The Vale of Pickering

The Vale of Pickering

The Vale of Pickering is a broad valley which lies between the southern edge of the North York Moors, the Howardian Hills and the Yorkshire Wolds.

Towns and villages in the Vale of Pickering include Helmsley, Pickering itself, and Malton.

The western end of the Vale of Pickering is also sometimes referred to as being part of Ryedale, (though this part of the valley is more of a broad plain than a "dale" in the traditional sense of the word), while part of the eastern end (towards Scarborough) is known as "The Carrs".

Interestingly while the River Rye flows eastwards in the western end of the vale, the River Derwent (which meets the Rye between Pickering and Malton) and further upstream the River Hertford actually flow westwards (i.e. away from the sea. This is believed to be because during the last Ice Age the North Sea was actually blocked with ice, forcing meltwaters to flow in channels away from the nearest part of what is now the Yorkshire Coast and round in to the Vale of York to the Humber Estuary instead.


North York Moors - Home

The North York Moors website is designed, maintained and promoted by
Eagle Intermedia Publishing Ltd.

Gift Ideas