4 Smiddy Hill

Pickering sits on the edge of the North York Moors, close enough to walk into the national park but anchored in a proper market town with tea shops, pubs and independent shops around the green. The steam railway that runs heritage trains through the valleys starts here. The coast at Whitby is under an hour's drive away. 4 Smiddy Hill, a Grade II-listed cottage dating back over 200 years, puts you in the centre of it all—literally beside the town green, with the main street on your doorstep.

The cottage spreads across four floors. Ground level has a dining room and kitchen fitted with an electric oven, gas hob, dishwasher and fridge, plus a separate toilet and doors opening onto a small enclosed courtyard with garden furniture. The first floor holds a sitting room with two sofas, a feature fireplace and a television, alongside a bathroom with bath and shower. Two bedrooms are on the top floor: one with a super king bed, the other with two singles. Below ground is a games room stocked with toys, books and a Wii console—useful if the weather turns. Essentials like heating, electricity, bed linen, towels and wifi are covered; there's also a welcome pack when you arrive.

On-road parking is available, and the whole place is yours alone. No smoking inside. It suits families, couples or friends exploring the moors or the coast, and anyone who wants to be in town rather than tucked away in the countryside.