The story of Catgill is one of profound diversification and family legacy. Since 2014, husband-and-wife team Oliver and Cat Barker, guided by the wisdom of Oliver’s grandfather Ken, have breathed new life into a 60-year-old North Yorkshire dairy farm whilst also raising a family. The humble beginnings of a simple camping field within the Bolton Abbey estate have flourished to such an extent that the grounds now boast a series of high-end glamping pods. This isn’t really camping – it’s more like staying in your own private boutique lodge whilst still being at one with nature.

The welcome

At the entrance to Catgill Farm is a pair of vintage milk churns sitting on a stand that’s built into the farm’s perimeter wall. Beside them is a sign that pays homage to Ken Barker, the man who worked the land long before ‘glamping’ had even joined the local lexicon (interesting fact – the word didn’t actually make the Oxford English Dictionary until as recently as 2016). A nearby sign invites you to imagine the early mornings and sheer grit required to move milk from udder to community – a grounding reminder that, while you might be there to relax, it’s a land that’s always been defined by honest toil.

We turn into the farm where signage clearly directs us where to check-in. Today, the old milking parlour serves as a sleek reception and, before we know it, we are being transported up the hillside, along with our luggage, to our accommodation. No trudging through muddy fields with a wheelbarrow at Catgill!

The accommodation

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