Exploring the Yorkshire Dales Appletreewick and Masons Campsite
- Jackie Pickles
- Apr 14
- 4 min read
After a couple of nights in Grassington we moved on to stay at Masons Campsite in Appletreewick for a night as we continue to explore the Yorkshire Dales. Situated on the banks of the River Wharfe, it is a popular destination for motorhomers and campers in the summer months with a real buzz of family fun in the air. We visited on a quiet Tuesday in April with only a handful of other vans and had the most wonderful, peaceful night.
Simons Seat
The peaks in this part of the Dales are not particularly high or challenging but once you are up on the open moors the views are exquisite. We set off from the village of Appletreewick and headed towards Howgill.
The path took us past the Brownie Barn and with a name like that, we just had to have a coffee stop. The brownies were delicious - I had a raspberry and Richard the salted caramel. The portions may have been small but any more would have left us feeling quite sick!
Fuelled with coffee and sugar, we headed up the steep track that took us through the forests that are part of the Bolton Abbey Estate. Once above the treeline you are straight onto the barren moorlands which at this time of year are still a little bleak. The bracken is all golden and shrivelled and the heathers yet to come into flower - in the height of the summer the moors are a riot of colour with the purple heathers - well worth a visit.
The paths are well marked through the moors and you can see the rocky outcrops of Simons seat for miles. We spent a good half hour scrambling amongst the boulders and taking photo's. It was such a clear day, we could see see the huge golf balls out towards Nidderdale on the horizon as well as the river weaving its way through the Bolton Abbey Estate.
We have done the hike up to Simons seat a few times and would highly recommend the route from Bolton Abbey, along the Strid and up through the Valley of Desolation. It takes you along the estate tracks of the shooting grounds and quite frequently you will come across a courting couple of grouse.
On the way down we had a bit of a shock when we disturbed an Adder sun bathing on the rocky slabs on our path. He was quick to shift as he felt us coming - it is not something we have come across before and it certainly got our heart rates going!
Trollers Gill
We decided to take the slightly longer route back that took us up the side of Parcevall Hall Gardens and into the valley that contains the limestone gorge - Trollers Gill. The scenery here is a steep contrast to the high moors we had descended from. Unfortunately, when we got to the bottom section of Trollers Gill, there were 2 large primary school groups just starting to make their way up. Having been the outdoor education leader at my school for many years, I knew that was going to take a while to clear so we took an alternative route past the mine entrances.
The hike was nearly 14km by the time we got back to the van in Appletreewick with an elevation gain of 565m so not one for the feint hearted - however there are so many different hiking options for all levels of ability from the campsite.
The Craven Arms
Walking into the Craven Arms pub is like stepping back in time to the 1950's! It is a great pub with a fantastic reputation for their food and hospitality. The tables were fully booked even on a quiet mid week evening so we were glad that we had rang ahead. We both went for their home made pies a speciality - huge plates with chips cooked in beef dripping - delicious.
Burnsall
From the campsite it is a half hour amble up river to the pretty little village of Burnsall. Famous for its huge bridge over the Wharfe - it is a popular destination for day trippers from the local towns and cities who flock to picnic in the fields along the river. There are several cafes and the Red Lion Hotel if you are wanting to call in for refreshments on your way through - it is also a popular stop off for cyclists.
Masons Campsite
The roads to the campsite are at times a little narrow and winding but easily accessed by campervan and motorhome. As I mentioned previously, the campsite is right on the banks of the Wharfe and there are several beach areas where children paddle and play in the river. The path along the river that comes up from Bolton Abbey and heads off to Burnsall and Grassington is part of the Dales Way hiking route and in the summer has a constant stream of hardy hikers strolling past.
The pitches at the campsite are all grass and are well defined. There is a small shop in the reception airstream and a welcome cafe that sells breakfast baps and cakes. On weekends and I assume in peak season, they do pizzas to order. You have to watch out for the free roaming hens. It is one of the more expensive campsites we have stayed at in the Dales at over £40 a night once you have paid the £2.50 booking fee! But it is in a great location with plenty of outdoor activites to do once you have parked up.
If you want to see more of what to do in the area around Appletreewick, have a watch of our YouTube video for some inspiration
In our next blog we are up in the Northern Dales and stay at Usha Gap campsite for a couple of nights. Have a great week
Jackie and Richard
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