Cobbles, castles and coastal treasure
With its rich cultural history and outdoorsy offerings, North Yorkshire, County Durham and Teesside are fine areas to visit for a touring holiday. Philip Moon finds out more...
Bowes Museum by member Kellie Evans
Although I’ve whizzed through on my way to the Lake District or Scotland on several occasions, I’ve never really stopped to explore this part of England’s north and north-east before. My base for my first three nights is Richmond Hargill House Club Campsite. For me it’s an easy tow – straight up the A1 to Scotch Corner, turn on to the A66 and then it’s just a couple of miles down the road. The site lies near to the lovely stone village of Gilling West and about four miles from Richmond itself.
I’m greeted warmly by site manager Rebecca and her canine friend, Blue. “This is the quietest area,” advises Rebecca. “We call that the ‘Honeymooners’ Quarter’. Up here is ‘Millionaires’ Row’. It won’t cost you any more, but the views are the best.” Who wants to be a millionaire? I do. So, you can guess which part of the site I opt for.
Rich pickings
Richmond Castle by members Chloe and Sean Conway
Set up, and fortified by a cup of tea and a couple of biscuits, I head off to spend the afternoon in Richmond. Parking in the centre of town ‘up on the cobbles’ is easy (the historic cobbled streets are a much loved feature of Richmond), but do remember to ask site reception for a parking disc to display in your windscreen once you get there.
Richmond is a pretty and bustling market town with plenty of shops, cafés and pubs. My first port of call is the English Heritage-managed castle, just a short stroll from the town centre. Buying my ticket, I enjoy a cheery chat with the receptionist. “It was built in 1079 by William the Conqueror,” she tells me. “Ah,” I reply, “that’d be just after William and my Norman ancestors ‘harried’ you northerners.” “Yes,” she says. Her smile drops. Some wounds still run deep even 950 years on!
I’ll admit I like castles. I’m always interested in the layout, the evolution of the structure and the information offered by the interpretation boards. But whatever your depth of interest, climbing Richmond Castle’s tall stone keep rewards you with magnificent views over the town and surrounding countryside – it’s well worth the visit.
My next trip is to the regimental museum of the Green Howards, conveniently located just off the cobbles. The Howards were formed in the 1680s and this magnificent museum tells the story of the regiment and the individuals who served in it. There are uniforms, weapons, letters, diaries, photos and portraits and a huge medal collection.
While in Richmond, the Little Drummer Boy café, renowned for its fabulous scones, is highly recommended. A plaque tells the ghostly story of the young boy, whose drumbeats can still be heard if you walk a certain way on a certain night.
Heading to Barney
Percy Beck, Barnard Castle by member Paul Farrington
My task the following day is to recce Barnard Castle and its surrounds. Teesdale Barnard Castle Club Campsite is only a 15-minute walk away from town, down a footpath. The site offers flat, well-drained hardstanding pitches and backs onto the Deepdale Nature Reserve, which provides a backdrop of beautiful trees and is great for dog-walking.
Barnard Castle itself is a charming and prosperous town with a high proportion of independent shops and cafés. Perhaps it owes its prosperity in part to cheap parking: only £1 for four hours.
My first visit is to the eponymous Castle. Like Richmond it is managed by English Heritage; also like Richmond, you get fantastic views over the town and surrounds; and, like Richmond again, the interpretation boards are excellent, providing an insight into the range of buildings and economic activities that would once have taken place within the castle walls.
I move on to the must-see Bowes Museum, which lies on the edge of the town. The museum is home to a fantastic collection of ceramics, paintings, fashion items and more besides – its a wondrous repository of wondrous things. Its pièce de résistance is the Silver Swan, a full-scale fish-catching automaton dating from the 1770s. A love story lies behind the creation of the museum and why it was built in the style of a French château. Check it out if you visit.
In the afternoon, I drive into the countryside, heading north-west to Grassholme Reservoir. It’s usually possible to do a circular walk around the reservoir, but at the time of my visit the route was closed due to works taking place. I chat instead to some anglers who, being much hardier than me, are happy to brave the elements. (Day fishing tickets are available from the Visitor Centre.)
This is also the site of the Grassholme Observatory which, benefiting from dark skies, offers visitors the opportunity to stargaze and learn more about the heavens. If this is something you’d like to do, you might like to check out The Crown at Mickleton Certificated Location (CL), which is nearby.
The next morning my destination is Leyburn, about nine miles south of Richmond. Occupying a disused quarry, the Lower Wensleydale Club Campsite is situated just outside Leyburn in the village of Harmby. It’s a great location. Pitches are well spaced out – often in little pods of twos and threes – and separated by trees. Wildlife abounds and it’s a superb place for nature photography. One of the assistant managers has taken stunning pictures of owls, squirrels and other aspects of the site’s fauna and flora.
Close by is a business park which houses two visit-worthy attractions: Ceramic Inspirations pottery and the Inspired Chocolate factory. Both offer the opportunity to watch and learn about their respective manufacturing processes.
All aboard!
Thorp Perrow Arboretum near Lower Wensleydale Club site by member Chris Baldock
Leyburn is the terminus of the Wensleydale Railway. As I love preserved railways (please have a read of my special themed feature on pages 54-56 of the July 2024 issue of the Club magazine), I make this the focus of my afternoon’s activities.
For me, what makes this railway special is not the rolling stock nor the picturesque countryside through which it passes, but its period stations at Scruton and Leeming Bar. Scruton is preserved as it would have been in 1910 and Leeming Bar as if it were 1925. Both are manned by volunteers in period dress who delight in telling you about the stations’ operations and what life was like in those days. Leeming Bar is particularly interesting as the station incorporates the station master’s house, giving insight into domestic life in the period. I watch with wry amusement as two children appear ‘gob-smacked’ when hearing about outside toilets, darning socks and hand-powered washing ‘machines!
After my railway trip, I pop in to see Janet, who runs Brookfields Farm CL, also in Harmby. With views over open fields to the hills beyond, it’s as beautiful as the nearby Club site. Janet’s horses and donkeys graze in the adjoining paddock. “It’s a lovely place for people to come, enjoy and relax,” says Janet – a view shared by two Club members who add, “It’s a secret gem. Don’t tell anyone.”
On the way back to Richmond Hargill House, I stop off at The Angel Inn in Gilling West. It’s cosy and offers hearty home-cooked food. Do check restaurant opening times; it’s popular so booking is advised.
Do the white thing
Saltburn by the Sea by member Ian Jefferson
It’s now time to head over to White Water Park Club Campsite in Stockton-on-Tees, which Site Manager Lisa describes as an oasis: “We’re right next door to Portrack Marsh Nature Reserve and, of course, the Tees Barrage White Water Centre. And there’s so much to do,” she says. “Members use it as a stop-off point and then wish they’d scheduled to stay longer.” The site has a playground and games room, and even an illuminated fairy garden.
Activities offered by the water park include paddleboarding, canoeing and white water rafting. Even if you don’t want to take part, there’s the excellent Cook’s Café, which offers great views of all the various activities while you enjoy lunch or a cup of tea.
The complex also includes an ‘air trail’ for those who want the adrenaline rush of climbing to dizzy heights. My visit is mid-week in late October, and the weather is poor and predicted to get much worse, so no activities are taking place today. Fortunately, therefore, I won’t have to have a go!
The following day I drive to Runswick Bay on the coast. I had planned to walk the 8.5 miles of the King Charles III Coastal Path to Whitby, enjoy the delights of the town, then catch one of the regular buses back to pick up the car. However, Storm Babet is storming her storm. I drive instead to Skinningrove, home to the Land of Iron museum which stands on the site of the first ironstone mine in Cleveland and tells the story of the industry and the life of the community there.
My last stop is at Saltburn with its pier and cliff railway – the oldest water-balance funicular still operating in the UK. (Please note that, following a fire, the railway was closed for repairs as the magazine went to press). With the storm raging, it’s no day to linger on the prom or risk a walk down the pier.
I head back to the van – and sadly it is time to head home too. The storm has abated, and towing will be safe, though I’ll need to watch out for standing water on the roads. Fortunately, everything goes well. I’m home. I’m tired, but it’s been a busy week. I wish I could have stayed longer. I’ll most certainly be back.
