Favourite Place

How Stean Gorge in Nidderdale. We used to camp just below here at Studfold Farm when we were kids back in the 1970's. Back then you got a field, a water tap and a long walk down to the static caravan park to use the toilet or have a shower. I remember the water in the sinks being brown and not suitable to drink! My sister and I would spend hours down in the beck playing in the water and sneaking into the gorge proper to explore the caves. Back then it was more or less an honesty box for admission and nobody checked a couple of kids running around.

I returned to camp here again in 1999 with my wife, her cousin and offspring and my parents and nephew. Nothing much had changed except the gorge experience was more commercial with a cafe, hard hats and torches.

We came back last year. Well, my sister and I came back last year dragging her husband and my girlfriend with us. I got eaten by midges but we had the first proper test of our 21 year old camper van and loved it. Despite the midges Chris and I had a weekend away at the end of June and I got eaten alive again! We didn't bother with the gorge as it now costs a packet for admission and didn't think the poor old dog could cope with the caves and ledges!