Last summer, I was soaking up the sunshine in Ibiza, spending afternoons partying at boho beach clubs and dancing into the early hours. This year, I found myself enjoying early-morning rambles and embracing twilight bedtimes in a cosy cottage in North Yorkshire. Quite the contrast, you could say.
While I loved the high-octane glamour of last summer's party weekend, four days of little sleep and nocturnal nightlife left me feeling depleted. I knew this year I needed a holiday that restored my soul, rather than drained it. I wanted to totally disconnect from the outside world, spend time with loved ones and find joy in simple things like board games and sugary cups of Yorkshire tea.
I found a stay at Lime Kiln Farmhouse, a property on the Castle Howard estate just north of York, to be the perfect tonic in my search for simplicity. And after spending a long, lazy weekend in the sleepy village of Coneysthorpe, my friends and I all agreed it was one of the happiest holidays we'd ever had.
Finding a home from home at Lime Kiln Farmhouse
© Castle HowardNestled within the picturesque grounds of the Castle Howard estate, Lime Kiln Farmhouse is a quaint, three-bedroom stone cottage that offers an inviting gateway into the English countryside.
Walking into the cosy home felt like stepping back in time. With its exposed wooden beams, stone fireplaces, higgledy-piggledy ceilings and antique furniture hailed from Castle Howard itself, the property was the perfect blend of rustic charm and modern luxury.
© Castle HowardWe spent our evenings gathered around the large dining table, savouring homemade, candlelit dinners and playing countless rounds of card games. In the afternoons, we'd sink into the large sofas and soak up the sunlight from large windows, which provided stunning views of the surrounding greenery.
The cul-de-sac in which the farmhouse was situated being lined with storybook-style cottages and postcard-perfect pruned gardens, but we only saw one other local resident during our stay. Despite the quiet, we never felt unwelcome - and agreed the peace was a pleasant change from the constant noise pollution from traffic in London.
While price for stays at Lime Kiln Farmhouse vary throughout the year, reasonable deals can be found outside of peak seasons.
Walking is good for the soul
Each morning, we'd set off from the farmhouse and head on a long walk through the Yorkshire countryside. As five twenty-somethings from London, you can imagine our lack of proper hiking gear and questionable footwear raised some eyebrows amongst local passers by.
In the city, a lack of phone signal instantly makes me irritable. But off-grid, we had no choice but to embrace the remoteness of being in nature. We ran through blooming yellow rapeseed fields, climbed trees and foraged wild elderflowers to make cordial in the evenings.
After each morning ramble, I felt more calm and relaxed than I've ever felt lounging on a sunbed on holiday, and we all agreed our collective brain noise from the London rat race was soon put on mute.
Learning some history
Complimentary tickets to Castle Howard are included as part of every stay at Lime Kiln Farmhouse. One of the highlights of our trip was the opportunity to explore the magnificent estate, which was recently featured in Netflix's Bridgerton.
Just a short walk from the farmhouse, the estate's gardens, lakes, and woodlands are a paradise for nature lovers and history enthusiasts alike. We decided to take a detour through the Howardian Hills and North York Moors to get there, building up our appetite for the indulgent cream tea served with local jam and lashings of clotted cream at the Courtyard Café.
We spent hours wandering through the beautifully landscaped gardens, marvelling at the stunning architecture, and discovering the rich history that permeates every corner of the estate. Inside the Castle was equally spectacular, with staff on every corner ready to share a slice of history for each room.
Getting comfortable with being off-grid
While Lime Kiln Farmhouse has Wi-Fi, there's not a great deal you can do with it. The nearest supermarket (for food deliveries) was an hour walk away, Deliveroo didn't exist, and Uber said it didn't recognise our location. Despite our initial panic when we arrived by taxi from York station - carless - that we had no means of sourcing groceries or getting around, we soon learned to embrace the remoteness of being in the English countryside.
We were forced to totally switch off, be present in the moment, and become acquainted with the local community bus for elderly residents - a combination that made for an unforgettable trip.
In future, I'll be sure to consider a UK-based trip before instantly rushing to get away. The slower pace of simply being somewhere else was just as fulfilling as any holiday I've been on abroad. A natural, stress-busting remedy indeed.
