Cycling in Yorkshire and campervan adventure
The below is a blog post from Harvey Alexander, Director of Marketing at the Caravan and Motorhome Club. Harvey recently trialed Experience Freedom's motorhome hire and tells us all about it below:
Hello everyone,
Recently I was lucky enough to trial Swift Go’s motorhome hire, available through Experience Freedom, when I was attending the Northern Region’s Club Council Meeting in November.
Accompanied by my brother, Warren, and our mountain bikes, we took the train from Watford Junction to Manchester and then rode our bikes to the depot in Stockport. From here we picked up our motorhome, a Select 184 four berth campervan and the perfect base for us for the next few days. The campervan came with tv, DVD player, sat-nav, 4G enabled Wi-Fi, fully fitted out kitchen and washroom, and most importantly of all – a bike rack! We had an informative handover at Swift Go that gave me the confidence to take the campervan out and enjoy the weekend.
We spent the first couple of nights at the lovely Knaresborough Club Site, enjoying the new facilities, including a delicious meal in the onsite restaurant, the Wanderer Bar and Kitchen. I had the seafood platter, washed down nicely by a beer of the local brew. The Northern Region’s council meeting was on the Saturday and it was a fantastic opportunity for me to chat to our members about my role at the Club and answer member’s questions. Afterwards I couldn’t resist another bike ride, this time on the Sustrans route 67 to Ripley, much of which is along disused railway lines, stopping off at the Chantry House Art Gallery. The art gallery showcases a wealth of established Northern artists and the art on display reflected the beauty of the surrounding area. We then spent the evening in Harrogate and had no trouble whatsoever parking the campervan.
The next day our next stop was to Wharfedale Club Site. This is a fantastic site for motorhomers as there is a pub, the Gamekeepers Inn, just 5 minutes’ walk away, ideal for evening meals. Grassington is also just a short walk away and there’s a bus stop at the end of the road. We spent the day riding to the picturesque Yorkshire Dales village, Arncliffe, and tacking a challenging 15 mile hill climb before heading back to the site for a well-earned relaxing evening and a lovely meal at the Gamekeepers Inn.
On our final day we had time to squeeze in a 30 mile bike ride before having to head back to return the campervan. Cycling the Yorkshire Dales has been a fantastic opportunity to explore the area whilst enjoying the stunning landscapes and scenery. What I also love about cycling is the things you discover along the way. We came across a hidden gem, Katie’s Cuppas, on our last bike ride, a café with a difference. It’s in a beautiful barn with wonderful views of the surrounding countryside. It’s a self-service ‘honesty’ cafe for hot and cold drinks with delicious homemade cakes. You leave your payment in an honesty box. Such a great idea and a welcome initiative for walkers and cyclists to refuel.
All in all we had a wonderful few days, both meeting members of the Club and enjoying the area and Club Sites in the campervan.
For anyone considering trying a motorhome, Club members save 15% on the cost of vehicle hire and will also receive a free collision damage waiver as part of the package (normally £15 per day). It’s a great experience and ideal for those who are considering a motorhome for the first time or anyone who wants to holiday with their friends and family. To find out more visit:
Comments
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Sounds very energetic, thanks for sharing.
David
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I liked the look of the smaller vans available to rent and it's easy to check the prices out. As they are small I'd be taking them off site to explore places without a bike, it was the cycling through Manchester to the Stockport depot bit that made me think that!
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Disappointed that the link doesn't go to Swift Go motorhome hire but list of club campsites 😢. Am I missing the obvious? Thought link would take me to page to view what's for hire and prices??
Edit found it after a a good hunt. Right at the bottom of the page! Plus another click. Not too obvious 😉
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