TOURING : CLUB SITES Yo rkshi re has got t he lot: sea side to the east, wolds to the sou th, moors to t he north and dales to t he west...

Words: Andrew Ditton

THIS MONTH’S SITES The largest resort on the coast, Scarborough overlooks the North Sea

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4 1. SCARBOROUGH WEST AYTON 2. RICHMOND HARGILL HOUSE 3. LOWER WENSLEYDALE 4. HEBDEN BRIDGE See p181 of the Sites Directory See p180 of the Directory See p178 of the Directory See p176 of the Directory & Handbook 2013/14

You can book your pitch online at caravanclub.co.uk/searchandbook or by calling our Advance Booking Service on 01342 327490. Please call Affiliated Sites directly.

22 www.caravanclub.co.uk March 2014 The Caravan Club Magazine 23 TOURING : CLUB SITES FOOD + DRINK FOR THE FAMILY r e n r o C

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The Forbidden Corner P The Forbidden Corner, aka ‘The Strangest Place in The Angel Inn the World’, is no ordinary garden. A labyrinth of tunnels, underground chambers and outrageous This lovely pub is a mile from the Richmond Hargill House site. follies entertain. Pre-booking essential. It’s dog-friendly, has a riverside garden for warmer days, and a roaring fire for cooler days. Club members are made to feel Contact: 01969 640638, theforbiddencorner.co.uk especially welcome. The Sunday roasts are legendary. Nearest featured site: Lower Wensleydale

Contact: 01748 518099, gillingwest.org.uk Nearest featured site: Richmond Hargill House Scarborough Sea Life Sanctuary y

Look out for otters, turtles, r a u seahorses and penguins at this t Wensleydale c n a

great wet-weather attraction. S

Creamery e f i

You can also hold a crab at the L

a At Wensleydale Creamery interactive rockpool. e S

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Visitor Centre you can watch g u o cheesemakers in action, try r

Contact: 0871 423 2110, o b r

various samples or enjoy a sealife.co.uk/scarborough a c S

meal in Calvert’s Restaurant. : Nearest featured site: o t o

Scarborough West Ayton h P Contact: 01969 667664, wensleydale.co.uk Nearest featured site: Flamingo Land Lower Wensleydale Some may feel it’s a little pricey at £10 for adults and £7.50 for children (aged four to 12) but an amazing day out for all the family awaits at Denison Arms Flamingo Land. There are plenty of rides for all ages as well as an Arrive hungry at the impressive zoo offering daytime Denison Arms, East shows and events. Ayton (a 20-minute walk Grosmont Station on the Moors Railway from our Club site). Its Contact: 0871 9118000, flamingoland.co.uk huge portions from the Nearest featured site: Scarborough West Ayton varied, extensive menu are massively popular ur journey starts in the family- cafés, an enormous sandy beach, rolling valley towards Richmond, enjoyed from with members. friendly resort of Scarborough, waves and lines of campervans and cars “No trip to this area is most of pitches, is reason enough to visit. Mainsgill Farm which first became famous for with surfboards attached. There’s no entry fee at Mainsgill Farm, where you can Contact: 01723 862131 its spa waters in the early 17th Four miles from the town lies the complete without a RICH CHOICE spend an hour with the cows, piglets, deer, llamas Nearest featured site: O and comical camels. Featuring a farm shop, gift shop Scarborough West Ayton century. Nearly 400 years later, immaculate and popular Scarborough Richmond itself is lovely. Parking is free it’s as popular as ever, with an increasing West Ayton Club site. It’s a full-facility ride on the majestic (you’ll need a parking disc from the and butchery, there is something for everyone. number of surfers swelling visitor numbers. affair that boasts an adventure playground, North Yorkshire wardens) in the town or there is a bus from An initial tour of the town reveals a huge games field and indoor games room. the site every two hours, serving Darlington Contact: 01325 718860, The Lamppost Café Moors Railway” mainsgillfarm.co.uk friendly place that is a mind-boggling No trip to this area is complete without in the opposite direction. There are a Nearest featured site: Happy to welcome both ‘Hound combination of Blackpool and Bondi Beach. a ride on the majestic North Yorkshire couple of historic walks to do – maps are and Human’, this Hebden Bridge Richmond Hargill House Scarborough’s South Bay is where you’ll Moors Railway. Take a steam train to available from the wardens – taking about café lays on water bowls and beds for dogs, free of charge. There are stumble across the family-friendly sands, Goathland station, which can be seen in the A66, many members find this a useful two hours apiece. That’s just long enough to treats for your pooch and a great amusement arcades, fish and chip shops, Heartbeat TV series. Down the line is overnight stopping place. But according to work up an appetite for a cream tea in one selection of food for you, too. and serene harbour. Go around the , a gloriously retro seaside town. the lovely wardens, they often discover of the little cafés. peninsula to the North Bay and a very Hitch up, head west and arrive at how much there is to do in the area and Richmond lies within striking distance of Contact: 01422 845475, thelamppostcafe.co.uk different Scarborough is revealed. No Richmond Hargill House Club site. Owing return for a longer stay. In fact, the the gorgeous Yorkshire Dales, although, if Nearest featured site: Hebden Bridge amusements here, just a couple of select to its easily-accessible location just off the sweeping view across the luscious green you want to be a little closer to the action, >>

24 www.caravanclub.co.uk March 2014 The Caravan Club Magazine 25 TOURING : CLUB SITES WALK THIS WAY GREEN TREAT Stunning Yorkshire Dales OUTDOOR FUN Walking is the main attraction at Lower Our tour ends up in the west of the region CULTURE Wensleydale. The site reception sells at Hebden Bridge, where The Club site little booklets at just 50p a pop detailing sits in a lush green valley. There is no Aysgarth Falls some terrific local strolls, each of toilet block but this only adds to the sense National Park which takes in a decent hostelry for that of quietude – unlike at Scarborough Centre essential refreshment stop. You can also there isn’t an awful lot to amuse the walk to the delightful market town of children here. Enjoy the waterfalls that y t i in 20 minutes – it’s well worth a Fantastic walking opportunities and r o inspired Turner, but also h t look, especially on a Friday when the the laid-back town of Hebden Bridge u discover walks in the area. A k r market arrives. itself are the top attractions. It takes a You can be traditional and buy P l a maps, or modern and Your walk will take you past The Little about 45 minutes to walk into town along n o i t e l

a download ‘geocache’ routes. Chocolate Shop where you can see sweet the Rochdale Canal, but wear your t s N

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Check for opening times. C e l treats being made, Wensleydale Railway walking boots as the path does get n a o t D l

o e station and The Teapottery where you can quite muddy. Alternatively, there is an r Bolton Castle i B

: h s Contact: 01969 662910, o t k buy a teapot in the shape of a motorhome. hourly bus from the site entrance, which r This is one of the best-preserved medieval fortresses o o h

Y yorkshiredales.org.uk

P : Go on, you know you want one! is just as well as town parking can be o in the country. Falconry, owls, wild boar and archery t Nearest featured site: o h The Wensleydale Railway runs mainly quite a challenge. will keep all ages entertained. P Lower Wensleydale heritage diesels, but if you strike it lucky Hebden Bridge is a relaxed place full of Cycling you may encounter a steam train – check independent shops and cafés – if you are Contact: 01969 623981, boltoncastle.co.uk the website (wensleydalerail.com) for vegetarian, vegan, or want to avoid gluten, Nearest featured site: Lower Wensleydale The Yorkshire Wolds Cycle steam-operated services. there is a huge variety of feasting Great Days Out member offer: one child goes free route, a circular trail Scarborough with one full paying adult (see caravanclub.co.uk/gdo) between Beverly and Surf School The two most useful destinations opportunities available. Hunmanby, passes served by the railway are (another Up the road lies the village of Howarth, through 47 East Ridings All the cool dudes and sweet Yorkshire market town) in one home of the celebrated Brontë sisters. The villages. The recently- dudettes are heading for Scarborough. Surfing and direction and Redmire in the other. best place to start your literary journey is opened Way of the Roses Redmire is a short walk from Bolton the super Brontë Parsonage Museum. Route (National Cycle stand-up paddle boarding Network Route 688) lessons are available at Cayton Castle, or it’s a four-mile hike to the Even if you’re not into Wuthering Heights traverses the middle of Bay. You can hire kit, too. stunning Aysgarth Falls. and the like, the tragic personal story of the county and is well There’s plenty to see at Bolton Castle, the Brontë family is very moving. worth a pedal. Contact: 01723 585585, from falconry displays to archery Finally, if you’re like me, you must go scarboroughsurfschool.co.uk give Lower Wensleydale Club site in demonstrations. Once the kids have to the Keighley & Worth Valley Railway. Nearest featured site: Contact: sustrans.org.uk Leyburn a try. Access from the West and had a go at wild boar feeding, there is the It may only have five miles of line, but it Scarborough West Ayton “Richmond lies Stephen Joseph Theatre the M6 is not advised, so check your serious business of appreciating all the is home to the shrine that is the station This lovely Art Deco-style building is famous for hosting Directory carefully, and approach from the within striking well-preserved rooms, from the dungeons used in the 1970 classic film version of premieres of Alan Ayckbourn’s plays. East. Once on site, you don’t really need to down below to Mary Queen of Scots’ The Railway Children . start the car or motorhome engine again. distance of the bedroom via the kitchens and nursery. And so I come to the end of the line this Contact: 01723 370541, sjt.uk.com The three options you have for getting gorgeous Admission costs are lower than you might month – I hope the four sites on my Nearest featured site: Scarborough West Ayton around are your own two feet, the expect (£25 for the entire family), giving whistlestop tour will tempt you to hitch ‘Wensleydale Flyer’ bus service or the Yorkshire Dales” you more to spend in the decidedly up and enjoy a caravanning break in this Scarborough Wensleydale Railway. upmarket tea room. beautiful part of the world.

e Castle g a t i r

e This castle has a 2,500-year H

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s history, but just as impressive i l g

MEMBERS’ VIEWS n are the sweeping coastal E

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t views. Occasional live events o h

P add to the attraction. Elizabeth and Bill Green , who love going for walks with their dog, Scooby, say Hebden Bridge Club Together Contact: 01723 372451, english-heritage.org.uk is one of their favourite sites. Apart from the k Nearest featured site: Scarborough West Ayton r a terrific walks direct from the site, Elizabeth is also P l a The online community n keen to praise the handy transport links nearby, o i

t Brontë a and highly rates the town of Halifax for its shops that just keeps growing N s r and indoor market. Par sonage o o

M To read even more member views,

k Mu seum r o see our fantastic online forum at Y h t Even if you’re not a Brontë r caravanclub.co.uk/together o N

fan, the preservation of social y : t o e t i c o history is fascinating. Check o h S P

out the website for a series of ë t n o

events, too. After your visit, r B

North Moors :

stroll the cobbled streets of o t o

Walking the moors should be on your ‘to-do’ list. Not far from the the lovely village of Howarth. h Club site, Forge Valley Woods offers a level, boarded, two-mile P Avid tourers Brian and Yvonne Robertson to see the Scarborough Fair Collection fully-accessible walk, but there are dozens more further afield. have two top tips for those staying at (scarboroughfaircollection.com – check for Contact: 01535 642323, bronte.org.uk Scarborough West Ayton. The first is to visit opening times). “Brilliant!” enthused Yvonne. Nearest featured site: Hebden Bridge Contact: 01439 772700, northyorkmoors.org.uk Whitby, enjoying the walk up to the church “We thought we would stop for five minutes Great Days Out member offer: two for the price of one Nearest featured site: Scarborough West Ayton and the steam-powered bus. The second is and stayed all day!” (see caravanclub.co.uk/gdo) 26 www.caravanclub.co.uk March 2014 The Caravan Club Magazine 27