Crackpot is a peaceful rural hamlet nestled in amongst rolling hillsides, with stunning views whichever way you look.
Our cottage dates from 1722 and is one of 3 cottages and a dairy farm, which is one of the last dairy farms in Swaledale.
We moved here several years ago to escape the hustle and bustle of life in the South for a place in paradise!
Our dream was always to work the land and share our experience with other people. Hence the glamping!
We are a family-run smallholding. We grow our own fruit and vegetables and our hens provide us with fresh eggs daily.
The chick inn at Crackpot Cottage
We have 12 hens which honour us each day with fresh eggs.
They are all a really friendly bunch, who love to be stroked and will come running towards you, clucking for some fresh grass.
Their favourite treats are spaghetti, melon and grapes.
We use our fresh eggs for our guests breakfast and for baking.
Our fruit & veg
Here at Crackpot Cottage we grow a variety of fruit trees, plus gooseberries, raspberries, strawberries, blackberries and rhubarb. We make our own apple juice, jam and gin!
Our vegetable patch provides us with seasonal produce for the table.
We also have a substantial production of chilli peppers, herbs, onions and garlic which we use to create our own range of sauces, relishes and pizzas.
Our quest for self sufficiency and green living
At Crackpot Cottage we spend much of our time finding ways to be as self sufficient as possible, whilst keeping mother nature happy.
And so we build and dig and plant and harvest, and return what we don't need for ourselves back to the land (or give it to the hens!).
We have plenty to keep us busy, rain or shine (mostly rain!), whatever the season.
On our Green Living page we share with you our triumphs and failures, and all the hard work and attention our land needs.
Home made cooking
At Crackpot Cottage not only do we enjoy the challenge of growing our own fruit and vegetables, we also grab any opportunity to make our own produce to offer to our guests.
As well as sauces, preserves, bread, gin and cakes, with Emanuela being Italian, we have a passion for Italian food, especially pizzas, which we make from scratch and have proven to be a great success!
We have an extensive dinner menu for our guests to enjoy at: Buon Appetito.