The Caravan Club – September 2019

http://www.camc.com 33

the likes of Charles Dickens,
Walter Scott and William
Wordsworth, it is also the
subject of a classic painting by
J M W Turner.
It’s a lovely place to walk around
and browse the antique shops, but
something in particular had caught my
husband’s eye – the Bowes Museum. Built in the
19th century to house a growing collection of
antiquities and objets d’art by local businessman
John Bowes and his beloved wife and artist
Josephine, the chateau-style building is a pure joy.
No t o n ly d o e s i t co nt a i n a r t wo rk s by E l Gr e co
and Goya but it is also home to ‘The Silver Swan’
a simply beautiful and awe-inspiring piece of
engineering, constructed in the 18th century by
John Joseph Merlin. Its history is too detailed to
go into here; just make sure you are in the gallery
at 2pm to witness its daily, 40-second

performance. You will not

be disappointed.

With memories of

mechanical masterpieces fresh

i n o u r m i nd s, we b a d e f a r e we l l

to Barnard Castle and made our

way to Smith House Farm CL. This

p e a cef u l s i te o n a f a m i ly- ow ne d wo rk i n g

farm is perfectly situated for anyone keen on

visiting historic Darlington or Middlesbrough.

And Middlesbrough is very much on the

agenda for those visiting our final destination –

White Water Park Club site. If you do nothing

else, make sure you check out the famous Tees

Transporter Bridge which carries people and

vehicles across the river in a ‘gondola’ suspended

from the main structure.

The main attraction for my youngsters,

however, were the Tees Barrage International

White Water Centre and the vast Teesside Park

Clockwise from above left: historic

dresses on display at the Bowes

Museum; in the stocks at Alnwick

Castle; Alnwick Castle Gardens’ Poison

Garden; a visitor to St Mary’s Island;

Spanish City in Whitley Bay

Food & drink

M i n i n g A r t G a l l e r y, M a r ket P l a c e ,

Bishop Auckland DL14 7NP

Contact: aucklandproject.org, 01388 743750

Culture

Hardwick Park, Sedgefield TS21 2DN

Contact: durham.gov.uk/hardwickpark

Outdoor fun

For the family

“Yarm is nearby, which is a lovely town with lots

of places to eat. Preston Park and Ormsby Hall

a re g o o d p l a c e s to v i s i t , a s i s B u t te r f l y W o r l d

and Beamish.”

Mrs Coulthard

Site view

6 Smith House Farm

Certificated Location

E n i g m a to l o g y E s c a p e R o o m s , 19 Ya r m R o a d ,

Stockton-on-Tees TS18 3NJ

Contact: enigmatology.co.uk, 07756 100364

Situated between Stockton and Darlington, this

working farm site is well placed for visits to

Middlesbrough or even the North York Moors.

Open: all year

Contact: 01642 580709

Sites Directory and Handbook p303

The Porky Pint, 40 Mill Lane, Stockton-on-Tees

TS23 1HG

Contact: facebook.com/theporkypint,

01642 557721

September 2019 Caravan and Motorhome Club Magazine

“We are staying here

in-between rallies and it has

been great. The owner is

very, very welcoming and we

will definitely be back.”

Gladys and Alan Gee, caravanners

Member view

DI D YOU KNOW?

You can book Club site pitches

via the UK Sites app, at camc.

com/searchandbook or by

calling our Advance Booking

Service on 01342 327490.

Please call Affiliated Sites

(AS) directly

A s h l e y C o o p e r p i c s / A l a m y