One of North Yorkshire’s most unusual and best-loved attractions has been forced to close this weekend as strong winds are forecast to hit the region.
The Forbidden Corner, near Leyburn in the Yorkshire Dales, will shut its doors on Sunday, October 25, with people who have booked tickets urged not to travel.
The popular attraction, known for its twisting outdoor labyrinth of tunnels, chambers and follies, announced the closure ahead of the weekend, saying the safety of visitors and staff had to come first.
In a statement, The Forbidden Corner said: “Due to the severe weather warnings and extreme winds forecasted for Storm Austen, we have made the difficult decision to close The Forbidden Corner this Sunday, October 25.
“Because our twisting labyrinth is mostly outdoors and exposed to the elements, the safety of our visitors, staff, and resident creatures has to come first. Customer safety is always our priority.”
The Forbidden Corner is a four-acre attraction in the grounds of Tupgill Park, featuring a maze of tunnels, chambers, follies and surprises in the heart of the Yorkshire Dales.
Among its unusual features are the Temple of the Underworld, a huge pyramid made from translucent glass and paths and passages designed to send visitors in unexpected directions.
The closure comes as the UK faces a spell of unsettled weather, beginning with Storm Austen, the first named storm of the season.
Storm Austen is expected to bring strong winds and heavy rain to parts of the UK from Thursday night into Friday, with the greatest risk of disruptive weather across southern and south-western areas.
The wet and windy weather is then expected to continue into the weekend, with Storm Boelo forecast to bring wind and rain to northern parts of the UK on Saturday night and through Sunday.
People who have already booked tickets for Sunday have been urged not to travel.
Staff will contact affected ticket holders by phone or email to arrange another date or issue a full refund.
The Forbidden Corner added: “We apologise for the disappointment and inconvenience, but we want to make sure your visit is memorable for the right reasons, not because you blew away.
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“Stay safe, keep dry, and we'll see you back in the labyrinth once the winds die down.”
The attraction began as a private folly created by Colin Armstrong, with its origins tracing back to fir trees planted at Tupgill Park in 1979.
It developed over the following years before The Forbidden Corner officially opened to the public on July 23, 1994.