4 Star Yorkshire Cottages
Rated By Visit Britain
Tourist Board

Sleightholmedale Cottages - ideal self catering accommodation for holidays in Yorkshire, in the heart of the North York Moors near Helmsley and Kirkbymoorside.

Diary by Rosanna James

April 2012
Cottages now open for reservations! Stay with us any time between now and the end of the summer for a relaxing break away from the stresses and routine of normal daily life!

25 October 2011
We are closing the cottages after next week until 31 March 2012. The 18 grit heaps on our steep and narrow road have been piled very full, but fingers crossed we won't have to use it all and that we escape the challenging times of the last two winters.

13 June 2011
At last a good rain although the drought here has not been as serious as in the South East. The first swallows have hatched and William and Janet are busy getting two cows and the short horn bull ready for the Ryedale Show.

4 April 2011
We open again this Saturday, Janet Jeffrey and her little team have been spring cleaning everything in the cottages and they look great. There are new items in all the cottages and we are confident they are now more comfortable than ever. Outside, the first trees are showing green, spring flowers and blossoms now enjoying the mild dry weather we have been having (a drought last month - only 0.35 inches of rain in the whole of March). The first of our swallows returned today - always a very welcome sight. We have been to a couple of local pubs for meals in the last few weeks and can strongly recommend the Hare at Scawton, and the pub at Oldstead.

It always surprises me, but again this year, we have vacancies in June, we think this is a perfect month here. Best for the garden, wild flowers in the valley, and birds, obviously it is less crowded too.

26 March 2011
Beautiful spring sunshine, we can hear woodpeckers a lot by day in the woods and owls by night. Spring flowers out in garden, first primroses and wood anenomies by the roadside. Our grandchildren had first game of tennis of the year on our court. Amazingly, during the winter a rabbit had dug a little hole in the (hard) edge of the court.

14 March 2011
Now the wild daffodils are coming out in the valley by the river. My granddaughter and I picked wild garlic yesterday and we made garlic bread - she loved it. Last minute painting and decorating tasks in and around - the cottages - before we open next month.

5th March 2011
We have just put in award winning new flat screen TVs + DVD players in each cottage. Marianne Majerus, who photographed our garden, has won an award as International Garden Photographer of the Year. Some of her photos of our garden have been on display at Wakehurst Place, and at Kew Gardens. They are now at Laycock Abbey. Meanwhile the crocus' and snowdrops look sensational here.

February 2011 - Herons and Snowdrops!
We are busy making everything really smart after such a challenging winter. The underground very fast flowing burst pipe on the cottage driveway was one of the low moments. Now the snowdrops, crocuses and witch hazel are coming out, and the herons on the other side of the river are coming back to start to build their nests.

December 2010 - Snow!
This is our 19th consecutive day of snow cover. After a busy October and November, planting shrubs and doing Autumn jobs in the garden, all outdoor work is now at a standstill except clearing snow, feeding the cows and horses and keeping their water troughs unfrozen. However bookings and our plans for next year are doing well.

October 2010 - Availability For 2011
The Sleightholmedale - holiday cottage availability chart - is now on this website so that you can see how quickly the most popular weeks are booking up for next year. Please book your accommodation as early as possible whilst the cottage of your choice is still available!

September 2010 - Sleightholmedale Heifer Wins Prize!
At the Ryedale Show this summer, one of our young cows won the prize for the Best Home Bred Beef Shorthorn Heifer!.

In the pictures we have Rosanna, Les, Janet and Will holding the cup, and the star of the show - Sleightholme Laurel - with William Senior and William Junior.

July 2010 - Flowers In Abundance!
Exceptional flowering season here making up for the hard winter. Delphiniums, roses, and clematis all looking good. Very good walking on the dry paths and tracks especially in these beautiful still sunny evenings. Our next garden opening is 17 July and 18 July (2pm until 6pm). This garden has been open for the National Gardens Scheme every year since 1947. The original price for entry was 6 pence, now it is £3.50.

June 2010 - Limited Availability Between Now and The End of July!
There is only limited availability over the next few weeks, whilst the gardens and the valley are looking at their very best. Please book as soon as you can to avoid disappointment - Please Click Here To View The Availability Of Accommodation at Sleightholmedale

May 2010 - BBC Gardens Illustrated Magazine Article!
The May issue of the BBC's ever-popular Gardens Illustrated Magazine features 'Yorkshire Moreish', an 8-page article about the beautiful gardens here at - Sleightholmedale Cottages - written by Caroline Beck, with pictures by Jane Sebire.

Please click here for more details about the magazine article

March 2010 - Update
We are being featured in Country Life Magazine (issue 17 March 2010) and you will definitely want to come and stay here if you have read the article and seen the pictures!

March 2010
Hard to believe, but still a pile of snow in the cottage yard! However, crocus' and snow drops have never been better, and the daffodils are on their way! A couple of cancellations means that we have unexpected vacancies for the May half term week.

January 2010
18th January - this is our 31st consecutive day of snow cover! The 18 grit boxes on the bank were all emptied, so that no-one could get here without four wheel drive or a tractor! At least it will be gone by the time our cottage guests start arriving in the Spring!

November 2009:
We have had a very busy year, and now Janet and I are making improvement lists ready for opening at Easter.

September 2009:
New pictures kindly supplied to us by Marianne Majerus and added to the 'Gardens and Grounds' section of our Slide Show Presentation pages. Please note - some of the other pictures in our slide show were taken by other photographers, including Jane Sebire to whom we are very grateful.

August 2009:
We still have some remaining last-minute summertime availability - and since the sun is shining, why not visit us here in the beautiful countryside next week?

July 2009:
There have been some professional photographers staying in our cottages recently, and they promise to provide us with some new images for the website. The shots of the garden were particularly impressive and may well be published in some major nationally circulated magazines soon.

April 2009:
Fine, dry weather as we get ready for opening this Saturday. The wild daffodils along the river are especially good this year. We hear the woodpecker drumming every morning. We look forward to welcoming our visitors back to this beautiful valley.

February 2009:
Nine consecutive days of snow here at Sleightholmedale, either lying on the ground or falling. Only four wheel drive vehicles are able to easily get up or down the bank. A great opportunity for Christmas Card photographs.

December 2008:
Very cold with snow and ice here. Only 4 wheel drive cars could get up the bank this morning, but we have photographed the rare black and white turkeys in the snow on William's shed roof. Maybe our 2010 Christmas Card?

November 2008:
The families who are staying with us for the first week of November are here to ensure that their dogs are in a quiet place for bonfire night.

October 2008:
We have had a very enjoyable sunny half-term week. Three of the six families staying with us have already booked for the same week next year, and two will visit again in May.

Summer 2008

August 2008:
Everyone staying here this week has stayed with us before. The fourth bridge over the river (a moving bridge on chains) is giving much enjoyment.

July 2008
We have enjoyed new visitors for the gardens, and for the cottages, following the Telegraph article and photographs of the garden on June 7th.

June 2008 - Featured in the Telegraph
Sleightholmedale: the moor the merrier
High in North Yorkshire, the gardens of Sleightholmedale refuse to be cowed by the climate, and dance whenever they can. By Stephen Lacey

Read the Full Telegraph article

June 2008
A visitor here last week caught five nice trout in our river. The grey wagtail is feeding young on the buildings.

May 2008
Swallows and house martins are back and building nests. We are very busy in the garden where our visitors are enjoying the white cherry blossom, and ceaseless bird song.

Early 2008

April 2008
Visitors here this week have appreciated the new broadband connection. The recent cold weather has prolonged the daffodil season, the wild daffodils on the river banks seem more prolific than ever this year.

March 2008
There has been virtually no rain in February, so all of the paths are dry - especially good for walking. The herons are back repairing the winter damage to their nests in the heronry well in view across the valley. The earliest daffodils are out, they will be at their best for Easter. We now have a broadband connection point for visitors.

January 2008
This early spring makes it almost a certaintly that the wild daffodils will be out for easter. They are spectacular and unique by the river.

2007

November 1st 2007
We are now closed until March 22nd 2008. The wild daffodils will be out then, surely at the right time for the very early easter.

October 1st 2007
A beautiful still, sunny day. There is an abundance of sloes, blackberries and crab apples in the field hedges, and especially good eating apples in the garden.

We have one vacancy on October 20th, half - term. Why not come here with your dog, to avoid November 5th Fire Works? After that week, we will close until Easter.

September 1st 2007
Still lots of colour the garden in this beautiful still, sunshine. A great number of swallows and house martins have hatched here this year, now swirling round and gathering strength to migrate.

August 1st 2007
At last the sun is shining and the garden is full of bright colours with flowers no longer hanging their heads. The wet ground is drying, hay making has started (should be in June), and our (young) visitors this week have been swimming in the river.

July 1st 2007
We have been lucky, and avoided the heaviest rain, the river has not burst its banks. The standard of pub food goes on getting better around here. We have been to two great new pubs in the last month.

June 1st 2007
Two expert fishermen staying here have caught trout weighing nearly one pound in our river. The kingfisher is feeding their young. The dry fine weather is perfect for walks starting here, no need to use the car.

April 1st 2007
The unbroken dry, warm, still weather is giving much pleasure. the cherry blossom is full out, two pairs of kingfishers are nesting on the river, and the new born lambs have arrived to perfect sunshine.

March 1st 2007
The mornings and evenings are rapidly getting lighter, but we are lucky as it really gets dark in the night here - no sign of distant artificial light. The first daffodils are out and the herons in the trees opposite are nesting.

February 1st 2007
In the garden the Snowdrops and Witchazel are all out, and some daffodil bulbs are well up. The first seven cows have calved, from a total of 37 and the Toulsouse Goose should soon lay its first egg.