Our Digital Guide: A Little Something to Make Your Stay Perfect
How our guide evolved You know those jobs you’ve circled for a while, and then once you finally finish them you think, “I wish I’d done that sooner?” Well, our digital guest guide was exactly one of those. During lockdown, we finally got around to creating it. Before...
Flower and Produce Show 2025
The Show The summer flower and produce show has been a staple part of British village life since the 18th Century. We’re not sure how long our own local show has been running, but we’ve entered every year since moving to Appleton Le Moors. The 2025 Flower and Produce...
What’s on in August?
So, what's on in August? There is just so much to do this month in the North York Moors. The school holidays are in full flow, and the range of activities is fabulous. The heather is in purple flower, the skies are blue and it's the peak of summer. Our top 3...
Kirkbymoorside: The North Yorkshire Gem You Need to Discover
We think that Kirkbymoorside is one of the best kept secrets in the area. It may not be as showy as Helmsley, nor have the tourist pull of PIckering (with its railway) but it is a lovely welcoming little town. Excitingly, Kirkbymoorside has recently launched its...
July in the North York Moors
July is a beautiful month in the North York Moors. With the heat of recent days, the Long Barn courtyard has been full of butterflies enjoying the nectar. We have even seen our first Hummingbird Hawk moth of the summer. Keep your eyes peeled for then; they really do...
Introducing the Long Barn Bedrooms
An introduction We’ve shown a few people around the Long Barn in recent weeks, and it reminded us how if you don’t know the huge space, it’s difficult to work out what’s where. Especially in terms of bedrooms. We’ve just sent some information to a first-time visiting...
Bracken Bashing in the North York Moors
Ready to Bracken Bash A Taste of Visitor Volunteering Today, we took part in a trial visitor volunteering session with the North York Moors National Park. Currently, volunteering opportunities are typically aimed at local residents who donate their time to support the...
Sizzling Summer BBQs at The Long Barn
What a difference a year makes! This time last year, we were all hoping for summer to arrive. Fast forward to today, and we're basking in 30-degree temperatures and glorious sunshine – it's looking like the first proper heatwave of the year here in the UK! Across the...
Guest Spotlight: Memorable Moments at The Long Barn
Big Birthday Celebrations The Long Barn is renowned for hosting truly memorable celebrations, especially birthdays, which have been incredibly popular this year. Our birthday bunting has been much in use over recent months. We love welcoming guests as they arrive;...
Nature and Wildlife at The Long Barn: Your North York Moors Retreat
One of the greatest pleasures of staying at The Long Barn is immersing yourself in the surrounding nature and wildlife. A recent guest review commented on the abundant birdlife in the surrounding countryside. Recent Sightings and Local Wildlife During a recent North...
June in the North York Moors: Our Top 5 picks of the best events
© Duncan Lomax As June arrives, the North York Moors National Park and its surrounding areas are buzzing with exciting events and activities. Whether you're looking for thrilling sports, cultural celebrations, or a chance to connect with nature, there's so much to...
Celebrations at the Long Barn
Host Unforgettable Celebrations at The Long Barn The Long Barn has been the backdrop for countless joyful occasions since opening our doors. From milestone birthdays (celebrating ages 21 to 90) to wedding anniversaries and lively hen weekends, we've even hosted...
Making memories at the Long Barn
Angela Waites Photography, Angela Waites Photography, Long Barn Angela Waites Photography, Long Barn Professional Photographs by Angela Waites Photography Celebrating a special occasion at the Long Barn? Then, consider capturing those precious moments with some...
Walking Friendly: Explore the North York Moors on Foot
Walk to Ana Cross North York Moors above Lastingham Appleton Le Moors footpath Walking Friendly May is National Walking Month. This annual campaign highlights the fantastic benefits of walking and wheeling for both our physical and mental well-being. Here at The Long...
May at the Long Barn: Your Guide to Spring in the North York Moors
Native Bluebells, Appleton le Moors If you stay at the Long Barn in May, you are in for a treat. May is a wonderful month, and one of our favourites, here in the North York Moors. Woodland Walks in the North York Moors The North York Moors is one of the most...
From mass trespass to National Parks; the UK story
We’ve enjoyed visiting UK National Parks all our lives, but if we’re honest, we’ve taken them for granted.
Family-Friendly Adventures in the North York Moors
Many families, with members ranging from tiny tots to those in their 90s, come to stay with us at the Long Barn. The North York Moors offers a wealth of activities for all ages. We believe that making memories with loved ones is an important part of any getaway. ...
Our small business
A midlife crisis It’s 12 years since what we like to call, our midlife crisis and our escape to the North York Moors. We’re Ian and Jackie, and we decided to swap corporate life for the fresh air and big skies of the North York Moors. We poured every bit of our...
April in the North York Moors: An Artistic Awakening
Forget just daffodils; April in the North York Moors brings a full-blown artistic awakening thanks to the Beacons for the Arts Festival. This newly-formed collective of creative organisations is a beacon, linking arts, nature, and community wellbeing. This month-long...
North York Moors Tips: A Local’s Guide to Sharing with Care
Share with Care We’ve lived in the North York Moors for almost 12 years, and in that time, we’ve learned a lot about how to truly appreciate and care for this special place. Before moving here, we experienced life in suburban areas, cities, and towns. While we always...
The Village Pond and the elusive Turtle Dove
If you’ve stayed at the Long Barn, you probably walked past the site of the original village pond without noticing it. Old photographs of the village show the original village pond opposite the Reading Room at the southern end. The old pond was a historic dew pond,...
5 things our guests love about the Long Barn
We’ve been looking back at guest feedback to see what you like about the Long Barn. It helps us to see what guests love as well as look at anything that we can improve on. From the comments in reviews and in our visitors’ book, these are five things that our guests...
No Short Straw Bedrooms at The Long Barn
Planning a group getaway? We know the struggle! This week, we've been searching for the perfect holiday cottage for our annual college reunion, and it's been a challenge. Finding a place with the right number of bedrooms and bathrooms is just the beginning. Then comes...
Dog-Friendly Holidays at The Long Barn: Explore the North York Moors (and Spoil Your Pup)
Planning a holiday in the North York Moors and want to bring your dog? Look no further! The Long Barn provides dog-friendly accommodation North York Moors that both you and your furry friend will love. The Long Barn welcomes canine companions and offers the perfect...
Dark Skies Festival: 10 Years and Still Shining Bright
The night skies over Appleton Le Moors are truly epic. We’ve written many times about the dark skies we are lucky to live beneath in our village. They blew us away the first time we saw the Milky Way from the Long Barn courtyard. And in the last 12 months, we’ve been...
Our 5 favourite things to do in Whitby
There’s more to Whitby than just fish and chips (although these are pretty delicious – see point 3 below) In fact, it’s a captivating mixture of narrow alleys, quirky shops and old-fashioned seaside fun. Whilst Whitby gets very busy during the school holidays, off...
How we can help you have the perfect stay
It feels like the blink of an eye, and it’s January again. And our annual routine of deep cleans, decorating and maintenance in the Long Barn are in full flow. Along with responding to lots of enquiries about the Long Barn as people start to plan for 2025 and beyond....
Lights, Camera, Action
It may surprise you that the North York Moors is a popular place for movie locations. Here are our top 5. North Yorkshire Moors Railway Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny (2023) There was quite a buzz when a section of track near Grosmont was set up to shoot a...
January Jobs
Making the decision to sell up and set up the Long Barn was the second best decision we’ve ever made. For those of you wondering, our best was to agree to go out for a date together when we met many years ago at Leeds Uni. We feel very lucky to have made these two...
December at the Long Barn
December is a lovely month to stay at the Long Barn and enjoy the Christmas build up in the North York Moors. It’s a great time to escape the at times “manic” nature of the countdown to Christmas and enjoy the simpler things in life. Our five favourite things to do in...
North York Moors Champion
We love living in the North York Moors National Park and want all our guests to experience this wonderful place to its full. Staying self-catering in the Long Barn, means that you can chose exactly where you want to explore and spend your time. But with so much...
Foraging for mushrooms in the North York Moors
We went foraging for the first time for mushrooms this October. It was a perfect option for us. Loving mushrooms, but not feeling confident to pick our own other than the classic puffball which grows round here. We met Justin when he was selling wild mushrooms at...
In the shoes of a self-catering guest
Recently, we’ve stayed in several very different self-catering cottages in Croatia and the UK. Being self-catering guests ourselves, really made us appraise what it’s like to be in the shoes of our guests. Here are three things that have struck us: Finding the perfect...
Our 5 Favourite Villages
We thought we’d feature our 5 favourite villages in this week’s blog. Obviously our very favourite village is Appleton Le Moors, which we’ve blogged about previously. But our challenge in writing this is which ones to choose. There are so many lovely places to visit...
What’s on in October?
Discover a variety of festive events in North York Moors this October, from harvest festivals to spooky Halloween fun for the whole family. Here are some of our favourite things to do this October. Malton Harvest Festival 5th – 6th October is the autumn version of...
Christmas and New Year at the Long Barn
Spending Christmas or New year self-catering away from home is a great solution to organising a family gathering. Especially at this festive time of year. The North York Moors is a wonderful wintery backdrop to a Christmas holiday. We can’t promise snow (although we...
September Wildlife in North York Moors
September is a wonderful month to see the North York Moors wildlife in all its autumn glory. The days may be shortening, but we often have blue skies and sunshine. The leaves begin to hint at the autumn colours to come. And the hedgerows are full of berries and fruit....
Our 5 “must visit” historic sights
The North York Moors is full of wonderful sights to visit. From wonderful views of the spectacular countryside to gorgeous market towns and villages. It’s also an area rich in history. We are spoilt for choice of places to visit, and you’ll find lots of information...
What’s on in September?
September is here, and it’s a beautiful time to visit the North York Moors. Every year, the North York Moors themes September as a mindful month, and signposts to a host of relaxing activities to do. Travel writers and adventurers Fay and Matt Doyle have written a...
Cycling Adventures in the North York Moors
The North York Moors offers incredible cycling adventures for riders of all skill levels, from leisurely family outings to world-class mountain biking. Explore the huge network of downloadable cycling routes spanning the North York Moors and Howardian Hills. There are...