Horse Riding Stays: Thirsk (2023)

In the heart of Herriot country, England, near the village of Borrowby and on the edge of the North Yorks Moors National Park, Woundales Farmstay is a warm, friendly, perfectly relaxing B&B farmstay, with a beautifully maintained farmhouse and a farm with horses, ponies and a herd of rare dexter cattle. The Accommodation: The rooms are stylish and luxurious, with private bathroom, flat screen TV, ipod docking station, WiFi and a nespresso coffee maker. There is a sitting and dining room at the property too where the hospitable owners serve up a generous breakfast every morning. You will have plenty of choice at breakfast time; from the traditional Yorkshire breakfast, to such things as smoked salmon, various yoghurts, cereals, homemade jams, fruit and croissants, and all the ingredients are locally sourced as much as possible. With a bit of advance notice you can also arrange a fine three course evening meal at the farmhouse too. The Farm: The farm is classic Yorkshire meadow and pasture land familiar to any fans of the James Herriot TV series All Creatures Great and Small. They have horses and ponies on the farm plus an interesting herd of cattle; dexter cattle, a somewhat rare breed that is said to be the world’s smallest. The Location: Sitting at the edge of the Woundale valley, near Thursk (the site of James Herriot’s old veterinary office), the farmstay has views over to the North York Moors and an atmosphere of peace and tranquility. It’s still only minutes from the the A1 and A19 though, so access is easy. The area is full of the past and there are many historic houses and an abundance of other sights around; The old ruins of Mount Grace Priory, the picturesque Benningborough Hall and Gardens or Byland Abbey are all worth a look for example and there are plenty more, the farm owners will be happy to offer recommendations. There are many very scenic hiking and cycling routes around too; The Cleveland Way and The Wolds Way are close by for example, and you can arrange bicycle rental from the farm, as well as horse riding excursions. WHAT OTHER GUESTS SAY: “There READ MORE