Discover Lofthouse
Lofthouse is a village located in North Yorkshire, governed by North Yorkshire Council (formerly Harrogate). With a population of 197, it sits within the Nidderdale Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty. Visitors should note its proximity to the scenic Yorkshire Dales, making it a notable spot for outdoor activities and rural exploration.
Explore the map below to discover accommodation, attractions, restaurants, and live events across Lofthouse. Scroll down to browse featured listings and plan your perfect visit.
Stay in Lofthouse
Roseberry Cottage B&B
Orchard Cottage Rally Field
Discover Orchard Cottage Rally Field, a tranquil campsite nestled near Fountains Abbey, perfect for exploring Ripon's historic beauty.
Moorhouse Cottage
Discover Moorhouse Cottage, a stunning and idyllic country hideaway in Bewerley offering first-rate facilities and delightful animal encounters.
Meagill farmhouse hot tub bbq hut sauna
Things to Do in Lofthouse
Studfold Adventure Trail
How Stean Gorge LLP
Food & Drink
Thwaite Arms
Located in the picturesque and remote area of the Yorkshire Dales, Thwaite Arms offers a charming traditional pub experience. While primarily a destination for enjoying local ales and hearty meals, visitors should be prepared for standard pay-and-display parking arrangements typical of rural establishments. Enjoy the stunning surroundings and the warm hospitality of this unique pub.
The Old Bakehouse Ltd
Discover The Old Bakehouse, a highly-rated Pateley Bridge gem serving delicious freshly baked goods, tiffins, and sandwiches.
The Friars Head
Located in the picturesque village of Finghall, The Friars Head offers convenient parking for visitors looking to enjoy a delightful dining experience in the heart of Yorkshire. While the parking is likely pay-and-display, the venue's charm and the quality of its food make it a must-visit for those exploring the Bedale and Leyburn area.
Interactive Map
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Geographic Facts
This village is geographically within the following regions:
- Population
- 197
- Administrative area
- Fountains Earth
- Dialing code
- 01423
Data sourced from Wikidata and verified public records
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From Local Farm to National Shelves: How a North Yorkshire Rapeseed Oil Business Wins Listing with Garden Centre Chain
A North Yorkshire farm business, Charlie & Ivy's, has landed a major nationwide listing! Find their award-winning rapeseed oil bread dippers in Dobbies now.
Walkshire in Lofthouse
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Walk: Middlesmoor, Scar House Reservoir & Upper Nidderdale
Middlesmoor, Scar House Reservoir, Thrope Edge & Upper Nidderdale. The Route Start Point: Middlesmoor, Harrogate HG3 5ST Finish Point: Middlesmoor, Harrogate HG3 5ST Distance: 9.8 Miles GPX Route Map middlesmoorDownload Walk Description The windswept village of Middlesmoor has a commanding position high above the valley, situated on a great promontory of moorland between Nidderdale and the valley of How Stean Beck. The village is a delightful jumble of old cottages and alleyways, which makes it an interesting place to explore with St Chad’s Church hidden away along a cobbled lane. The view from the churchyard is superb with the whole of Nidderdale laid out and Gouthwaite Reservoir shimmering in the distance. This site has been a place of worship since Saxon times. The present church dates back to the 15th Century, although it was extensively restored in the 1860s. Inside, there is an Anglo-Saxon font as well as a very finely carved Saxon cross thought to have been erected in the churchyard by St Chad himself as a preaching cross to convert the local pagans. St Chad was a disciple of Aidan, one of the famed Lindisfarne monks, and he later became Abbot of Lastingham in Yorkshire and finally Bishop of Mercia during the 7th Century. Lofthouse is a delightful village situated at the junction with the steep moorland road that leads up across Pott Moor over to Masham in lower Wensleydale. In the 12th Century, much of Upper Nidderdale was owned by Roger de Mowbray, who also founded Byland Abbey near Helmsley and subsequently granted grazing lands to the monks on the western side of the valley, including Middlesmoor. He later sold land on the east side of the valley to the monks of Fountains Abbey, who established a monastic farm at Lofthouse around which the village grew. The oldest part of the village is grouped around the foot of the steep moorland road, a compact cluster of grey-stone cottages and farms with a small ‘square’ of houses overlooking the ornate Memorial Water Fountain. This water fountain was built in 1920 to commemorate the local men who gave their lives during the Great War and features some rather amusing inscriptions. Beyond Lofthouse the River Nidd flows through the dramatic landscape of Upper Nidderdale. The riverbed along this stretch of the valley is composed of limestone rock as opposed to the millstone grit that is more commonly found throughout Nidderdale. Over many thousands of years, water has percolated down through the many fissures and faults in the limestone bedrock and has gradually dissolved the rock to create an underground labyrinth of caves and passages. Indeed, the river sinks into a pothole at the foot of Beggarmoat Scar some two miles north of Lofthouse near Manchester Hole, a cave entrance that leads down into the main underground river channel which soon links up with the complex and dangerous cave system of Goyden Pot. For over two miles the Nidd follows a subterranean route through caves and passageways before reappearing just to the south of Lofthouse at Nidd Heads. Only after heavy rain does the river flow over-ground, indeed the popular caving routes of Manchester Hole and Goyden Pot are often subject to sudden and severe flooding when the river spills through the normally dry cave entrance of Manchester Hole; these caves and potholes must not be explored.
Nidderdale Way Walk
The Nidderdale Way is a circular walk which explores the valley and uplands of the Nidderdale areas. The Route Start Point: Hampsthwaite Finish Point: Hampsthwaite Distance: 53 GPX Route Map nidderdalewayDownload Walk Description what3words for start point: ///inclined.canoe.campus The Nidderdale Way is a circular walk which explores the valley and uplands of the Nidderdale areas. It can be started at any point but many start from Hampsthwaite just north of Harrogate and head west towards upper Nidderdale by following the River Nidd upstream. the route goes through Birstwith, Swarcliffe, Darley, Dacre Banks and Summerbridge before leaving the river and climbing to High Shaw, Abraham Crags and High Crags where there are stunning views down to Nidderdale from Yorke's Folly. The route continues onto Bewerley and heads down to the east side of Gouthwaite Reservoir. Leaving the reservoir side near Ramsgill the walk heads deep into upper Nidderdale via Stean Gorge and Middlesmoor to Scar House Reservoir. The route continues south along the valley on paths and trails by the east side of Gouthwaite Reservoir again but this time in the downstream direction close to Pateley Bridge. Then more low moor paths are followed to the south of the spectacular Brimham Rocks before continuing to Shaw Mills and then to Ripley. A short walk back to Hampsthwaite then completes the stunning circular walk.