Height Top Farm Holiday Cottages

11/10/2024

24/07/2024

Looking for breakfast. Please stop eating little birds!

20/07/2024

Rhubarb stripped back to nothing on Wednesday teatime. Two and a half days later.
Am I glad it's contained in a raised bed!

04/06/2024

03/05/2024

A really good walk today. One of my favorites, Feizor to Austwick through the woods and back. Wild primroses,native bluebells, cowslips. Not forgetting The King of the Crag!

19/04/2024

Afternoon coffee at Bowland Forest Farm. Delicious coffee.

15/04/2024

Have you tried the new Bus Service 11 yet? Launched on 8th April, the new service will operate Monday to Saturday, running every two hours between Clitheroe Interchange and Horton in Ribblesdale – connecting with rail services at either end of the route.

Operated by 21 Transport, the new Service 11 Bus is jointly funded by Lancashire County Council, Ribble Valley Borough Council and North Yorkshire Council, providing a welcome boost to public transport to the rural communities on both sides of the Lancashire-Yorkshire Border. For further information and links to timetables visit: https://www.forestofbowland.com/new-bus-service-connects-ribble-valley-forest-bowland-and-yorkshire-dales

15/04/2024

Feizor: a story of a wonder-woman, witches' seats, Wainwright's wish & a wall...Most cars whoosh along the A65 between Long Preston and Clapham with no idea of the delights they're missing at Feizor. It's a small hamlet tucked away down a narrow meandering lane away from the rush of traffic. The lane takes its time curving this way and that, petering out into a track after Feizor as if it just couldn't bear to leave.

You might wonder why Feizor even exists, it's such a tiny place? It's said that it was once owned by the monks of Fountains Abbey and was a stopping point on the packhorse road from York to Lancaster. The approach lane probably isn't much wider now than it ever was, but it doesn't matter: more visitors arrive on foot or bike than car.

Feizor is a tiny place with a higgledy-piggledy selection of cottages and farmsteads, and yet it's held in many hearts as a very special destination. This is partly due to the very scenic paths criss-crossing Feizor and taking walkers on to slightly larger delights such as Austwick. But I suspect one of the main reasons is Elaine's famous Tea Rooms. This was apparently started as something of a hobby and now has grown to fill every spare space of the farm buildings. There's no need for "muddy boots & dogs welcome" signs here - practically every visitor comes with both. "Tea Rooms" is now something of a misnomer since full meals are served, along with drinks and cakes. Food is nutritious, wholesome, home-cooked and plentiful. It's clear that Elaine (she's the wonder woman in this story) expects her customers to make full use of the gorgeous surrounding countryside, marching on their stomachs after a visit to her cafe.

Once you've established that Feizor's main attraction is food, you might be forgiven for wanting to be on your way to explore Giggleswick Scar or admire the views of Pen-y-ghent but there are three small curiosities for you to notice first.

Apparently Wainwright was worried that the old village pump might be removed from Feizor and put in a museum. Forty years on, and it's still there in a garden across the road from Elaine's so do pay brief homage to it.

Next, look up at the roofs of the cottages and see if you can spot one with flagstones sticking out at the side of a chimney. They're called "Witches Seats" and according to local folklore were set there to encourage any flying witches to rest on the warm ledge rather than tormenting the inhabitants.

The third curiosity is about a mile outside Feizor, a few metres from the Pennine Bridleway. You'll have to ask a local to direct you as it's not marked on any maps. The "Celtic Wall" isn't very long - about 20 metres but it's said to be over 2000 years old. It's about 1.5 metres thick, the large limestones rounded and weathered by age. No one knows why it was built although there are suggestions it might have been an ancient defence against raiders or even covered some kind of burial mound.

Have you been to Elaine's? Spotted the pump and witches' seats? or maybe even the Celtic Wall and nearby caves?

19/01/2024

It just had to be done!

17/01/2024

It's so beautiful here, nice covering of snow and blue skies. Snow crisp enough to sledge and ski.🛷🎿

16/01/2024

Beautiful snow day at Height Top Farm Holiday Cottages