Updates on visiting "Follyfoot Farm" location

[pete2013]

Hollinhare,

Having looked at your excellent photos and read your “Mammoth Follywalk”  I am inspired to visit the Follyfoot site - hopefully sometime this year and should welcome your advice.
 
(1)    What is the earliest month you would recommend for a visit?

(2)   Earlier photographs and comments seem to suggest that, until fairly recently, it had been possible to look around the site closely.  Does the fence that has been erected mean viewing is now only from a considerable distance?  Is it possible to walk around the main lake and the smaller lake?

As an aside, do you know what became of Hollin Hall/the Farm between the ending of filming and purchase by the present owner? 

I have addressed this to yourself because you are fortunate enough to live in the area but I should welcome comments from anyone on the Forum.

Many thanks

pete2013

[hollinhare]

Hi Pete2013,
 The main problem with visiting Hollin Hall is mud (& cows!) so the best time is during a really spell or very dry weather - should we ever have any

It was possible to get close to (& occasionally accidently overbalance into  ) the barns until 2011(?) when the fence went up. This now means you can't get near the barns or stableyard but the footpath goes round the (sadly unrecognisable) farmhouse. You can however walk along the side of the main lake & there is a stile over the fence around the second lake which strictly speaking you shouldn't use because it is Harewood Estate land & the gamekeeper has his hoppers in there to feed the pheasants so enter at your own risk (look what happened to Steve in there with the mantrap! )
I do remember the Beecroft family living in Hollin Hall after Follyfoot, I went to primary school with the daughters, they thought it was really strange to see their house on telly (presumably some repeats) I'm not sure if the present owners took over the house from them or there was another family inbetween.
I hope this has been of some use to you, it's well worth a visit - bring your wellies & maybe a cattleprod!! 

[Loopy]

Hi pete2013

If you go onto the video thread here you will see one called 'A Day in the Sun' which is a video made when Mr Loopy and I visited the hallowed ground for the first time in June 2009 (and the stills are on the Mozart video).  You can see we 'overbalanced' into the barns then.    Sadly the barns are no more! 

We visited Hollin Hall whilst on Hollinhare's Mammoth Follywalk which was really lovely but you need good weather for this if possible.  I would love to see the place in winter as Hollinhare has posted some gorgeous frosty and snowy photos when it looks more magical than usual.   

It will be worth going to see the lakes... and I would take a chance of nipping over that stile if I was you.   

[pete2013]

Hollinhare,

Thank you very much for your reply.  When you say the main problem is mud and cows – do you mean the cattle, per se, or that a visitor would be walking in more than just mud?

Looking at the various photographs, the farmhouse is indeed unrecognisable.  Do you know if the original was demolished and replaced by the present structure or was it refurbished and extended towards the stable-yard?


Loopy,

I have already looked at your excellent videos – well done! 

I agree that it would be nice to visit in winter - ideally - early, on a frosty Sunday morning, with the sun low on the horizon!

You say the barns “…are no more”.  As far as I can ascertain from the various photographs, two of the stables seem to have been demolished some time ago and the roof of the outbuilding that faces towards the lake appears to have been removed.  Is the situation worse than this?

Many thanks

pete2013

[hollinhare]

Hi Pete2013,

You will undoubtably be walking through a lot more than just mud on the way to Hollin Hall  but sometimes the cows (especially if they've just put a new herd of youngsters in) find walkers absolutely fascinating & you end up being stampeded up & down the hill! Having said that I always take my dog who is a bit of a cow magnet, so on your own or with human company it might not be such a problem.
I'm pretty sure the original farmhouse wasn't demolished, if you look very carefully as you walk past on the public footpath you can just about make out the original house within the present building, I always feel it's like it's been engulfed by extensions & mock stately home features but if you look really hard it's still there peeping out.
As for the barns, the stables where Steve slept have been turned into a cottage (interestingly this was originally a house before YTV moved in, if you have Janes book there's a photo of the site as it was) the small stables adjoining this have gone & the big old barn where Jane told us the cast & crew ate was demolished because it was 'unsafe' (there is a very old map on display in Harewood House, I think from the 15 or 1600's with Hollin Hall on showing this old barn!) There is now just a large wall, the owner said he was going to have a wildflower garden there. The top two barns which had the blue doors where the hayloft was have had a lot of building work done but as we can't get anywhere near them now I'm not sure what has been done to them internally.

[Loopy]

Loopy,

You say the barns “…are no more”.  As far as I can ascertain from the various photographs, two of the stables seem to have been demolished some time ago and the roof of the outbuilding that faces towards the lake appears to have been removed.  Is the situation worse than this?

Many thanks

pete2013

Hi pete2013

Glad you've looked at the videos.  I hope they help you to see how it used to be.  Hollinhare has answered your questions regarding the barns etc.  It's all very sad.

When we visited on the 40th Anniversary weekend, we were very fortunate that the owner allowed us in to see the renovation of the stables where Steve slept.  I have to say I was very impressed and they have been modernised very tastefully....... unlike the house alas!   

[Jane]

I've visited Hollin Hall three time now. The first two visits were magical and very special. 

However, the last visit on our 40th Anniversary weekend I very much didn't enjoy! I was sad to see one of the barns had been pulled down.  No comment on the house 

It's still worth visiting, just to see the beautiful lake and surrounding countryside

[pete2013]

Hollinhare,

What you have described is certainly more of a “welly walk” than a leisurely stroll in brogues.   At least I know what to expect!

Inexplicably, it is reassuring to know that the original farmhouse remains, even though it may take a discerning eye to see it.

Still, it would have been nice to have been able to see or stand inside the barns just once…

Many thanks

pete2013

[pete2013]

Loopy,

That you were impressed by the renovation of “Steve’s stables” does make all the difference.  I think it is because it conveys the feeling that the building has gone onto "better things” - it is a happy ending of sorts! 

Many thanks

pete2013

[pete2013]

Jane

That it was possible for you not to enjoy your last visit to Hollin Hall says more than your actual words. 

Perhaps none of us should be too despondent.  Bear in mind that, forty years on, it could have been all too easy for us to be looking at a photograph of few rocks in a field and saying - that is where Follyfoot Farm once stood.

Many thanks

pete2013

[Jane]

Bear in mind that, forty years on, it could have been all too easy for us to be looking at a photograph of few rocks in a field and saying - that is where Follyfoot Farm once stood.

Pete, that is true, and we are lucky there is a public footpath that runs past the buildings and lakes and it hasn't been completely diverted or closed off.

I tend to look at things through rose-tinted glasses and want things to stay the same,   and luckily the lakes are just as lovely and unspoilt. 

[Loopy]

... it is a happy ending of sorts! 

I agree pete2013   

[sue]

I am so pleased that I was able to visit the hallowed ground before the barn disappeared and what was left of the old buildings were fenced off. It was so surreal to walk in Steve and Dora's footstep and  to sit in quiet contemplation by the  second lake, heavenly.


 

[Jane]

 

[squeakytre]