Harelands Farm

Easy to get to, easy to explore from and easy to enjoy – Harelands Farm is a large holiday home that seems to make everything easy. A four-bedroomed property not far from Scotch Corner in glorious countryside, it’s just 10 minutes’ drive from Barnard Castle and 20 minutes from Richmond, on the edge of the Yorkshire Dales. To top it all off, it boasts comfy bedrooms, lovely open-plan living areas and plenty of outdoor space, and it has a games room with a bar, a hot tub and its own fishing lake to boot!

Anyone could enjoy Harelands but it’s family groups who might make the most of its ample facilities. Kids can run about in the gardens while adults relax with a glass of wine on the terrace taking in the lake view. When it gets dark, move into the games room for a table football competition or simply retire to the living room where you can watch a film of your choice on the Smart TV – one of the mod cons that might surprise you at this farmhouse property. Others are WiFi throughout, electric car charging and underfloor heating to keep things toasty and warm. That, along with the log burner, helps make this place as good for winter stays as in other seasons.

The farmhouse kitchen, with its connected dining room and sociable breakfast bar help with the all-season appeal of the place too. Upstairs, all four bedrooms have views of the garden as well as zip-and-link beds, which means you can configure things to suit you. However, when it comes to the master bedroom, trust us, you won’t want to change a thing: while all bedrooms have quality linen and a warm, high-spec finish, this one has even more of a hotel feel thanks to a balcony and a super-spacious bathroom with both a roll-top bath and a walk-in shower.

There’s plenty to do on a holiday in North Yorkshire and many of the county’s highlights are within easy reach. Zip along the nearby A66 to Bowes, Barnard Castle and villages in the Yorkshire Dales National Park, or head south to visit Richmond with its Norman Castle and riverside setting.