Sleningford Watermill Caravan and Camping

Sleningford Watermill Caravan Park, North Stainley, Ripon, North Yorkshire, HG4 3HQ

FACILITIES – 2 SHOWER AND TOILET BLOCKS, LAUNDRY ROOM AND WASHING UP AREAS,INFORMATION ROOM, SMALL SHOP
PITCHES – HARDSTANDING AREAS WITH EHU, GRASS PITCHES FOR NON ELECTRIC PITCH WHERE YOU LIKE , SELF CATERING FLAT
PRICING – AVERAGE (ALTHOUGH MANY EXTRAS ARE CHARGED FOR)
FAMILY FRIENDLY – YES RIVERSIDE FOR WATERSPORTS, PADDLING, SPACE FOR ACTIVITIES IF NOT TOO BUSY
DOGS – WELCOMED (THERE IS A CHARGE)
LOCAL AREA – The village of West Tanfield is within walking distance along the river. Masham, Ripon, Leyburn are all a short drive. Plenty of walks from the site. plenty for the
BOOKING – ONLINE OR BY PHONE OUR RATING – 3/5

Sleningford Watermill campsite was recommended to us by a colleague, it isn’t too far away from us but the opportunity arose to try it out one weekend in June as we were attending a event not far from there on the Sunday so we decided to make a weekend of it and try it out. Also the weather was looking great and we were wanting to get the kayak out and the river Ure runs alongside the campsite so it seemed perfect.

When it came to booking there were a lot of questions and rules to read and it all seemed pretty confusing especially if you wanted to reserve for other people but this didn’t apply to us this time which I was glad of. There are charges for Dogs, Gazebos and awnings plus extra large tents etc which pushes the basic rate up especially if you have a few dogs and a wanted to bring a gazebo. No fires are permitted and they have very strict rules even asking you not to bring wood with you onto site, this may be down to regulations maybe.

All the above did make us feel a bit anxious about what to expect upon arrival. However we did have some email correspondence as we had to ask if we could book for one night as on the website there was only the option to book 2 nights minimum, the reply’s were quick, friendly and helpful so made us feel a bit more relaxed.

We arrived in the area slightly early so went for a walk around West Tanfield which was lovely and visited The Bull Inn for a drink in the beer garden looking onto the river Ure and visited the Marmion tower which is a 15th century gatehouse.

The time arrived for us to check into the campsite, so a short drive up the rode and we arrived, parked up and checked in. We were met with a friendly welcome and shown a map of the site and told where all the facilities were located and where we could pitch up. The site has a security barrier that we were given the code for and off we went to find the non electric area. This area does not have set pitches which is great and there was a lot of spots for us to choose from. Once we choose our spot we got the chairs out and set up various bits before heading back up to the shop which is located in the reception to purchase an ice cream.

Once the ice creams were had at the side of the river we then inflated the kayak. The river was very low due to the dry weather we have been having, this resulted in the river having limited areas to play on and the main area was very busy so we wandered a bit further down stream and found a spot with no one on which was perfect for Cobens first time in a kayak.

You can walk along the river into West Tanfield or undertake many walks in the surrounding countryside or take the short drive to Masham or Ripon or many other little towns and villages in the area or spend your time relaxing on the site and paddling / playing in the river.

It was great being able to let Coben have space to run around and explore safely, and he certainly enjoyed himself. It was good to see other children playing games into the evening and making friends with other children and having fun, this is something we haven’t witnessed in a while that’s a great thing about camping when your young and we hope Coben will enjoy doing this he’s a bit older

Despite all the rules and apprehension once we were on the site we felt very relaxed and there was a nice vibe about. We would recommend it to others especially if you have a paddle board or inflatables or just generally enjoying relaxing next to the river and on a quiet site.

The whole site was all very clean and tidy including the facilities which are cleaned many times a day. The only issue for us is the extras you pay and the no campfires as we do love a a good campfire. The amount of rules and conditions you need to read through are a bit over the top in our opinion and could put people off going but we would say don’t let it and go and enjoy a genuine, friendly campsite by the river. We will be visiting again.