The Ridings

The Ridings is a traditional stone cottage built to last, full of original character and set in Thornton le Dale on the edge of the North York Moors. This is a substantial house rather than a cramped retreat – it has four bedrooms spread across two floors, two bathrooms, and enough space for seven people to have their own corners. The ground floor holds a study, living room with woodburner, and dining room; upstairs are the bedrooms, with beds ranging from a day bed to a super kingsize. A working kitchen has a range cooker, dishwasher and the usual essentials for cooking from scratch.

Outside, the enclosed lawned garden is large enough to sit in properly, with furniture and room for a barbecue. Two cars fit on the private drive. Electricity, bed linen and towels come as standard; the heating is gas-fired. One well-behaved pet is welcome. The village itself has a stream running through it and the sort of quiet pace that makes for genuine rest, with walking trails leading out into the surrounding countryside. Pickering, a proper market town with a castle and old coaching inns, lies a couple of miles away. No smoking indoors.