A little about Silpho and our wonderful corner of the North York Moors National Park…
Silpho - our hidden gem
Silpho is a picturesque hamlet tucked away in the North York Moors National Park. Lorna was lucky enough to be raised here on the small, family farm. Silpho is around 620 feet above seal level and around 4 miles from the beautiful Yorkshire Coast.
We are surrounded by a mix of pasture and arable land, forests and stunning, hidden dales. We are handy for Scarborough (7 miles/15 minutes), Robin Hoods Bay (12 miles/20 minutes) and Whitby (14 miles/20 minutes). Despite this, Silpho feels like a 1000 miles from anywhere and is a lovely place to retreat to.
We are incredibly fortunate to be surrounded by such a variety of landscapes and the beauty of nature. Gentle or more demanding walks can be taken straight from the door. Explore the forest tracks of the Turkey Carpet and Broxa Forest or head down Slaters’ Lane into Lowdales and Whisperdales. We are happy to share our favourite routes and assist with planning.
Road cyclists and gravel/MTB enthusiasts love it too. The “Côte de Silpho” was regularly on the route of the Tour de Yorkshire. Dalby Forest is within easy cycling distance and is Yorkshire’s MTB mecca.
One thing that strikes us and our guests is the wonderful sky. In spring and summer it is filled with Swallows and House Martins during the day and evening. Late evening often gives way to Nightjars, little owls and amazing sunsets. As as darkness falls you will see what it means to be in one of only 21 Dark Sky Reserves, worldwide!
The Environment
Nature, biodiversity and environmental impact are at the heart of what we do. We don’t get everything right but we try hard.
Breaday Gill and Folly Gill form part of a courtyard of traditional farm buildings. In 2007, we began slowly and carefully renovating and converting the buildings in an environmentally conscious way. We adopted technologies, materials and products that are about respecting the buildings, the people who stay in them and the planet. Existing materials were re-used and repurposed. We drove builders and tradesmen mad with unusual products like lime mortars and plasters, sheepswool, hemp and woodfibre insulation and our hate of waste. The district heat and hot water is provided by our biomass boiler and solar thermal panels.
Our small farm is run by Lorna’s father assisted by our youngest son. We try to be good guardians for future generations everywhere. We have planted lots of native trees and this work continues. We have devoted 30% of our arable land to nature through the Countryside Stewardship Scheme. Over the next year we will plant and restore around 500 metres of hedgerows, restore 100 metres of dry stone walls and also plan to restore an historic dew pond. All of these measures are aimed at improving Silpho as a sanctuary for nature; and for our guests and us.
