Harvest of 'liquid gold' begins at Wolds Way Lavender near Malton as summer comes to an end

A modified grasscutter means no need for backbreaking work on the five acres of lavender.

Several varieties are grown including English Lavender, “the one with the most medicinal properties of all lavender”, which is being cut throughout August.

The buds are then distilled on site using steam, with wood coppiced locally providing the fuel, before the oil is bottled and sold in the attraction's gift shop.

Sarah and Danny Hall took over the running of the visitor attraction a couple of years ago from Sarah’s parents Steve and Anne Jaques. Mr Jaques, who still lends a hand, said they get just a pint of oil per distillation “but that goes a long way” ending up in products including hand creams, soaps and “calming” room sprays.

He said: “There’s some people who absolutely can’t stand lavender, but fortunately they are very few and far between, and once you’ve used it and seen its benefits, it’s the sort of oil you stick with, and it looks good when it’s in flower.

“One of its unsung properties it how it attracts the birds and the bees. We’ve been doing moth surveys with Butterfly Conservation Yorkshire, and found 80, including two firsts for Yorkshire.”