Local Area Information

Hackforth is a quiet, rural village in Lower Wensleydale. Rowan House has pretty views to the front, and views across its own paddocks and farmland to the rear. Rowan House is situated within a few hundred yards of Hornby Castle Deer Park; designed in the eighteenth century by a pupil of Capability Brown, it offers visitors opportunities to walk and enjoy spotting Hornby Castle's deer herd. There is a pub in the village - The Greyhound Inn, which serves good food.

The nearest town is Bedale, the "Gateway to the Dales", 4 miles away. There is a market on Tuesdays, and the Market Place has a Co-Op supermarket, banks, pubs, excellent butchers and greengrocers, as well as several pleasant boutiques and gift shops.

History Lovers will enjoy abbeys at Fountains and Jervaulx, as well as Norman castles at Middleham and Richmond (and of course, our local castle at Hornby). Animal lovers will enjoy the horses behind the house, and highly recommended is a trip to Middleham, the "Newmarket of the North", 30 minutes away. Masham is a must; home to Theakston's and Black Sheep Breweries, it is around 20 minutes from Rowan House, and has a beautiful Georgian Market Place with antique shops and art galleries.

Children (and adults) will be thoroughly entertained by The Forbidden Corner - Yorkshire's strangest visitor attraction. Thorp Perrow, with its arboretum, bird of prey, and animal centre is close at hand, and for thrill seekers, Lightwater Valley Theme Park is around half an hour away.

Hackforth is ideally located for touring Herriot Country, and the area boasts many interesting towns, villages, castles, and abbeys, not to mention the walking and cycling opportunities!  Wensleydale and Swaledale are on the doorstep; the Spa Town of Harrogate, the Historic City of York, the Southern Dales and the Lake District within an hour.

Fans of horse racing will enjoy Catterick, Ripon and Thirsk within 30 minutes, and York, Wetherby, Sedgefield & Newcastle within an hour.