Tour de Yorkshire - August 2019

Tour de Yorkshire
August 2019

This was to be our first touring holiday in the beni, our previous trips had all been based in one area and staying at one campsite, so we were really looking forward to touring, we had never been to Yorkshire before so we did lots of research on the areas we wanted to see, the plan was to start in the west in the dales area and move easterly to the coast.

Monday 5th August

We hit the road mid-morning traveling up the M6, traffic was quite heavy but we made good progress, stopping off at Crowden for lunch then headed towards Holmfirth, we wanted to have a look around this 'last of the summer wine' town but found it very busy and nowhere to park so carried on to Hebbdon Bridge, a small market town in the Upper Calder Valley sitting on the Calder river and the Rochdale canal,

as time was getting on we decided to leave exploring Hebbdon until tomorrow and made our way to Widdop reservoir for our first night wild camp. we parked up it was now 4.30pm and before long we were the only people there, we took Izzy for a long walk around the reservoir before tea, we sat eating tea looking out over the water with the sound of bird song and the bleating of sheep as the sun sank below the hills.

Tuesday 6th August

Woke at 7.30am after a very quite night, i was really surprised how dark it was as there were no street lights around , the stars would have been great but were blocked by cloud.

After taking Izzy for another walk we had breakfast then returned to Hebbdon Bridge, the town was bustling this morning, we walked through the town window shopping then back down the Rochadale canal, there were small shops and cafes along the canal so stopped for a mid morning coffee watching the narrow boats maneuver the lock gates. 

Returning to the van we headed off to Haworth, the village made famous by the Bronte sisters, we followed the signs to the parsonage, the car parks took hundreds of cars so must be a very busy place, today though was much quieter, we walked up to the parsonage which had the Bronte museum and old school rooms that looked like they hadn't changed since the sisters day.

We walked into the village, again not too busy and was lovely, a hillside village with steep cobble stoned streets, stopped for a glass of beer at one of the local pubs, Adele noticed that there were chickens just wondering around the streets, apparently, this was normal here.

Time was again pressing so headed for our second nights camp, this time a CCC certified site at Askwith, another peaceful spot.

Wednesday 7th August   

Woke 8.00am after a night of heavy rain, had breakfast and on the road to Harrogate and Ripon to Patley Bridge, a small market town with the oldest sweet shop in the world and known for its pies!

We parked up by the side of the river and walked up to the town, very pretty with its flower troughs and hanging baskets, we called in to the sweet shop but was very busy so popped over the road to a pie shop, and what a shop, every type of pie you could think of, we bought a pork pie and scotch egg then noticed a hogs pie, which was still warm from the ovens, we took them back to the van for lunch, the hogs pie was wonderful, like hot roast pork in a pie.

After lunch we were on the road again through Wharfdale, along to Asgarth to Hawes and the Wenslydale creamery, to see walice and Grommets cheese factory, we had a very good talk and demonstration on how the y make their cheeses then were able to visit the factory, however, it was late in the day and they were just finishing the last batch.

we found a site in Hawes and settled down for tea with wonderful scenic views across the dales.

Thursday 8th August

woke 7.30am after breakfast we set out on our tour of the dales, again the scenery was breath taking following the river Ure past Aisgill and came across Pendragon Castle at Mallerstang Dale, the ruined grade 1 listed building was bulit in 12th century.

The roads led us on to Nateby, Thwaite and Swalesdale, then to Rieth and Grinton both hit by the recent floods with both severely damaged we were diverted via Castle Bolton to Leyburn then to Masham where we found our stop for the night CCC Lime Kilns Farm, a smashing site located in the owners back garden with a garden shed for facilities but were very good and spotless, ready for our Brewery Tour tomorrow.  We seem to have been driving all day but only traveled 68 miles.

Friday 9th August

Woke at 8.00am and still raining from the early hours, we went back to Masham to visit the Theakston brewery but noticed a sign for the smaller Black Sheep brewery so thought we would try this one instead.

The tour was very good and somehow managed to get in free, though we did buy some souvenirs and didn't go to the beer tastings as I was driving. We left Masham and got to Thirske to do shopping before realising we had left the van chokes at the site so back to Masham.

We then called in to the NT Rievaulx Temples and Terrace a very pleasant property but not what we expected the art work on the ceiling was awesome, after a couple of hours we went to Helmsey and found our first english 'aire' free between 6.00pm - 8.00am

had tea and read until dark, started raining again.

Saturday 10th August 

Woke 8.00am, still raining, we had full english for breakfast, then from behind grey clouds, the sun

We walked from the 'aire' into town, a proper Yorkshire town with stone buildings and a town square, we bought pork pie and Yorkshire curd pie for lunch before returning to the van, we drove through the North Yorkshire moors to Redcar, Saltburn by the sea to Staithes.

Staithes a lovely seaside town was once an important fishing village and part of the James Cook trail.

The sun was now shining and the walk around Staithes was great so much so we lost track of time so we were late arriving at Whitby, we found a THS (temporary holiday site) these, we have found, are normally very good but this one was  like being on the side of a mountain and with the grass a foot high was very difficult to get anywhere flat.

Sunday 11th August

Woke at 7.00am after what seemed like a night on the north face of the Iga, the van felt like it was at 45 degrees, showered the breakfast and drove out to Whitby and parked up at the ruined Abbey which is the start on Bram stokers Dracula, overlooking the town its very impressive.  We walk down the back streets and alleyways to the old side of the town, however, we  were unaware the it was regatta weekend and the place was heaving with people which spoilt it for us.

we walked out to the other side of Whitby and had some lovely fish and chips for lunch, after another walk around we returned to the van to find a better site for tonight and found a farm site with an on site icecream parlor which of course we had to try.

We had cheese and wine for tea and an early night.

Monday 12th August

Woke 7.30am, after breakfast we left Whitby and headed out to Robin Hoods Bay, a lovely little village, we wandered through its narrow, twisting cobbled streets and alleyways, you can easily imagine the sailors and fishermen, smugglers and press gangs that walked these streets hundreds of years ago. We stopped off at a small cafe for a coffee and crepes and watched the world go by soaking up the atmosphere.

We returned to the van and moved onto Goatlands, home of the North Yorkshire Moors steam railway and Aidensfield, the ITV series Heartbeat, set in rural Yorkshire in 1960s, 

it was exactly as it is in the series, there were sheep roaming the village green and '60s cars parked on the road, after we drove through the North Yorkshire Moors National park back to Helmsey for our overnight stop. After tea, we walked into the town and stopped at the castle which, although closed looked very impressive as we started to walk back to the van a mighty thunder storm started, we got back just as the heavens opened up.

Tuesday 13th August

Woke 7.30am after another good night on this free 'aire' had breakfast then left for the NT Nunnington Hall, a Yorkshire manor house with lovely walled garden, rooms were well set out with period furniture.

We moved onto Scarborough and Filey, Scarborough is a typical seaside town not really to our liking but the north beach was good lots of parking although not much for larger campervans.

We called in to Bempton Cliffs a RSPB reserve, the main area was paid entry, but you can wall the coastal path which was lovely and peaceful apart from the noise from seagulls.

It was getting late now so looked for stop over for the night, called in at Beacon House (CS) another 'back garden' site, had late tea then relaxed reading.

Wednesday 14th August

Woke 7.30am, the full english breakfast to set us up for the day.  We went out to Flanborough Head, walked out past the lighthouse onto the headland and saw grey seals basking in the sunshine on the rocks, very good walk.

We returned to the van and onto Bridlington and down the coast road to the small village of Fraisethorpe, we found a beach and parked within 10' of the sea, we walked with Izzy on the beach, returning to the van we noticed a CCC THS so decided to park up here for the night, a brilliant spot with sea views all for £11.00 per night. After tea we made the most of this park up and took another walk on the beach, lovely and peaceful with the very few people about, we sat and watched the sunset, then returned to the van.

Thursday 15th August

Woke 8.00am, we had had such a peaceful night we decided to stick around for another night, we check in with the CCC wardens, no problem, we popped out to get a few supplies then returned to the beach, a day of pottering about around the van and on the beach.

The day went so fast, we again, finished our day with a lovely walk on the beach, this time the opposite way towards Bridlington, didn't get that far as we came across some old WW2 pill boxes, returned to the van in the last of the sunshine.

Friday 16th August

Woke suddenly before 6.00am with a call from Charlottle as she was going to work, don't think realised the time, it was raining, we had showers and breakfast, the day didnt look as if it was going to brighten up at all, started to move off again down the coast but before we knew it we were on the Humber Bridge, we thought of making a detour but the weather was still bad so carried on heading towards home.

We arrived back home mid afternoon.  What a great time we had had on what was our first touring trip in the benivan, we did have an issue with the hot water pipes again, but we were not going to let that spoil what was a lovely holiday.

Details 
Mileage: 887
Ave MPG: 31.6
Camp Fees: £101.00

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We put our holiday photos into small slideshows and are uploaded onto our YouTube channel benivanadventures, thet are not professionally produced but give a feeling of the areas and places we visit - click on the links below to view.

Tour de Yorkshire part 1  - visting Holmfirth, Heptonstall, Widdop, Hebdon Bridge and Haworth

Tour de Yorkshire part 2 - visting Riddleton Hall, Askwith, Pateley Bridge, Grassington, and Hawes

Tour de Yorkshire part 3 - visiting Hawes, Mallerstang, Pendragon Castle, Muker, Black Sheep , BreweryMasham

Tour de Yorkshire part 4 - visting Helmsey, NT Rievaulx, Ingleby, Staithes and Whitby

Tour de Yorkshire part 5 - visting Robins Hood Bay, Fylingdale, Goathland and TVs Aidensfield

Tour de Yorkshire part 6 - visting North Yorkshire Moors, Egton, Hutton-le-Hole, NT Nunnington Hall,
Flanborough and Humber Bridge