Watermill that turned into a haven

So when I came across the campsite at Sleningford Watermill, I almost wished I still had my old Action Man, though thankfully it’s a long time since I suffered tinned soup in a tent.

A campsite where you can play in the river what more could you want? On the banks of the river Ure, Sleningford watermill campsite is very popular with families as well as canoeists, anglers, walkers and nature lovers. The site has a David Bellamy Gold Award for conservation. There are a number of bird and bat boxes placed around the site and there is also a butterfly garden and a tree identification trail for young nature lovers to enjoy. Wildflower areas have been set aside, where the grass is allowed to grow, providing pollen and nectar sources for many insects.

With flat pitches spread over three main camping areas, this is the ideal spot for exploring the nearby countryside or, with kayak and canoe hire available, just playing in the river. Site manager Julie Tarry is in her third year at Sleningford. “We get a wonderful range of people coming back year after year, people who came as children in the 1970s are bringing their own families to stay,” she says.

With 140 pitches spread over a 12 acre site, Sleningford is often fully booked during the high season, but the large pitches and sense of space means it never feels too crowded. Open fires are not permitted, but barbeques are fine as long as they are raised from the grass. You can hire a frame to place disposable BBQs.

Sit-on canoe hire is also available on site from Go2H2o, a separate company, which offers a range of activities including organised canoe trips and even taster sessions in archery, should you fancy yourself as the new Robin Hood or Maid Marian.

They also do wetsuit and equipment hire.

For this week’s recipe I suggest you try your hand at trout fishing on the river. If you have no luck, then help is at hand in the shape of Carrick’s fishmongers, four miles up the road, in Snape.

You can pick up a trout there and even pretend you caught it. What’s more, they’ll gut it for you so there’s less mess back at camp. In fact you can pick all of the ingredients at Carricks for this weeks Guyrope Gourmet feast. With an extensive deli and fruit and vegetable section, it’s an ideal place to stock up on supplies.

Carricks is a family business in its third generation and supplies local pubs and restaurants with fruit and vegetables as well as their own extensive range of smoked produce.

Stuffed barbequed trout wrapped in maize leaves

This is a really easy to prepare meal and a great way to get kids into cooking provided they don’t mind handling a slippery trout. The actual barbequing should really be carried out by an adult, but the children can have lots of fun stiffing the fish and wrapping them in the maize leaves.

Ingredients (feeds two): 2 fresh cobs of corn with leaves still on; 2 trout (cleaned and gutted); Sea salt & and plenty of fresh ground black pepper; 2 bay leaves; 2 large knobs of butter; A large bunch of fresh thyme; Half a lemon; 2 cloves of garlic, peeled and sliced; A couple of small wooden toothpicks.

Fire up the barbie. Carefully peel a couple of leaves from each of the corn cobs, making sure that there is still enough leaf to cover the yellow kernels.

Put the corn on the barbeque to cook, turning as necessary.

Take a bay leaf, half the sliced garlic, a knob of butter, half the thyme and a good wedge of lemon and stuff into the trout.

Apply a good sprinkle of sea salt and a generous grind of black pepper to the outside of the fish.

Wrap the trout in the two leaves from the corn and pin closed using the wooden tooth picks as mini tent pegs. Place on the BBQ and cook for about seven or eight minutes on each side.

The maize leaves will blacken and burn a little, but that really doesn’t matter. Be careful when you lift them off the stove, they will be very hot.

Spread a knob of butter over the cooked corn on the cob, unwrap the cooked fish and serve on a plate with a crispy green salad and crusty white bread.

There might even be time to tell the story of the one that got away again.

Josh Sutton is the creator of the website guyropegourmet.com. His first book, The Guyrope Gourmet, is out next year.

FACTFILE: SLENINGFORD WATERMILL

* Sleningford Watermill Caravan and Camping Park, North Stainley, Ripon, HG4 3HQ. Tel 01765 635201. Grid Ref: SE279784. It’s on the A6108, five miles north of Ripon between North Stainley and West Tanfield. Prices include one unit, two people and one vehicle: Basic price, non-electric £17, with electric £21. Bank holidays rising to £22 and £26 respectively. Extra persons £2.50, children £1.50 per night.

* Dogs permitted (max two per pitch) £1.

* Carricks, Yew Tree House, Snape. DL8 2TJ, Tel: 01677 470261. Go2H2o. Phone: 01765 635333.