Sometimes you don't need to travel far to escape reality, and Bolton Abbey is the ideal spot to pack your bags to for a little R&R.
Set just an hour from Leeds city centre on the corner of the Yorkshire Dales National Park, Bolton Abbey is where suburban Leeds meets the countryside - and it's truly stunning.
Spend days wandering through greenery or explore the Dales' quaint pubs and cafes before putting your head down at one of the most luxurious staycation options around.
Hailed by The Telegraph and Red Bull as one of Britain's coolest camping spots, Catgill Farm is host to bell tents and timber pods, as well as plenty of camping space for you to pitch up and take in the panoramic views of the Yorkshire Dales as the sun goes down.
The Timber Pods can sleep up to six, and come complete with a hot tub on a private patio, as well as a fire pit, pizza oven and fully equipped kitchen space.
Image: Catgill Farm
The spot has been racking up some serious views on TikTok too, and it's not difficult to see why. Exploring the site, you'll walk through crisp green spaces and wind your way between trees to find your chosen pod. Showing off impressive amenities like innovative pizza oven, slotted inside the fire pit and cosy deckchairs to watch the sunset on, these pods are bursting with character.
Now we all know that British weather can be temperamental (to say the least), so these pods are fully insulated with built in central heating - and if all else fails and it's blowing a gale outside, there's cosy blankets and hot chocolate so you can log into your Netflix account and swap a day out for a date night in.
Image: Catgill Farm
Prices start at £195 per night for two adults, but there's also an impressive selection of bell tents to choose from too, priced from £165 each.
These come with private patios with hot tubs and fire pits but come with yurt-style sleeping arrangements.
For the full spa home-away-from-home experience, you can add on a spa package, which gives customers luxury robes and slippers; a bottle of Prosecco with ice bucket; chocolate truffles; fairy lights and skincare products like a Sanctuary face mask and moisturiser, as well as an orange and sugar body scrub.
Go behind the doors of this truly beautiful house on the market in the leafy suburb of Horsforth.
Now this one really is a thing of beauty.
Located on Scotland Lane in Horsforth, The Rookery is an absolutely stunning former Georgian farmhouse dating all the way back to the 19th century.
It occupies a whopping 5,000 sq ft as well as its very own cottage amongst 5.5 acres of land, as well as five double bedrooms and three bathrooms.
Images: Rightmove
And guess what? It's only on the market for a mere guide price of £1.75 million. Pocket change.
In the main house you're welcomed with a grand entrance hall and staircase leading through to a series of reception rooms on the ground floor, how posh. Here you'll also find a wet room and an orangery which attaches to the kitchen, even more posh.
Images: Rightmove
Upstairs there's five double bedrooms, three bathrooms and a study - that should be plenty room for us we think.
But the exterior is where it gets really interesting as here you'll find five acres of beautifully maintained gardens featuring an orchard, kitchen garden and a tennis court.
Image: Rightmove
There's also 'stabling suited to equine use, adding further appeal for those with equestrian interests'... we couldn't have put it better ourselves.
Beyond that The Rookery features it's very own detached two-bedroom cottage as well as a garage with mezzanine accommodation.
Images: Rightmove
The entire property looks like something out of a fairytale, so if you're looking to live your best 19th century Bridgerton-esque life, then dig deep and get hold of that £1.75 million.
But if you do buy it, can we please live in the cottage?
Leeds city centre set for hundreds of new flats after council agrees sale of ‘prime’ development site
Clementine Hall
It looks like even more new flats could be popping up in Leeds city centre.
The land in question is located near Leeds' Aire Park development, next to The Adelphi Pub in a prime location smack bang in the city centre.
It's looking like over 240 flats could be built on the site after the council has agreed to sell the coveted plot of land to a housing developer.
The current land that is surrounded by heritage assets has been sold by Leeds City Council to property developer Glenbrook.
A planning application from Glenbrook proposed mostly 246 one and two bedroom apartments in a whopping 24 storey development.
Around 20% of the homes would be classified as affordable housing, being rented out at 80% of the current private market rate.
The application will be discussed when the council's City Plans Panel meets next Thursday 14 May.
A council planning officer’s report said: “The emerging proposals present a significant opportunity to regenerate a prominent vacant brownfield site within the city centre.
“The development would deliver a substantial number of new homes, alongside the provision of some employment opportunities.”
A council decision report when selling the plot back in 2022 said: “It is surrounded by heritage assets in an area undergoing rapid regeneration and is widely considered to be a prime plot capable of supporting a high quality residential development.”
Well then Leeds, what do you make of these plans then?
Sophie Smith -
24th April 2023 
