It was almost 200 years ago that the stony
coaching inn, The Falcon, was built beside the tree-lined road between
Scarborough and Whitby. Serving as a handy
stopping point, horses here could rest their weary hooves while drivers could share news of the
North Yorkshire trade. Today it is a place where old meets new. The same light
stone exterior houses an interesting gastro-pub while, a stone’s throw away, newly built pods bring modern day glamping to an area
where traditional camping has always been the norm.
While not exactly tearing up the rulebook there’s a tasteful
modernisation at Falcon Forest that makes for a wonderful place to stay if you want
somewhere to camp without the hassle of the tent. And of course, that famous Yorkshire hospitality makes anyone welcome in 'God's Own Country'.
Set within an enclosed pocket of woodland, there's a similar old-new contrast about the camping area, where young sapling
trees are dwarfed by the bordering old pines. On one side the
trees end, replaced by a low hedge, standing before south westerly views toward
Scarborough and the coast. A gravelly path leads around the 11 glamping pods. Softly lit by small lamps in the evening, the pods boast a wooden finish that
seems to resonate aptly with the surroundings. Locally crafted, they have been
made with a sympathy for the ethos of the North York Moors,
the beautiful national park in which this site resides.
Inside the pods are unfurnished, acting as
a comfortable replacement for your tent rather than a sumptuously furnished
outdoor bedroom. They are well insulated by, as you’d expect in North
Yorkshire, a heavy padding of sheep’s wool. During the winter months guests
are also provided with an electric heater to use if needed.
From the snug confines of your pod it’s a
short stroll to the adjacent stone-built washroom block, newly built to
high-spec standards and equipped with family and disabled facilities. Regularly cleaned and maintained, it’s all kept with the same care as the pub, a place
that has rightfully earned its place at the top of the local pecking order.
From here, join the post lunch customers as they head across to the coastline,
bound for the boulder-strewn bay of Hayburn Wyke. Meanwhile, back inland, a turn from the
campsite straight into the trees latches upon the network of footpaths
the North York Moors are so famous for.
