Moody Yorkshire and the changing light over Penn Hill, Wensleydale
How do we spend time when we’re not helping preparing your guest accommodation and greeting you all on arrivals day? We shouldn’t be spilling the secrets, we should keep a mysterious air about our lives, but in truth, we often end up doing what we recommend to our cottage guests and endeavour to explore slow beautiful Yorkshire. It would be a crime to live in Wensleydale and ignore the bracing walks, the bicycle rides, the pubs, take the views for granted. We still explore our surrounding market towns and castles. Never stop we say.
We can do more away from the estate in winter. Summer brings plenty of mowing and gardening during the longer days, (we have 10 acres of grass to mow around the house) and we love growing vegetables the old raspberry canes in the walled garden are prolific when the season starts, and and then there’s tennis at Dalesend. Charles is a bit of a king on the tennis court (although he has never beaten Emma at singles), guests can play on our court too. We swim, we have some horses. But in winter we love going for Sunday pub lunches because someone else is cooking! When Sunday food is as good as you find in King Richard III Middleham, Friar’s Head Akebar and the Blue Lion East Witton, it’s hard to resist. Oh, there’s our first secret spilled…
We also love walking our dogs, and it’s fun to escape somewhere away from home (we are lucky to be able to take reasonable walks without the dogs wearing collar and leads) for variety, for the dogs and us! We squash 2 Great Danes and 2 Dachshunds into our old jeep, a vehicle fast resembling a dog kennel inside, and drive minutes to reach Thornton Steward Reservoir. Here you can walk round a vast lake with spectacular views and peace. It’s quite spiritual. Other walks that we love are to chug up Penn Hill, or explore Jervaulx Abbey. In Richmond there is a super walk from the Station Cinema building along the River Swale banks. If you love walking, look no further than Yorkshire!
Perhaps Yorkshire should come with the warning that, when you discover what Yorkshire has to offer on your first visit, you might need to book repeat visits or a long stay of a fortnight! Our returning guests are testament to this, along with our quality of accommodation and concierge personal service to help your stay go well. We’re Yorkshire born and bred – Charles was even born in the house. He’s stayed at home because his body bones and blood are filled with Yorkshire goodness and Wensleydale warmth and love.
Below are some further secrets from our notebooks, for your own Yorkshire experience based on the five senses. Enjoy brilliant Yorkshire and see you soon!
Weekend Dates for your diary – why not book a stay and visit these events on your cottage doorstep? Our mailing list subscribers know a bit more about these weekend date. Please sign up here for our special offers and future plans for some themed weekend cottage stays. We are planning yoga, creative writing, painting and guided walks. If you have any suggestions for other creative activities, please do email us!
Wensleydale Show – Bank Holiday Saturday 26th August 2017
Hunton Steam Gathering – 9-10th September 2017
Masham Sheep Fair – 30th September – 1st October 2017
Our Favourite Walks
Walk here? Minutes drive from your Dalesend Cottage
Uplifting – Walk up Penn Hill then eat afterwards at the Wensleydale Heifer.
The pretty views spur you onwards and upwards
Easy – stroll along Leyburn Shawl and afterwards browse through Leyburn’s quirky shops, dine or eat in the many eateries.
Leyburn Shawl looks out over the dale and the Wensleydale Railway route
On your doorstep – walk around the 25 acre park beside the stream at Patrick Brompton Hall and lie on the grass in summer and soothe your soul. Afterwards walk to the pub in our village for a refreshing drink.
A stroll around the 25 acre park without stepping into your car
The Five Senses – a selection of what Yorkshire around us, has to offer.
OUR FAVOURITES – SMELL
Visit the Theakston or Black Sheep Breweries in Masham to smell hops and beer brewing. There are great places to eat in Masham – good eating pubs and Vennells, one of our favourite fine dining places of the Dales.
Visit Thorp Perrow Arboretum all year round to smell trees and plants and be amused by the falcons and mammals collection. The tea room has home baking and is very friendly. We have discounted entry tickets for our cottage guests.
OUR FAVOURITES – TOUCH
Head to the Auction rooms in Leyburn – Tennants Auctioneers, where there are regular sales and the view days are GREAT FUN! There are many tables of stuff to sift through and you can pick up and touch! Find a special memory to take home. When you find it is worth a fortune on Antiques Roadshow you can say ‘ found in Yorkshire’ and some say we are God’s Own County’.
Book a stay with us and visit Masham Sheep Fair on Saturday 30th September and Sunday 1st October. Touch sheep’s fleeces and feel their softness and variety.
OUR FAVOURITES – SIGHT
Yorkshire landscapes enrich the soul on most car journeys!
We love this drive for the heart-warming uplifting views.
Blue and Green – should be seen and Yorkshire boasts this well.
Take the A6136 – from the crossroads in Patrick Brompton towards Catterick Garrison but turn left off after Craggs Farm Steadings onto the road that leads towards Richmond Hauxwell and Barden and drive along the straight road until you give way left onto the larger road – continue on (soak in fabulous Penn Hill and Wensleydale unspoilt views from your car) until you go down a hill and find the A6108 towards Downholme Marske and Richmond. Take this road and let it lead you along its winding way towards the Richmond Valley. At the junction of the B6270 and A6108 you can choose to go left towards Redmire and up the dale towards Bolton Castle and Hawes or you can wind your way towards Richmond via Marske.
Fountains Abbey is a World Heritage site. If you visit you will know why!
Fountains Abbey holds magic in its stones
We love The Forbidden Corner for a ‘senses feast’. If you have never visited this attraction go! Buy your tickets at Leyburn Tourist Information office. It is special day out. We won’t spoil the visual surprise that you will find here!
Evening sight treat – two cinemas are close to Dalesend Cottages
1 – Richmond Station Cinema – this is our favourite cinema set in a former station with shops and cafes. We love the food.
2 – Empire Catterick Garrison – Good choice of screens, and has a Prezzo beside it for a cheeky pizza before or afterwards.
OUR FAVOURITES – TASTE
If you stay in a Dalesend Cottage you have good taste for your accommodation choice. Here are a few local places to taste real Yorkshire food.
Brymor Icecream – dairy ice cream from a Yorkshire herd. Visit this local parlour to sample the many flavours of Yorkshire’s best icecream (in our opinion).
A visit to Brymor Icecream parlour and tearoom is prescribed AFTER a stout walk!
Berrys Farm Shop – for decent farm butchery, delicatessen and cafe food
Wensleydale Creamery Hawes – see the counties favourite cheese being made, and sample it. Go home feeling full!!
Does anyone dislike cheese? We’ve never met anyone
Our favourite pubs – The Friar’s Head Akebar (2 miles from Dalesend Cottages) and King Richard Third Middleham (7 miles)
OUR FAVOURITES- SOUNDS
Sit back in time and see a performance you’ll never forget. Take a cushion for those old-fashioned seats. Everyone does!
There is nowhere in the UK like this special theatre! The Georgian Theatre Richmond – the UK’s oldest working theatre, is a treat for your sound and sight senses. See their programme here or take a tour.
The sounds of nature followed by a delicious home baked tea await you in many Yorkshire places. Try the following one.
Jervaulx Abbey, near Masham
Step back in time. Slow down here, take a picnic, lie on the grass and breathe.
Walk amongst the ruins and imagine the sounds of a monastery at nearby Jervaulx Abbey and treat yourself to a delicious homemade tea at the Abbey Tea Rooms.
Yorkshire Music Festivals – the loudest sound of all that the county can make.
Leeds Festival– August 2017 late Bank Holiday. Send your children there and stay in a luxury cottage while they sleep in the mud!
Swaledale Festival – Swaledale programme here starts 27th May 2017
Northern Aldborough Classical Music Festival begins 22 June 2017
Dales Book Festival – not music but books and readings. NEW FOR 2017 and a MUST VISIT if you love the Yorkshire Shepherdess Amanda Owen.