Brilliant birthday parties at the Barn!

The Play Barn in Settle may have celebrated its own first birthday just last year but it's been the venue for countless fantastic birthday parties over that time. We have been to a few of them and towards the end of last year we hosted one of our own there! We thought we'd give you the full spec on what to expect and how much we enjoyed it.

 
There's something fantastic about the combination of candles, cake and kids which fills little ones with bucket loads of excitement but which can leave the organisers feeling a little bit overwhelmed. We found the people at the Play Barn (as always) to be relaxed, capable, efficient and professional. From the very start when we booked to the last minute they were there to take the strain out of the day - we had no stress, no organising and no cleaning up! There were about 30 little ones under 4 and it's safe to say there were plenty of giggles and LOTS of fun.
 

It's no surprise that their party slots are filling up quickly because at £7.50 per child, the Play Barn party package is fantastic value. The price includes entry to the Play Barn (a great way for kids to burn off some of that excitement and enough space for them to see their friends and play, but room to properly run about), Play Barn party invitations, two hours use of the 'party tent' which can be decked out according to a host of themes (they'll try to fit in with what ever you want but favourites are Hello Kitty, Princesses/Cinderella, Pirates, Jungle, Cars (Disney), Moshi Monsters and Thomas the Tank Engine - or a combination!), a fantastic party buffet of sandwiches, carrot sticks, crisps, sausage rolls, mini sausages, cherry toms, biscuits, ice cream and unlimited blackcurrant or orange cordial.
 
Our little guests all had a fab time and were made to feel very special. They really enjoyed the freedom of exploring the Play Barn and playing with friends and then sitting down in the party tent to the spread which went down a treat. The lovely staff all ensured things flowed well and were on hand to help - they seemed to be expert at manoeuvring while carrying a cake with lit candles! To top it all off when the party comes to an end, the birthday guest recieves a balloon and each guest is given a fantastic party bag - all included in the price. Our grown-up friends all enjoyed it, the little ones and their friends certainly enjoyed it and we all left smiling. In the words of one little guest over heard in the car park, 'that was the best party I've been to.' We cant give a more glowing report than that! 


Word is definitely getting out about the brilliant, great value Play Barn party venue where the weather can't spoil a thing...they recommend booking in advance to make sure you don't miss out. And so do we. 

There are optional extras you can add to your package such as a hot buffet (extra £2 per child), helium balloons (£1.50 per child) and a cake decorating session (extra £1 per child.) For more information please visit the Play Barn website

A leap of faith!

We live in a fantastic area for nature and are lucky enough to have on our doorsteps what countless other people travel across the country to come and visit. Alongside the incredible scenery of the Yorkshire dales, there is another natural spectacle occurring every Autumn just 20 miles away near Settle – the leaping salmon.

From late September through October is usually the best time to see the salmon leaping out of the water and up the waterfalls, returning upstream to spawn. They have journeyed a distance of about 75 miles from the open sea to the entrance to the Ribble river.

It’s best to go a day or two after heavy rain (ideally following a dry spell) where you’ll see the determined fish flinging themselves against the flow of the river and against all odds to get where they need to go. This stretch of the River Ribble is famous nationally as a great vantage point and older children would no doubt enjoy the ringside seats!

Packhorse Bridge

Stainforth itself (about 20 miles away from Skipton) is a village just outside Settle, a quiet place with stepping stones over the beck in the village centre. The best place to see the salmon is near Stainforth Force – a beautiful small waterfall. There’s an old packhorse bridge which makes a great spot for something to eat (perhaps stretching it a bit to refer to it as a picnic in October weather!)

The waterfall (which begins as a series of small cascades followed by a final slightly larger one of approximately 4 feet) is very close to the village and is on the Ribble Way so is ideal for little legs and a family outing.

For more information try http://www.gbwildlife.co.uk/post/October-Leaping-Salmon.aspx or
http://stainforth.info/stainforth_today.htm