Greenoak Hideout

Do you remember when you were so young that when you hid behind your own hand you thought nobody could see you? Maybe not. What about playing hide ‘n’ seek or building a shelter out of bedsheets and furniture? There’s something intrinsically exciting and magical about creating a world just for yourself, where you can’t be found by others. Greenoak Hideout, as the name suggests, is an enchanting place that allows these childlike feelings to flourish, a place where children (of all ages) are invited to hide away in one of the cosy yurts — the comfortable adult version of bedsheet shelters — and escape the normality of everyday life.

On the surface, this unsuspecting Yorkshire rural garden is a three-and-a-half acre home to a variety of animals and wildlife. However, dig a little deeper and it becomes clear that it is also an enchanting haven that owner Estelle has created for the enjoyment of her family, friends, and especially her grandchildren. The glamping site that it has now become — consisting of a couple of luxury yurts each with its own separate bathroom hut with walk-in shower room — is an expression of Estelle’s desire to share the experience. And the experience is up to you because there are so many add-ons at Greenoak that you can tailor it to suit you and/or your children’s wishes. If you want, you can pre-order a pony ride, you can pre-book a meet ‘n’ mingle with the alpacas, breakfast baskets are on offer, as are seasonal treasure hunts and garden games. If you’d prefer, you can try to discover a hedgehog here or a fox there or collect eggs from the laying hens or see the nesting ducks and their ducklings. And this is all before the sunset and marshmallows around the crackling fire.

There are plenty of things to do and places to go beyond this sanctuary of course; the surrounding countryside is an expansive plain offering big skies and wide views with excellent rambling opportunities, there are nature reserves close by and for days out, the coast and its beaches are reachable in under an hour, so too is the city of York. And the market town of Howden, less than 10 minutes away and notable for its tea rooms, cafes, and independent shops, is a convenient excursion and should be taken advantage of because the alpacas will probably need a break from all the attention.