Review of the Brickyard Lakes Country Park
Barry and Margaret Williamson
February 2023
We owned a static caravan on this static-only site for a brief while as a resort from the pandemic. With that over and the site on its third owner, we soon discovered that leaving was indeed hard to do!
Soon afterwards, this review was published in places such as Google, Barry's Facebook page, the Brickyard Lakes Facebook page, the Brickyard Lakes Country Park Facebook page, ukcampsite.co.uk, caravansitefinder.co.uk, yorkshireholidays.com, freedomcampingclub.com, amotherby.cylex-uk.co.uk and so on.
February 2023
We owned a static caravan on this static-only site for a brief while as a resort from the pandemic. With that over and the site on its third owner, we soon discovered that leaving was indeed hard to do!
Soon afterwards, this review was published in places such as Google, Barry's Facebook page, the Brickyard Lakes Facebook page, the Brickyard Lakes Country Park Facebook page, ukcampsite.co.uk, caravansitefinder.co.uk, yorkshireholidays.com, freedomcampingclub.com, amotherby.cylex-uk.co.uk and so on.
The Review
Since the end of 2021 the Brickyard Lakes campsite near Malton no longer has any touring or seasonal pitches for motorhomes, campervans, caravans or tents and its two fishing lakes are no longer open for day-visitors. The site is now called Brickyard Lakes Country Park and holds 47 static caravans, known as ‘lodges’ (and not for rental). All the reviews and photographs on all the relevant websites (including Google and the Park’s own Facebook page), along with the high overall ratings of ‘excellent’ which the Park still claims, refer to the days when this was a popular family-owned touring park pre-2022. So far, there are no reviews from the existing static caravan owners.
The 2023 site fees total £4,560 payable in full in advance, which includes charges for water and drainage, unreliable wifi, and fishing in one of the two small lakes (rod licence required and every catch to be thrown back). Electricity and LPG are metered at a rate determined by the management and there are no other services or facilities apart from a single ageing washing machine and drier (to be paid for and used at your own risk). No provision is made for dogs (walking off the lead or toiletry) or children (play area or safe access to the lakes). No information is provided on what are good opportunities for cycling or recreation in the area. The network of local public footpaths is badly signposted and in a poor state of preservation. It’s a one-kilometre walk down a busy narrow road with no footpath into Amotherby village: no shop, just a church, a pub that’s become a Thai restaurant; and a bus to take you into Malton (another 4 km) or Hovingham (another 9 km) about 4 times a day.
If you are thinking of buying a static caravan and signing a 144-clause ‘agreement’ to locate it on someone-else’s private property, with hindsight we would advise you to just keep moving!
Since the end of 2021 the Brickyard Lakes campsite near Malton no longer has any touring or seasonal pitches for motorhomes, campervans, caravans or tents and its two fishing lakes are no longer open for day-visitors. The site is now called Brickyard Lakes Country Park and holds 47 static caravans, known as ‘lodges’ (and not for rental). All the reviews and photographs on all the relevant websites (including Google and the Park’s own Facebook page), along with the high overall ratings of ‘excellent’ which the Park still claims, refer to the days when this was a popular family-owned touring park pre-2022. So far, there are no reviews from the existing static caravan owners.
The 2023 site fees total £4,560 payable in full in advance, which includes charges for water and drainage, unreliable wifi, and fishing in one of the two small lakes (rod licence required and every catch to be thrown back). Electricity and LPG are metered at a rate determined by the management and there are no other services or facilities apart from a single ageing washing machine and drier (to be paid for and used at your own risk). No provision is made for dogs (walking off the lead or toiletry) or children (play area or safe access to the lakes). No information is provided on what are good opportunities for cycling or recreation in the area. The network of local public footpaths is badly signposted and in a poor state of preservation. It’s a one-kilometre walk down a busy narrow road with no footpath into Amotherby village: no shop, just a church, a pub that’s become a Thai restaurant; and a bus to take you into Malton (another 4 km) or Hovingham (another 9 km) about 4 times a day.
If you are thinking of buying a static caravan and signing a 144-clause ‘agreement’ to locate it on someone-else’s private property, with hindsight we would advise you to just keep moving!