A new glamping venture has launched near Roseberry Topping in North Yorkshire, offering themed shepherd’s huts in a rural setting with views of the iconic hill.
Roseberry Retreat, located off the A173 near Newton-under-Roseberry, received planning permission from Redcar and Cleveland Council in 2023.
The site, developed on High Farm, currently features three completed shepherd’s huts with individual themes and plans to expand to ten units over time.
The business is owned and operated by Simon and Joanna Sykes, a husband-and-wife team who recently hosted a launch event for family, friends, and neighbours.
The couple showcased the finished units and marked the occasion by welcoming their first guests. Joanna Sykes, who will manage the site full-time, described the venture as the culmination of a long-held ambition.
“It’s something that we’ve dreamed of and talked about doing for years,” said Mrs Sykes. “We have just started a family, and it’s a nice way to put our roots down and build a business around our family life.”
Each hut includes a private bathroom, kitchen, wood-fired hot tub, and designated parking. The first three huts—named “The Old Library,” “The Whisky Parlour,” and “The Captain’s Cabin”—are designed around themes that reflect the owners’ interests.
The Captain’s Cabin is also dog-friendly. Mrs Sykes explained, “We wanted to make them stand out, make them unique, and we’ve kind of just reflected on things that we’re really passionate about.”
Mrs Sykes, who has a background in architecture and project management, said much of the construction and interior work was done by hand, with help from her father and an emphasis on sourcing materials locally.
“We’ve done all the cladding and installation, sourced the windows and doors and bought all the fittings inside,” she told Darlington & Stockton Times.
Roseberry Retreat is part of a broader trend in the area, with another glamping site—featuring earth-sheltered burrows—approved in May 2024 on farmland near Great Ayton, about a mile and a half away.
The growth of such ventures reflects continued demand for experiential accommodations in natural settings.
Mrs Sykes acknowledged the growing number of similar offerings in the region but remains confident in the market. “I think in a way it’s reassuring that other people have had the same idea and that they recognise that it’s a beautiful place for this sort of thing,” she said.
“What we’ve tried to do is price it quite competitively so we’ve done some market research on what is in the local area and we’ve priced it based on what we think is good value for money, especially with it being our first year.”
For outdoor hospitality professionals, the launch of Roseberry Retreat underscores the importance of differentiating offerings through unique themes and personal storytelling while balancing design aspirations with market-driven pricing strategies.
The emphasis on local sourcing and hands-on development may also serve as a cost-effective model for similar startups navigating entry into the increasingly competitive glamping sector.