Nestled within 500 acres of peaceful English woodland, the new North Star Club offer unique, luxury breaks in the Yorkshire Wolds.
Feel as though you need to escape the pressures of 21st century life? Then we have the perfect getaway for you. This woodland retreat offers 8 boutique suites that can accommodate up to 6 people.
Image: The North Star Club
Founders Christian and Carolyn Van Outersterp are multi award-winning designers who made a huge name for themselves revolutionising the contemporary fireplace market, earning themselves a coveted Prince of Wales medal by HRH Prince Charles. They also founded CVO Firevault, a showroom and restaurant bar named “one of London’s best kept secrets” by Time Out and “a triumph” by Harper’s Bazaar.
Image: The North Star Club
Feeling tired and exhausted by urban life, the couple escaped to the country in 2008 and fulfilled their dream of creating an eco-chic glamping business. Leading the UK's glamping revolution, Jollydays was born; an authentic woodland camp based in York which celebrated the great British outdoors and allowed people to camp in style and luxury.
Jollydays Glamping has been showered with awards since and attracts visitors from across the UK; eager to expand, the couple opened The North Star Club in 2014 and their success has been ongoing ever since.
Image: The North Star Club.
The 8 woodland suites are all decked out to the highest degree and provide all you need for an indulgent and unique staycation.
There's a cosy sitting room with a double sofa bed, a large bedroom with a kingsize bed and wood burner, a second bedroom with bunk beds and a spacious bathroom with a bath and separate walk-in shower.
All suites have all the amenities for a more than comfortable stay including a two ring gas hob and charcoal barbecue on your private veranda.
Image: The North Star Club
If you want to kick it up a notch, the Star Suite features a spa bathroom with an opulent copper bath and a glorious private infra-red sauna. All of the suites are individually designed in their own unique themes inspired by the people and places of the UK.
Think a rustic and airy hideaway clad in whitewashed timber and decorated with silver birch detailing for The White Rose suite, and nautical style touches for The Whitby Suite with recycled driftwood and chunky ropes hanging from the ceiling.
The suites are truly like something you've never seen before and will provide a perfect pad for a celebration or simply a weekend treat, which we all deserve every now and again.
Image: The North Star Club
Although tempting to stay in all day due to how gorgeous the suites are, there is so much to see and do around the North Star Club that you will be spoilt for choice for activities.
Located just outside the village of Sancton which boasts an array of delicious eateries, including award-winning pub The Star; a country walk followed by a cosy pub lunch seems like the obvious choice to spend a Sunday.
Image: The North Star Club.
Other activities include trying out polo at the White Rose Polo Club, taking a flying lesson at Wolds Gliding Club or playing your favourite water sport at Allerthorpe Park.
You could even attend York or Beverley races during your stay or go Clay Pigeon Shooting at the nearby shooting ground. The options really are endless and are all only minutes away from the club- and if you're stuck for inspiration, there's a huge list of recommended activities can be found here on their website.
Image: The North Star Club
Prices for a two night stay start from £650 and differ depending on what time of year you wish to stay.
With the suites sleeping up to 6 people, a stay at the North Star Club is the perfect place to get together and enjoy the best of what the Yorkshire countryside has to offer. We must admit, we are dying to book ourselves in and be a part of the North Star Club.
If you think you can handle your spice, then there’s one shop in Leeds that will put that to the test.
Tucked away on Merrion Street, Chilli Shop has been a staple of the Leeds high street for over a decade.
First opening back in 2014, Chilli Shop was founded by Frank Jay and has built a reputation as one of the city’s most wonderfully niche (and hottest) destinations.
It's basically a shrine to all things hot, a proper haven of everything spicy to get your tastebuds tingilng.
Images: The Hoot Leeds
We're talking everything from chilli hot sauces and jams to chocolate, cheese, dried chillies and even novelty gifts perfect for the chilli lover in your life.
But what they're most famous for is a shelf fully dedicated to the Youtube hit Hot Ones, a show where celebrities are pushed to the limit and served hot wings coated in a variety of hot sauces from mild to blow-your-head-off hot.
So if you've ever watched that show and wanted to have a go yourself, this shop stocks all the sauces so you can be the star of your own Hot Ones episode.
Images: The Hoot Leeds
Best of all, you can try before you buy. Free, heat-rated tasters are available, meaning you can work your way up from “that’s got a bit of a kick” to “I can no longer feel my face”.
We can't promise there's any milk or ice cream on hand though, so get tasting at your own risk.
So whether you’re looking for a new sauce, a spicy gift for your mate or simply want to discover exactly how much pain your tastebuds can withstand, the Chilli Shop is one Leeds independent that deserves a visit.
A huge pumpkin festival with over 300,000 pumpkins is returning to Leeds this autumn
Clementine Hall
With up to 300,000 to choose from, the Farmer Copley's Pumpkin Festival is the ultimate pumpkin picking spot in Leeds.
Look, we know it's still August...but we can't help but get a little bit excited.
And it's safe to say that Farmer Copleys really do know a thing or two about growing pumpkins.
Every year, this family-run farm transform into one of the UK's biggest pumpkin festivals to offer the cosiest day out for all the family to enjoy.
Images: The Hoot Leeds
This year, there will be more than 300,000 pumpkins across over 40 different varieties, ranging from traditional orange pumpkins to beautiful white, green and striped varieties.
As well as choosing the perfect pumpkin to take home, the fields provide an excellent backdrop for autumn photographs, with photo opportunities and installations located throughout the festival.
One of this year’s biggest additions will be a brand-new Land Rover photo installation, bringing together one of Farmer Copleys’ own vintage Land Rovers with a new Land Rover kindly loaned to the farm for the festival.
Images: The Hoot Leeds
Also new for this year, in the first weekend of the festival, the farm will be hosting a Pumpkin Pilates event where ticket holders can enjoy early morning Pilates session within the pumpkin fields.
And like always, visitors can enjoy tractor rides through the pumpkin fields, live shows and entertainment, archery, vintage fairground rides, Witches’ Storytime and magical performances, Velcro the Scarecrow and other family characters, as well as the festival’s popular daily fancy dress competitions.
Farmer Copleys Owner Rob Copley said: “Pumpkin Festival is such a special time of year for us and something the whole team works towards for months. We grow hundreds of thousands of pumpkins here on the farm, but we’ve always wanted the festival to be about much more than simply choosing a pumpkin.
“For 2026 we’ve invested in new installations, upgraded areas of the festival and added more live music. We’re particularly excited about the new Land Rover feature, bringing together one of our vintage vehicles with a brand-new Land Rover. We think it’s going to make a brilliant addition to the festival and another great place for families to capture their visit.”
The Farmer Copley's Pumpkin Festival will run from Saturday 26 September until Sunday 1 November, and you can buy your tickets here.
Clementine Hall -
19th May 2022 
