It is very difficult to reserve judgment until you’ve have actually had first hand experience. Whether you’re referring to a car, restaurant, hi-fi or perhaps even a book, your opinion of said item will often be influenced by magazine reviews, friend’s recommendations and maybe even its appearance.

The strange thing is that even though these are all objects, swap car for caravan and rather than judge it purely on its functionality and purpose alone, your mind will conjure images of crowded sea-side cabins or wet weathered escapes to the countryside.

Fortunately, these images will be a distant memory for those lucky few who have signed up to purchase one of Guy Hindley’s recent projects at Ribblesdale Park. An extremely exclusive 16-acre development in the Ribblesdale Valley and located on the Gisburn Estate, describing it as a caravan park does it no justice whatsoever. Granted, the timber clad lodges are termed as being ‘mobile’ but weighing 16 tonnes and fully plumbed in, it would be a difficult job to remove one. They hold more to Alpine lodges with timber decking and an inviting hot-tub perched upon the terrace.

Guy explained, “The idea for the development was originally conceived by my late father as a response to the farming crisis. Ribblesdale Park is a classic example of rural diversification. I feel this model represents the future of declining agricultural communities.”

Problems with planning permission prevented any buildings being permanent as Guy had initially envisaged contemporary houses being placed on the site, so by placing ‘mobile’ homes he duly averted any foreseeable problems. Also under consideration was the effect the park would have on the local economy, “A key consideration is involving the local community. All services and materials are locally sourced to help ensure the local economy also benefits from the Park. We have purposefully not included any restaurants, shops or social areas within the park to encourage residents to venture out and explore the local areas.” And that is exactly what we (my partner and I) decided to do.

Ribblesdale Park is ideally situated right between the Lake District and the Yorkshire Dales with Kendal and Harrogate within 45 miles of the park, leaving you to choose between Wordsworth and Compo. Even then, there are plenty of attractions right on the doorstep with The Inn at Whitewell, one of the most famous Inns in the country, only a short drive away. Steeped in history dating back to the 14th century, the Inn was formerly a manor house and is noted as being the overnight stay for the judges who would preside over the case against a troop of Lancashire witches from Pendle Hill in 1612,the first of its kind, who were condemned and hung under the rule of King James I. Fantastic food and a great selection of wine from the on-site shop are offered, with a fantastic view over the River Hodder and the Trough of Bowland from the large bay window in the restaurant. If you are brave (or foolish) enough to meander down Lancashire’s many winding and often narrow roads, there is a great deal to see and do. Numerous reservoirs are within the immediate vicinity of the park, though due to our warm summer weather none were particularly brimming with water. Instead they portrayed a brown, muddy rendition of an expansive industrial site due to the control towers thrusting into the air with brutish machismo.

Also worth a visit is another local Inn situated only a 5 minute drive from Ribblesdale Park. Downham is a village renowned for being caught in a time warp of sorts. Due to the village being popular as a location for period dramas, not one single satellite dish, road marking or overhead pylon can be seen and all the houses appear expansive and set back from the road, with all original features in tact. The Ashton Arms is a small pub, but remarkably busy due to its good food and great atmosphere, there is no better place to sample some traditional Lancashire food as well as delicacies from its neighbours in Yorkshire and Cumbria.

If traveling further a field is more your thing and if you are also culturally minded, there is nowhere better than a trip to Saltaire. Nestled in an unlikely location on the outskirts of Bradford, Saltaire offers far more than your prejudices would have you imagine. Originally built by Sir Titus Salt as a mill, the surrounding area is a legacy to this great mans work as a social and political businessman. All the houses within the vicinity of the mill as well as the church, the hospital, the park and the school were all built by Sir Titus Salt for his workers. He believed in providing as much as he could for his workforce, ensuring he had a healthy, fit and wise team of like-minded people working at the mill.
Unfortunately, while the industrial revolution was great for Sir Titus Salt, his successors had difficulty in making the mill profitable, ultimately leaving it derelict by the dawn of the 1970s. Today thanks to Jonathan Silver the mill is once again vibrant and full of life. Converted from its original use, the mill now houses David Hockney’s resident gallery. He is local to the area and you can guarantee their being a show with his latest work. Other attractions include a museum, an extensive bookshop over one entire floor on the mill, tailors, a superb restaurant and a fantastic design shop stocking all manner of items from the world of Eames, Day and Rietveld. There’s also a curious antiques shop just outside which specialises in early 20th century products and furniture and is a real Aladdin’s cave. A similar development is Dean Clough in Halifax. Their site was developed earlier than the Saltaire Mill and is often overlooked, and if art and design is your thing then it is definitely worth a visit.