Getaway: North Yorkshire
Beautiful landscapes and historic houses are the backdrop to a leisurely summer break in Yorkshire for Nigel Hutson’s family
The perfect base for keen hikers
NONE OF US will forget 2020 in a hurry. Like many others, we had planned a series of caravan trips throughout the year.
Indeed, a couple of weeks before the first UK lockdown was announced, I was due to join Bailey’s Sahara Adventure expedition, but received a phone call saying the event was cancelled because Morocco was closing its border with Spain. Little did we know what was to follow.
When it was mooted that we might be able to use the caravan from July onwards, I contacted the owner of a favourite CL of ours, near the North Yorkshire village of Kirkby Malzeard, a few miles from
Ripon, in the hope that we would be able to have a break there.
Fortunately, they were taking provisional bookings and they had space. Our original intention was to book for a week, but we thought, “What the heck, let’s go for two!”
On the road again
So in mid-july, we duly arrived at West Leas Farm CL. We’d promised to take my parents for a meal at a lovely pub/restaurant in High Grantley, so until they joined us, we busied ourselves putting up the awning – for the first time on our current caravan!
All the hard work had been done by the time they arrived in their aging Auto-sleeper Symbol, affectionately called ‘Pod’. For the rest of the day, we could simply relax and enjoy the views towards the Yorkshire Dales, from the comfort of the awning.
The following day, my parents decided to visit the Royal Horticultural Society’s gardens at Harlow Carr, near Harrogate, just a few miles away. They love gardening (something that has passed me by).
Kay and I decided to put on our walking boots and explore the immediate area on foot. The village of Kirkby Malzeard, which is about a mile or so away, can be seen from the CL, and there’s a pleasant walk across the fields there. Be mindful, though, that the route is across fields and stiles, and in parts quite steep, so unsuitable for the less able.
Kirkby Malzeard may not be the prettiest village in the traditional sense, but it is a lively, thriving place and does have a certain attraction. It’s also the home of a creamery, owned by Wensleydale Creamery, producers of Yorkshire Wensleydale cheese. Alas, there is no visitor centre or shop here: you have to travel into the Dales, to Hawes, for that.
Of course, the main employment in the area is farming, and if you’re in the village, it won’t be long before a tractor passes by.
It was a lovely day, so after our morning walk, Kay and I relaxed at the caravan during the afternoon. Mum and Dad arrived back at the site just as the kettle was going on for a cup of Yorkshire Tea! They really know how to time things.
Dining out
We hadn’t tried Kirkby Fisheries and Pizzas before – primarily because we never noticed it as it’s tucked away, despite being on the main street in Kirkby Malzeard – but that evening, we enjoyed an excellent fish and chip supper from there.
As I mentioned earlier, we’d promised my parents a meal, and Sunday lunch had been booked at The Grantley Arms, a short but delightful drive away. Owing to Covid-19 restrictions, we had booked and selected our menus in advance as requested.
The owners had gone to great lengths to ensure tables were the requisite distance apart, and staff and customers were kept as safe as possible, and they did it in such a way that we still felt welcome. All I will say about the meal is that it’s not the first time we’ve been to The Grantley Arms, and it certainly won’t be the last.
Replete after our Sunday lunch, we drove to Pateley Bridge, just a few miles away, with a gentle walk in mind. But when we arrived, it seemed the rest of the world had the same idea; so after a stroll in the park and along the High Street, we enjoyed a steady drive back to the caravan and simply took things easy in the glorious afternoon sunshine.
The following morning, my parents left for home, and after bidding them farewell, Kay and I drove to Mount Grace Priory, House and Gardens, near Northallerton.
Mount Grace is owned by the National Trust, but managed and maintained by English Heritage, so if you’re members of either organisation, entry is free.
We were a bit limited as to where we could visit at the time of our tour – many places were still closed under the pandemic restrictions – and we had to book our tickets for Mount Grace in advance.
Of course, just as we arrived, it started raining; but at least the café was open and serving drinks and snacks to take away, and there was shelter from the rain just outside.
Medieval monastery
Thankfully, the rain soon abated, so we were able to explore this splendid 14th-century medieval monastery. Founded in 1398, Mount Grace was among the last of the great Yorkshire monastic houses.
Although we weren’t able to go inside the reconstructed monk’s cell (the Carthusians were semi-hermits and lived in solitude) or the magnificent house, we enjoyed what we could see, and plan to return when permitted – hopefully in better weather!
If you’ve ever seen the Channel 5 series, The Yorkshire Vet, you’ll know that Skeldale
Veterinary Practice is based on the outskirts of Thirsk. Peter Wright (one of the vets) was apprenticed to Alf Wight, aka James Herriot, the famous veterinarian and author.
The World of James Herriot, in Thirsk, is the original location of Alf’s (and Peter’s) practice. This is another place on our ‘see next time’ list – it was also closed. But some of the opening credits to the TV show were shot from the top of nearby Sutton Bank, which was our destination for the day.
Sutton Bank is on the A170, which runs between Thirsk and Scarborough, and is well known to caravanners as a road where towing is prohibited. This is because there’s a hairpin bend part-way up, with very steep approaches and departures, which has seen the demise of many tow cars over the years. There’s no problem in a solo car, of course.
Once at the top, there’s a huge car park at the Sutton Bank National Park Centre. You are now on the edge of the North York Moors National Park. On a clear day, the views are spectacular, looking right over the Vale of York towards the Dales.
From the car park, there’s a huge choice of well-made footpaths, mostly pretty flat. We chose the trail that passes The Yorkshire Gliding Club and leads to the Kilburn White Horse. When we reached the White Horse, I stood at the tip of one of its ears to take photographs. From here, as well as looking east towards the Yorkshire Dales, you can see York and beyond to the south.
Thankfully, we’d chosen a good day to visit – it was beautifully clear, so we stopped to enjoy a picnic along the way while soaking up the magnificent views.
A horse and a mouse
Returning to the car, we meandered along the back lanes to the car park below the White Horse. Oddly, from here you can’t see the horse’s head, although the carving is a huge 97m long by 67m tall and covers an area of some 1.6 acres.
Going back to the campsite, we drove through the village, which was the home of Robert Thompson, the Mouseman of Kilburn. Thompson made furniture from oak, ‘signing’ his work by carving a mouse, hence the name. There is a visitor centre here, but – you’ve guessed it – it was closed.
The following couple of days were spent around and about the caravan, exploring the many footpaths, taking us through the fields around Laverton, Kirkby Malzeard and Galphay, before enjoying a pub lunch at the Queens Head in Kirkby Malzeard.
We’re no strangers to Fountains Abbey and Studley Royal Water Garden, but we usually visit in December, when the abbey ruins are floodlit and Christmas carols are playing. So, again having pre-booked our
‘On the edge of the North York Moors National Park, the views are spectacular, looking right over the Vale of York towards the Dales’