A phone-free holiday in the Yorkshire Dales — here's my honest review

Danni Scott (left) enlisted a friend and spent a phone-free weekend on the Yorkshire moors (Picture: Danni Scott) Like most people my age, I am addicted to my phone. I take pictures to share on social media. I spend hours watching TikTok. I doomscroll when I should be trying to sleep. So when Metro‘s Travel Editor asked me to spend a weekend on the Yorkshire moors with one rule: ‘no phone unless absolutely necessary’ — I felt daunted. How would I stay up to date with current events? What if I missed important messages in my group chats? And, most importantly, how would I show everyone I’d been away if there was no immediate photographic evidence? Pics or it didn’t happen, and all that. But I agreed. I ditched social media and all messaging apps for 72 hours and swapped my phone for a disposable camera, so I had no urge to post while I was away. Despite being reluctant – and dragging my even more reluctant friend Lauren with me – the social detox was, dare I say it, almost easy. Going off-grid Our off-grid sanctuary was a cabin on Catgill Farm, cut off from the swirling mess of world events unfolding through my screen. With my mission in mind, I arrived at the campsite’s Moroccan Pod and was immediately enamoured with the view… and the bright pink and orange cabin. Everything looks better in analog (Picture: Danni Scott) The farm’s newest luxury timber pod joins nine others, each with a hot tub heated by a log fire, although ours was the most boldly decorated of the lot. The candy pink wood and soft, cosy furniture were the perfect contrast to the bleak British weather, the endless rain a soothing soundtrack splashing on the roof. POLL Poll Would you go on a phone-free holiday? YesCheck NoCheck With no stars thanks to a blanket of rain cloud, you really got an appreciation for how dark it was outside. Coming from London, we couldn’t get over the blackness and silence. In true off-grid style, dinner was a DIY pizza set, cooked in our very own woodfire oven. It was an added extra (£12), but homemade dinner definitely tasted better than if we’d ordered through an app. DIY dinner (Picture: Danni Scott) As we cooked, we caved to a bit of tech and used the speaker provided to play music, a mix of Nile Rodgers’ greatest hits after my friend confessed she didn’t know who he was. Despite the rain, we enjoyed our musical education while sitting out in the hot tub, which reached a pleasant temperature after about an hour. I can imagine that in nicer weather with the stars out, it would be a far more relaxing experience than being buffeted by the wind. Not exactly relaxing (Picture: Danni Scott) It was the only time all weekend I felt a pang of jealousy, wishing we’d gone for a premium pod has a conservatory-style roof over the tub. Trekking and toasties The weather didn’t keep us down for long, though. The next morning, we headed off for a windswept walk on the moors to live our Wuthering Heights fantasy (no, not that one). Ilkley Moors are a must-visit for any keen hiker. There’s a bubbling stream cutting through the heather and dramatic scenery for miles around. The perfect place to forget your phone. Heathcliff, that you? (Picture: Danni Scott) The town itself has some nice coffee shops and boutique stores, with Thirty Nine Coffee Company a real highlight. The mozzarella toastie was on another level and incredibly aesthetic if you’re looking to take any Instagram snaps (we resisted). For literature students — or Jacob Elordi fans — the Brontë house is just a short drive away in the tiny village of Haworth. No phones needed in landscapes like these (Picture: Danni Scott) The Parsonage faces the graveyard where Charlotte and Emily Brontë are buried, leaving no questions about where they got their penchant for haunting tales. The house is filled with original details, including Charlotte’s wedding veil and their dining table on which many of their letters and novels were written. Haworth has really leaned into their legacy, with plenty of Brontë-themed shops, including an adorable independent bookstore called Wave of Nostalgia that focuses on female authors. A haunting vista (Picture: Danni Scott) No phone, some problems After a rainy morning, we went back to the pod for a refresh before going into Skipton for dinner at local pub The Cock & Bottle, having been swayed by the huge burgers on offer. This was the only time when the ‘no phone’ rule became really difficult. I didn’t realise how much of a crutch it had become. If you can’t scroll mindlessly, how do you not look awkward when you’re sitting alone as your friend goes to the loo? The lighting let us down a bit here (Picture: Danni Scott) Turns out, when you’re not doomscrolling, eavesdropping is an excellent time killer. A pub patron who dropped a cheating scandal with no context as he passed our table provided ample entertainment. Walking back from the car park up to our pod was one of the tougher walks of the weekend, as the fairy lights guiding the steep uphill path had been switched off by 10pm on Saturday.  A win for preserving the dark sky area, but we were forced to get our phone torches out to avoid a tumble on the muddy path. Thankfully, we made the treacherous journey without incident and crashed out for a well-earned sleep. Our final day involved a trip to Bolton Abbey, which is down the road from Catgill Farm and features an incredibly cute cafe called Tea on the Green. The place was packed with locals, and it’s not surprising considering the delicious full English breakfast. Fed and watered for £25 (Picture: Danni Scott) Bolton Abbey was another lovely walk, although there was no information about its history anywhere to be found and with no phones, we couldn’t learn anything about the 12th-century Augustinian monastery. If you do drive down to the village, be warned there’s nowhere to park except for the Abbey and that’ll set you back £15 for the day. Even as a Londoner, that made me weep. It wasn’t until we returned to reality that the urge to go on my phone also returned. The Baftas drama was an overwhelming reintroduction to the online world.  While my weekend detox hasn’t completely divorced me from my phone, it has reminded me to switch off once in a while.  The real world isn’t so scary. Sometimes, you just need to run through the moors and belt out some Kate Bush. Danni Scott was a guest of Catgill Farm, but don’t expect us to sugarcoat anything – our reviews are 100% independent. The Moroccan Pod at Catgill Farm starts from £189.99 per night.