In
the heart of the Yorkshire Dales, by the banks of the Wharfe, down the road
from two good pubs – Masons is so good that even the owners still camp here.
When their favourite campsite in the Yorkshire Dales came up for sale, Georgie
and Grant bought Masons and set about scrubbing up an already popular site.
Today it’s about as good as they come.
You
no longer have to walk a mile to the nearest shop, since their onsite 1968 Airstream
office sells essential food and camping items and the Coffee & Bread Shed
serves barista coffee, fresh croissants, baguettes and more. When it comes to
the actual camping, there is heaps of space to pitch in the two main fields;
plus they have a handful of yurts and safari tents you can rent and a couple of
classic VW campervans to hire, with pre-pitched awnings outside.
The
flat camping fields have plenty of space for kite-flying and ball games, and
lots of families bring lilos and dinghies. Both fields are backed by the wide
and mainly shallow River Wharfe that runs south-east out of the national park.
Try your hand at fly-fishing from the large, flat stones while the kids happily
pass the time paddling around and jumping in and out of the water. The
onsite chickens and ducks are popular with younger children too, while the
neighboring, hilly fields are all speckled with sheep.
Although
the site has beautiful views of its own, Grant says that most campers make
straight for the steep slope over the road for an even better vista. Footpaths
lead directly out into the hills and, from the bottom of the site, along the
river to Burnsall, which is a popular picnicking and swimming spot. Appletreewick
and Barden Bridge, are just a short jaunt away too, both with excellent,
family-friendly country pubs housed in typical, old, Yorkshire-stone buildings.
Grass pitch accommodating tents, caravans, motorhomes, campers all under 6m. Masons Main field is 3.5 acres & has direct access on to the River Wharfe. Our Vintage Airstream office/ shop is situated at the entrance. And in the courtyard you will find a coffee & bread shed. Facilities with washrooms, showers, baby changing, disabled, washing up area & laundry.