Where Can I Experience Traditional Farm Life and Wild Nature?

Posted by Addy_Goodman@reddit | AskABrit | View on Reddit | 76 comments

I recently watched a documentary about the British countryside with its beautiful cottages, lush green forests, rolling hills, and charming villages. I haven't been able to stop thinking about visiting a place that feels like it's straight out of Narnia.

I'm looking for recommendations for rural areas with very low population density, traditional British farm life, mountains, and plenty of biodiversity. I love the idea of staying in a remote cottage surrounded by nature with traditional stone houses, sheep-covered hills, ancient pubs, church bells in the distance and misty mornings.

I'm also looking for thrill seeking places like strong hurricanes blowing houses or being able to glance at big cats like strolling nearby farms. Ultimately, I want to experience the countryside charm.

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Matchaparrot@reddit

Any of the national parks, Lake district, Yorkshire Dales, Wales will be what you're after.

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doofcustard@reddit

https://www.farmstay.co.uk/

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Fantastic-Speech-438@reddit

The top end of the Yorkshire Dales (Swaledale, Mucker, Thwaite etc) is as suitably remote as you're going to get outside of the Scottish Highlands and some parts of Wales. Lions? You'll need to go to a zoo for those. Hurricanes are in short supply although it does rain a lot. 🤣

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Breakwaterbot@reddit

Big fan of that area. The walk to The Tan Hill from Muker is one of my favourite hikes. Although it used to be a lot better before The Tan Hill became some kind of major tourist attraction after COVID.

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Fantastic-Speech-438@reddit

I love that walk, especially in the spring when the meadows are full of wildflowers. We used to take a tent and stay at Usha Gap campsite. I also have many fond memories of evenings in the Farmers Arms in Muker.

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Breakwaterbot@reddit

Usha gap is where I stay!! Absolutely love it there.

Farmers arms is also excellent, as is the Kings arms near Crackpot.

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Fantastic-Speech-438@reddit

Do you mean the King's Head in Gunnerside or the King's Arms in Reeth? I used to do a lot of mountain biking around there when we lived in Skipton and the King's Arms was a top spot for a mid-ride shandy.

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Breakwaterbot@reddit

Sorry, it's the Kings Head in Gunnerside. I knew it was the King's something.

Ooh, you used to live in Skipton? I'm heading there for 3 days in a couple weeks time for a little break (although we're staying nearer to Barn'wick). Got any recommendations for decent pubs and places to eat? Also any nice walks that are a bit more off the beaten track?

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Fantastic-Speech-438@reddit

Not been back for nearly 7 years now but The Wooly Sheep and The Narrow Boat were my favourite pubs for a decent pint. The Railway was always decent as well.

Food wise, the aforementioned Wooly Sheep was ok from memory. Tempest Arms just outside of Skipton in Elslack was better though. Worth booking there because it gets busy.

For off the beaten track walks (avoiding busy places like Malham, Bolton Abbey etc) - Troller's Gill / Appletreewick is nice - https://www.alltrails.com/trail/england/north-yorkshire/howgill-trollers-gill-and-appletreewick-circular

Kettlewell to Great Whernside, Arncliffe up to Malham Tarn, Kilnsey Crag, Mastiles Lane, a few easier walks around Grassington etc. There's so many options for walking around that area. You could do a new walk every day of the year.

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TopBookChat1105@reddit

Hurricanes? Big cats? - think you’re after another country.

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Addy_Goodman@reddit (OP)

I've read online about occasional reports of big cat sightings in the UK especially around remote moorlands. What about tornado? Also the UK's national animal is the lion.

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BackPsychological258@reddit

Well the sightings are generally like cryptids, Google the beast of Dartmoor for instance. It's not that they're not real (folk legend type things like the Norfolk the black shuck), more that they were escaped animals that had birthed in the wild. But that will give you a good idea of what your referring to. Not likely to see one at all.

Our lions are a historical symbol from Henry 1st and second and Richard 1st ( the lion heart). We do Not and haven't had native lions (wrong climate).

I think our biggest predator is the badger.

Sorry we do have tornados/hurricanes but they are fairly tame by other countries standards I suppose is what I meant. But there are plenty of places you can go and try not to get yourself killed.

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Addy_Goodman@reddit (OP)

Oh I see. Thanks for clarifying. I get it now what you're referring to and got it.

Any places you'd recommend? Also any travel guide who knows every teeny tiny bits of detail of places and enage curiosity

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BackPsychological258@reddit

Places, Scottish Highlands, peak district, lake district. Yorkshire moors, dartmoor any moors really.

As for guides, who knows but I'm sure there are plenty of old guys in pubs who will tell you stories for a beer.

Or national trusts would be a good research area for it.

We have a vampire festival in Whitby Yorkshire.

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Addy_Goodman@reddit (OP)

Thanks mate! I found The stride and The broomway(No idea what dangers they hold). I would love to chat with old wise men in pubs and hear their amazing stories of folkore ( Are they friendly with UNI going students). What's national trusts?

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BackPsychological258@reddit

Were generally friendly. There's a fair bit of hate against immigrants at the moment unfortunately.

National trusts is a company that looks after historical landmarks (castles etc) or nature areas. That are protected.

UK has two main ones one for Scotland one for everywhere else. (Southern Ireland is not included as it EU not UK it has, "an taisce")

But they are considered areas of natural beauty .

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Historical_Heron4801@reddit

The National Trust is a charity that maintains, restores, and manages sites of historical interest throughout the UK. Often stately homes or castles with several hundred years of history, beautiful gardens and parklands, but also miles of coast land and other landscape They're often used for filming locations so if you've seen British period dramas you've probably already seen one or two.

You can pay individually to get in to these houses/castles, or become a member. The coastal and land parts are usually free to visit, but cost to park. I believe they run short term memberships for people visiting from abroad.

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Alicam123@reddit

We once had wolves and apparently Scotland wants to bring them back to some of the forests too.

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Idolikemarigolds@reddit

Scotland’s national animal is the unicorn you should go and look for one!

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Addy_Goodman@reddit (OP)

What a bizzare statement. Unicorn is a mythological creature.

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TopBookChat1105@reddit

It doesn’t stop it being Scotlands national animal.

The UK doesn’t have a national animal - each country does

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BackPsychological258@reddit

Depends on the sources although your not likely to find a rhino(Marco Polo) in Scotland, or a narwhal for that matter (teeth sold as unicorn horns).

But they person was probably as likely to see a big cat in England as you are a unicorn in Scotland in the wild. (Zoos have lions) The lion is England's symbol and unicorns are a Scottish symbol. Like the Welsh having the red dragon aswell. The Irish are slightly more sensible and have a hare.

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BackPsychological258@reddit

Lmao

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RiverTadpolez@reddit

There's no where in the UK with good biodiversity (apart from possibly the odd patch of nature reserve). It's one of the most nature-depleted countries in the entire world, and this just keeps getting worse and worse year on year.

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Addy_Goodman@reddit (OP)

The countryside still looks incredibly lush and green in countless BBC documentaries I've watched . Although I understand not much biodiversity but still it looks aesthetically pleasing.

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RiverTadpolez@reddit

Yes, there are many parts of the UK that are very beautiful.

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RiverTadpolez@reddit

The UK is ranked 142nd in the global biodiversity index.

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BackPsychological258@reddit

We don't really have big cats. Or hurricanes.

Peak district sounds close to what you want otherwise

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Addy_Goodman@reddit (OP)

I have heard reports of big cat sightings across parts of the UK. Also, UK's national animal is lion so I think you're misunderstood. What about tornado?

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Lenniel@reddit

The big cat sightings are never proven and are probably a dog and a drunk person on the way home from the pub. There’s never any evidence of wild cats eg killed sheep etc.

Heraldry has absolutely nothing to do with real animals or are you suggesting there’s a hidden herd of unicorns in Scotland too?

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Breakwaterbot@reddit

Wait... There isn't?!?!

I thought they still had them. I know Wales don't have any dragons anymore since St George killed the last one.

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BackPsychological258@reddit

That was in Libya though

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Breakwaterbot@reddit

Yeah which I always think was really harsh. Doing it while the dragon was on holiday.

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BackPsychological258@reddit

Just chilling with a beer and some knight lances the poor bastard

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Alicam123@reddit

Dude we still have the Komodo dragon and the bearded dragon.

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BackPsychological258@reddit

And sea dragons!!!

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Breakwaterbot@reddit

I could be wrong, but I don't think they're indigenous to Wales. Although I don't know enough about Biogeography to dispute it.

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GeordieAl@reddit

There’s still dragons in wales, just ask Jones the Steam

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Lenniel@reddit

No just wild haggis now.

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Alicam123@reddit

It was proven to be an xl tabby breed (and some were wild) that is almost double the size or a normal cat.

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BackPsychological258@reddit

And in the new forest, I thought this would help with o we population, where people want to stroke the big dog.

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Breakwaterbot@reddit

I say we should just release wolves everywhere.

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BackPsychological258@reddit

I like to think there were. I also like to think Nessy was a plesiosaur that managed to survive to the 18th century or something and the stories just continued. But it's all just fun

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Breakwaterbot@reddit

Nessy is still about, they just goe round disguised as a girl scout trying to con people out of £3.50

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BackPsychological258@reddit

I ain't giving you no tree fiddy to a goddamn lockness monster

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Safe-Professional556@reddit

They're around you just need a thistle whistle to summon them.

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Current_Fly9337@reddit

They exist. They eat all the baby haggis.

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Alicam123@reddit

Ah no sorry, that was me 😋

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Alicam123@reddit

We don’t have tornados like you think, they are about the size of a rabbit max, and funny to see if your luck enough (1/10000000 chance)

The big cats are just large house cats that are twice the size of a normal cat at most (a tabby) you are more likely to meet a wild dog.

The lion is just a symbol that’s all, there is nothing too deep about it (this ain’t the savannah), only see them in zoos.

Just because it’s our symbol (because it means brave), doesn’t mean we have them crawling around (it’s not the lion king)

The things Americans make up about our little island 😂

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Liquor_D_Spliff@reddit

You will not find hurricanes and roaming big cats in the UK, where have you got that idea?

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Addy_Goodman@reddit (OP)

I read online about occasional reports of big cat sightings in the UK, especially around remote moorlands. Now I think they might be local legends based on everyone's description. Also, UK's national animal is "lion". What about floods or tornadoes, isolated valleys.

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Liquor_D_Spliff@reddit

They're folklore and legend.

The lion was adopted by Richard the lionheart.

Yes some places flood ... and we have valleys ...

No tornados.

Where are you from?

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Breakwaterbot@reddit

For floods you want to be driving on the A453 past Ratcliffe power station after a spell of heavy rain.

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BecozisaidSo40times@reddit

They are wild house cats. Not tigers

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Addy_Goodman@reddit (OP)

Oh! I see. I've seen plenty of tigers as they're native to my place. It's fine I can enjoy peaceful countryside too

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Safe-Professional556@reddit

Honestly if you're looking for a rural idyl without too many people that pretty much rules out the majority of England. Though the Howgills and some of the northern dales (outside the national park) are quieter. Otherwise northern Scotland is often quite quiet. You can find quiet places in England and Wales but it's also where the majority of Britain's population lives so it's always going to be busier. Added advantage of northern Scotland is that it's about the only place with our genuine wild cat. You're unlikely to see one and to most people they look like a house cat if you do.

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MidasToad@reddit

So you have 2 competing requests here: farm land v nature. Middle England (anywhere away from the cities) is full of farmland: cute lil villages and rolling fields. It is relatively low on wilderness, quite well populated and easy to get to. But if you are after 'The Shire', that's where you find it.

The UK also has wilder places in its national parks - places that are hilly or mountainous, or moorland, where there are few little villages and not much farmland, where you can walk for miles and not see a human. Places like the Scottish Highlands, or Eryri/Snowdonia (you can find the UK's only wildcat in the Cairngorm National Park in the Higlands - it looks like a small tabby cat.) These places are harder to get to and have fewer facilities (shops, tourist info, public transport).

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PurpWippleM3@reddit

Looks like AI is training itself on Reddit again....

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Addy_Goodman@reddit (OP)

Pessimists like you just ruin the mood and energy. Classless folk always seem to miss the point and then congratulate themselves for it.

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MrMonkeyman79@reddit

If you want somewhere with a mountainous feel, then the Peak District in Northern England, Snowdonia in Wales or Glencoe in Scotland.

If you want big cats then try a zoo.

As for hurricanes, the Gulf of Mexico will be your best bet.

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Breakwaterbot@reddit

There are plenty of places in the UK like what you've described (although spending some time in them will make you realise you been sold a very romantic idea of what it's really like).

One of my favourite places to go is a place called Sheldon in the Peak District. The pub there is excellent and it's got such a lovely feel to it.

I'm lucky enough to live in the Leicestershire countryside and was born and raised in the dark depths of Lincolnshire. It definitely does have its perks although it would be nice not having to get in a car to be able to nip to the shop.

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Addy_Goodman@reddit (OP)

That seems nice. I guess documentaries potrayal overly amplify. What's with peak district? Is it a popular tourist place?

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Dietcokeisgod@reddit

Yes the Peak District is popular. It is beautiful. No big cats or tornadoes though. Rain and sheep.

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Emergency_Bread_5462@reddit

The pub name used to make my kids laugh when they were little.

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Breakwaterbot@reddit

Makes me laugh and I'm 35.

But also, it's a lovely little pub.

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Alicam123@reddit

Suffolk. Or in the middle of Scotland in a small village would be the best spots.

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GoHomeCryWantToDie@reddit

What you're looking for is, like Narnia, a complete fantasy.

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Breakwaterbot@reddit

Angry Mr Tumnus noises

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KatVanWall@reddit

Sounds like you might enjoy visiting the Cotswolds, the Peak District, the Lake District, Wales, and Scotland.

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Plot_3@reddit

We stayed in a beautiful cottage in Ceredigion, South Wales last year. Stunning river across the field at the bottom of the valley with a little pebbly beach you could sit on. Steep paths up the mountains on either side. There was even a steam train that went past and blew its whistle. Sheep everywhere. We were lucky that the sun was shining which made it really idyllic.

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Addy_Goodman@reddit (OP)

Truly mesmerized. From where did you travel? Were there tour guides?

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Plot_3@reddit

We live in the UK on the East Coast, so just a drive of about six hours. We were near a place called Devils bridge which had trails with waterfalls. We had no need for a tour guide as we just used the ordnance survey maps app. We also visited Eryri (snowdonia) National Park, further north which was also stunning. I’m sure you could do guided treks there that were a bit more adventurous.

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