JUST over 37 acres of land within the Yorkshire Dales National Park was sold in an auction at the Tennants Arms, Kilnsey.

The land, known as Knipe Scar at the bottom of Littondale, has direct access to the Kilnsey to Hawkswick road and benefits from substantial payments under a Higher Level Stewardship Scheme.

A busy sale room saw spirited bidding start at £45,000 and continue in small increments before the land was eventually sold for £90,000.

Auctioneer Jeff Crabtree, of Windle Beech Winthrop, chartered surveyors at Skipton Auction Mart, said: “This sale was further evidence of the strong local land market, underpinned by farmers anxious to increase their land holding.

"Undoubtedly the substantial scheme income on this land contributed to the interest and we were very pleased to secure a sale in excess of the guide price.”

Windle Beech Winthrop will be conducting a further auction sale of a block of 26 acres of limestone pasture off Banks Lane, Settle, on Tuesday, November 4, at 7.30pm in the Craven Arms, Giggleswick.