Ripley Caravan Park
Site owners Peter and Valerie House
Open 30 April-31 October
Inspector Graham Clay
Ripley is often bypassed by day trippers rushing from Harrogate to Ripon along the busy A61, but they don’t know what they’re missing. This is one of the most picturesque villages in the Dales, with a pretty cobbled square, tiny stone cottages, parish church, and even a set of stocks, used for reprobates in times gone by!
Just outside the village, Ripley Caravan Park is an ideal base from which to explore the Dales and nearby market towns such as Harrogate, Knaresborough and Skipton. It’s just a few hundred yards from the A61 dual carriageway, so access is easy, and traffic noise is not a problem. The site is enclosed by trees to one side and a gently sloping raised bank to the other, ensuring both privacy and security.
The park’s facilities are of
the highest order, and include
a heated indoor swimming pool complete with sauna, a nursery playroom, and – for those rainy days – a games room providing table-tennis and pool tables.
The lack of a clubhouse enhances the site’s ambiance. It is simply a beautifully landscaped park offering
a peaceful retreat from the attractions of the nearby towns. And if you need refreshment, the Boars Head in the village provides good food and beer.
The 110 touring pitches all have electric hook-up, and the site is well laid out with plenty of space whether you choose grass or hardstanding. The grounds are well kept, and most pitches are level.
Those seeking peace and quiet will prefer the pitches around the pond, while families with children will find the rear pitches adjacent to the play area more suitable.
Dominating the area is Ripley Castle where Oliver Cromwell was once incarcerated. Its walled gardens and deer park provide beautiful walks, while visitors in mid-July might catch the Summer Proms featuring the English Symphony Orchestra playing the theme from ’Dambusters’ while Spitfires fly overhead.
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