TEESSIDE CL SITES

Saltburn-by-the-Sea boasts the world’s oldest water-balanced cliff lift

TEESSIDE TREASURE ❖ John Bateman goes hunting for CLs in the North-East Ordnance Survey and unearths some real gems. Follow his trail... Landranger Maps 88, 92, 93

NGLAND’S NORTH-EAST, Outstanding Natural Beauty. Moors, shaped by a rich and dramatic meadows, stone walls and picturesque INFORMATION Ehistory, tussles non-stop with the villages combine with three great rivers – SITES North Sea, industrial muscle and urban the Tyne, the Tees and the Wear – for a Details of the sites featured and bustle. Throw vast tracts of magnificent breathtaking exploration. others in the region are listed countryside and coastline into the mix, Rising on the flanks of the Pennines under Co Durham, Stockton-on- and it’s plain to see why those on the trail and cascading over the 70ft High Force Tees, Oxfordshire and North on pp357-358, 437, of CLs are often seen in these parts. falls before completing its 85-mile 456 and 498 of the Sites Four Wynds CL is a scenic spot County boundary jiggery-pokery over journey to the sea between Directory & Handbook 2009/10, the years saw me juggle with the Club’s and Redcar, the is a very and on p34 of the Supplement Sites Directory & Handbook listings agreeable travelling companion. under , Co Durham, Middlesbrough and Stockton-on-Tees TOURISM Stockton-on-Tees and, would you believe, aren’t far away but the region sports ample n TIC – call 01833 696356 n Middleton-in-Teesdale TIC – call 01833 641001 Oxfordshire, to track down appealing rural greenery, hosting little market towns n TIC – call 01325 388666 CLs. However, my journey started in the and enabling peaceful CLs to offer escapist n Useful website – exploreteesdale.co.uk North Pennines, a designated Area of invitations to country-lovers. >>

September 2010 The Caravan Club Magazine 79 CL SITES TEESSIDE

DID YOU Middridge Meadows Livery CL KNOW? The world’s first passenger train journey Donnewell Farm, near , wasand on the Darlington Stockton Railway in 1825 has been home to Peter and Joyce Donnewell Farm is a quality CL Littlefair for decades, but they only opened their CL as recently as last year. which enjoys a pleasant rural setting “We had planned it for years,” Peter told “ me, “and it took some friendly, local if numbers above five start your head Despite being a new site, booking is encouragement to go ahead.” spinning, check rally dates when you book. essential as security gates need you to Many Club members are glad they took For walkers, cyclists, youngsters who punch in a code. If you are unlucky” with the plunge. This quality site is open, enjoy play areas and lovers of woods, trails Tony’s landline number given in the enjoys a pleasant rural setting and offers and wildflower meadows, Wynyard Directory, try his mobile – 07967 202597. hardstanding super-pitches set into Woodland Park, once a working railway, is South of the Tees estuary is the little lawned surrounds and each with handy for CLs like Donnewell Farm. market town of . Four miles out individual water, waste-water disposal, Middridge Meadows Livery, near of town, Sue Barnfather’s Four Wynds electric hook-up and Wi-Fi connection. but listed under CL is set in the fertile valley alongside The service point includes comprehensive Darlington (Co Durham), is an interesting the Cleveland Hills. House and site carry recycling facilities which, surprisingly, site in the same area. Engineers Tony a Faceby, Middlesbrough address but a many members ignore. Dogs are not Capstack, Stephen Churm and Ian Craig Stokesley, North Yorkshire listing. This allowed because of the farm. began their livery and CL enterprise when is a scenic spot, overlooked by the Free-range eggs are available and Peter they bought 14 acres of former farmland. commanding Whorl Hill, and offering will even cycle into Sedgefield to collect The trio has since upgraded the entrance electrics and the opportunity to stretch your morning paper. How’s that for and driven hardstanding access through to your legs along the Cleveland Way. service? Sedgefield is a bustling little the site, an open, part-sloping meadow The site, backed by wooded slopes, community with lots of eateries and good bordered by paddocks. adjoins the paddocks of Fiona Scott’s pubs, including The Dun Cow, where Hook-up installations were completed livery business and you could well find Tony Blair introduced George Bush to in June and were awaiting an inspection your neighbours stretching their legs too, fish and chips. Donnewell Farm has a certificate at the time of writing. Doubtless ready for race action at Thirsk, Redcar or rally field alongside the farm drive. It is the electrics are now available and plans are some other course. If you plan a stay here, completely separate from the CL but, in hand for a shower and toilet unit. don’t miss Stokesley’s Friday Market. Finally, we’re off to Oxfordshire(!), but only because gremlins played tricks in the ATTRACTIONS Directory and shifted Guisborough and Saltburn-by-the-Sea from North n North Pennines AONB and European Geopark – pocket guide from TICs or see northpennines.org.uk Yorkshire, the rightful home of Michael n Wynyard Woodland Park, Thorpe Thewles – planetarium and and Samantha Farndale’s sweetly-named observatory. Park ideal for walkers, cyclists, children and dogs. How La Hay Farm CL. Call 01740 630011 or see wynyardwoodlandpark.org.uk For now, p437 gives full details of an n North-East Farmers’ Markets – call 01665 576148 or see attractive, part-sloping ¾-acre site behind neefm.org.uk for locations and dates the farmhouse. This neatly-maintained n Hartlepool’s Maritime Experience – including HMS Trincomalee, Europe’s oldest warship afloat. Call 01429 860077 or see CL boasts electrics and has an attractive, hartlepoolsmaritimeexperience.com sheltering fringe of woodland. Care is n Head of Steam-Darlington Railway Museum – call 01325 460532 needed negotiating the access drive off the or see head-of-steam.co.uk winding A173. n Hardwick Park, alongside Sedgefield – restored 18th-century How La Hay Farm is well located for landscape. Lakeside circuit for walkers, riders and cyclists a number of attractions and Saltburn, a n Durham – magnificent Norman cathedral (call 0191 386 4266), castle couple of miles away, is a resort with (call 0191 334 3800), university Botanic Garden (call 0191 334 5521), Durham cathedral river Wear and much more charm, beach, cliffs and salty tales to tell. Not bad for Oxfordshire! n

80 The Caravan Club Magazine