Farm of the Week: Renaissance for farm in tourist trap

Just a few years ago the farm was in a bad state of repair with the buildings either derelict or in need of refurbishment.

However, the farm has now been restored into a thriving cattle and horses farm, with successful holiday accommodations also based on the site.

The farm is owned by Julian and Sallie Lloyd, who moved to the area in 2005 in order to be closer to their family.

Her daughter, Helen, and son-in-law, Michael Herrington, also live on the farm, staying in a converted former cattle shed which is now a small chalet.

The former cattle sheds have also been converted into bed and breakfast accommodation while the old farm house itself has been made up into a holiday cottage for families to stay in.

Mr and Mrs Lloyd themselves live in a converted farm building, from which they run the whole operation.

Originally from the Nottinghamshire area, they decided to take on Garbutt Farm for its opportunities and location. Based at Cold Kirby, near Sutton Bank in North Yorkshire, the farm is located in what the family call “splendid but accessible isolation”. Just a few minutes from the village and accessible directly from the main road, the farm is quiet and peaceful.

“We decided to find a place that would take into account everything we wanted to do,” Mrs Lloyd said.

The farm is 75 acres in total and located close to the Cleveland Way, meaning its accommodation is of great interest for walkers.

In addition, Garbutt Farm hosts a small herd of Old English Longhorn cattle and an equine business in which budding racehorses are housed.

The whole enterprise is still in its infancy but marks a striking development from what the farm was.

The Lloyds moved to the site when it was an old farmstead. Back then it included an old farmhouse in need of refurbishing and a range of traditional outbuildings.

These old sheds were converted into the modern holiday cottages before the old farmhouse was renovated.

Included in the work was under floor heating and the use of a ground source heat pump.

The latter is one of a number of ecological improvements the family have carried out onsite, with rainwater also being harvested on the farm and used for the toilets for the holiday accommodation.

Also under consideration is the installation of a wind turbine in an attempt to be as sustainable as possible.

The farm uses a clever system to use the ground to heat the water before bringing it in for use.

“Our water supply only comes as far as across the road so we have to pump it up to here,” said Mrs Lloyd.

The planning work and sourcing of the site was carried out by Yorkshire-based Carter Jonas.

The beef cattle the farm is home to came in very much as an afterthought with the Lloyds initially planning to focus purely on horses.

The herd is currently relatively small and comprises of a bull, six cows and eight youngsters. Some of the meat is sold directly from the farmgate or via the local news- letter.

The farm was arable originally and the animals today live off of grass.

Mrs Lloyd said: “We grow all our own feed, they’re very interesting animals. The bull in particular is great. We are producing about six calves a year.”

Mr Lloyd works during the week in London for insurance firm Hiscox where he deals with thoroughbred blood stock.

The site itself sits 1,000 feet above sea level on the edge of Sutton Bank and adjacent to the National Park Visitor Centre, meaning that anyone staying at the holiday accommodation is afforded some dramatic views and scenery. “It is improving every year. It has helped us having a website.”

Visitors to the accommodation are primarily walkers on the Cleveland Way, but also enthusiasts for local car rally and cycling events.

The farm is close to Cleve Dyke and the old Hambleton Race Course. The racecourse, based next door to Garbutt Farm, was historically the site of a dummy airfield used during the Second World War in order to fool the German Luftwaffe into bombing it instead of genuine targets.

They are also able to experience the great deal of wildlife in the area, including stoats and weasels.

Mrs Lloyd even saw one which had turned white during the snowy period.

The harsh weather seen in recent weeks predictably affected the farm but work carried on as usual despite the freezing conditions.

The efforts of another local farmer, paid by the council to clear roads, meant they did not become cut off.

Guests also stayed throughout the Christmas period, with the bad weather not proving to be too damaging to business.

Mrs Lloyd has experience in the hospitality industry having run hotels and is also a trained chef. Today, their accommodation has a three star rating from the Visit Britain website.

Elsewhere, Mr and Mrs Herrington have full control of the farm’s equestrian business. Both have a full trainer’s licence and are now operating under the banner of Michael Herrington Racehorses. Although too small a holding to operate its own gallops, an adjacent farm at the top of Sutton Bank has been letting the couple use their site.

Planning permission again had to be obtained to convert the modern buildings to livery use and to erect new stables. In terms of horses on site – there are 14 in yard, seven in training and there are also brood mares there now as well.

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