The first signs of spring in the North York Moors
It was one of those misty mornings last week as we walked down the lane to feed the hens. The sort where the landscape feels wrapped in atmosphere. Because you can’t see quite so far, your other senses seem sharper.
Part way down the lane we heard our first curlew call of the year. It gives us just as much pleasure as the first cuckoo of summer, or the screech of the swifts when they return later in the season.
Living in Appleton-le-Moors in the North York Moors, we notice the seasons changing more than anywhere we’ve lived before. The birds singing at this time of year is unmistakable. Spring is clearly on its way.
A “secret” daffodil walk from Appleton
Then this weekend we walked down to neighbouring Sinnington for the first time this year. Just ten minutes from the Long Barn, the wild daffodils are beginning to flower in the woods, alongside the first primroses and wood anemones.
It’s one of the many walks guests can start straight from the door when staying here.
People come from miles around to see the famous Farndale daffodils and, while the walk there is beautiful, it can become very busy. Having our own “off the beaten track “secret” daffodil walk close to home feels rather special. It’s rare that we see another person along the path.
The stories behind the Farndale daffodils
How the wild daffodils arrived in this part of the North York Moors is still debated.
One story says they were planted by the monks of Rievaulx Abbey to mark routes for travellers making pilgrimages between local places of worship.
Farndale has its own story. Some say the daffodils were planted by Father Postgate, a Catholic priest who secretly served the valley in the mid-1600s.
At a time when Catholic worship had to remain hidden, he travelled the area disguised as a gardener. When the daffodils appeared in flower, local people knew a service would soon take place at the Duffin Stone, a large roadside rock that became their altar.
The details were discreetly passed along the valley. Farmers hung sheets over their walls to signal the day of the service. One sheet meant Monday, two meant Tuesday, and so on.
However the daffodils first appeared, we’re very glad they did.
Other signs of spring around the Long Barn
The wild garlic leaves are also beginning to appear. Now is the perfect time to pick them for cooking. Wild garlic pesto is one of our favourites and keeps well in the fridge.
Moments like this remind us of something guests often mention when they stay at the Long Barn. Being able to step outside and walk straight into the North York Moors countryside. The birds you hear. The wildlife you notice when you slow down.
These small discoveries are often the things people remember most about their time here.
Where to see wild daffodils near Appleton-le-Moors
If you are visiting this part of the North York Moors in spring, there are several beautiful places nearby to see wild daffodils.
Sinnington Woods offer another lesser known local walk, just a short distance from the Long Barn, where daffodils appear among primroses and wood anemones.
Farndale is the best-known place locally for spring daffodils, and its displays attract visitors from far and wide each year.
You can also spot smaller patches of daffodils along woodland edges, hedgerows and village lanes around Appleton-le-Moors as spring gets under way.
Space to slow down
At times like this, when the news rarely brings much calm and the wider world can feel unsettled, places like Appleton-le-Moors take on an even deeper meaning. They offer something simple but increasingly rare. Space to slow down, breathe properly, and reconnect with the gentle rhythm of countryside life
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