The original line built in the mid 1850s was responsible for turning Whitby into a town popular with day-trippers and holiday makers.
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