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40 years on – how we’ve grown!
away (you can’t get fresher than that!). There wasn’t a café in those early years, but you could buy hot drinks and snacks from a small caravan. As well as fly fishing, you could feed the fish and ducks off the pier or visit the freshwater aquarium in a nearby barn. In 1994 the main café and farm shop was built, along with a smokehouse. And let’s not forget the red squirrels, rare orchids, alpacas and other furry friends who have been such an important part of the story.
News
Kilnsey Park nominated for ‘Rural Oscar’
News
Kilnsey Show is coming
One of our favourite days of the year is approaching, as Kilnsey Show rolls into town this Tuesday.
It’s the 122nd year since the show first came to this spectacular part of the Yorkshire Dales in 1897, and this year promises to be a brilliant showcase of sports, animals, food & drink, country traditions and a great way to spend a day surrounded by some of the greatest landscapes on God’s green earth.
Kilnsey Park will be open for business as usual, so why not join us for some family fishing, walk our nature trail and enjoy a spot of lunch in the Cafe by the Lake?
News
Kilnsey hosts first outdoor wedding
Couples wishing to get married in the great outdoors can now exchange their vows at a brand new venue in scenic Upper Wharfedale.
Kilnsey Park Estate recently became the first place in Craven where civil ceremonies can take place in a haymeadow.
The family-run Estate and visitor attraction, once owned by the monks of Fountains Abbey, recently hosted its first outdoor ceremony and wedding. Mat and Lucy Evans from Leeds were the first lucky couple to tie the knot.
‘We were so lucky to be blessed with warm blue skies for our first ever outdoor ceremony,’ says Kilnsey Park owner Jamie Roberts. ‘Many guests commented that it was an unforgettable wedding made truly special by the beautiful location.’
Afterwards the wedding guests partied in a giant Teepee on the banks of the River Wharfe.
‘We’ve already had many enquiries from couples who love the peace and tranquillity of the Yorkshire Dales and to celebrate their wedding in it,’ says Jamie Roberts. ‘And where else can you have alpacas as wedding guests?’
To enquire about outdoor weddings at Kilnsey Park Estate call 01756 752 150 or email info@kilnseypark.co.uk
Events news, News
The Tour is coming – latest details
The Tour de Yorkshire rolls through Kilnsey on Sunday 6th May
Is it really 4 years since the Tour de France captured our hearts here in the Dales, put Yorkshire on the world stage and triggered an astonishing revival of recreational cycling?
The visit of the Tour de Yorkshire – featuring some of cycling’s biggest names – to Kilnsey is an opportunity to revel in the excitement and re-live fond memories.
The first intermediate sprint of the 2018 Tour (and with the word ‘sprint’ you just know that Mark Cavendish will be in the hunt) is taking place beneath the towering Kilnsey Crag, here in Upper Wharfedale.
Kilnsey Park is an ideal place to watch the Tour carnival pass through some of the most spectacular scenery in Britain. Plus you can make a day of it, enjoying some family fishing, kids bushcraft activities and a spot of lunch or tea in the cosy Cafe by the Lake.
Why not join us for a grandstand seat?
What you need to know
Date: Stage 4 of the 2018 Tour de Yorkshire visits Kilnsey on Sunday 6th May.
Road closures: The main road through Kilnsey is expected to be closed from 1pm to 2.35pm – so we recommend that you reach Kilnsey by not later than 12.30pm. We’re open from 9am and our activities will be in full swing by 11am.
Tour information: the best source of visitor information about the Tour de Yorkshire is here.
News
Summer opening hours
Cafe and visitor attraction move to summer opening times
Kilnsey Park Estate and the Cafe by the Lake are now on their summer opening times.
The Cafe by the Lake is open from 9am to 5pm, 7 days a week.
Kilnsey Park Estate attractions (family fishing, Discovery Trail) are open from 9.30am to 5pm, 7 days a week.
The fly fishing lakes open from 7.30am to 5.30pm.
Events news, News
Easter Fun at Kilnsey Park
Easter Fun in the Yorkshire Dales
Join us for our Spring Trail, Easter crafts, face painting, egg decorating and rolling.
Enjoy Easter in the beautiful surroundings of the Kilnsey Estate. Follow the Spring geocache Trail and help feed the lambs throughout the holidays. There’s plenty more to keep the children entertained including special Easter weekend activities such as a cracking campfire, face painting, Decorate an Egg competition and Easter crafts.
Easter Weekend activities take place Easter Saturday to Bank Holiday Monday 11-4 every day.
Our Spring Trail will be running every day throughout the school holidays (Thursday 29 March to Sunday 16 April). Includes a free gift for every child.
Animal and lamb feeding will take place every day throughout the school holidays at 2.30pm.
News
The Holy Smokery
The Kilnsey Smokehouse has become The Holy Smokery and is now run by chef Jake Buchan.
The ethos of the smokehouse is to create premium, artisanal smoked foods direct from the Yorkshire Dales – inspired by the rich heritage of the monks who foraged and lived off this amazing landscape 800 years ago.
As well as supplying premium smoked fish to the on-site shop, The Holy Smokery attends markets around North Yorkshire and is developing a new website to make its artisan produce available online here.
You can find out more by visiting the Facebook page here.
News
Britain by Bike
New TV series highlights the delights of the Yorkshire Dales and other National Parks
This year Kilnsey Park welcomed a couple of keen cyclists who happened to be TV personalities Larry and George Lamb, plus a camera crew.
The first episode of new series Britain By Bike – broadcast on Channel 5 on Friday 29th September at 8pm – shows father Larry and his son George visiting Kilnsey Park to learn the noble art of fly fishing. Along the way they learn about why spring water makes our rainbow trout unique and how we produce 40 tons of fish each year.
Larry and George were given a crash course in fly fishing by Anthony Roberts, who established the trout farm and fishing lakes in 1978. It’s probably fair to say they didn’t take to it like ducks to water but they were determined to catch a fish for the BBQ.
Did they succeed? Well it’s probably best if you watch the episode to find out.
A preview of the series Britain by Bike can be seen here:
News
Happy valley – it’s official
It’s official, the Yorkshire Dales (specifically Craven) is the happiest place to live in the UK.
The new survey by the government’s leading boffins highlights that residents of the area have the highest levels of happiness, highest level of life satisfaction and lowest levels of anxiety.
Unofficially we’ve known this for years but didn’t want to mention it for fear that a) we might be considered big-headed (never a good thing) and b) there might be a stampede of people disturbing our peace and quiet.
So if you’re looking for happiness (aren’t we all?) you could do worse than go for a relaxing drive in the Yorkshire Dales and drop into Kilnsey Park for a few hours of quiet fishing or a good lunch.
The Guardian report of the new survey can be found here: https://amp.theguardian.com/uk-news/2017/sep/26/yorkshire-dales-craven-happiest-uk-ons-hertsmere-london
You might recognise the photo that they used to accompany the article. Yes it’s the much-loved view of Kilnsey Crag across our fishing lakes.
The official government report can be found here: https://www.ons.gov.uk/peoplepopulationandcommunity/wellbeing/bulletins/measuringnationalwellbeing/april2016tomarch2017