On a trip to The Great Holiday Home Show, Nigel Hutson explores North Yorkshire and makes a curious return to his policing youth
THE GREAT Holiday Home Show, formerly known as the Lawns Show, is held at the Great Yorkshire Showground, just outside the famous spa town of Harrogate.
After a very long pause, mainly thanks to Covid-19, the event, which showcases the latest caravans, returned this year. Of course, we had to be there!
Kay and I had a few choices to make for our trip. Harrogate is within travelling distance from home, so we could just go to the show for the day, although it would make it rather a long day.
Otherwise, we could have an overnight stay in a hotel, or make more of a break of it and take the caravan. You’ll have guessed that the latter option won, so it was then a case of finding a nearby site.
The Cud Life, at Killinghall, just north of Harrogate, a former Camping & Caravanning Club CS, has recently become a licensed campsite, accommodating up to 15 units at any one time.
We arrived on a lovely sunny day, and it wasn’t long before we were sitting outside the caravan enjoying a cup of Yorkshire Tea (what else could we drink here?) and taking in the fabulous view – we could see the White Horse at Kilburn, on the edge of the North York Moors, in the distance.
Next morning, enjoying a leisurely coffee and planning a lazy day, we got chatting to Mark, brother of campsite owner Tanya. He asked if we’d been to The Coldstones Cut. Been to it? We’d never heard of it, but the more Mark told us about it, the more it sounded like somewhere to visit.
The Coldstones Cut
The drive to The Coldstones Cut took us along beautiful Nidderdale. Parked in the small car park at the bottom of the hill, we made the walk to the place itself.
It is most bizarre! Walkways and viewing points have been constructed right on the edge of a large (still operational) quarry. The views of the quarry and in the opposite direction are incredible. RAF Menwith Hill, with its golf ball domes, is in the distance, and Harrogate just beyond.
There’s also a huge bike, which is part of the artwork of The Coldstones Cut, the brainchild of artist Andrew Sabin. Although access for the less able might be a bit too challenging (there’s a steep walk up), if you are in the area, I’d recommend visiting.
Kay’s preference is to wander around stately homes, and as luck would have it, Ripley Castle is barely a couple of miles up the road from The Cu
