GO ENGLAND:There's more to rural Yorkshire than you might think, as Catherine Mackdiscovers
THEY SAY THE CAMERA never lies, and the website photographs of Natural Retreats' designer wooden lodges, tucked into the Yorkshire Dales like birds' nests, were enough to make my jaw drop.
As we approached the real thing, at the height of tourist season but along an almost deserted road in one of England's northernmost national parks, the Kevin McCloud wannabe in me was almost chomping at the bit to see these cedar creations.
Natural Retreats is aptly named; its grey slate sign, set subtly into a drystone wall, was so natural we almost missed the turn. When we took the sweeping driveway down to the retreat I thought I had missed the houses, too, as there was nothing to be seen at first.
Then my husband let out a gasp as he spotted the bronze-coloured wooden structures in the valley below, peaking out between the pines and ferns. They were gobsmackingly gorgeous, to use a technical term. Our children, two boys of five and nine, jumped out and ran down the hill, in a Sound of Musicmeets Emmerdalesort of a moment.
The hills stretched out before us, dipping into valley after valley, flower-filled hedgerows concealing hay bales, perfectly placed as if for a painting.
Views such as this usually bode well for a holiday, but we had booked for only two nights, en route for a camping session on the other side of Yorkshire, towards the coast. I know the tradition is to book into a place with a bath after the camping holiday, not before, but we were in bits after recent work stresses, and we thought that a couple of days to unwind before tackling any canvas and poles might be a good idea.
The minute we stepped inside our wooden house, with its floor-to-ceiling glass windows, gleaming white walls, designer sofas, open-plan kitchen and wood-burning stove, we knew nothing had been spared on five-star luxury. We opened our complimentary bottle of wine, part of a welcome hamper of local and Fairtrade goodies, and raised a glass to the best start to any camping trip.
There are 18 of these wooden houses, so carefully positioned for minimal impact on this protected landscape that I couldnt find them all, even using one of the walking maps designed for Natural Retreats. I am sure one or two were still lurking behind a bit of woodland somewhere.
Ours was one of the more public ones, at the foot of the woodland, beside three natural ponds developed out of the spring that provides water for the site. We had moorhens and herons for company, as well as a few frogs to keep our boys happy, as they watched them jump from one pond to another, then dart under the houses.
This was all part of the ecodesign, as the houses are built on decking that sits on three strips of concrete, in order to maintain a natural living environment underneath.
The roofs are alive, too, covered with sedum moss that was turning a soft strawberry pink as the wild flowers came to life.
There were a few other houses beside us, which was great for the children, who immediately made friends and were soon cycling from house to house.
Public or private, you won't be spending much time inside your hideaway, as the countryside seems to pull you towards it like a magnet here. This was the aim of the land's owner, Matt Spence, a sheep farmer and "national park addict". He rightly wanted to show off his homeland, in a way that was not only kind to his beloved Swaledale but also contemporary and classy. He has certainly pulled this off.
Natural Retreats was criticised recently for selling itself as an ecofriendly destination and having Tropicana in its welcome pack. But ecotourism is also about community development. Natural Retreats has reeled Yorkshire Dales tourism into the 21st century, and it will entice a new generation of tourists to this area. It works hand in hand with, and has gained huge respect from, the local community. The welcome hamper (the Tropicana well and truly gone) is from the local grocer, Ken Warne, whose wonderful shop we visited the next day.
One of those grocers who wears dark green overcoats, he has the most eclectic range of fine produce on his shelves, to meet the demands of his adoring customers. (He had been on the verge of closing before Natural Retreats passed its hamper business on to him.)
Just about everyone employed on this 22-hectare (54- acre) site, from managers to master joiners, drystone-wall craftsmen to furniture designers, is local. Ecotourism is not all about ecofriendly light bulbs, recycling and woodburners. Although all these are on offer, too - not forgetting the natural insulation, rainwater harvesting and wood-management system. Solar power was not allowed on planning grounds, unfortunately, although the passive solar heating from the huge windows is enough to dry your walking boots in a few hours.
Walking into the buzzing local market town of Richmond was the best way to sample the Dales in a day. It is described as a 20-minute walk, but you will be lucky to do it in this time unless you are totally unmoved by the scenery en route. Which is unlikely. We took about three hours, mainly because we stopped along the banks of the River Swale to plunge into its icy waters and swim from one bank to the other, where someone had kindly hung a rope swing. Then on through glimmering glades right up to the towering cliffs that support the impressive remains of Richmond's Norman castle. Boy heaven.
After a tour of the castle - a must for views all the way across to the North York Moors - we had an early dinner at the town's converted railway station, Seasons, where Yorkshire rarebit or Whitby fish and chips is highly recommended for swimmers and knights.
We had only two regrets at Natural Retreats. One was that we hadn't gone the whole natural hog and come by train. You can take one from Holyhead to Crewe, change for Manchester and, finally, catch the stunning TransPennine Express to Darlington, a 20-minute taxi ride away, and arrange for mountain bikes to be delivered to your door. The other regret was, quite simply, that we hadn't booked for longer.
• A five-night stay at Natural Retreats (00-44-161-2422970 or www.naturalretreats.com) starts at £880 (about €1,110) per six-person lodge. A two-night stay (the minimum) starts at £325 (about €410). Prices include a food hamper, logs, linen and towels