20,000-year-old wild swimming hotspot Gormire Lake in the North York Moors National Park for sale for £500,000

A large natural lake in North York Moors National Park and the surrounding woodland area are on sale for around £500,000.
Gormire Lake and the surrounding woodland area is up for saleGormire Lake and the surrounding woodland area is up for sale
Gormire Lake and the surrounding woodland area is up for sale

The 69.7-acre site is nestled between the village of Sutton-under-Whitestonecliffe and the Sutton Bank visitor centre in North Yorkshire

According to the listing, the 16-acre Gormire Lake is surrounded by “attractive broadleaved woodland” that includes birch, sycamore, oak, ash and elm trees.

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Formed more than 20,000 years ago by glacial erosion, it is the fourth largest natural lake in Yorkshire.

Gormire Lake and the surrounding woodland area is up for saleGormire Lake and the surrounding woodland area is up for sale
Gormire Lake and the surrounding woodland area is up for sale

The nation’s most famous vet Alf Wight, who is better known by his pen name James Herriot, once described the view from the slopes of Sutton Bank, which overlooks the lake, as “the finest in England”.Estate agent Savills states: “The lake itself which has a surface area of approximately 16 acres is the setting of several myths and folklore, including rumours that the lake is bottomless (untrue) and that at the bottom of the lake is the entrance to hell (probably untrue).

“What we do know is that the lake has become popular in recent years with wild swimmers as it has no streams feeding it so there is very little current.

“The Times named the lake as one of the 20 best lakes and rivers in Britain for wild swimming. The lake is known to contain a variety of species of coarse fish including sizeable Pike.”

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The buyer will be able to hunt and fish on the site and 114.6 acres of adjoining land, as they will have sporting rights.

They will also be able to drive to the property, via a track which runs from the A170, past Gormire Farm, to a woodland gate.

The guide price for the site, which is around five miles away fromThirsk, is £500,000.

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