Kingfisher

The highlights

• This barn has been expertly converted to create a luxurious holiday home while retaining plenty of the building’s features and character. You’ll find exposed beams, high vaulted ceilings and sections of exposed brickwork throughout the house.
• The large, open-plan kitchen and dining area is perfect for entertaining before snuggling up in front of the fire in the sitting room.
• Outside, there’s a large, south-facing courtyard garden with a hot tub where you can enjoy afternoons in the sunshine with a BBQ on the go.
• A games room opens out onto the garden with a pool table, a bar and a section of glass floor which reveals the stream flowing beneath the building.
• There’s plenty of exploring to do in the area, from visiting historic market towns and castles to long walks in the Yorkshire Dales.

You should know

• Due to the rural location, getting out and about is easiest by car and you’ll find plenty of parking on the driveway at Kingfisher.

The detail

Tucked away in the rolling countryside of North Yorkshire, this beautifully converted barn offers a peaceful escape for families and groups of friends. Inside, you’ll find large contemporary, open-plan living spaces, perfect for entertaining, while outside, the secluded south-facing garden is a real sun trap. After long walks in the Yorkshire Dales or an afternoon exploring the charming market towns nearby, put your feet up in front of a roaring fire or relax in the hot tub as the sun sets over the surrounding fields.

Step inside and you’ll find this beautiful stone building has retained much of its original charm with the exposed beams and high, vaulted ceilings on display. Big arched windows flood the interior with natural light and each of the rooms is decorated and furnished in a contemporary style. The open-plan kitchen and dining room is the social hub of the house with plenty of space for everyone to get stuck in with the dinner preparations and underfloor heating to keep you toasty whatever the weather. There’s also a cosy seating area at the other end of the room which is a lovely spot to curl up with a book or a good film on the smart TV.

There’s a larger sitting room to the other side of the entrance hall where you’ll find a huge L-shaped sofa in front of a beautiful stone fireplace with a log burner. There’s another TV for movie nights or you could challenge the family to a board game or two after dinner. When it’s time for bed, there are four bedrooms to choose from, all beautifully furnished. Two double ensuite rooms show off the barn’s brickwork framing big windows overlooking the courtyard. The other two bedrooms can be set up with king size beds or twin singles, have lovely panelled walls and views over the surrounding fields. There’s a large bathroom with a bath and a separate shower as well as an additional wet room with a shower.

On warmer days, make the most of the outdoors in the large courtyard garden. A stream flows gently by and you can sit out in the sunshine as lunch sizzles away on the BBQ. Through a set of bi-fold doors, you’ll find a games room with a pool table and its own bar. A section of glass floor shows the stream flowing under this part of the barn. As evening draws in, make yourself a cocktail at the bar and perhaps go for a dip in the hot tub.

You’ll find Kingfisher off a quiet country lane nestled between the villages of East Layton and West Layton and near the bustling market town of Richmond. Stock up on supplies at the family-run Mainsgill Farm Shop just down the road, where you’ll find an award-winning butcher, delicatessen and bakery. Head into Richmond to do a bit of exploring and Barnard Castle is also nearby, another market town which is built around a medieval castle ruin. The Yorkshire Dales are a short drive and offer plenty of fantastic walking and cycling routes and some spectacular scenery.

Features

Essential