Behind the Scenes
We get lots of comments whenever we post anything about behind the scenes on social media. So, we thought we’d let you see behind the scenes on a changeover day at the Long Barn. As you can imagine, turning round a large self-catering barn for 14 people is quite some...
Something for every generation
We have lots of families staying with us especially grandparents, their grown-up children and grandchildren. Self-catering in the luxury of the Long Barn is perfect for all ages. There is plenty of space for everyone to have fun and relax in. The West Barn is a great...
What to do on a wet day
The good news is that the North York Moors is one of the driest of Britain's uplands owing to our easterly position. However, when the clouds gather, and the rain arrives there are plenty of things to do when on holiday self catering in the Long Barn. Here are some...
Indulgent Dining “in”
There have been so many big birthdays being celebrated this year at the Long Barn. So, we thought we’d suggest a few ideas on ways you can indulge yourself when dining in. Self-catering doesn’t mean that you must do it all. We have some fantastic local catering...
Long Barn Sustainability
Living closer to nature than we ever have before has made us think more about how we can be more sustainable. There's been real change in the climate since we moved to Appleton. Wetter and wetter winters and springs, followed by drier summers. This year, the local...
May in the North York Moors
We think that May is possibly one of our favourite months. It looks like lots of guests agree with us, as we are booked every single night in May. So, a busy month ahead. May is the month for hawthorn blossom. Along with all the hedgerows in bloom, the common from the...
A Taste of North York Moors
If you’ve stayed at the Long Barn, followed us on social media or get our monthly newsletter, you’ll know that we love our food. And also that we love supporting our local passionate chefs, producers, farmers’ markets, food experiences (and cake…) The North York Moors...
Share with Care
Share with Care We’ve lived in the North York Moors for almost 11 years. Before then we’ve lived in suburban areas as well as cities and towns. We loved the countryside for weekend walks but living in it has given us a different perspective. It's made us appreciate...
Why the Long Barn is great for your family gathering
When we decided to renovate Town End Farm and set up the Long Barn as a holiday let we knew the space would be perfect for big family gatherings. Now, almost 11 years later, we think it's the perfect spot for all sorts of get-togethers, thanks to how it's set up and...
April in the North York Moors
April is a lovely month to spend in the North York Moors. It really feels as if the countryside is coming alive with bird song and wildlife. The blackthorn is flowering; look out for it’s white frothy blossom in the woods and hedgerows. Make a mental note, as that’s...
Easter Activities
Easter Activities The last few days have felt like spring. Hurrah! That said, we can’t quite believe that it is Easter this weekend. Easter is a lovely time to visit the Long Barn. We tend to book up quickly so if you are interested in staying for Easter in 2025,...
FAQ about the Long Barn Bedrooms
We have recently blogged about guest FAQ before they book and also about the FAQ many ask after they’ve stayed with us. A recent query from a guest visiting us for the first time reminded us that some guests ask questions about the individual bedrooms. So we thought...
Beware all vampires
Spring heralds the arrival of wild garlic in the woods near Town End Farm and gets us thinking about delicious things to make with it. The weather has been pretty grey and wet here (as everywhere) so we have to admit that we are yet to do a foraging run. But we know...
Celebrations at the Long Barn
We appreciate that it’s stressful enough organising a gathering of 14 people. If it’s for a special celebration, that goes up another few notches. If you stay at the Long Barn, we are here to help you organise the perfect celebration and take the stress out of it all....
What’s on in March
March is the time of year when it feels as if everything is starting to wake up from the colder winter months. The appearance of wild daffodils in the North York Moors, really does herald the start of Spring. Depending on the weather, they are usually in bloom from...
Appleton Sheep
The sheep which roam on the common and through the village are one of the things that many of our guests love when they stay at the Long Barn. When the ewes gather on the road over the common into Appleton, they force everyone to slow down and drive at a slightly...
Questions our guests ask after they’ve stayed
Obviously, the best question a guest can ask is “can I book again” when they’ve stayed with us. We’re really proud that well over half our bookings are from repeat guests. With many more bookings coming from guest’s who’ve then recommended us to their friends and...
Arts and Culture in the North York Moors
Spectacular scenery, wonderful coastline, a heritage railway, fabulous restaurants, pubs and cafew. The list of reasons to visit the North York Moors goes on and on. But did you know that we also have vibrant arts and culture scene? The beauty of the North York Moors...
Five Tips when booking a self catering cottage
It’s the time of year when many of us start planning for the year ahead. It’s always good to have something to look forward to in the cold and dark winter months. It’s clear from our bookings that lots of people are planning ahead earlier than ever before. We have our...
FAQ’s
We're always happy to answer any guest questions; we appreciate that you want to make sure that your stay with us is perfect. So please do contact us anytime with any question, and we'll do our best to answer it asap. With lots of enquiries and bookings over recent...
Why you’ll feel at home in the Long Barn
When renovating Town End Farm and setting up the Long Barn, we tried to put ourselves in the shoes of our future guests. We thought long and hard about what we thought people would need and picked the brains of lots of friends and family. We’ve just come back from our...
Our Top 10 things to do in October
October is a wonderful time to visit the Long Barn. The popular spots are quieter, the leaves are changing colour and there's still lots to see and to. Here are our top ten suggestions of things to do in October: 1. Enjoy the Dark Skies of the North York Moors...
What’s on in October
It really does feel like Autumn is here. The leaves are turning colour, the nights are lengthening, and we’re getting some lovely days of blue skies and autumnal sunshine. Pumpkin patches are springing up everywhere along with lots of Halloween activity. Here are our...
The new Farndale Store
The Farndale Store opened in July this year to much excitement. Over 20 years ago, there was a village shop in Low Mill, and so it’s long-awaited return has been very welcome. Low Mill is just over a 15 minutes’ drive from the Long Barn, through some absolutely...
Scrumptious Deli & Simply Delicious Catering
We are always on the look out for different catering options for guests to give you as much choice as possible. We already recommend Dan At the Dinner Party, Kate Orr, and Sophie at Malton Relish. We are pleased to add to our recommendations, Simply Delicious who...
Reflexology with Sam
We are always on the look out for new services and activities for guests staying in the Long Barn. And we’re delighted to introduce you to Sam who lives on the doorstep. Sam lives in Appleton; in fact if you look left as you drive into the village, her horses are...
Mindful September in the North York Moors
September often feels like a month to take stock and start anew. A good excuse to breath and reboot as autumn is welcomed in. Every September, the North York Moors get together with local businesses to create a month-long mindfulness themed events programme. The aim...
Our Favourite Autumn Walks
1st September is officially the first day of Autumn if you follow the meteorological calendar. If you follow the astrological calendar, it’s 23rd September. Given the summer we’ve had, we’re hoping for an Indian summer in September. Whoever you follow, September is a...
The ultimate cook’s packing list
Everyone who know us well, knows that we love cooking and are self-confessed foodies. We’ve stayed away in many self-catering cottages over the years and were determined to make sure that the Long Barn had everything and more. We were the people who packed our own...
Flower and Produce Show
Last weekend was one of the most anticipated events in the village calendar; the annual Flower and Produce Show. It is held in Appleton's village hall and is open to residents from our village along with those from Lastingham, Spaunton, and Hutton Le Hole. We know we...
What’s on in August
It feels as if everything steps up another gear in August with masses on all over the North York Moors and at the coast. During the school holidays, there are lots of activities for children run at the visitor centres in Sutton Bank and Danby. It’s also a wonderful...
Things to do when it rains
When we have so much beautiful green countryside, you have to take it on the chin that it will sometimes rain. We can’t promise wall to wall sunshine and blue skies. But we can promise that you won’t run out of things to do in the Long Barn and in the North York Moors...
Being Sustainable
We are privileged to live in the North York Moors National Park. Living and supporting sustainable tourism in the local area is very important to us. We are constantly reviewing what we do and how we can be more sustainable, whilst providing a high-quality guest...
5 pubs, 2 cafés and an ice cream shop
We have always loved a good circular walk, especially one with a pub part way round. By happy serendipity, the Long Barn is well positioned with beautiful walks from the door all which can involve a visit to a pub, café or ice cream shops. Here is our round up of...
The Coast – 6 reasons to visit
The North York Moors is stunning and known for its breathtaking landscapes, charming villages, and historic sites. Its rolling hills and picturesque countryside often steal the spotlight. Look east and you’ll find that its coast is equally enticing. Offering a unique...
Self-catering breakfast for a large group
We’ve cooked a fair few breakfast over the years, and appreciate it can be daunting scaling up a breakfast for a large group. Especially if you are staying away with 14 people in the Long Barn. Here are our 10 tips for making it as stress free as possible: 1. Plan...
What’s on in July
As we head into the summer, and the school holidays, there is more and more to do in the North York Moors. Here’s our round up of the best events in July. The summer months are full of local events and activities, especially as the schools break up for the summer...
The West Barn
We first blogged about the West Barn in 2020, describing it as the “best kept secret” of the Long Barn. We believe it was built before the Long Barn. If you look up at the beams you can see that some are reclaimed beams from even older buildings. If you book the Long...
What’s on in June
We thought we’d do a round up of what’s on in the remainder of June in the North York Moors. At the moment the weather is spectacular, and fingers crossed with be beautiful for some time to come. So this blog is being written in the garden, soaking up the rays. We...
D Day – 10 years on
6 June 2013 marks a special date for us. It’s the day that we packed up all our worldly goods. The day we headed over to Appleton Le Moors and moved into Town End Farm. After 20 years living in Harrogate, and 30+ years working in the corporate world, it was the start...