King of the Yorkshire castle

The grand-daddy of bed and breakfasting in England would have to be a castle.

Perched on the edge of the Yorkshire Dales, the former castle home of the Earl and Countess of Swinton has been restored to its former glory and opens this month with 17 bedrooms from which to choose.

Swinton Castle is set on 80ha of landscaped parkland, and guests can enjoy fishing, riding, shooting and croquet, then dine in an ornate dining room from a menu which features local game and vegetables grown on the estate.

Rates range from 95 to 250 pounds ($330-$870) a night for double and twin rooms to up to 350 pounds ($1220) for suites.

Contact: The Swinton Park Hotel, Masham,
near Ripon, North Yorkshire HG4 4JH, ph (0044)
1765 680 900, or visit the website, Swinton Park