Falling Foss: From derelict 18th-century cottage to unique Yorkshire tea garden by a waterfall

There are hundreds of thousands of businesses across the Yorkshire and Humber region - some new and some with incredible histories.

Perhaps one of the most unique catering businesses in Yorkshire, Falling Foss Tea Garden not only has an 18th century cottage, but a waterfall.

Midge Hall is a former gamekeeper's cottage originally built in the 1700's, that had been laying derelict for many years.

Owners Jack and Steph Newman first fell in love with it in 2006 and finally completed the purchase in 2008.

By this time the property had been derelict for over 50 years and the Newman’s took on a huge task renovating Midge Hall.

The Newman’s said: “The restoration was never going to be easy, with limited access, no mains power supply, sewage system or phone line we knew we would have our work cut out.

“Our friends and family all thought we were mad, locals warned us of the swarms of midges and mortgage lenders just laughed at us - it was 2008 after all.”

16 years after the Newman’s took ownership of Midge Hall they’ve transformed it into a home and café.

Perched above the 30-foot tumbling waterfalls, the building offers a stunning view, attracting numerous visitors who often wade in the beck below.

At the café, guests can indulge in homemade cakes and cream teas while children have fun building dens, exploring the fairy dell-themed playground, or playing pooh sticks from the footbridge - complete with sticks provided by the Newmans.

Just a ten-minute walk away lies The Hermitage, a stone-carved cave rich in intriguing history.

The café is only open subject to weather conditions and not through the winter months as the Newman’s were granted a seasonal business licence by the North York Moors National Park in order to protect the tranquillity of the beauty spot.

Another unique quality to the property and how the Newman’s live with their three children is that they get their drinking water from a spring nearby, and have no mains electricity or plumbing.

It has a rating of four and a half stars on Tripadvisor with 927 reviews.