About Me

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Hi! I'm Eunice and I live in Bolton, Lancashire, with my two dogs Sophie and Sugar and an assortment of cats - well it used to be Sophie and Sugar, now it's Sophie and Poppie. I first began camping back in 1997 when my then partner took me to Anglesey for my birthday weekend. We slept in the back of the car - a hatchback - using the cushions off the settee at home as a mattress, and cooked and brewed up on a single burner camping stove. The site was good, the views were great, the weather fantastic and I was completely hooked. Following that weekend we got a two-man tent and some proper accessories and returned to Anglesey two weeks later, then over time we progressed to a three-man tent followed by an old trailer tent, then a new trailer tent, a campervan and finally a caravan. When my partner decided that the grass was greener on the other side of the street - literally - in April 2009 and I suddenly found myself alone after fifteen years, I decided there was no way I was going to give up camping and caravanning if I could cope on my own. This blog is the story of my travels, trials and tribulations since becoming a solo camper - I hope you like it

Thursday April 2nd 2015 - B is for Bolton Abbey

This post is part of the A - Z Challenge.

Bolton Abbey lies on the banks of the River Wharfe within a country estate of almost 30,000 acres in the heart of the Yorkshire Dales. Its name derives from the ruins of the 12th Century monastery, now generally known as Bolton Priory, and the estate includes 8 miles of river, 84 farms, four Grade 1 listed buildings and various tea rooms, gift shops, cafes and refreshment kiosks. Bolton Abbey Hall, which was originally the gatehouse to the priory, was converted into a house by the Cavendish family who also own Chatsworth House estate in Derbyshire and Lismore Castle in Waterford, Southern Ireland. The estate is also home to the ruined Barden Tower which was once a hunting lodge and which overlooks the 16th Century Priest's House, which is now a very popular restaurant.

There are three car parks within the estate and the per-vehicle admission charge covers all three car parks so you can drive from one to another without incurring any extra charge. At the riverside across from the priory is a sandy beach and nearby are large stepping stones from one side of the river to the other - it can be quite a challenge going all the way across without getting your feet wet. In summer the riverside is a very popular place for picnics and barbecues, and the river itself has lots of shallow parts ideal for paddling. Kids both young and old can often be seen sailing down one particular section in or on various inflatables - in fact I did that myself several years ago, in a fluorescent pink inflatable armchair. It was brilliant fun!

The riverside paths are great for dog walking, and a visit to Bolton Abbey shouldn't be undertaken without a camera as there are many opportunities to get some lovely photos - you can see some of mine in my post from October 27th 2012.