SOMETHING new and possibly unique in England has been created in a 100-acre wood near Buttercrambe.

A woodland fairy sanctuary, designed to appeal to adults as much as children, has opened to the public.

The off-grid eco-tourist attraction, named Northwood Trail, includes a woodland trail and also a fairy museum. It is the brainchild of owners Carolyn and Christian Van Outersterp, who also run the nearby Jollydays glamping site.

The couple - who have four children - said that the new attraction is a response to what they describe as “the patronising of children” and a rejection of many things designed to appeal to children that are “garish and plastic”.

“In our experience children have a huge capacity to appreciate nature, beauty and intricacy,” they said. “So we have created a trail of the imagination with storytelling at its heart.”

They added that Northwood is about fostering a connection to nature, with “no rides, no interactive exhibits and no giant cartoon characters”.

The woodland trail winds through 1.5km of old paths, sprinkled with things to fire children’s imagination, including fairy tree houses and a willow walled maze.

The venture, given planning permission by Ryedale District Council in February 2018, includes a cafe serving food and hot drinks, and work is also under way to develop a woodland garden to eventually supply the kitchen.

The fairy museum will include an exhibition of fairy clothes and artifacts designed by Galatea, an illustrator and the Van Outersterp’s eldest daughter.

The site is truly off-grid - Northwood generates its own power and deals with its own effluent, and there is also a woodland management and biodiversity plan for the woods.

Former landscape architect Christian Van Outersterp added: “We wanted to be sensitive to this special place, it wasn’t a case of arrogantly imposing our will and ideas onto the woods, but rather teasing out what is already there and working with the land to create something deeply respectful and truly magical.”