Cawthorn Roman Camps

The earthworks at Cawthorn tell the story of Roman military occupation in the North York Moors without a single museum building in sight. What you're actually looking at are the remains of three Roman camps, their defensive ditches and ramparts still visible as low ridges and depressions in the moorland just outside Pickering. It's archaeology you can walk around, which is either brilliant or a bit underwhelming depending on your tolerance for imagining what isn't there.

Historically minded visitors will find this genuinely worthwhile - these camps date from around AD 80 and represent the Romans' push into northern Britain. The site layout is still comprehensible if you've got even basic knowledge of Roman fort design. Families with young kids might struggle unless they're keen on spotting earthworks and ramparts; there's no interpretation centre or facilities, just the moorland itself. History enthusiasts, however, will appreciate that you're standing where legionaries actually camped nearly 2,000 years ago.

Access appears to be free and unrestricted - you can visit anytime, really, though spring and summer beat the winter mud. Allow an hour to properly walk the site and take it in. The camps lie within easy striking distance of Pickering, making them a natural addition to a broader moorland exploration. Several caravan parks sit within a few miles - Lakeside, Yorkshire Burrows, and Cliff Farm Holidays are all close enough for a morning visit before moving on to bigger attractions like the North York Moors Railway or coastal runs towards the coast.