Coast & Camplight

30/10/2026

We had our first tree planting day yesterday with the fab folks from and some brilliant volunteers and it was great!
The sun shone, everyone was smashing, loads of trees got planted and I ate my own bodyweight in biscuits.
We have two more dates next week if you'd like to join us - i know I'm biased but honestly I reckon planting a tree is the most life affirming thing you can do with a day. Link to book is here - https://yorkshirewt.teamkinetic.co.uk/volunteers/opportunity/10262865
Oh and if that doesn't sell you on it there's free tea and biscuits!
Massive thanks to all our volunteers and also to T.P.Visuals Tony Parkin who was super kind and popped up and took us this brilliant footage just for tea and biscuits. ❤️

28/10/2026

Illuminated Abbey!
Until this Saturday 31st, Halloween, Whitby Abbey is quite spectacularly lit up. You can see the Abbey and its lights from our hillside but if you want to catch the full effect you really need to get a bit closer.
There are storytelling activities running every night run by which sound amazing, but I can also recommend sitting with a pint at Whitby Brewery just enjoying the view as it changes colour.
I always wonder whether anyone lived on our hillside when the Abbey was built in 657 and watched as the view changed forever..? although the first time we find the farm in the records is the early 1600s we did find a flint arrowhead in the top field, and a fertile spot with its own spring and a rocky outcrop to build on does seem like a perfect place for humans to live.. so who knows - maybe early inhabitants of this spot muttered about how this new abbey was going to spoil their view!

24/10/2026

I was recently thrilled to be asked to write a guest blog for the brilliant people at Yorkshire Rewilding Network about our beautiful site and how rewilding and running a business can work together.
It fits beautifully into everything that's been going on this week from tree planting to owls. So if you've got 15 minutes with a cuppa and you're interested to find out why I think rewilding is behind our record brood of seven barn owl chicks you can have a read here: - https://www.yorkshirerewildingnetwork.org.uk/guest-blog-wild-camping-wilder-fields/
If you're in Yorkshire and you're interested in rewilding I can thoroughly recommend being part of the Yorkshire rewilding network - it gives great options for sharing info and learning from others including site visits, plus they're a super nice bunch.
And if not please enjoy this picture of me being thoroughly overexcited at holding a barn owl chick!

22/10/2026

When people come and stay with us we tell them they are likely to see barn owls and I think people presume we mean in the distance - we don't. We mean there's every chance you'll have a magical encounter with one.
Check out this amazing video and photos Casey and Jamie McKeown took on their 3 night stay in Northern Skies. Barn owl from your bed anyone? They also got the hat trick of owls, deer and a fox!
In years gone by barn owls became used to farmers going about their business - ours have done the same and got used to our glampers going about their business. So they seem increasingly relaxed with guests coming and going and people often see them hunting round their camp or even perched nearby as they do the washing up.
I see the owls every day and the magic never ceases to amaze me!
North York Moors National North York Moors National Park

19/10/2026

Autumn is properly upon us in the fields and the colours are glorious with their reds, golds and browns.
I love planting dog rose, you will find it twining round the edges of pretty much every camp - not only do you get beautiful blooms in spring but in autumn you are rewarded with these wonderful scarlet rosehips.
The fading light is full of golden long shadows warming the trees, and walks are all crunching underfoot and canopies of red and gold leaves.
Mushrooms are springing up everywhere in the woods, much to my delight and the dogs confusion when I stop every five minutes to examine my latest treasure. The look of disgust on Olives face on the last photo shows just how many times her walk has been interrupted by my nonsense 😆 🍄

12/10/2026

Coast & Camplight team meeting! At because all decisions are helped by a cold beverage.
Trying to prioritise our 500 ideas into which things we should do over the winter for next year. It's not easy!
Come on folks what do you think we need to do for next year? Suggestions very welcome!
Even found time to add a tiny pic of Olive to our table (drawing is allowed on the tables at the brewery - we're not thugs! 😆).
**r

09/10/2026

We need your help to plant a woodland! Many of you will know that every year we plant trees and add to this beautiful place, but if we're really going to do this on a bigger scale (and before we're too bloody old!) this year we've decided we need some help!
The brilliant folks from Yorkshire Wildlife Trust are providing us with native locally grown trees as part of the beach Esk project - what we need is a bit more manpower to help us achieve our aim of reinstating the woodland that once covered this windy hillside as well as creating wildlife corridors to join our woodland to neighbouring woods.
There are three dates, one of which is in half term if you want to bring the kids - Thursday 29th Oct, Wed 4th Nov and Thursday 5th Nov - if you'd like to come and plant a tree we'd love to have you. We'll make sure there's lots of tea and biscuits if you're up for lending a hand.
Link to find out more and to book (so we know how many people) in the bio.

03/10/2026

It is quite simply glorious in the fields this weekend. First thing this morning was cool and crisp but now its wall to wall sunshine.
It feels like a last gasp of summer before autumn properly kicks in and looks set to last into next weekend!
There is still some availability next weekend if you fancy joining us in the fields. Think sunny walks followed by evenings by the campfire and starry skies!
Link to book in the bio.

28/09/2026

Excited to see the lovely Colin Gibson on the news this morning talking about how barn owl chick numbers have exceeded expectations this year. Certainly did at our house - thinking our clutch of seven must have helped the average up from 3 to 3.7!

BBC News - Tees Valley barn owl chick numbers 'exceed expectations' - BBC News

Wildlife volunteers celebrate a bumper year after ringing 541 owlets, as compared to 270 in 2025.