Riverside Caravan Park
Low Wath Road, Pateley Bridge, Yorkshire, HG3 5HL
Web Site www.nidderdale.co.uk/riversidecaravanpark/
The site is on the bank of the river Nidd, a short walk from Pateley Bridge centre (about 500 yards), facilities are average but clean. Pubs, banks and shops in the village and also two takeaways and two chip shops. Good place for a relaxing holiday or for walking and exploring if you feel like it. As mentioned before in earlier blogs but worth repeating, this site does not take credit cards or debit cards, only cash or cheques.
Day one, July 29th
Arrived about two and after sandwiched, wandered into town along the river, well the girls did. I set every thing up in the van before I joined them. The girls played in the playground for a long while even though the weather was not good, it kept raining for short periods. We were expected Mick and Bren to arrive any time now but got a message to say the road they were on was blocked by a very bad accident.
It was getting late when they arrived, reception was closed but I had been told to direct them to next to us. It was a surprise for the girls especially as they had the dog Jazz with them.
I had cooked the Sunday dinner for all of us and we had it in our van before and early night.
Day two, July 30th
It was sunny when we all walked into town for a look around before lunch, but we all had our waterproofs with us. In one shop Dot found an amber ring she fancied but I wasn't listening to her and she didn't get it. After a brief wander round the rest of the shops, we went back to the site for lunch. We had hot dogs, Emily had planned the food for the holiday before we set off and that is what we had down for today.
After lunch we set off to see if we could catch any fish in the river, we only had fishing nets though. We left by the side gate and turned left to the foot bridge, then over the river and left again to a spot where we knew we could get down to the river, see the walk we did last trip.
The girls loved playing in the river but not nearly as much a Jazz dog did. Especially swimming to retrieve sticks thrown by Georgia and Emily.
While they played I took photos of the local plants and bugs, we were to have a lot of problems with bugs later that night.
Day one, July 29th
Arrived about two and after sandwiched, wandered into town along the river, well the girls did. I set every thing up in the van before I joined them. The girls played in the playground for a long while even though the weather was not good, it kept raining for short periods. We were expected Mick and Bren to arrive any time now but got a message to say the road they were on was blocked by a very bad accident.
It was getting late when they arrived, reception was closed but I had been told to direct them to next to us. It was a surprise for the girls especially as they had the dog Jazz with them.
I had cooked the Sunday dinner for all of us and we had it in our van before and early night.
Day two, July 30th
It was sunny when we all walked into town for a look around before lunch, but we all had our waterproofs with us. In one shop Dot found an amber ring she fancied but I wasn't listening to her and she didn't get it. After a brief wander round the rest of the shops, we went back to the site for lunch. We had hot dogs, Emily had planned the food for the holiday before we set off and that is what we had down for today.
After lunch we set off to see if we could catch any fish in the river, we only had fishing nets though. We left by the side gate and turned left to the foot bridge, then over the river and left again to a spot where we knew we could get down to the river, see the walk we did last trip.
The girls loved playing in the river but not nearly as much a Jazz dog did. Especially swimming to retrieve sticks thrown by Georgia and Emily.
While they played I took photos of the local plants and bugs, we were to have a lot of problems with bugs later that night.
Mick and Bren took the dog back to the site and we continued along the river for a short walk. Dot reminded me about the ring she wanted but was too late to to go back into town, we would have to go tomorrow.
Emily had us down for a BBQ that night, so I cooked outside in the cold, as the others sat inside, in Nick and Bren's warm caravan. We were plagued by midges outside and I think we were all bitten.
Day three, July 31st
Mick and Bren went for a drive and we walked into town to get the amber ring Dot wanted. Well the shop was closed, so we looked into the sweet shop opposite (Oldest Sweet Shop In England) and bought some lollies. I asked about the shop with the ring, and was informed that the gallery further down the hill had the same owners. We went there to ask but it was also closed.
Georgia asked to visit, The Nidderdale Museum, she had read a pamphlet about it and wanted to go. So we follows the signs for the museum, this took us passed a glass blowing unit and we stopped to watch some glass making. The nice man doing the demonstration gave the girls a piece of coloured glass each to take away.
It was £2.00 each entrance to the museum, accompanied children were free. A small museum but large for the size of the town and interesting. The museum building, erected in 1863, was originally the Pateley Bridge Union Workhouse.
Emily lost interest about half way round, so I gave her my camera to document our visit. By now it was time for lunch, Emily had us down for pizzas but as we passed the chip shop, the smell of frying and vinegar got the better of us. The girls had sausage and chips and we just had chip buttys.
Later back at the site we met back up with the others and went back into town for a beer, we didn't go to the one on the main street but went to the pub on the road out. We got drinks, even the dog, and sat outside, although it was a bit on the cold side.
After a drink Dot took the girls down to the play ground and the other three of us went inside the pub, for another beer in the warm.
Another BBQ on the night, although everyone joined me outside for the cooking this time, all was well until the rain started and the bug problem reappeared.
Day four, Aug 1st
While I packed up, Dot and the girls went into town, the ring shop was open and Dot got the ring, it is very nice, I can see why she walked down twice to get it. The girls also got a bag of lollies from the sweet shop.
We planned to visit Brimham Rocks on the way home, if the weather was fine, well it wasn't raining but it was very overcast. We decided we would take the chance and go. The brown road signs took us a way that I thought would be longer than the way I planned to go but I was wrong. Although the brown signs at one point are misleading and you can go the wrong way if you do not look close enough. We got it wrong and had to turn back to get on the right road.
No entrance fee but it is £4.00 to park (for a car that is, £8.00 for a minibus, I classed us as a car, as there were only four of us), for three hours. It was lunchtime but the girls wanted to get going, so we had some crisps, put on our walking boots and set off to explore the rocks.
It didn't take long before the girls started climbing the rock and then wanting to climb every one we came to.
I was hard to keep track of them at times, we had to split up and watch a twin each. After a lot of climbing we stopped for a drink and chocolate biscuits, before a look round the visitor centre.
Behind the visitor centre there is a walk, where some of the better formations and views are. It is a lot less busy round there, I do not think some of the visitors knew about it.
Saying that, one family managed to get in our way most of the way round, Every time we tried to take photos they were there.
Back at the van we had lunch, it had taken us the full three hours on the parking ticket to do what we did, I do not think it is long enough.
