Discover Catterick Bridge

When choosing a hotel in Catterick Bridge, you can be guided by the themes that suit your trip: archaeological remains, Roman history, walking trails or getting to Catterick Racecourse. The sights and landscape offer different points of interest. While Pallet Hill and Castle Hills raise questions about castles and their history, Dere Street and Cataractonium lead into the Roman past. By the water, walks and seasonal activities take centre stage.

Castle mounds and fortifications

Pallet Hill is located within the village of Catterick and is designated as a Scheduled Monument. The mound is identified as the motte of a small motte-and-bailey castle. It is also possible that it was adapted from a prehistoric burial mound, known as a round barrow. At Pallet Hill, a specific interpretation as a castle mound sits alongside the possibility of an earlier history.

Castle Hills offers a different perspective on motte-and-bailey castles: it is considered a well-preserved example of this type of castle and is also designated as a Scheduled Monument. The site also includes surviving 20th-century defences for RAF Catterick. Their remains are present both as standing structures and as prominent earthworks. Castle Hills therefore encompasses not only the castle but also a much later military legacy. If you are interested in the history of fortifications, you can compare the two sites based on their different features.

Dere Street and Roman Cataractonium

Catterick lies on the route of the old Roman road Dere Street. At Bainesse, the archaeological site includes a surviving section of this road. Bainesse is also the location of the only pottery kiln definitively identified in the Catterick area. The road and the kiln point to different aspects of the Roman past: the route of a transport link in one case, and a specific find relating to pottery in the other.

Cataractonium is also part of this historical context. The late Roman fort, dating from the 1st century AD, stood on a rise on the south bank of the River Swale. Its position on elevated ground distinguishes it from the surviving road remains at Bainesse. Together, Dere Street, the pottery kiln and Cataractonium offer different points of interest if you are especially interested in Roman history during your trip.

Racecourse and walking route

Catterick Racecourse is located just off the A1 on the outskirts of Catterick Village, about five miles south of Scotch Corner. If approaching from the north or south, you can leave the A1 at Junction 52 and follow the brown signs to the racecourse. This provides a specific landmark for finding your way there.

Catterick Racecourse also lies on the Coast to Coast walking route, on the section between Richmond and Danby Wiske. The road approach and the walking route are different points of reference for planning: the A1 directions describe how to reach the racecourse, while the named section indicates where the walking trail runs. If you include the racecourse or this route in your plans, check the route and travel information relevant to your visit.

Walks and activities by the water

Walks are possible along the River Swale and around the old quarry lakes. Another landscape feature is the Beck, which runs along the edge of Catterick’s Low Green area. The walking opportunities by the river and lakes are distinct from the activities described for the Beck.

In summer, fishing and paddling are among the activities on the Beck; check local conditions before your trip. There are also numerous benches along the Beck, making family picnics possible. When planning, you can therefore distinguish between walks along the River Swale and around the old quarry lakes, and a visit to the Beck for a picnic. The references to fishing and paddling apply to summer, while use of the benches is subject to local conditions.

Discover more destinations: Stearsby, Staithes, Threshfield, Stokesley, Shipton, Escrick, Harrogate, Low Row

For the wider travel overview: North Yorkshire.