Things to do in and around Sutton-on-the-Forest

Fishing

Within a short drive of Croft Lodge are several fishing lakes and rivers offering daily or weekly permits, and one of our favourite spots is Pottery Pond, just a couple of miles away - see www.potterypond.co.uk.

Pottery Pond, a former clay pit set in six acres of woodland, covers 4.5 acres of water offering a very attractive and natural setting. Over the past ten years Pottery Pond has been well managed, resulting in a balanced, healthy bio-system giving good growth rates to all fish. This venue is suited to the specimen angler or the angler looking for a challenge. The lake is heavily stocked with fish: Common and Mirror Carp, Crucian Carp, Pike, Roach, Rudd, Chub, Bream, Barbel, Perch, Tench and Gudgeon.

Walking

Croft Lodge is situated in beautiful North Yorkshire countryside, and offers fantastic walking from the door or within a few miles' drive. A little further afield are the Yorkshire Moors, Dales and Wolds, all of which combine beautiful scenery and rivers with fantastic walking and country pubs. For walking routes see www.walkingenglishman.com/northyorkshire.htm or www.yorkshirewalks.org/walks/wkslist.htm , and for more general ideas see www.bbc.co.uk/northyorkshire/going_out/going_out_guide/outdoors.shtml

Croft Lodge holiday apartment is also near to several long distance paths, including the Centenary Way which takes in Castle Howard and the Howardian Hills - see www.walkingontheweb.co.uk/Defined Routes/Centenary Way NY.htm

Shopping and markets

The City of York is just a short drive or bus ride away. Thriving within the traffic-free, historic heart of York, distinctive shopping blends with sightseeing, romance and relaxation. Enjoy a vast array of antique and book dealers, specialty crafts shops, themed markets, elegant boutiques as well as mainstream shops.

Sample stylish home and furniture shops for inspiring wedding presents and designer jewellery for special occasions.

Surrounded by gardens, tearooms, shady squares and riverside bars, shopping in York is a thoroughly civilized and unique experience See www.visityork.org/distinctiveshopping for more details.
However closer to home there's plenty for you foodies and shopaholics out there, especially specialist local food and drink. In Sutton itself there's the excellent new farm shop 'The Busy Farmer' as well as Rideaway, the equestrian and country goods store. The Friday market in nearby Easingwold is worth a visit, especially the excellent cheese stall offering Yorkshire dairy, meat and bakery produce. There's also a monthly farmers' market.

Explore our historic village

Sutton itself is an attractive village with a strong and friendly community spirit. The village boasts two excellent gastro-pubs, the Rose and Crown and the Blackwell Ox, both within easy walking distance of Croft Lodge Holiday Apartment. There's All Hallows Parish Church (pictured), the primary school, and Sutton Park Stately Home all on main street, near to Croft Lodge.

The author Laurence Sterne was once the vicar of this parish, but when the parsonage house was destroyed by fire, he moved to nearby Coxwold. While in Sutton he conceived, wrote and published the first two books of Tristram Shandy. There can be no doubt that the book was based on Sutton and the people who lived in and around it.
Tristram Shandy is probably more highly appreciated abroad, particularly in Italy, France and the US, than it is in the UK, except by modern novelists. Its techniques are seen as leading to many modern developments in novel writing such as the stream of consciousness and also in techniques for revealing character. Because of this Sutton on the Forest may be regarded as the true birthplace of the modern novel.

Sutton Park is a fine house nearby built of mellow brick in 1730 by Thomas Atkinson. The House contains beautiful eighteenth century furniture, paintings mostly from Buckingham House, now Buckingham Palace, and an important collection of porcelain. Magnificent plaster work by Cortese. The House is a fine example of early Georgian architecture overlooking beautiful parkland. It is filled with a rich collection of treasures all put together with great style and always filled with flowers from the garden.

Each year the village celebrates its countryside heritage in the Huby and Sutton show in Sutton park. See www.statelyhome.co.uk