Trip 5: Camp Hill Estate,Kirklington,Bedale
This is our first wild camping trip of the year. The weather looks as if it is changing and it could be cold.
After 2.5 hours drive we arrived at Camp Hill and followed the Estate roads around to the Adventure Centre where the campsite had been allocated a field.
Once set up and after a sandwich we set off for a walk around the grounds. The whole area is set up for outdoor events so the first thing we passed was an overhead assault course.
We passed the assault course and crossed the track heading towards the Lodge, which is a series of log cabins used as accommodation for adventure courses. There was a man erecting some bell tents as we walked past.
Further on the track split with one lane going to the 4×4 course and Clay Pigeon shooting while the other headed to a pond used for raft building. The pond has an island and on the island is a crashed aeroplane, the occupants awaiting rescue.
We left the pond and carried on along a track until it opened into a field. We were going to follow the track but Sue spotted a man laying down looking towards some rabbits. We were not sure if he was shooting them or just watching, so we turned around and detoured into the wood where we ended up following the 4×4 trail for a little way and then walked up a firebreak, past an activity area that had a parachute strung between the trees.
We continued and were soon back at the Woodland Kingdom. We had a good look around at the climbing apparatus, Sue tried the slide and we admired the people who had tried either of the climbing walls.
We arrived back at Iona with the sun out although the wind had not eased so we retired inside.
Tea tonight is Chinese curry but it is still early so the kindles came out and we read our books for a couple of hours.
Day 2:
This morning there was a hard frost and the grass was white. Inside Iona it was only 5c so the heating went on and I went back to bed.
This morning we went for a walk through the woods, we started following a horse trail but then joined a quad bike path that took us deep into the pine woods.
At one point we emerged by the crashed aeroplane but diverted back into the woods where we came to a track we followed yesterday. We left this track and followed an old path into a different wood where we found masses of wild primroses.
After following the track for some time we went off into another wood and we came across a summer house and a bar-b-que area.
A bit further on we came across a glamping pod / bedroom dome.
We had stumbled upon a series of glamping pods in the form of summer houses from Hansel and Grettle story.
We left these and came out of the wood to find a large grass field with diffent styles of glamping pods and cabins. There was also a toilet and shower block along with a communal kitchen, outdoor picnic area, a fairy garden, a Pizza oven and children’s toy shed.
After lunch we went for another walk to see the daffodils and the main house. Not being ones for an easy walk we went through another wood which did not have the paths we were used to so the going was quite difficult.
We came across an area set aside for weddings.
The rest of the afternoon was spent sat in the sun reading and Sue prepared tea outside, but by 17.30 it had got quite cold so we retired to the inside.
Tonight we had Fish Chowder with crusty bread.
Day 3:
Woke up to another heavy frost. I put the heating on and went back to bed. When I eventually got up the frost had gone and the sun was out.
We sat in the sun all morning and then after lunch the walking legs were put into action. Today we entered the nearest wood and followed the quad bike trail. Eventually finding our way out and then joining one of yesterday’s routes.
The sun was warm and when we got back to Iona we sat outside until 5.45pm. Then back inside ready for real beef burgers and potato wedges, life does not get much better.
Trip 5: 229 miles, 28.5 mpg, 42 mph, 5hr 21m
Iona’s Travels 