Hi - I'm Maria. Owning and managing High Kingthorpe Lodge gives me the chance to indulge two of my passions: providing others with great, individual experiences and creating unique, stylish interiors which I want guests to fall in love with. I spent most of the national lockdowns renovating the Lodge, installing a new bathroom, laying tiles, upgrading the quality of the beds and bedrooms, and adding a wood burner, new kitchen counters, curtains, pelmets and furniture to the living area. Commanding panoramic views over Newton Dale and the North York Moors Steam Railway, High Kingthorpe Lodge is a boutique-style holiday retreat set in two and a half acres of private woodland. This lovely lodge and its stunning location are a haven of comfort and tranquility and yet only a short trip away from some of North Yorkshire's most popular attractions.

Despite its quiet countryside location, High Kingthorpe Lodge is only three miles north of the bustling market town of Pickering where there are a wide range of shops, cafes, pubs and restaurants, as well as two supermarkets. Three miles to the south east of the lodge is Thornton-Le-Dale, a pretty chocolate box village, lined with limestone cottages and artisanal shops and eateries. Nearer still, about 10 minutes by car, is Dalby, the Great Yorkshire Forest. This 8,000 acre woodland provides extensive walking and cycling trails (including bike hire) for all levels of ability. There is also a Visitors' Centre and cafe, picnic areas, and a Go Ape adventure course. For our guests at High Kingthorpe Lodge, access to Dalby Forest is free of charge. Details are available on request. Further afield, less than a twenty minute drive to the north of the lodge, is Goathland, a secluded Moors village and the site of a spectacular waterfall. Twenty minutes to the south is the town of Malton, known as Yorkshire's food capital where local specialities can be purchased in the farmers' market or in the many high-end restaurants and hotels.

A firm favourite for local holiday-makers is the journey from Pickering to Whitby aboard a steam train which travels through steep sided valleys to the heart of this picturesque fishing village . Alternatively, a trip to Whitby is only forty minutes by car. The direct route from the lodge takes our guests along winding Moor top roads commanding breathtaking views of the surrounding terrain, including the very dramatic Hole of Horcum. Travel forty-five minutes in the opposite direction and you will find yourself in one of Europe's best preserved medieval cities: York. Here there is a wealth of attractions both ancient and modern. It really is a very rich and varied city centre experience and certainly not one to be missed. And that only covers some of the highlights. Within easy reach, there is also Scarborough, Filey, with its beautiful beach, Robin Hood's Bay, Eden Camp (an absolute must for history lovers), Ravenscar, Fountains Abbey, Castle Howard and much, much more.