A recent ghost story about a haunted hotel in Ireland on the ghost-discuss list reminded me of a haunted guesthouse in the Yorkshire Dales. The first time we stayed there Martin and I were on our way north for a visit to friends living in Glasgow, Scotland and we wanted to break the long drive. We chose that particular guesthouse by looking in a guide to Bed and Breakfast places. The description sounded nice; a small working farm set on the hillside of Nidderdale with views looking out over Gouthwaite Reservoir, situated just north of the village of Ramsgill.

We arrived too late to see much, the nights were still long as it was spring and the drive up from Surrey with sightseeing stops in Harrogate (Betty's Tea Room is a must for all cake lovers) had seen the end of daylight. The journey from Harrogate to Pateley Bridge had been on winding roads and from there to Ramsgill it had been tortuous due to single-track roads necessitating stops for traffic to pass. We slowly drove out of Ramsgill until we found the turning described in the book, off the valley road passing through sheep-filled fields, their bleating a soothing musical sound on the chill night air. As I am a country lass, I carefully opened, and then closed each gate we came to. Then the car started to climb steeply, twisting up the side of the valley. The Dales were created by glacial erosion and the sides are very steeply angled; the car had to work to climb the slope.

After a few turns we reached the end of the drive as it widened out into a small car park, we had arrived at the twinkling lights seen in the distance from the valley bottom. At last we were at Longside House, a lovely old farmhouse. It was long and thin, a typical longhouse in architectural form, hugging the side of the dale. The owner, a jolly middle-aged lady, took us up to our room, a beautiful big one at the far end of the house. It had a huge bay window that looked out over Gouthwaite Reservoir (we were told we would see it in the morning). As it was early in the season we were informed that there were only a few other people staying at the guesthouse so we would be very private.

The room was clear of extra-disembodied visitors; however, on our way to it I had noticed that on the other side of the corridor there was a presence. Once the owner had left us to our own devices (she told us how to get back in from our evening meal as the main door would probably be locked by then) I told Martin about the Thing on the other side of the corridor a few doors down. He said he too had felt something.

We did not explore the presence further on that first visit to Longside House, we merely noted its existence, went out for an evening meal, returned, slept, breakfasted and moved on to Glasgow. However, we had been impressed with the quality of service and the beauty of the countryside and decided that one day we would return when we had more time to spare.

Three years later Martin and I decided to spend ten days travelling around Northumberland in the summer months. I had always wanted to go there, yet had only just passed through. I also wanted to stop at Longside House to check out the presence in more detail. So we chose to spend our first night of the journey at Longside. We telephoned ahead for a booking and discovered that it was a busy time, luckily they could fit us in. I suppose that should have warned me. When we arrived I discovered that we were to stay in the room that had the Thing.

I prefer to deal with the disembodied at a distance, helping them in short bursts with breaks between to gather my energy. Sharing a room with it meant there would be no respite from dealing with its problems and its reasons for being earthbound. So I unpacked with trepidation, glancing from time to time towards the spot it was lurking in, the far left of the room, on route to the ensuite bathroom. It was angling for attention; I could feel it almost breathing down my neck in an effort to be noticed. It established that it was a male but I was too busy unpacking to concentrate fully. The spirit was not aware that I had decided the best time to sort him out would be in the quiet of the night. I was tired from the long drive and sightseeing at Byron's old home, Newstead Abbey, and talking with the ghosts that live there. I wanted to unpack, have a shower, look at the garden and views over the Nidderdale Valley, think about where to eat that evening, anything but have a deep meaningful conversation with an earthbound spirit. Especially one, who insisted on following me into the shower, I had to be rude to him to maintain my privacy.

Martin and I settled in and went off for our evening meal at a pub in the Valley. We talked about what we wanted to do the next day, which sights to visit, and the possibility of staying a second night at Longside. I wanted to stay because no spook chases me from a room and I felt that perhaps I had better do something to help him. Two nights would give me a chance to do something. We were on holiday, Martin was agreeable; we were going at a leisurely pace so there was no need to rush off anywhere.

On our return to the room we got ready for bed and tucked ourselves under the duvet. Martin fell asleep before I did and snored musically into my ear. A sound I find comforting especially when dealing with ghosts in a strange bedroom! I looked towards the spot the spirit was standing in and sent a mental message 'Okay, time to start communicating with each other' I was still wide-awake. I slowed my breathing down into alpha brain-wave mode (meditation style breathing) and let myself be open to his energy. We established a link and I gradually fell into sleep (I do a lot of spirit work astrally and this was going to be the technique used in dealing with this ghost).

I had a bright coloured 'dream' of his story. He had lived in the House during the 1930s or '40s. I was not certain as whether he was an itinerant worker or a family member but he laboured well, working to keep the farm running smoothly and efficiently for the farmer. He was physically in his prime and got caught in a barn fire whilst rescuing the animals inside. Inhalation of the smoke had killed him before being burned so there was no memory of pain, just choking and coughing, then passing out. He wanted to tell his story to someone so he could come to terms with dying. He needed to share the vision of his last day with its original promise of fine hot weather and clear blue skies, only to end in disaster. He wanted people to know he was still there because everyone ignored him. He just did not realise that he was invisible to the vast majority of people. In fact it was the usual story of someone not realising that death did not mean extinction but a continuation in a bodiless form.

He had not known that he could move on to the Summer Lands. I hope I managed to get the message through to him, I know that communicating his story lightened his presence in the room. I hope one day to go back and check on his progress. I try to do follow-up visitations on haunts I discover and become involved in dealing with. Sometimes I can return, like visiting Geoffrey at Snowshill Manor, and sometimes I cannot.

© Judy Farncombe 1999

A map of part of Nidderdale.The Guest House is the little box next to the lettering saying Nidderdale Way, just above the north end of Gouthwaite Reservoir. The map from the "AA Ordnance Survey Leisure Guide to the Yorkshire Dales", ISBN 0749503785. I have added the lettering indicating where the guest house is.

This informantion is from the 1995 edition of "Stilwell's Britain Bed & Breakfast 1995" I have not seen the Guest House mentioned in similar books since that time. So telephone to make a booking - they may no longer be taking paying guest! I am missing off the charges as they will no-longer be the applicable.

Longside House, Ramsgill, Pateley Bridge, N. Yorks. HG3 5RH

Open: Mar to Nov.

Tel: +44 (0) 1423 755207

Proprieter: Mrs Crosse

Baths, 2 ensuite, 1 private.

A former shooting lodge 6 miles from Pateley Bridge on the 'Nidderdale Way'. Superb views towards Gouthwaite Reservoir and its bird sanctuary.

GHOST INDEX

Click here to return to the Main Index.