Follifoot

Follifoot makes a peaceful base for exploring this corner of North Yorkshire, with Harrogate and Knaresborough both within a few miles and the Rudding Park estate on the village's doorstep. Rudding Park itself offers a country house hotel and spa within the grounds of the historic estate, giving visitors the chance to stay surrounded by the same parkland that has shaped the village for over two centuries. Its golf course and kitchen garden add extra reasons to linger beyond a single night.

Beyond the estate, Harrogate provides a wider spread of accommodation, from traditional guest houses to larger hotels near the town centre, putting visitors within easy reach of the Turkish Baths, the Valley Gardens and Harrogate's well-regarded restaurant scene. Knaresborough, with its castle ruins above the River Nidd and its collection of independent shops and cafes, is a similarly short drive and makes a good alternative base for those who prefer a livelier riverside town.

Whichever base is chosen, the surrounding countryside of rolling farmland and parkland is best explored slowly, whether on foot along the lanes around Follifoot or by car taking in the wider loop between Harrogate, Knaresborough and Wetherby. Booking ahead is worth doing, particularly around Rudding Park's popular winter light trail and during the Harrogate area's busier summer weekends.

Follifoot's setting between Harrogate and Knaresborough means visitors have two well-known Yorkshire towns, plus the Rudding Park estate itself, within very easy reach.

• Rudding Park Estate - the historic house and grounds at the top of the village, now home to a hotel, spa, golf course and kitchen garden that supplies its Horto restaurant.
• RHS Garden Harlow Carr - a 58-acre Royal Horticultural Society garden on the edge of Harrogate, with woodland, streamside walks and seasonal floral displays.
• Harrogate Turkish Baths - a beautifully preserved Victorian Turkish bath dating from 1897, with Moorish-style mosaics and steam rooms still in everyday use.
• Knaresborough Castle - the ruins of a former royal stronghold set high above the River Nidd, a short drive from Follifoot.
• Mother Shipton's Cave - England's oldest tourist attraction, in Knaresborough, tied to the legend of the 15th-century prophetess and including a petrifying well.
• Stockeld Park - a family-friendly estate near Spofforth with woodland activities and seasonal events, a few miles from the village.

Rudding Park's own restaurants, including the spa-side Horto, draw on produce grown in the estate's kitchen garden. The Deer House family pub near the estate is a popular stop for a casual meal with outdoor seating. For a wider choice of cafes, pubs and restaurants, Harrogate town centre is only a short drive away and offers everything from traditional Yorkshire tea rooms to contemporary dining.

Camping around Follifoot means making the most of the rolling countryside that surrounds this small North Yorkshire village, rather than pitching in the village itself, which has no public campsite of its own. As with everywhere else in England, wild camping without the landowner's permission is not legal here, so it is worth sticking to licensed sites in the surrounding area, several of which sit within easy striking distance of both Harrogate and Knaresborough.

The Rudding Park estate, which rises above Follifoot at the top of the village, runs its own holiday park within the grounds, offering a more managed and comfortable alternative to a traditional tent pitch, with lodges and touring options set among mature parkland trees. For those wanting a more classic camping experience, further sites can be found dotted around the wider Harrogate district, typically offering grass touring pitches with the gentle, well-drained countryside of the Nidd valley as a backdrop rather than anything more rugged.

Spring through early autumn is generally the most comfortable season for camping in this part of Yorkshire, when the farmland and parkland around Follifoot are at their greenest and evenings are long enough for a walk before dark. Winter camping is possible but the North Yorkshire weather can turn cold and wet with little warning, so it suits only those with well-equipped kit or a static or glamping option with proper heating.

Glamping has grown steadily in popularity across this part of Yorkshire, and the area around Harrogate and Knaresborough now has a reasonable spread of yurts, pods and safari tents aimed at visitors who want a countryside stay without the full demands of a tent. These tend to book up quickly for weekends in the warmer months, so planning ahead is worthwhile if a specific site or date matters.