We had considered and even tried to to book this site over the last couple of years and eventually got booked in with the twins during the school holidays, Mick and Bren also booked in with their caravan.
The time I tried to book before, I filled in their online booking form with the dates I wanted and eventually got a reply via email, with a phone number to book up, phoned only to be told it was fully booked, why couldn't they have just said that in the email. This time we all booked on the phone but it wasn't straightforward, the person on the phone didn't seem to know the site systems.
Ripley
Ripley Caravan Park
Ripley, Harrogate, North Yorkshire, HG3 3AU
We arrived not long after midday and being friendly towards the man in reception, I said that as my brother had set off before me, he should already be here, "no he shouldn't" was the reply "no one should be here before two" and from then on he was very snotty with us. Still can not find any mention of this fact anywhere on the website and we had received no booking confirmation from them.
Another guy (who didn't speak very good English) took us to our pitch and made sure we where the right way round (all habitation doors farcing the same way), then warned us not to change it round the other way.
Mick arrived not long after and while he set up his van we got the dinner warmed up and had it between the vans. After dinner all the girls went to the pool while me and Mick got our satellites working, well I did and Mick went to his fall back position and got the free view on. We also has a few cans of beer.
Day two, July 20th
Got a picnic ready and all set of for Knaresborough in Mick's car, we parked by the river and walked along it to the railway viaduct, where we had our picnic and fed the ducks.
It was beautiful day so the girls got an ice cream each, not that the weather makes any difference to wanting ice cream. Then we followed the river along to the next bridge and from there the hard walk up hill to the town centre.
In town the girls spent money (all of them) and I popped into my favourite beer shop and bought several new beers for my collection (and drinking tonight).
We then made our way to the castle. There is not much remaining of what must have been a magnificent building but it was dismantled in 1648 because of an order from Parliament. It had been on the wrong side during the civil war, now many town centre buildings are built with stone from the castle.
From there we headed down hill, back to the river via the level crossing at the railway station.
We then headed back to Ripley with the intention of looking around the castle there, the car parking is on grass but most of it was still firm. The twins spotted their favourite thing on the walk into the village, horses, so we had to walk over to let them have a closer look.
At the castle there was a charge to get in and as we had already had a long walk today, none of us could be bothered to pay for another walk, so we just looked around the gift shops and retired to the village pub, the Boars Head Hotel (for a sit down you understand). Mick and I got the beers, Black Sheep Best Bitter, while the girls went of the another shop for more ice cream.
No photos of the castle, as there is no good view of it without paying for entry to the castle or its grounds. On the way back to the car we had to stop for the horses again and they came over to let the girls stroke them.
That evening it was another BBQ with my new beers and the twins playing on the play ground, or with a ball on the field behind the vans.
Day three, July 21st
Mick and Bren had to get back to work, so it was just us and the twins today, it was a bit cooler so most of the day was spent in the pool or in the play ground.
July 22nd
Off home today but a drive through the dales was planed, although I liked the this site and location, I would have to think very hard before coming back, some of the staff are pretty miserable though luckily we didn't have much contact with them during the stay. Anyway enough of that, we fed the duck and the site pond then set off on our drive.
We headed for Leyburn but made our first stop at Middleham for fish and chips and a look at yet another castle (we did stop a Masham but the chip shop was closed, very odd when the was a market on).
After lunch with the sun shining, we set off to see the castle, quite a lot more of this one than the last one.
After our walk, I wanted a photo of the single track road bridge between Middleham and Leyburn, so off we went, just as we parked as close to the bridge as we could, the weather completely changed. The heavens opened and torrential rain started to fall, I sat and waited for a while but eventually put my waterproof coat on and set off for the bridge, while the others sat in the dry. Back in the dry van we continued into Leyburn but it was very busy and I couldn't get the van parked, so we just went home.
As we had given Leyburn a miss we called in to the Wynyard Woodland Park (Castle Eden Walkway) for a while but it was then Dot remembered she had a doctors appointment and we had to rush off, so ending this trip (good job we weren't in Leyburn).
In town the girls spent money (all of them) and I popped into my favourite beer shop and bought several new beers for my collection (and drinking tonight).
We then made our way to the castle. There is not much remaining of what must have been a magnificent building but it was dismantled in 1648 because of an order from Parliament. It had been on the wrong side during the civil war, now many town centre buildings are built with stone from the castle.
From there we headed down hill, back to the river via the level crossing at the railway station.
We then headed back to Ripley with the intention of looking around the castle there, the car parking is on grass but most of it was still firm. The twins spotted their favourite thing on the walk into the village, horses, so we had to walk over to let them have a closer look.
At the castle there was a charge to get in and as we had already had a long walk today, none of us could be bothered to pay for another walk, so we just looked around the gift shops and retired to the village pub, the Boars Head Hotel (for a sit down you understand). Mick and I got the beers, Black Sheep Best Bitter, while the girls went of the another shop for more ice cream.
No photos of the castle, as there is no good view of it without paying for entry to the castle or its grounds. On the way back to the car we had to stop for the horses again and they came over to let the girls stroke them.
That evening it was another BBQ with my new beers and the twins playing on the play ground, or with a ball on the field behind the vans.
Day three, July 21st
Mick and Bren had to get back to work, so it was just us and the twins today, it was a bit cooler so most of the day was spent in the pool or in the play ground.
July 22nd
Off home today but a drive through the dales was planed, although I liked the this site and location, I would have to think very hard before coming back, some of the staff are pretty miserable though luckily we didn't have much contact with them during the stay. Anyway enough of that, we fed the duck and the site pond then set off on our drive.
We headed for Leyburn but made our first stop at Middleham for fish and chips and a look at yet another castle (we did stop a Masham but the chip shop was closed, very odd when the was a market on).
After lunch with the sun shining, we set off to see the castle, quite a lot more of this one than the last one.
After our walk, I wanted a photo of the single track road bridge between Middleham and Leyburn, so off we went, just as we parked as close to the bridge as we could, the weather completely changed. The heavens opened and torrential rain started to fall, I sat and waited for a while but eventually put my waterproof coat on and set off for the bridge, while the others sat in the dry. Back in the dry van we continued into Leyburn but it was very busy and I couldn't get the van parked, so we just went home.
As we had given Leyburn a miss we called in to the Wynyard Woodland Park (Castle Eden Walkway) for a while but it was then Dot remembered she had a doctors appointment and we had to rush off, so ending this trip (good job we weren't in Leyburn).
You are right you would have thought it would be easy to book with the email.. But alas the world is full of people who make as easy job hard.. I was once on a tourer park in Paignton.. I love that place... I had driven all the way from Edinburgh... I got the last pitch.. The guy next to me had a motor home.. He had driven off the pitch and had placed a bucket to mark the spot.. About 30 minutes later another caravan arrived and parked right on the pitch.. I told the guy it was already occupied.. but he ignored me.. When the driver of the motor home arrived back there was one mighty bust up.. I did point out to the referee, the site manager, the motor home was there fist
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