Today’s adventure took us to Pateley Bridge, a charming little village nestled on the River Nidd, not far from Harrogate. We arrived around lunchtime and managed to snag some incredibly cheap parking at just £1.20 for 4 hours—what a bargain! The River was right there, so we grabbed our picnic lunch and a blanket, then headed off to find the perfect spot to relax. We stumbled upon a lovely area beside the Riverside Caravan Park, which turned out to be ideal for a peaceful lunch by the water.

After lunch, we went for a stroll along the river, and it was glorious! The scenery was beautiful, and we would have loved to walk further, but we hadn’t brought enough water with us and it was scorching hot, so we decided to save that for another day.

On our way back, we discovered a fantastic little park where the boys (and us) had a blast playing for a while. It helped burn off some energy (and left them a bit more tired—bonus!). We then wandered around the village and came across the Nidderdale Museum, which is housed in an old workhouse. The museum had loads of interesting local memorabilia, and for just £2 per adult, it was a bargain! We spent about an hour there, and I particularly enjoyed the coal mine tunnel exhibit. It was fascinating to see how life used to be in the area.

Before heading back to the cottage, we made a quick stop in Ripon for some shopping, and then the boys had even more fun playing in the garden back at the cottage.

All in all, a lovely day exploring a beautiful village, learning a bit of local history, and making some great memories!