Fun Freedom and all Free from Crag House Farm

1. First thing up is a fantastic 40 minute walk to Danby Lodge, the North York Moors National Park information centre. There’s a  scrummy cafe, play areas, shop and a brilliant art gallery too.  You’ll get tons of info about the life and times, activities, places to eat, things to do and see on these magical heather moors that surround us.  It’s jam packed too with info about the Yorkshire coastline, you know not only is it a Heritage Coastline but even better it has National Park status!  Any idea how many of those there are in England?

2.The Classic Pooh Sticks Game. Wander down the gated road from Crag House Farm through our big field and you will soon get to Danby Beck, a tributary of the River Esk that runs into Whitby.  On your way down you can find little sticks, pretty flowers and grass to use as your ‘Pooh Sticks’.  Just drop them in to the water on the up stream side and see whose pops through to the other side first. If you’re playing pooh sticks here you are all winners!

3. The twice daily feed time for the doves at the farm is a great favourite with children and something that a lot of the grown ups enjoy too!

4. Stargazing in this Dark Skies Special Site. There’s 2 suggestions here!  You’ve been busy all day but now you can relax back at home in your lovely barn and look forward to an evening of Stargazing from this Dark Skies Special Site. If you are in Dale View Barn our quirky eco contemporary barn conversion, just lie back on the sofa bed on the green oak gallery and watch the night unfold through the  huge full length roof light.

When did you last have a Midnight feast?  If you are in Beacon View Barn there is no better time than on a bright starry or moon lit night in the North York Moors National Park to strike up the BBQ under the big patio.  Sausages at midnight…now thats what memories are made of!

5. Anyone for Cricket? We have a handy little paddock that Danny keeps mown and ready for you to use, test your cricket prowess or have a game of footie with the children.  Remember you’re in Yorkshire now so if you want to see the local league playing there are lots of mid week and Saturday matches to see up and down the pretty Esk valley villages.

6. We love to fly our guest’s flag. We have had lots of visitors from around the world Australia, America, Belgium, Scotland to name just a few and we have delighted in flying their flag!  We have also been known to play host to Pirates and fly the Jolly Roger aswell as Mr Smiley Face and this North York Moors Sheep in a Pink Jersey!?! Usually we fly the Yorkshire Rose. Tell us what your flag is and we’ll fly it for you.

7. You don’t have to do anything,  just lie in the garden and listen to the Curlew and the Peewits. Incredible!

8. The Yorkshire treat of Heather rolling.  Stroll up the hill side and find the heather clad moorland, then roll in the bouncy sweet smelling deep bed of heather, bet you’ve never done before.  We all have:-)

9. Walking through the bluebell wood. Come and stay in May and we can direct you on a very local lovely bluebell walk through the Greenwood next to Danby church, actually one of our favourites all year round.  We have our own bluebell wood too which is a bit of ancient woodland.

10. Special occasion? Wedding, anniversary, birthday, unbirthday!  To celebrate anything at all and with a certain panache for just £25 you can have the very splendid Danby Beacon Lit.  Dating from the 1600’s this historic and iconic landmark is a little known gem available to all. We can help you organise this, we had the Beacon lit for our youngest son’s wedding  in 2012.  Now I hear you saying “thats not free” but remember you can watch other occasions!  I understand the Queen’s 90th birthday is to be marked this year in April.  You can of course go to the Beacon or watch it from here, well one of the barns is called Beacon View!