Dales Life Summer 2013

FREE Summer 2013

ANTIQUES

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FOOD

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INTERIORS |

Feeling Fruity Delicious seasonal recipes

IN THE PINK

RosĂŠ wines for summer

WILDLIFE

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GARDENING

High Flyers

Sensational swifts and swallows

SPICE IT UP

Grow your own aromatic herbs

Crazy for Daisies Fill your garden with vibrant colour

You’ll want to spend all day in a County Kitchen

Exquisite new range of handmade kitchens now in stock.

Please ask for our complimentary brochure Telephone: 01969 624274 Visit our website: www.yorkshire-kitchens.co.uk Open: Monday to Friday 9am-5.30pm and Saturday 10am-1pm

COUNTY KITCHENS (Leyburn) Ltd

Showroom: Belle Vue Offices, Market Place, Leyburn, North Yorkshire, DL8 5AW 2

| Dales Life | SUMMER 2013

From the Editor The Big Issue

Guaranteed Delivery Take out a subscription and never miss another issue! For details visit daleslife.com or call 01904 629295/235156

Short and Tweet The Dales Life team is now on Twitter! For the latest news and views follow @Dales_Life

Not Just a Magazine Read our latest issue – plus exclusive extras that we couldn’t fit into the magazine – online at daleslife.com

First of all I would like to say a heartfelt thank you to everyone who has been in touch to congratulate us on the new-look Dales Life.

Readers and advertisers alike are clearly delighted with the 40% larger magazine. Thanks to the overwhelmingly positive response we have – as you can see – decided to continue with the new format from now on.

It has been a joy to have some decent sunny weather recently, and there’s a suitably summery theme to our current issue. You’ll find tempting recipes for stylish summer dining on p66 and timely advice from gardening experts Adam Appleyard and Ambra Edwards on how to fill your garden with sun-loving herbs and gorgeous perennial daisies on p38. And what could be more summery than the sight of swallows and swifts darting over the fields? Professor Chris Baines delves into the lives of these fascinating aerial acrobats on p.22.

Don’t Miss Out With so much packed into every issue of Dales Life, nobody wants to miss out on their copy. Our dedicated distribution team delivers tens of thousands of copies direct to households across the region, but unfortunately we can’t guarantee a copy through the letterbox for everyone, especially if you live a bit off the beaten track.

No need to despair, though! Either you can subscribe (see details on p.127), and we’ll send your copy out in the post, or you can pick up Dales Life from one of our many pick-up points throughout the Dales. You’ll find a list of pick-up points on p.124, and there should be one within easy reach.

We’re adding new pick-up points all the time, so keep an eye on our website for the latest list.

Sue Gillman Editor

SUMMER 2013 | Dales Life |

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It’s all in the detail As a leading supplier of period furniture we have everything you need to transform your home. Our friendly team are here to help you achieve the perfect period look.

Contact us on 01748 821500 for further details.

The Period House Store, Unit 3-7 Simpson Buildings, Borough Road, Gallowfields Trading Estate, Richmond, North Yorkshire DL10 4SX www.periodhousestore.co.uk

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Bespoke doors • Cast iron radiators • Oak flooring Period | Dales Life | SUMMER 2013fireplaces • Handmade kitchens • Wood stoves

Contents Summer 2013

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38 To advertise in Dales Life contact Sue on 01904 629295/235156 or 07970 739119 sue@daleslife.com Dales Life, 8A Tower Street, York, YO1 9SA www.daleslife.com

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Features 9 Emporium

29 Garden Notebook

Inspiring ideas for your home and garden.

Handy tips and ideas for managing your garden.

Grow your own vegetables, encourage wildlife and discover nocturnal visitors.

17 Making It Continuing our series showcasing regional talent.

This month Sam Anderson’s contemporary furniture.

20 Wild Angle A closer look at nature from award-winning wildlife photographer Simon Roy.

22 High Flyers

Cover image: © FLPA

Summer wouldn’t be the same without swifts, swallows and martins, says Professor Chris Baines.

32 Dig It Aromatic herbs to grow this summer, by Adam Appleyard.

38 Crazy for Daisies Daisies will keep your garden buzzing right through until Autumn, says Ambra Edwards.

48 Dales Life Loves Our fabulous new feature will bring style to your summer.

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Contents Summer 2013

100

82

72

To advertise in Dales Life contact Sue on 01904 629295/235156 or 07970 739119 sue@daleslife.com Editor Deputy Editor Production Advertising Art Editor Art Director Proofreaders

PA to Editor

Sue Gillman Brian Pike Claudia Blake Sue Gillman Stef Suchomski Mike Brough Helen Stevens Kim Kimber Rachel Golding

Contributors Professor Chris Baines, Laurie Campbell, Ambra Edwards, Brian Pike, Ian Henry, Simon Roy, Adam Appleyard, Claudia Blake, Mark Littler.

Proprietor

Sue Gillman

t. 01904 629295/235156 m. 07970 739 119 e. sue@daleslife.com www.daleslife.com Dales Life, 8A Tower Street, York, YO1 9SA

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Features 52 In Season

82 Priory Engagement

Savour some of our tremendous summer produce with these seasonal recipes.

The Dales Life team visits The Priory at Middleham to see the results of a radical makeover.

58 The Discerning Diner

88 Silver Lining

Claudia Blake visits The Rose and Crown at Romaldkirk.

Mark Littler introduces us to some highly collectable silver.

66 A Feast of Flavour

94 Steaming Ahead

Bring the taste of the countryside to your table with these three delicious recipes.

The Wensleydale Railway celebrates the 10th anniversary of its reopening.

72 Feeling Fruity

100 Dales Diary

Mouthwatering dishes to celebrate the arrival of summer.

A guide to local events compiled by Rachel Golding.

78 Top Glass

128 To Dine For

New wine columnist, Ian Henry, reviews six sizzling rosĂŠ wines.

Great places to eat in the Yorkshire Dales.

All rights reserved. Permission for reproduction must be sought from the publisher. Freelance contributions welcomed.

The views and opinions expressed in Dales Life are not necessarily those of the publishers or their employees.

SUMMER 2013 | Dales Life |

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Love Quality Love Dave Hudspeth Carpets davehudspethcarpets.co.uk Unit 2, Station Road Brompton on Swale Richmond DL10 7SN 01748 835111

Dovetail HHB5 DL 3-2013_Layout 1 19/07/2013 09:59 Page 2

Unit 7, Badger Court Harmby Road, Leyburn DL8 5BF 01969 625111

DOVETAIL INTERIORS Furniture Home Accessories Gifts

17 Market Place, Bedale, DL8 1ED 01677 426464 www.dovetailinteriors.com

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EMPORIUM Inspiring ideas for your home

1 Colourful oven glove from the Enchanted Wood collection, Askrigg Village Kitchen, 01969 650076 2 Hand-decorated fine bone china ‘Strawberries and Cream’ jug, Westwoods Country Store, West Tanfield, 01677 470769 3 Simple rustic egg box, Peppercorn House, Hurworth, 01325 401778 4 Classic chest of drawers with gold detail, BB & Beth, Richmond, 01748 811799 5 Hand-painted fabrics from Voyage’s new collections, CB Furnishings, Northallerton, 01609 772916

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B E A R C OT TAG E I N T E R I O R S Period & Contemporary Country Design Bespoke design service ranging from a single cushion cover to a complete home design package

Curtains & Blinds, Fabric, Furniture, Lamps, Mirrors, Gifts.

The Cattle Market, Market Place, Hawes, DL8 3RD Tel 01969 666077

www.bearcottageinteriors.co.uk

PepperCorn House

Fine furniture, Fabrics & Wallpapers Introducing our new soft furnishing service.

We offer a beautiful range of soft furnishings, including handmade curtains, blinds, headboards, upholstery and cushions.

A perfect complement to our stunning furniture, lovingly hand painted in our own workshop. Commissions undertaken.

Our extensive showroom offers an eclectic mix of individual pieces to make your house a home.

Beautiful soft furnishings, upholstery and fine furniture.

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01325 401778 or 07961 967070 www.peppercornhouse.com Hurworth Grange, 41 Hurworth Road, Hurworth Place, Darlington DL2 2BN

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EMPORIUM Inspiring ideas for your home

1 Classic rose fabric, perfect for summer by Kate Forman, Peppercorn House, Hurworth, 01325 401778 2 Beautiful vintage-style rose clock, BB & Beth, Richmond, 01748 811799 3 Half-pint mug celebrating crimson dahlias, Dovetail Interiors, Bedale, 01677 426464 4 Striking handmade Belfast kitchen unit, Bear Cottage Interiors, Hawes, 01969 666077 5 Quirky tea cosy with ‘Hot Dog’ design, Askrigg Village Kitchen, 01969 650076

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Looking for colour and inspiration?

We can help you!

We stock the Dulux Tailor Made Colour Collection, offering over 1200 colours which can be mixed in any finish you want

Special purpose paints • Kitchen • Bathroom • • Endurance • Light & Space • • Weathershield • Finishes available in Flat Matt, Matt, Soft Sheen, Silk, Eggshell, Satinwood and Gloss

SANDERSON & CO

INTERIOR DECORATING SUPPLIERS High Street, Leyburn | Tel: 01969 623143

NH Flooring HH 03-2013_Layout 1 19/07/2013 10:13 Page 1

Your home, your floor, your way.

Whether it’s Amtico, Crucial Trading, Wool Twist, Wood or Laminate we've got it covered.

We offer a home sampling service, free advice and quotations and we are proud to offer a F.I.T.A trained carpet fiing service.

nh flooring Unit 6 Borough Court, Borough Rd, Gallowfields Trading Estate, Richmond, DL10 4SX Telephone Nick Hodges to make an appointment 12

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Trust us to turn your house into a home or your office into a beer place.

T 01748 831564 M 07789 996526 E nhflooring@btinternet.com W www.nhflooring.co.uk

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EMPORIUM

Inspiring ideas for your home and garden 1 ‘Tea in the Garden’ tea towel by Emma Bridgewater, Dovetail Interiors, Bedale, 01677 426464 2 Gardening enthusiasts will love this ‘Green Fingers’ mug by Sophie Allport, Westwoods Country Store, West Tanfield, 01677 470769 3 Chic rose-decorated trinket boxes, perfect for jewellery, BB & Beth, Richmond, 01748 811799 4 Hand-made, ethically produced ‘Mango Monk’ bench, Dovetail Interiors, Bedale, 01677 426464 5 Folding bistro set, perfect for balconies, patios and

gardens, The Period House Store, Richmond, 01748 821500

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T 01609 775383 W www.deansburykitchens.co.uk E info@deansburykitchens.co.uk Unit 3, Standard Court, Standard Way Business Park, Northallerton, North Yorkshire, DL6 2XH

Heidi’s Bathrooms Direct

We have been creating beautiful bathrooms for over 30 years. We offer a range of high quality bathrooms at incredible savings. From elegant basins to chic bathroom furniture. Call us now to arrange a free design and estimate.

01677 425788 • sales@bathrooms-direct.net • www.bathrooms-direct.net John H Gills Yard, 1 Leeming Lane, Leeming Bar DL7 9AB 14

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EMPORIUM

Inspiring ideas for your home and garden 1 Reclaimed teak table and rattan chairs, The Period House Store, Richmond, 01748 821500 2 Celebrate summer with decorative bunting, Dovetail Interiors, Bedale, 01677 426464 3 Neom’s ‘Enchantment’ candle is a delicate blend of bluebell and rose, The Forge Interiors, Bedale, 01677 427383 4 Classic chair upholstered in fabric from a range by Sandersons, Milners of Leyburn, 01969 622208 5 Stylish ‘Hermione’ and ‘Swallows’ cotton cushions from Sandersons, Milners of Leyburn, 01969 622208

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Full of fresh ideas for your home

At CB Furnishings we have an inspiring selection of beautiful designer fabrics, furniture, lighting and home accessories. Whether you are considering a complete make-over, or looking for some inspiration, we have everything you need.

We also offer a home consultation and fitting service. Why not use our knowledge and expertise to create your dream home.

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Standard Way, Northallerton DL6 2XA 01609 772916 8 Castlegate, Thirsk, YO7 1HL 01845 525575 www.cbfurnishings.co.uk

MAKING IT Showcasing regional talent

Sam Anderson

Contemporary Hardwood Furniture It only takes one glance at Sam Anderson’s stunning furniture to know that here is someone with a genuine passion for what they do.

Combining an enthusiasm for natural materials, finely honed technical skills, a thorough understanding of Classical design and a restless desire to explore new ideas, Sam creates work unlike any other.

Using sustainably produced hardwoods – British where possible – he crafts furniture that clearly belongs in the tradition of the finest English cabinetmaking. But although in some respects his work looks to the past, the bold lines, vibrant inlays and eclectic references to other eras and cultures make it seem anything but dated.

For Sam, creating fine furniture is more than just a job. “It’s not about making money, it’s about the pleasure derived from doing the work. So much that surrounds us nowadays is throwaway. My aim is to create something timeless, something

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…his favourite pieces have a definite sense of drama.

Some even tell a story… that will become an heirloom, passed down from

give him the chance to design something with an

generation to generation.”

interesting or unusual twist. But he appreciates

Although he has always enjoyed making

that not all clients are quite so keen to push at

things, Sam’s creative impulses weren’t always

the boundaries. For him, the most satisfying

directed at cabinet making – in fact he trained

commissions are a co-operative process, with

at Wimbledon School of Art as a theatre set

both sides contributing to the evolution of a

and lighting designer. It was his mother who

design. Ideas, images and references significant

first encouraged him to try working with wood.

to the client can be incorporated into the piece

He set up a workshop in her garage and began

– and even, where appropriate, timber from the

teaching himself the technical skills he needed.

client’s own trees. Furniture doesn’t get much

Perhaps his initial interest in the theatre never

more personal than that.

entirely left him, though, because his favourite pieces have a definite sense of drama. Some even tell a story – for example the remarkable console display table that he made for himself as a ‘tribute to the prehistory of modern man’, and which features texts inlaid in hieroglyphics and a Middle Bronze Age script.

As someone who is keen to explore new possibilities, Sam’s preference is for projects that

Sam Anderson Fine Furniture, The Workshops at The Grange, East Witton, Leyburn, DL8 4SL. To find out more about Sam’s work, call 07970 176648 or visit www.samandersonfinefurniture.co.uk.

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MILNERS of Leyburn Style for you and your home

Carpets | Rugs | Curtains | Blinds | Upholstery | Bedding Ladies & Mens Fashion and Accessories White Stuff and Raging Bull now in stock 6 Market Place, Leyburn DL8 5BJ

01969 622208 sales@milnersofleyburn.co.uk | www.milnersofleyburn.co.uk SUMMER 2013 | Dales Life |

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Wild Angle Photographers celebrate nature in the Yorkshire Dales

the water vole

by Simon Roy The plump and faintly comical water vole used to be a common sight on Britain’s lakes, ponds and slow-moving streams and rivers. Unlike many of our native mammals, water voles are mainly active during the day, making them relatively easy to spot. When disturbed, they often draw attention to themselves by jumping into the water with a distinctive plopping sound and hurriedly paddling off.

Unfortunately water voles have suffered a disastrous population crash in recent years, partly due to habitat loss and partly because of predation by mink. Mink are a non-native species that escaped from fur farms from the 1950s onwards, rapidly establishing themselves in the wild. Water voles have little protection against them, and their numbers are now believed to have shrunk to a mere 5-10% of their former level.

Conservation organisations are working hard to save the water vole by improving riverbank habitats and controlling mink. One place in which they have been successfully reintroduced is Foxglove Covert Nature Reserve in Catterick Garrison (www.foxglovecovert.org.uk).

Water voles feed mainly on grass and water plants, supplementing their diet with invertebrates and fruit. Being small and highly active creatures, they need to consume around 80% of their own body weight’s worth of food per day. They build extensive burrow systems in riverbanks or, when this is not possible, weave nests from riverside grasses, sedges and reeds.

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Simon Roy is an award-winning wildlife photographer based near York. Since an early age Simon has been fascinated by the natural world. He studied art and design at university, and his delightful animal portraits are the result of patience, meticulous research, clever technique and a keen eye for a striking image.

For more of Simon’s stunning animal portraits – and details of his wildlife photography workshops – visit www.siphoto.co.uk.

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High Flyers Summer just wouldn’t be the same without swifts, swallows and martins.

Professor Chris Baines explores the remarkable lives of these marathon migrants.

RIGHT Barn Swallow in flight with prey BELOW Swallow over water

S

wifts, swallows and martins all share a similar globe-trotting lifestyle, arriving in this country in April or May after epic 4,000-mile journeys from their wintering grounds in Southern Africa.

All feed by catching insects on the wing, and all bar the sand martin nest close to people and depend on our buildings for their nesting sites.

Sadly, though, these wonderful birds – part of the very essence of a British summer – are in serious decline and urgently need our help.

Swifts My own particular favourites are the swifts.

They have such infectious energy as they fly in

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tightly packed formations over the rooftops. In the past they were known as ‘devil birds’ because they seemed to focus their noisy attention on the spires of churches and cathedrals.

When young swifts leave the nest for the first time they fly to Africa unguided, at least two weeks ahead of their parents – and they will complete the return journey twice before they nest for the first time. Swifts sleep, feed, drink and even mate on the wing, and they can expect to fly as much as half a million miles in an average lifetime of about 7 years.

Swifts pair for life, and return each summer to their birth site. I recently visited a colony in Jerusalem’s Western Wall, where swifts have

been using the same small nesting holes for many centuries. More typically they choose holes under the eaves of tall buildings such as town houses and churches. They approach the nest at up to 40mph, folding their wings at the last second and decelerating dramatically.

Swifts feed by trawling through the air, mouths wide open, gathering up the aerial plankton of flies and spiderlings, of which they can catch as many as 20,000 individuals in a day. They store their catch in a tightly packed pouch in their throat. Food supply is very weather-dependent, and British swifts are known to fly hundreds of miles across Europe in search of better weather and suitable clouds SUMMER 2013 | Dales Life |

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Swallows RIGHT Barn Swallow flying through an open window BELOW Young Swallows in nest BOTTOM Adult Swift drinking in flight

Swallows are very elegant and aerobatic, swooping and turning at great speed. They are birds of the farming countryside, and seem most at home skimming low across a field of new-mown hay, snapping up flies above the backs of grazing cattle, or dipping down to sip water from the surface of a pond or lake.

Swallows nest inside empty buildings such as garages and barns, and are easiest to identify when seen flying through a broken window or an open doorway. They rarely share a building with more than one or two swallow neighbours, and anyone lucky enough to have swallows in their outbuildings will know that they can be quite messy.

A Helping Hand of insects. These hunting trips can last for several days, and the young swifts are uniquely adapted to survive in the nest for long periods between feeds.

House Martins House martins are also urban birds. They are smaller than swifts, and they chatter in flight. They also nest in colonies, in cup-shaped mud nests stuck to the outsides of buildings. House martins may establish whole rows of nests on a single building, and they too return to established nesting sites year after year.

They also readily create new colonies. New housing developments seem to be popular with them because of the abundant supply of muddy puddles for gathering nest-building material.

House martins have a very distinctive ‘fluttering’ style of flight that’s quite different from the swooping glide of swifts and swallows, and they can often be seen on the ground as they gather mud for nestbuilding. They are well adapted to cling to vertical walls, and they gather in groups on sloping roofs at the end of the summer, in preparation for the long flight south.

Sand Martins Sand martins are something of a Dales speciality, and the least common of the species discussed here.

They nest in colonies in holes that they dig into river banks or sand quarries, and they chatter noisily around the entrance holes. They fly low over water to catch insects.

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All these species are in steep decline, and numbers have halved in the past 20 years. Both here and in Africa the loss of natural habitat and the spiralling use of pesticides have reduced the numbers of the flying insects that are their natural food.

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Spotting the difference At first glance swifts, martins and swallows are easily confused, but they are actually quite simple to distinguish. Hopefully this check list

Migration routes have become more challenging as the Sahara desert has expanded, and we have made our buildings less bird-friendly.

Protecting nesting sites and adding nesting boxes can help, and a number of brand new swift colonies have been established by combining nest boxes with the recorded sound of successful colonies (see www.swift-conservation.org).

In Africa, better understanding of winter feeding territories is helping to target habitat protection and organic farming projects hold the key to more abundant winter feeding grounds.

ABOVE Adult House Martins collecting mud for nesting

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will help.

Swifts

House Martins

• look entirely black (although they are actually dark brown)

• black and white

• urban birds

• fluttering flight; chatter on the wing

• fly in screaming, high-speed squadrons • nest in roof spaces and holes in tall old buildings

• seen in towns and villages

• build cup-shaped mud nests on the outsides of houses • about the size of a robin

• nearly the size of a blackbird — twice that of swallows and martins

• can be seen on the ground

• never seen on the ground; never perch

• black, with red throats, white undersides, long forked tails

Sand Martins • very similar to house martins • feed mainly over water • nest in riverbanks, flooded quarries and the like

Photos © Laurie Campbell, FLPA

Swallows

• rural birds • fly, near silently, as individuals • perch on telephone wires, especially in late summer • larger than martins • fly in and out of buildings, nesting on ledges and beams

Fountains Abbey Make the most of summer Š National Trust Images. Registered Charity Number 205846.

Events and activities daily.

Open until 9pm Thursdays 25 July - 29 August.

Members and under 5s go free.

Call 01765 608888 for details nationaltrust.org.uk/fountainsabbey

Westwoods Country Store

for all your country clothing and equestrian needs

ction u r t s n i e t a v i r P r and guiding fo

s, hillwalking skill paddle sport and nordic walking Come and explore

We also have a great selection of gifts, cards, homeware and ceramics in store.

Our new tearoom offers traditional home cooked food, light lunches and afternoon tea.

Westwoods, Village Farm, Main Street, West Tanfield HG4 5JJ 01677 470769 • www.westwoodscountrystore.co.uk

with us!

Enjoy a day out in and around the beautiful Yorkshire Dales & Moors. From guided walks, navigation classes and canoe training to our paddle & picnic.

www.rivermountainexperience.com Tel: 01677 426112 SUMMER 2013 | Dales Life |

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The Dales hard landscape specialists High quality workmanship by an experienced and friendly team Why have a concrete block-paved drive or path when you can have a beautiful and durable natural sandstone one for the same price?

Call us and see what we can do!

Tel: 01969 640457 Mobile: 07803 735000 E-mail: frank@stonescapes.com www.stonescapes.com

SOPHISTICATED STYLE

The very best in natural, luxurious rattan furniture‌

For further information, please call Kath or Colin Blanchard on 01748 811773 or 07764 279815 www.canefurniturenorthyorkshire.co.uk Showrooms at Lifetime Home Improvements, Leeming Bar Industrial Estate, DL7 9UL 10am-2pm Saturdays. Viewing other times by appointment 28

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IN THE NIGHT GARDEN Have you ever wondered what creatures venture into your garden at night? Wildlife photography company, NatureSpy, can set up infrared motion-detector cameras to capture nocturnal visitors big and small. Watch and enjoy the wildlife in action in your own backyard and find out exactly who has been digging up your prize cabbage patch whilst you are asleep.

Log on to www.nature-spy.co.uk for more information.

COLOURFUL CABBAGE

Growing your own vegetables doesn’t mean you can’t be adventurous. Instead of the usual crop of carrots and potatoes, why not plant something new this year?

Azure Star kohlrabi (Brassica oleracea) is a colourful member of the cabbage family with a similar taste to a water chestnut. Sow towards the end of August for a late autumn harvest. Azure Star seeds are available from Jamesons Country Store in Masham.

Pick of the Dales

garden NOTEBOOK WALLFLOWERS If your garden is short on space, think vertical. Greenstack planters can be attached to any outside wall or hung over a balcony. They not only look great but are kind to the environment.

The biodegradable pouches are suitable for herbs, flowers and soft fruits and usually last beyond one growing season.

Available in different pocket combinations, you can buy Greenstack Planters from www.gardenbeet.com.

The 85 acres of grounds at Thorp Perrow Arboretum showcase a huge variety of trees, shrubs and flowers, including some of the largest and rarest. The Arboretum also features the medieval Spring Wood, a birds of prey and mammal centre and a tea room. Open daily 10am to 5pm.

BUMBLEBEE IN FOCUS

The Common Carder Bumblebee (Bombus pascuorum) is identifiable by its predominantly ginger colouring and fluffy-looking, short coat. The unusual name comes from the bees’ habit of combing material together, or ‘carding’, to form a covering for cells containing larvae. The Common Carder can be seen from June to October and is found in grassy habitats and gardens throughout the UK. Visit www.bumblebeeconservation.org for more information.

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MAKE A WILDLIFE HOTEL • Use a variety of materials and recycle what you have to hand.

• Add hay, straw or wood chippings for ladybirds and larger insects.

• Stack layers vertically with wood strips, bricks and old plant pots.

• Cover the structure with board, roofing felt or polythene.

• Top with loose rubble and plants.

• Drill holes in wood or use cardboard tubes and bamboo to create crawl spaces.

garden SUNFLOWER NOTEBOOK

FEED THE BIRDS

A feeding station is a good way to encourage birds into your garden.

Using a specialised feeder means that you can offer different types of fruit, seeds, nuts and tasty treats to attract a wide variety of birds. Position in a safe site, keep well-stocked and observe feathered visitors at close range.

For a great range of feeding stations visit Jamesons Country Store in Masham.

Read all about it

SOFT

Gardening can be tough on your hands. To keep your skin smooth and soft after a day’s weeding, try My Trusty Little Sunflower Cream™. Made with 5% sunflower oil, this revolutionary moisturising cream helps replace essential fatty acids and improve skin texture.

You can buy the cream from www. mytrustylittlesunflowercream. co.uk and all profits are reinvested into NHS patient care.

Stuck for creative gift ideas? Then look no further than Gifts from the Garden by Debora Robertson for a wealth of inspiration. (Kyle Books, hardback, RRP £16.99)

PRODUCTS FROM POTS

Do you have a pile of old flower pots stacked in your shed? Then why not donate them to the ‘Pot to Product’ scheme to be recycled into new innovative garden products. Spearheaded by The Garden Centre Group, the aim is to encourage local nurseries to get involved so be sure to pass details of the scheme to your nearest garden centre. You can take your plant pots to RHS Harlow Carr in Harrogate or log on to www.ashortwalk.com for more information.

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All products are available in your choice of colour Specialists in Farrow & Ball colours

From Harrogate to Hartlepool, Hawes to Helmsley, our many thousands of happy customers are looking out on the brighter side of life, improving their homes and enjoying the superb quality of our products and workmanship.

Talk to the experts – designed and fitted by specialists we can bring your ideas to life… We offer a no obligation design and quotation service, so contact us today and tell us about your plans – we’ll be delighted to hear from you.

Take advantage of greater energy savings, security and style. From contemporary to traditional, we offer a bespoke range of top quality window and conservatory designs and bespoke solutions in a colour and style to suit you.

Visit our showrooms at: Lifetime Home Improvements Plews Way, Leeming Bar Ind. Estate Northallerton, North Yorkshire DL7 9UL T: 01677 424381 W: www.lifetimewindows.co.uk SUMMER 2013 | Dales Life |

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Pretty

Peas They look gorgeous and smell heavenly – no wonder sweet peas are so popular.

Plant them now for long-lasting summer colour, says Adam Appleyard.

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Dig it Mediterranean flavours make for fabulous summer food – but do you have the herbs to match? Adam Appleyard explores some of the classic aromatics.

Many of our favourite herbs are native to the Mediterranean, among them marjoram, oregano, rosemary, sage and thyme. All pack big, punchy flavours and look terrific in the flower border, especially if you opt for ornamental varieties. What’s more, all bar marjoram are hardy perennials, so once you’ve got them established they should be good for several years. If you don’t yet have them all in your garden, you’re definitely missing out.

Petal Power

Many of the culinary applications of these herbs are well known and long established. Marjoram and oregano give depth and subtlety to tomato sauces, and thyme is a key ingredient of bouquet garni. Rosemary makes a terrific partner for lamb, and sage is a traditional way to enhance the flavours of roast fowl.

If you’re feeling a little more adventurous, unleash them on your desserts. Thyme works wonderfully well with chocolate, and oregano can give an unexpected lift to summer shortbreads and sweet biscuits. Rosemary will add an extra dimension to lemon cake, and sage works surprisingly well in ice creams and sorbets.

Most people happily use the leaves, but never think to use the flowers. Well, think again! All are edible; simply pinch them off and strew them on summer soups, salads or desserts, where they will add a subtle hint of flavour and an uplifting dash of colour.

Identity Crisis

There’s a certain amount of confusion about oregano and marjoram, fuelled by the fact that the oregano family consists of a number of closely related plants, one of which is marjoram.

True oregano (Origanum vulgare) is a hardy plant with a strong flavour, whereas marjoram (Origanum majorana) is less capable of surviving cold, wet winters, and it has a sweeter, slightly more muted flavour.

Sage and thyme are also represented by a variety of different species. The traditional garden sage is mauve-flowered Salvia officinalis, but it has some remarkably attractive edible relatives. The most notable of these is Pineapple Sage (Salvia elegans), which is tall and elegant with striking scarlet flowers, and whose leaves do indeed give off a strong scent of pineapple when crushed.

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OPPOSITE Rosemary BELOW LEFT Marjoram, RIGHT Purple Sage

“…a light spring pruning will help the leaves develop robust flavours…”

As for thyme, as well as growing common thyme (Thymus vulgaris), which is the best choice for culinary purposes, why not grow one or two of its tiny, delicate creeping relatives?

Thymus serpyllum is a charming little thyme that comes in several varieties, including the diminutive, centimetre-high ‘Minimus’. Tough enough to resist trampling, on summer days it releases a heady Mediterranean scent when you walk on it or brush past.

All culinary rosemaries are variations of the same species (Rosemarinus officinalis), but you can find variations in a whole range of sizes, habits and flower-colours.

Ready, Steady, Grow!

Since they share a common ancestry, it’s no surprise that marjoram, oregano, rosemary, sage and thyme require similar conditions to flourish – most crucially, acid-free, welldrained soil and plenty of sunshine.

If your soil doesn’t drain freely then improve it with grit or plant your herbs in containers, because damp winters are their biggest enemy.

Containers are also the best solution if your soil pH is low.

Prune all of these species in late summer, after flowering, to encourage new growth and stop your plants becoming woody. In the case of thyme and sage, a light spring pruning will help the leaves develop robust flavours, and will keep your thyme – always prone to become straggly and wayward – within sensible boundaries.

After a few years, think about replacing your plants. Rosemary will chug along happily for years, turning into a handsome bush, but the others have a tendency to sprawl and become woody. All are fairly easy to propagate from cuttings – and oregano, marjoram and thyme plants can also be divided in spring or subsequent to flowering.

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A Garden Sinner and a Winter Winner Minting It

ABOVE Oregano BELOW Rosemary, Thyme and Sage

Rosemary, thyme and some sages are evergreen, and their leaves can be picked year-round, although I find the flavours are generally best during summer. Marjoram, oregano and non-evergreen sages can all be dried very satisfactorily – pick the leaves before flowering for the best results.

Given the right conditions, thyme, marjoram and oregano can be quite invasive, but compared to mint they are positively shy and retiring. Mint sends out sturdy runners that will quickly take over your whole garden if you let it, so think carefully before planting it.

The best way to stop it running amok is to grow it in a large pot, either a free-standing one or one that you bury in the soil in a border. A moist spot in partial shade would be ideal, but it will thrive in full sun too.

Feed well and water assiduously.

If you’ve had a patch of mint in your garden for years, do yourself a favour and replace it; a new, younger plant will have bags more flavour than an old, tired one.

And don’t just stick with one variety, plant several. Spearmint (Mentha spicata) is an old favourite, but for my money Black Peppermint (Mentha x piperata) is much more fun, with maroon-tinted foliage and a pungent minty taste that really clears away the cobwebs.

Cold Comfort Chervil (Anthriscus cerefolium) is one of my favourite herbs. With its soft, feathery leaves and delicate aniseedy taste, it makes a refreshing addition to green salads or creamy sauces.

Sow chervil seeds directly into rich, moist soil in a shady spot — this is one of the few herbs that actively shuns the sun. You can sow in spring for an early summer crop, but I like to sow a second batch in mid-August for a late-season harvest.

Despite its effete appearance, chervil is impressively hardy, and you can carry on harvesting it until Christmas or beyond. A year or two ago my chervil survived a -20°C cold snap, and the leaves were still perfectly good to eat when they eventually emerged from beneath deep snow in February.

Photos © Garden World Images

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Delightful Summer Days Out

Garden Lunches with Susan Cunliffe-Lister Two course lunch with coffee, talk and tour, £35 per person Barbecue Dinners at the Deerhouse Two course alfresco dinner with Pimms on arrival, £35 per person ‘Great Outdoors’ Cookery Courses with Stephen Bulmer Summer Dishes, Barbecue Cookery, Around the Mediterranean, Wild Food Foraging, from £120 per person For dates please see www.swintonpark.com Swinton Park, Masham, Ripon, HG4 4JH 01765 680900 • enquiries@swintonpark.com • www.swintonpark.com

27th MASHAM

S H E E P FA I R 28th & 29th September 2013 During the weekend from 10.00 am SHEEP SHOW • SHEEPDOG DEMONSTRATIONS • SHEEP RACING SPINNING & WEAVING DEMONSTRATIONS OLD TIME CHILDREN'S FAIR • CRAFT MARKET AND FLEECE STALLS MORRIS DANCERS • HANDBELL RINGERS • TOURS AROUND T&R THEAKSTON AND BLACK SHEEP BREWERIES • HARVEST FLOWER FESTIVAL • BISHOP BLAIZE PROCESSION & BANDS • HANDSPUN WOOL COMPETITION Further details and entry forms are available from MRS SUSAN CUNLIFFE-LISTER, High House, Swinton, Ripon HG4 4JH Tel: 01765 688417 or susan@burtonagnes.com or at Broadley's Insurance Office, Market Place, Masham

ALL PROCEEDS GO TO YORKSHIRE CHARITIES SUMMER 2013 | Dales Life |

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crazy for

Daisies Cheerful, hardy and a magnet for insects, daisies will keep your garden buzzing right through until autumn, says Ambra Edwards.

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This is the time of year when the perennial daisies really come into their own. Their fiery colours make them stars of the hot border, and their easy-going ways make them indispensable for meadow-style plantings. Best of all, the bees and butterflies love them.

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Daisies look marvellous together, so try an uplifting combination of tawny Helenium, golden Rudbeckia and paler, lighter Coreopsis. Alternatively, mix them in with spires of monkshood or Veronicastrum, bobbles of Verbena bonariensis and billowing, sun-bleached grasses for an elegant but easy-tocare-for display.

There isn’t a place in the garden where you can’t enjoy a daisy, from a crack in the paving to soggy clay. Have fun experimenting with their different shapes and sizes, whether it be the knee-high clouds of stars provided by dainty Aster divaricatus or the two-metre-high raggedy blooms of Inula.

Wherever you use them, they will always make you smile.

My Daisy Top Ten Anthemis

Coreopsis

Some gardeners turn their noses up at the Sicilian camomile, Anthemis punctata subsp. cupaniana, because it is so easy to grow. And it’s true that – given the full sun and free-draining soil it needs – it can be a bit of a thug. But when you’ve got grotty dry banks where nothing else will grow, or a lean space that needs rapid filling, this plant is a boon, with its aromatic, knee-high mats of silvery dissected foliage and masses of white flowers. In my warm garden it’s in flower by early May. Cut it back hard when it finishes and you’ll get more later.

I love Coreopsis verticillata ‘Moonbeam’ (50cm) for its bounty of pale lemon flowers and fine filigree foliage – plus the fact that, with a little light deadheading, it will flower its socks off from June right through the summer. I can’t keep it for more than two or three years because my soil gets too wet in winter, but if you can give it the drainage it needs it will be hardy and reliable, and it can put up with partial shade.

Aster Traditional Michaelmas daisies (Aster novi-belgii hybrids) are pretty plants, and very useful in the autumn, to both gardeners and bees. Unfortunately they are also martyrs to mildew. Near-relative Aster ‘Little Carlow’ offers abundant lavender flowers and superior disease resistance. For me, though, the pick of the asters is Aster divaricatus. It is earlier to flower (June to October), but more than justifies its place in the garden because it performs so well in dry shade.

Its delicate white stars of flowers are held on wiry black stems above shiny, dark foliage. This plant was a great favourite of Gertrude Jekyll’s – what finer recommendation could there be?

Echinacea A few years ago this fashionable North American coneflower was only available in pink, purple or greenish-white. Now there are all sorts of fabulous colours; Primrose Bank Nursery, near York, has a fine selection. In my experience, though, these are not as reliable as old stalwarts Echinacea purpurea or Echinacea ‘White Swan’, and they can die suddenly for no apparent reason. However, a plant as spectacular as sunset-hued Echinacea ‘Arts Pride’ or Echinacea ‘Fatal Attraction’ (90cm) is probably worth it for one year alone! Give yourself the best possible chance of success by planting in a sunny position in rich, well-drained soil that doesn’t get waterlogged in winter. If you deadhead them they will flower longer, but then you will lose the pleasure of the bristly cones that persist through the winter when the petals have dropped.

PREVIOUS PAGES Aster Cordifolius, Little Carlow LEFT Echinacea Purpurea, Purple Coneflower SUMMER 2013 | Dales Life |

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Helenium It’s hard to describe the colours of Heleniums, as they tend to evolve over time, so that each flower flares and fades like a minisunset. Helenium ‘Moerheim Beauty’ (90cm) is a deep, wonderfully rich coppery red. Maroon-to-gold Helenium ‘Sahin’s Early Flowerer’ blooms for longer, starting as early as June and lasting until November with firm deadheading. Heleniums are wetland plants, requiring moist (but not waterlogged) soil in the sun.

Inula Many of us don’t have room for Inula magnifica, a majestic creature reaching over 3 metres high, topped with huge golden dinner plates of daisies that are thronged with butterflies all summer long. But if you can find room for just one – perhaps in a wild area, or at the back of a largish border – you will never regret it.

Erigeron Another Jekyll favourite was Erigeron karvinskianus, which famously seeds into steps and crevices at her iconic garden, Hestercombe. The best way to encourage this habit is not by scattering seed; instead set a pot of this daisy close to the area you would like it to colonise and leave it to its own devices. In time you will be rewarded with soft mounds of foliage up to 20cm high, topped with a froth of diminutive pinky-white flowers that last from March to November.

Helianthus Annual sunflowers are fun to grow if you have room, but the classic perennial sunflower, Helianthus ‘Lemon Queen’, offers infinitely more. It is an elegant but easy back-of-border plant that is at home in every garden. It produces an abundance of graceful lemon-yellow daisies on a well-behaved plant that grows 1.5 to 2 metres high. It seems to do equally well in sticky clay or poor dry soil, flowering generously from August to November.

TOP LEFT Helianthus Annuus, Lemon Queen (sunflower) RIGHT Anthemis Punctata subsp. Cupaniana FAR RIGHT Helenium Sahin’s Early Flowerer 42

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Leucanthemum At one end of the Leucanthemum scale is the simple, modest oxeye daisy. At the other, a host of shaggy Shasta daisies – some so fluffed and hefty they look more like sugar buns than flowers. Perhaps the best examples lie somewhere in between. Leucanthemum x superbum ‘Phyllis Smith’ (90cm) has fine, irregular, tousled petals that have been likened to Audrey Hepburn’s hat in My Fair Lady. Leucanthemum x superbum ‘Old Court’ (also sold as ‘Beauté Nivelloise’) is taller (120cm), with even more spidery flowers that often give a second flush in autumn. If you fancy a yellow form, Leucanthemum ‘Goldfinch’ (60cm) has attractive semidouble blooms that slowly fade from canary yellow to ivory.

All are sun-lovers that prefer well-drained soil.

Rudbeckia The cheerful, easy-going Black Eyed Susans will grow in any soil that remains moist through the summer, in sun or partial shade, and will make spreading golden clumps from August to October. Like the Heleniums and Echinaceas, they die back beautifully, leaving black, bobbletopped stems to ornament the winter garden. Rudbeckia fulgida var. dreamii (60cm) is small, neat and more tolerant of drier conditions. Rudbeckia fulgida ‘Goldsturm’ is slightly taller (75cm) and more floriferous. Or, from a railway line in Arkansas comes show-stopping Rudbeckia subtomentosa ‘Henry Eilers’ (90cm), each of whose flowers is a wheel of widely spaced quills, set off by aromatic foliage.

Irresistible!

TOP Leucanthemum Maximum Max Chrysanthemum LEFT Coreopsis Verticillata, Moonbeam

Photos © Garden World Images

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6065 Jamesons Dales Life Advert 109.5 x 145mm_Layout 1 17/04/2013 10:46 Page 1

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Tel: 01765 680215 www.wejameson.co.uk SUMMER 2013 | Dales Life |

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Exciting new breakthrough in nail polish Vinylux a non-soak off polish that lasts for 7 days.

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t: 01677 426557 e: salon@bedalebeauty.co.uk bedalebeauty.co.uk SUMMER 2013 | Dales Life |

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Bronze Medal Clarins Limited Free Cocktail Enjoy a cocktail for free when you indulge in afternoon tea at Harvey Nichols in Leeds. Their newly refurbished fourth-floor café is amazing — a definite must-see!

Mention Dales Life to qualify for this terrific offer.

It’s In The Bag

This bold orange tote bag from Marc Jacobs will add oomph to any outfit. Roomy enough for all your essentials, and practical too. Available from Harvey Nichols, Leeds.

Edition Summer Splendours Bronzer gives you the same beautiful tanned glow you would get from spending several days on the beach – instantly! Available from all good department stores.

Dales

Loves

Life

Summertime Blues

Bring a little glamour to the beach with this stunning blue and white swimsuit from VIX. Team it with stacks of gold bangles or a loose white shirt. Available from Harvey Nichols, Leeds.

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Make a real fashion statement with this fabulous floral cuff — it’s handpainted and totally unique. See the whole range at Emma Sedman Jewellery, Leyburn, 01969 368006.

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Thank you, Clarins, for creating a lipstick with all the comfort of a lip balm. These crystal lip balms are lusciously smooth, and come in a range of gorgeous translucent shades. Available from all good department stores.

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Sultry Summer Skin

Put some sparkle into your summer with this gorgeous silver bangle inspired by Champagne bubbles. It’s from the Mari Thomas ‘Celebration’ collection, available from Emma Sedman Jewellery, Leyburn, 01969 368006.

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This pretty pink satin and lace lingerie is perfect for a sizzling summer. It’s from the Elle Macpherson ‘Intimates’ range, and is available from Victoria’s Lingerie, Leyburn, 01969 622102.

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SUMMER 2013 | Dales Life |

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BOUTIQUE GIFTS & INTERIORS

At BB & Beth you will find a wide range of home interior products from Candles, Lanterns, Plaques to Mirrors, Chandeliers and Shabby Chic Upcycled Furniture.

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Exciting new range of hair accessories now in stock 9a Market Place, Bedale

Now open in Leyburn Exclusive collection of handbags, scarves and jewellery.

Good advice and friendly service.

Puzzle is a unique boutique specialising in individual ladies fashions.

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T: 01969 368006 • info@emmasedman.co.uk emmasedman.co.uk SUMMER 2013 | Dales Life |

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in season

For a plant that hails from the Americas, the courgette is surprisingly easy to grow here in the UK. Given plenty of nutrition and generous amounts of water, even one or two plants will usually yield a substantial crop. The courgette fruit themselves are prone to rot in cold, wet summers; pinch off the flowers once they have set fruit to minimise this risk.

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Courgettes are a highly versatile ingredient.

Grate them raw into salads to add a refreshing crunch, or steam them to serve as a hot side vegetable. Courgettes are especially delicious fried in olive oil or baked in the oven. Cook them with peppers, aubergines and tomatoes to make a Mediterranean-style ratatouille, or with potato and watercress to make a subtle, delicate soup.

Photo Š Garden World Images

This recipe from The Wensleydale Creamery combines tasty Cheddar cheese with succulent courgettes to create the perfect summer tart.

Cheddar and Courgette Quiche

Ingredients For the pastry 175g plain flour 50g cold butter, cut into pieces 50g lard, cut into pieces 1 egg yolk For the filling 80g Abbot’s Choice Mature Cheddar grated 150g courgettes, cut into small chunks 1 small white onion, diced a knob of butter

First make the pastry. Put the flour, butter, lard, egg yolk and 4 tsp cold water into a food processor. Pulse until the mix binds. Tip onto a lightly floured surface, gather into a ball and roll out thinly.

Line a 23cm x 2.5cm loosebottomed, fluted flan tin and ease the pastry into the base.

Trim the edges, press the pastry into the flutes, lightly prick the base with a fork, then chill for 10 minutes.

Put a baking sheet in the oven and heat to 200°/fan

180°/gas 6. Line pastry case with foil, shiny side down, fill with baking beans and bake on the hot sheet for 15 minutes.

Remove foil and beans and bake for 4 to 5 minutes more until pastry is pale golden.

To make the filling, melt butter in pan and sauté the onion and courgettes until they are just soft and the onion turns clear. Spread this mix over the bottom of the pastry case and sprinkle with half the cheese. Using a spoon, beat the crème fraîche to loosen it, then beat in the double cream.

Mix in the beaten eggs, a small amount at a time. Season and add nutmeg.

Pour most of the filling into the pastry case. Half-pull the oven shelf out and put the flan tin on the baking sheet.

Quickly pour the rest of the filling into the pastry case – you get it right to the top this way. Scatter the rest of the grated cheese over the top, then carefully push the shelf into the oven.

Lower the oven to 190°/ fan 170°/gas 5. Bake for 30 to 35 minutes or until golden and softly set. Let the quiche settle for 4 to 5 minutes, then remove from the tin.

200ml crème fraîche 200ml double cream

About The Wensleydale Creamery

2 large free range eggs

The Wensleydale Creamery in Hawes is famous the world over as the home of genuine Wensleydale cheese, continuing a tradition of cheese-making in Wensleydale that dates back nearly a thousand years. Their luscious cheeses are handmade, using milk from cows that graze on the Dales’ flower-rich pastures. For more information about The Wensleydale Creamery – and more inspirational cheese recipes – visit www.wensleydale.co.uk.

a generous pinch of ground nutmeg

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in season

Luscious figs are perfectly complemented by cool, creamy panna cotta in this sumptuous recipe from The Blue Lion Inn at East Witton.

Figs originate in Asia and the Middle East, and have been cultivated since ancient times. Both delicious and nutritious, they contain a wide variety of vitamins and minerals, and are one of our best plant sources of calcium.

The ‘fruit’ of the fig isn’t really a true fruit at all, and consequently a fig tree will bear figs

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without the need for pollination. It is quite feasible to grow figs in a sunny, sheltered corner here in Northern England, but they will need to be protected during winter. The easiest way to do this is to grow figs in containers and move them into a frost-free spot – a garage or porch, for example – during winter.

Vanilla Panna Cotta with Passion fruit and Figs Serves 6 Ingredients For the panna cotta 300ml double cream 75ml full fat milk 1½ leaves of gelatine 2 vanilla pods 75g caster sugar For the fruit and syrup 4 figs 2 passion fruit 100g sugar 100g water 400g punnet strawberries, quartered or halved 25g icing sugar

To make the panna cotta

To prepare the fruit and syrup

In a saucepan, bring to the boil the milk, cream, vanilla and sugar. Remove from heat, cover with cling film and leave to infuse for half an hour.

Soak the gelatine in cold water.

Boil the sugar and water to create a syrup. Halve the passion fruit, scoop out the seeds and place in the syrup. Continue to heat until reduced by one third.

After half an hour, remove cling film from pan, return to the heat and bring back to the boil. Drain the water from the gelatine and add to the milk mixture, stirring until completely dissolved. Pour the mixture through a fine strainer and then into moulds. Place in fridge to set.

Leave the syrup to cool, add the figs and serve with the panna cotta. If the figs are slightly underripe they can be coated with some of the hot syrup to tenderise them.

About The Blue Lion The Blue Lion Inn is a quintessential English coaching inn with fifteen characterful, country-styled ensuite rooms, set in the picturesque village of East Witton. Three times winner of the Dining Pub of the Year

Award, the Blue Lion offers guests the choice of dining in the real ale bar, with its log fire and traditional wooden settles, or in the hostelry’s elegant candlelit formal restaurant.

For further information and bookings visit www.thebluelion.co.uk.

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Stone House Hotel Relax and unwind in our classic country house overlooking Wensleydale Open daily for:

Morning Coffee & Afternoon Tea, Light Lunches & Dinner Perfect for:

Special occasions. Small meetings.

Quiet escapes!

Take a fresh look at Stone House Hotel in 2013 www.stonehousehotel.co.uk Stone House Hotel. Sedbusk. Hawes. N.Yorks.

DL8 3PT Tel (01969) 667571

21st-24th August Tomato Consommé

S

Whole Dover Slip Sole

S

Roast Grouse

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Iced Lemon Mousse or 5 Yorkshire Cheeses £39.95

See our web site for full details or ring 01765 689000 (quote Dales Life on booking for a 10% discount)

Deli, Bakery and Tea Room.

Fresh bread, cakes, pies and pasties baked to eat in or take away.

Delicious bistro meals to take home.

Gifts, cards postcards.

7 Silver Street, Masham, N Yorks, HG4 4DX www.vennellsrestaurant.co.uk Telephone: 01765 689000 56

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∙ Market Place, Askrigg ∙ ∙ www.askriggvillagekitchen.co.uk ∙ ∙ 01969 650076 ∙

THE BLUE LION

EAST WITTON Set price dinner menu now available 2 courses £23.50 or 3 courses £28.50 Please contact us for menu details.

Fixed price lunch £15.50 and £18.50 also available Monday – Saturday

the perfect place for your celebrations

Tel: 01969 624273 www.thebluelion.co.uk

Early bird menu available 6 – 7 pm.

Look out for our special supper nights – please contact us for information.

Please contact us for menu details.

The White Swan Hotel and Restaurant.

Middleham, North Yorkshire DL8 4PE www.whiteswanhotel.co.uk

01969 622093

Tucked away on the banks of Bishopdale Beck and surrounded by rolling countryside, Hendersons is the perfect retreat for weddings, christenings, private parties, corporate events and celebrations.

The restaurant and bar have recently been refurbished, and the splendid lodges are luxurious and finished to the highest standards.

Whatever you have in mind, we can make your event a memorable experience.

Contact james.white@westholme-estate.co.uk For bookings and enquiries tel. (01969) 663268 Hendersons Bar and Restaurant, Westholme Estate, Aysgarth, North Yorkshire DL8 3SP www.westholme-estate.co.uk SUMMER 2013 | Dales Life |

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THE DISCERNING DINER

Claudia Blake visits The Rose and Crown at Romaldkirk

S

ometimes I despair of this country, I really do. But then along comes one of those perfect moments – like sitting in a quirky old coaching inn in a picture-postcard village on a golden July evening, nursing that all-important first glass of wine – and I wonder how anyone could ever want to be anywhere else.

Coaching inns… well, you know the ropes. Ancient beams, oak panelling, brass bits and bobs, open fires ready and waiting to burst into flame when our pitifully short summer stutters to a halt. Yes, the Rose and Crown has it all, plus a plentiful display of blue-andwhite china to boot.

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“In Heaven, where I imagine the angels eat it all the time, panna cotta is cool, soft and gently yielding.”

I can’t vouch for the brasserie, but the restaurant has crisp white table linen, comfy chairs and – should you be lucky enough to end up in a window seat – a view of the village green. The staff enthused about our arrival with the appropriate degree of warmth, and we were swiftly kitted out with menus, wine list, olives and a canapé apiece. An ‘amuse bouche’ consisting of a cup of creamy, hearty parsnip soup followed soon afterwards, putting us in a suitably receptive mood for our starters.

Mine was grilled asparagus with a soft-poached egg and Parmesan crisps. Very enjoyable too.

The asparagus had the right degree of crispness to it, the egg was, as promised, soft, and the Parmesan crisps added an uplifting salty tang to the proceedings.

Piers’ starter – chicken liver parfait with apple and fig chutney – did cause me to raise a critical eyebrow, though. Not on account of the parfait, which was perfectly pleasant, but because of the chutney. A rich, unctuous

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parfait is simply begging for a chutney to give it a good sharp, spicy kick up the backside. This particular chutney, however, came in the form of five diminutive cubes of maroon jelly that, to me, didn’t taste noticeably of either apple or fig. And even if they had consisted of the zingiest chutney in Christendom there simply wasn’t enough on the plate to do the job.

On to the mains. My duck breast and confit leg made a delightful plateful. The soft, flavourful meat was thoughtfully cooked, and served with pancetta on a bed of creamed potato and peas. I would have liked a more generous splash of the yummy Port and thyme jus, which had apparently been dished out by the same parsimonious hand as the previous course’s chutney. Are they stockpiling this stuff out back in expectation of a worldwide chutney and jus famine?

Piers enjoyed his roast best end of lamb with kidneys, reporting that the kidneys in particular were amongst the most succulent and precisely cooked that he had eaten for some while. They were served with a swirl of cauliflower purée studded with mangetout and a ramekin filled with shepherd’s pie. This was tasty but fairly loose, and proved to be a struggle to eat with only a fork. Has nobody in charge spotted that you need a spoon to do justice to this sort of thing?

For dessert, Piers chose caramel panna cotta and I opted for apple and rhubarb crumble. In Heaven, where I imagine the angels eat it all the time, panna cotta is cool, soft and gently yielding. Alas, we live in an imperfect realm, and ours was a rather more sturdy version

For further information about The Rose and Crown call 01833 650213 or visit www.rose-and-crown.co.uk.

What to expect

from around £20 a bottle.

Memo to chef

Two AA Rosette restaurant in an idyllic corner of Teesdale.

Value for money 7.5/10

Chutney is not a homeopathic drug.

Ambience

High points

You have been warned

Textbook coaching inn, tastefully polished up for the 21st century.

Succulent meaty mains.

Prompt and efficient service.

The bottom line

Indulging yourself after a country stroll. Giving foreign guests a brief glimpse of Bygone England.

“Dress code in the restaurant: smart. Dress code in the bar/ brasserie: relaxed.” Does this mean you’ll be booted out of the bar if you wear a posh frock?

Four-course dinner in the restaurant, including coffee, is £35 per person. Wines start

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made – in my opinion – with a shade too much gelatine.

My apple and rhubarb crumble was splendid, with all the cosy, comfy country flavours you would expect – along with a dob of luscious vanilla ice cream on top for good measure. On a personal note, it was served scaldingly hot, and I stupidly managed to burn the roof of my mouth. My fault entirely, of course, but it wouldn’t harm for staff to warn future diners.

In fact, taking a wider view, wouldn’t it be a sensible idea to let superheated foodstuffs cool to a manageable temperature before serving them? Chefs up and down the country nowadays are forever sending out pies, bakes and suchlike that diners have to patiently sit and stare at while those of their companions who have ordered less blisteringly hot options are cheerfully digging in. My vote at the next election will go to whichever party promises to tackle this irksome issue.

But back to the Rose and Crown. We sipped our coffees in a nice little lounge, also with a view of the green, before reluctantly setting forth on the road back towards Barnard Castle. Overall it had been a very pleasant excursion, despite a few minor gripes. Our rural hostelries really are national treasures – making the British summer and winter alike that little bit more tolerable – and we really should do everything we can to help them survive and thrive.

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Ideal for

The White Bear Wellgarth, Masham, North Yorkshire HG4 4EN The White Bear is a 5 star inn situated in the pretty market town of Masham. We serve delicious breakfasts, lunches, afternoon teas, and dinners, all prepared using the finest local produce. Stay in one of our delightful rooms and experience a real taste of the Dales.

01765 689319 | info@ thewhitebearhotel.co.uk | thewhitebearhotel.co.uk

H o t el • R e s t a u r a n t • B a r The changing of seasons in the Yorkshire Dales is the perfect time to visit Yorebridge House, nestled in the heart of Wensleydale, offering the rare combination of a luxurious boutique hotel and fine dining in an informal atmosphere with beautiful views across the Dales.

We are open every day of the week so you are welcome to drop in for a coffee, a sandwich or a relaxing drink.

Or sit and unwind with a cocktail on the lawn while soaking up the gorgeous views.

Lunch is served between 12.30 pm and 2.30 pm.

Afternoon tea is available between 3.00 pm and 5.00 pm.

Dinner is served between 7.00 pm and 9.00 pm.

Sunday Lunch is available every Sunday from 12.30 pm until 2.30 pm.

Please contact us on 01969 652060 to make a reservation.

01969 652060 • www.yorebridgehouse.co.uk • enquiries@yorebridgehouse.com Yorebridge House, Bainbridge, Leyburn, Wensleydale, North Yorkshire DL8 3EE SUMMER 2013 | Dales Life |

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Step into Swaledale. Stay, Relax, Explore.

The warmest of welcomes now extends to Sunday lunches on the 1st of every month or, better still, stay for a while in this little place of luxury amid the stunning features of Swaledale.

On The Green, Reeth, North Yorkshire Tel 01748 884292 | enquiries@theburgoyne.co.uk

|

www.theburgoyne.co.uk

The Countryman’s Inn H U N T O N

The Countryman’s is a charming traditional Inn, offering friendly service and a warm welcome.

Our AA award winning restaurant offers a tempting menu, using a variety of fresh local produce, much of which is home grown.

Our 3 Star Inn, rated 4.5/5.0 on Tripadvisor for both 2012 and 2013, has four modern en suite rooms, all refurbished which make an ideal base to explore the beautiful Yorkshire Dales.

We serve Cask Marque CAMRA LocAles.

The Countryman’s Inn, Hunton, Near Bedale, North Yorkshire DL8 1PY 01677 450554 www.countrymansinn.co.uk 62

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The Queens Head Fingall

All our menus are based around tasty local and seasonal produce Now refurbished, The Queens Head is an excellent venue for weddings, christenings and private parties.

The Queens Head, Fingall 01677 450259 enquiries@queensfinghall.co.uk www.queensfinghall.co.uk

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Lunch Time Snacks - Monday - Saturday Heifer Tapas from £ 5.50 Freshly Baked Warm Baguettes & Frites from £7.75 Our Ultimate Sandwiches for Two from £14.95 per person Plus our fixed price and full à la carte menus, including our famous fish & chips!

For a complimentary tea or coffee & homemade chocolates after your meal quote ‘Dales Life’ and sign up to our Luncheon Club

West Witton, Leyburn, North Yorkshire DL8 4LS Telephone: 01969 622 322 www.wensleydaleheifer.co.uk

To book space in the Autumn issue contact Sue Gillman Telephone: 01904 629295 Mobile: 07970 739119 email: sue@daleslife.com www.daleslife.com 64

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Enjoy Roux Scholar Jonathan Harrison’s unique cuisine in the traditional surroundings of the Sandpiper Inn. Modern British food using only the finest local ingredients, beautifully prepared and presented.

Fine wines, real ales and friendly service.

Accommodation available.

Market Place, Leyburn, North Yorkshire Tel 01969 622206 www.sandpiperinn.co.uk

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This is an excellent soup for dealing with a glut of tomatoes, should you be lucky enough to have that problem. It’s delicious with some basil pesto or black olive tapenade swirled through just before serving.

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A feast of flavour Bring the taste of the British countryside to your table – three fabulous recipes from The Great British Farmhouse Cookbook

Slow-roasted tomato soup with chilli & cheese cornmeal muffins SERVES 6–8 1.75kg tomatoes 150ml olive oil, plus extra for garnish 4 large garlic cloves, chopped the leaves from 3 large thyme sprigs, plus extra to garnish the leaves from 3 x 18cm rosemary sprigs 3 medium onions, halved and thinly sliced 3 fat celery stalks, sliced ⁄2 tsp fennel seeds, lightly crushed

1

⁄2 tsp crushed dried chillies

1

1.2 litres good vegetable or light chicken stock 1 tbsp tomato purée 2 tsp caster sugar juice of 1 lime salt and freshly ground black pepper FOR THE MUFFINS: 115g plain flour 1 tbsp baking powder ⁄4 tsp salt

1

100g dried polenta 85g cheddar, finely grated ⁄4 tsp crushed dried chillies

1

1 Preheat the oven to 190°C/Gas 5. Halve the tomatoes and lay them cut-side up in a single layer in a large, lightly oiled roasting tin. Sprinkle with salt, pepper and a few tablespoons of oil and roast for 45 minutes – 1 hour, depending on their size, until they have shrivelled and concentrated in flavour.

2 Meanwhile, pour the remaining oil into a large pan and add the garlic, thyme and rosemary. Place over a medium heat and as soon as everything is sizzling nicely, add the onions, celery, fennel seeds and dried chilli. Stir well, cover and cook over a low heat for 20 minutes, uncovering and stirring once or twice, until the onion is very soft but not browned.

3 Add 600ml of the stock, bring to a simmer and cook, covered, for 10 more minutes. Uncover, add the tomatoes and juices from the tin, the tomato purée and sugar and simmer for 2-3 minutes. Remove from the heat, leave to cool slightly, then liquidise in batches until smooth. Sieve into a clean pan and stir in enough stock to give the soup a good consistency.

4 For the muffins, increase the oven to 200°C/Gas 6. Line a muffin tray with 8 deep non-stick paper cases. Sift the flour, baking powder and salt into a mixing bowl and stir in the polenta, 75g of the grated cheese and the dried chillies. Make a well in the centre, add the egg, milk and melted butter and mix everything together, then spoon into the paper cases.

Sprinkle with the remaining grated cheese and bake in the oven for 20 minutes until well-risen and golden.

5 Shortly before the muffins are ready, gently reheat the soup.

Add the lime juice and season to taste with salt and pepper.

Serve with the muffins.

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The recipe for the beetroot relish makes a tad more than you need for six burgers, but it’ll keep in the fridge for two to three months and goes fabulously with all manner of cheeses and cold meats.

Venison burgers with apple balsamic & beetroot relish SERVES 6 750g minced venison shoulder 250g minced belly pork 100g finely chopped shallots the leaves from 3 thyme sprigs, roughly chopped salt and coarsely ground black pepper FOR THE APPLE BALSAMIC AND BEETROOT RELISH: 150ml cider vinegar 200ml apple balsamic vinegar 100g caster sugar 1 large red onion, chopped 500g peeled raw beetroot, cut into fine matchsticks 1 large Bramley apple 1 tsp lemon juice salt TO SERVE: 100g good mayonnaise 1 tbsp grated horseradish, fresh or from a jar 6 floury baps or bread rolls lettuce leaves (red-tinged ones, such as ruby cos or oak leaf, look good)

1 For the relish, bring the cider vinegar, apple balsamic and sugar to the boil, add the onion and simmer for 5-10 minutes until just tender. Add the beetroot and simmer for 15 minutes more until tender.

2 Meanwhile, peel and coarsely grate the apple. Stir in the apple, lemon juice and 1⁄2 teaspoon salt, bring to the boil and simmer, stirring frequently, for about 10 minutes until the mixture has thickened and most of the excess liquid has evaporated. Leave to cool, then spoon into warm sterilised jars with vinegar-proof lids for keeping.

3 For the burgers, put the minced venison and pork, shallots, thyme leaves, 3⁄4 teaspoon salt and plenty of black pepper into a bowl and mix together well. Divide into 6 and shape into 2cm thick burgers.

4 Barbecue or griddle the burgers over a medium heat for 4-5 minutes on each side until nicely browned and cooked through. Meanwhile, mix the mayo with the horseradish and a little seasoning. Split the rolls in half and spread the bottoms with mayo, then top with some lettuce leaves and cucumber. Pop the burgers on top of the lettuce, spoon over some beetroot relish and sandwich with the roll tops. Eat straight away.

Or you could try...

Pheasant, juniper & celery burgers Replace the minced venison with minced pheasant meat, and use 75g minced streaky bacon and only 175g minced belly pork. Add 40g finely chopped central celery stalks to the mix and flavour with 1⁄2 tsp finely chopped juniper berries.

⁄2 cucumber, sliced

1

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Poppy seed & lemon ice-cream cake with stewed blackcurrants SERVES 6

1 Line a 450g loaf tin with non-stick baking paper.

4 lemons

2 Finely grate the zest from 2 of the lemons then squeeze the juice from all 4. Pour the condensed milk into a mixing bowl and gradually beat in the lemon juice and zest. The mixture will naturally thicken. Stir in the yoghurt.

1 x 397g can sweetened condensed milk 150ml Greek-style natural yoghurt 150ml double or whipping cream 50g poppy seeds FOR THE STEWED BLACKCURRANTS: 400g blackcurrants 150g caster sugar 1 tbsp lemon juice 1 tsp arrowroot

3 Lightly whip the cream in a separate bowl into soft peaks and gently fold into the mixture. Stir in the poppy seeds. Pour the mixture into the prepared tin, cover with cling-film and freeze for at least 6-8 hours (ideally overnight) until very firm.

4 Meanwhile, put the blackcurrants into a pan with the sugar and lemon juice and pop over a low heat. Cook for about 4 minutes, until the sugar has dissolved and the currants are only just starting to burst. Mix the arrowroot with 1 tablespoon cold water, stir in and simmer for 1 minute until thickened. Tip into a bowl, cool and then chill until needed.

5 To serve, remove the ice-cream from the freezer and dip the tin briefly in warm water so that you can lift it out. Leave it to soften slightly for a few minutes, then peel back the paper and cut across into 6-7mm thick slices. Serve with the stewed blackcurrants.

Recipes and photographs are from Yeo Valley: The Great British Farmhouse Cookbook by Sarah Mayor with photography by Andrew Montgomery, published in hardback

by Quadrille Publishing, and available from all good booksellers, RRP ÂŁ20

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FEELING fruity Three fast, fresh and simple recipes to make the most of summer produce

Mandarin tart 225 g plain flour 55 g caster sugar 150 g butter, chopped 1 egg, lightly beaten 2 tablespoons milk icing sugar to dust julienned mandarin zest to garnish Filling 250 ml single cream 2 whole eggs, plus 2 extra egg yolks 115 g caster sugar 125 ml freshly squeezed mandarin juice

1 To make the pastry, place the flour, sugar and butter in a food processor. Process until the mixture resembles breadcrumbs. Add the egg and milk and pulse until a dough forms. Turn onto a lightly floured work surface and shape into a disc. Wrap in cling-film and chill for 20 minutes.

2 Preheat the oven to 180°C/Gas 4 (160°C/Gas 3 for a fan oven). Grease a 13 x 34 cm loose-based flan tin.

3 Roll out the pastry on a lightly floured work surface until 3 mm thick. Ease into the prepared tin. Prick the base with a fork. Refrigerate for 10 minutes. Cover the pastry with baking paper and fill with pastry weights, dried beans or rice. Bake for 15 minutes. Remove the paper and weights and bake for another 10 minutes, until golden.

4 Reduce the oven temperature to 140°C/Gas 1 (120°C/Gas ½ for a fan oven). To make the filling, mix together the cream, whole eggs, egg yolks, sugar and mandarin juice.

Strain through a fine sieve into a pitcher. Pour into the tart shell. Bake for 30–35 minutes, until the filling is just set, but still a little wobbly. Cool, then refrigerate until set. Dust with icing sugar, garnish with the mandarin zest and serve.

SERVES 8

TIP If you don’t have a rectangular flan tin, you can use a 20 cm (8 in) round, loose-based flan tin.

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Kiwi fruit and mascarpone mille feuille

300 ml single cream, lightly whipped

1 Heat the milk in a saucepan on low, until just simmering.

With an electric mixer, beat the yolks and sugar until pale and thick. Add the flour and mix to combine. Pour over the hot milk and mix well. Transfer to a clean saucepan and cook over a medium heat, stirring constantly, until thick.

Transfer to a bowl, cover the surface with cling-film and refrigerate until cold. Fold through the mascarpone and 250 ml whipped cream.

1½ sheets frozen puff pastry, thawed

2 Preheat the oven to 210°C (410°F) or 190°C (375°F) for a fan oven. Line a large baking tray with baking paper.

6 kiwi fruit, peeled and sliced

3 Cut the whole sheet of pastry in half to give two rectangles. Place them and the half sheet of pastry on the prepared tray. Bake for 15–20 minutes, until puffed and golden. Set aside to cool completely.

250 ml full cream milk 2 egg yolks 80 g caster sugar 25 g (1 oz) plain flour 250 g mascarpone

4 Lightly press two rectangles of pastry to flatten slightly.

Spread half of the mascarpone mixture along one piece of pastry. Top with a third of the sliced kiwi fruit and another piece of pastry. Spread over the remaining mascarpone mixture and half of the remaining kiwi fruit. Top with the remaining pastry piece. Spread over the remaining whipped cream and top with the remaining kiwi fruit. Cut into slices to serve.

SERVES 10

TIP To save wastage of pastry sheets, cut the amount needed while the pastry is still frozen. Return the unwanted half to the packet and return to the freezer.

TRY THIS

Kiwi Fruit and Custard Tart Mix together ½ cup shop-bought, premium vanilla custard and 60 ml whipped cream until smooth. Fill 8 pastry shells from a 180 g shop bought packet with the custard mixture. Top with sliced kiwi fruit and refrigerate for 30 minutes.

Makes 8

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Passionfruit pavlova roulade 4 egg whites 230 g caster sugar 2 teaspoons cornflour, sifted 1 teaspoon white vinegar 250 g mascarpone 60 g double cream 1 tablespoon icing sugar, sifted, plus extra for dusting pulp from 2 passionfruit

1 Preheat the oven to 180°C/Gas 4 (160°C/Gas 3 for a fan oven). Grease a 30 x 25 cm swiss roll tin. Line the base and sides with baking paper, ensuring the paper overhangs 5 cm above the rim of the long sides of the tin.

2 Using an electric mixer, beat the egg whites until firm peaks form. Gradually add the caster sugar, 1 tablespoon at a time, beating constantly until thick and glossy. Fold the cornflour and vinegar through, until just combined.

Spread the meringue evenly into the prepared tin.

3 Bake for 10–12 minutes, until just firm. Line a clean tea towel with a piece of baking paper. Sift over the extra icing sugar. Invert the meringue onto the paper, peel away the baking paper from the meringue and set aside to cool completely.

4 Place the mascarpone, cream and the 1 tablespoon icing sugar in a bowl and stir until smooth. Add the passionfruit pulp and mix to combine. Spread over the meringue, leaving a 1 cm border around the edge. Using the baking paper as a guide, and starting from the long side, roll the meringue to form a log. Wrap the baking paper and tea towel around the roulade and refrigerate for 1 hour. Cut into slices to serve.

SERVES 8

TIP To prevent the roulade cracking, ensure the meringue is completely cold before filling and rolling.

Recipes and photographs are from Grow Harvest Cook by Meredith Kirton and Mandy Sinclair. Photography by Sue Stubbs, Published by Hardie Grant Books. Available from all good bookshops, RRP £20 hardback.

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Top Glass Rosé wines and summertime were made for each other.

And this year more than ever it’s time to think pink, says Ian Henry.

Coming up Rosés Suddenly rosé wine is chic. Even Hollywood superstars are dabbling in manufacturing it, whilst here in the UK we’re knocking back bigger volumes of the stuff than ever before.

It has been a fairytale transformation. In the bad old days, most of the rosé wine sold in this country was a sickly-sweet confection, universally scorned by wine buffs. Even just a year or two ago, choosing to fuel your celebrations with pink fizz ran the risk of having your card marked as someone short on sophistication.

Recently, though – even before the celeb endorsements – rosé has emerged as the tipple of choice for stylish summer soirées.

And heavens be praised it’s no longer sugary sweet.

Skin Colour Rosé wines are made from red grape varieties.

The grapes are crushed and the skins are left in contact with the grape juice for a day or two, then removed. They have added a dash of colour, but play no part in the rest of the process.

That said, there are several alternative ways of making rosé, including the simple expedient of mixing white wine with red, a long-established way of making sparkling rosés. Some producers even resort to leaching the colour out of red wine with chemicals.

Needless to say, chemical bleaching is not used in high quality wines.

Being made from red grapes, rosés offer a subtle take on the flavours of the equivalent red wines. Because they are served chilled, they offer a tempting alternative to whites for scorching summer days. And because they come halfway between whites and reds in point of flavour, they are remarkably versatile – you can find a rosé to partner pretty much any kind of food.

Gerard Bertrand Gris Blanc 2012 Campbells of Leyburn www.campbellsofleyburn.co.uk £8.99 You’ll find only the tiniest tint of pink in this distinctive wine from southern France, which is made from two of the region’s characteristic grape varieties, Grenache Gris and Grenache Noir. As you might expect from a rosé whose only serious contact with the grape skin came whilst it was on the vine, this is a dewy-fresh, elegant drink, with hints of astringent fruits as subtle as its colour.

A crisp, dry, fruity, easy-drinking wine like this is perfect for greeting dinner party guests on a warm evening, and you can also carry it on through into the meal, where it will stand up well to tapas, salads, seafood dishes and grilled meat.

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Tierra Antica Cabernet Rosé Corks & Cases, Masham corksandcases.com £7.55 Arguably half of the appeal of rosés is their colour, and they certainly don’t come much more eyepoppingly pink than this striking wine from Chile’s Central Valley. Pour out a glass or two of this in slanting evening sunlight for real ‘wow’ factor.

It’s made with a mix of Cabernet Sauvignon, Syrah and Pinot Noir grapes, and what strikes you first is its zingy strawberry, cherry and citrus aromas. With a fine balance between sweetness and fruity acidity, and a positive feel in the mouth, this a refreshing and satisfying wine that offers impressive value for money.

An ideal partner for fish dishes or cold white meats.

Groot Constantia Landgoed 2011 Blanc de Noir Campbells of Leyburn www.campbellsofleyburn.co.uk £10.99 Groot Constantia is South Africa’s oldest and most venerable wine estate. Since 1685 it has been delighting drinkers — including world statesmen like Napoleon and Bismark — with its complex and wellbalanced wines.

This particular example is a charming salmon pink in hue. It is made using a 3:2 blend of Merlot and Cabernet Sauvignon grapes, which bring along with them lots of lovely cherry and strawberry flavours and some crisp, floral tones.

A judicious balance of perky acidity and sweetness, this is a fresh, approachable wine that will sit nicely with a generous plateful of Mediterranean hors d’oeuvres, a hearty salad or a succulent seafood dish.

Freixenet Brut Rosé NV Corks & Cases, Masham corksandcases.com £11.60 Here’s a cracking crisp Cava to pop the cork on if you’re feeling celebratory — or just fancy an indulgent glass full of refreshing bubbles on a hot summer’s afternoon. It’s a fetching strawberry pink, with strawberry and cherry flavours to match, and it finishes on a pleasantly dry note.

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It is made in Catalonia in the same way as Champagne, using the local Garnacha (that’s Grenache in French) grapes. The manufacturer, Freixenet, is one of Spain’s oldest and most respected wineries, and what they don’t know about making Cava probably isn’t worth knowing. Judge for yourself by savouring this example on its own, or alongside simple fish dishes and salads.

La Vieille Capitelle Grenache Rosé 2012 Campbells of Leyburn www.campbellsofleyburn.co.uk £7.99 ‘Capitelle’? No, it’s not ‘capital’ spelled wrong.

Apparently it’s the name for a shelter-cum-shed built from rocks by wine growers on the stony hills of southern French vineyards — in this case, Languedoc.

Be that as it may, what we have here is a fresh and vibrant rosé that smells invitingly of summer fruits.

Beyond that is a pleasant, aromatic dryness, and a clean, crisp finish. This is a wine with the muscle to stand up to spicy Asian dishes, and it also works splendidly with smoked ham, grilled meats, salads and summer barbecues. Alternatively haul it off to your own shed — rock-built or otherwise — and savour it all on its own.

Chateau Miraval Rosé 2012 Fourth Floor Wine Shop, Harvey Nichols, Leeds www.harveynichols.com £22 Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie’s involvement with this wine — the first from their estate in Provence — guaranteed it an international publicity fanfare money just can’t buy. Add to that an elegantly minimalist bottle that makes it look more like an ethereal pink artwork than a bottle of booze, and its no wonder everyone’s talking about it.

Do the contents justify the hype? Surprisingly, yes.

This is a complex wine, and a distinctive one. Behind the delicate lemon-and-strawberry aromas and flavours, it packs an unashamedly dry, acid punch that makes it a genuinely refreshing drink. Serve as a conversation-starting aperitif, or partner with Mediterranean-inspired dishes for that authentic Provencal experience.

Have you found the hidden gem for all your supermarket shopping yet?

Campbells of Leyburn Your family run Fine Food and Wine Emporium

Campbell’s of Leyburn is located in the heart of the Dales offering a range of every day grocery items at competitive prices and a wide variety of exclusive and local products including:

Fresh fruit and vegetables Traditional butcher with award winning local meats and game

Stocks probably the best range of fine wines, spirits, champagne, sparkling wines, port, sherry and beers including local and real ales in the region.

Why not call in now and give your taste buds and pocket a treat!

Delicatessen with fine products from around the world Fresh fish from Cornwall

4 Commercial Square, Leyburn, North Yorkshire DL8 5BP T: 01969 622169 E: enq@campbellsofleyburn.co.uk

www.campbellsofleyburn.co.uk

Campbells of Leyburn – providing exceptional products at great prices

Corks & Cases Worldwide Wines

@

10% OFF

Independently Yours Where it’s always wine O’clock

To book space in the Autumn issue contact Sue Gillman Telephone: 01904 629295 Mobile: 07970 739119 email: sue@daleslife.com www.daleslife.com

Call into our independent wine shop and choose from over 300 individually selected wines, buy a bottle, a case or a pallet we don’t mind…

View our excellent wines and wine gifts on our newly developed web site and buy on line!!

Also take a look at what else we do such as wedding wines – hire our wine marquee for your event – order a gift, add a message and we will send it anywhere in the UK for you…

We don’t like wine …

We love it!

Use this voucher and redeem 10% off all wines not on promotional offer!

Corks and Cases, 17 Silver Street Masham, HG4 4DX. Tel: 01765 688810 corksandcases.com

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Priory Engagement The Dales Life team visits The Priory at Middleham to see the results of a radical makeover.

W

ith its romantically ruined medieval castle, picturesque Georgian townhouses and winding streets echoing with the clatter of racehorses’ hooves, Middleham has a very special atmosphere. And there’s no better way to soak it up than by sitting outside the tearoom at The Priory on a summer afternoon.

The Priory isn’t just a tearoom, it’s a spacious and beautifully appointed guesthouse. When Sarah Brenton and Chris Mears took it on last year, though, it was definitely in need of love and attention – so they called in the team at The Forge Home Interiors to give it a thorough makeover.

The Forge Home Interiors was set up in 2010 by Middlesbrough designers James and Julie Dow. When Sarah and Chris visited their showroom, tucked away behind Bedale Hall in a former blacksmith’s workshop, they immediately knew they had found the right people for the job. “We loved the style of the shop – something just clicked,” explains Sarah.

To discover more about how they had tackled the project, we met up at The Priory with Sarah and Chris, along with James Dow and Peter Turner from The Forge.

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Character Building We start in The Priory’s dining room, which during the day doubles as the tearoom.

With its generous proportions and large bay window, it’s an impressive space.

James and his team from The Forge have struck a series of clever balances here, complementing the room’s original features with modern additions that don’t slavishly reproduce Georgian style but nonetheless manage to look wholly in character, as if they have accumulated naturally over time.

The result is a room that is cosy and welcoming, with a timeless, understated elegance. “It’s exactly the atmosphere that we wanted for the whole house,” says Sarah. “We weren’t trying to create a boutique hotel, and we didn’t want anything over-designed.”

Undoubtedly the most eye-catching feature of the room is the huge bespoke gilt-framed mirror fitted into the wide alcove opposite the window.

Below it stands a bespoke waist-height cupboard.

Tongue-and-groove panelling has been added to divide the room vertically, along with panelling around the bay window, stylised to reflect the detailing of the room’s original doors.

Decorative plaster mouldings either side of the fireplace and a new ceiling rose echo existing mouldings, and the new fire surround

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and cast iron grate reinforce the generally Georgian feeling of the décor without resorting to pastiche. Even the fittings that look resolutely modern mesh smoothly with the room’s overall character. A stylish contemporary glass light fitting, for example, fits in surprisingly well. So too do the simple, unpretentious solid oak dining tables, which sit perfectly with the stripped and varnished original oak floor.

Colouring In Paint colours – all of which are Farrow & Ball – centre around muted grey-greens.

The fire surround is painted in ‘Pigeon’ and the panelling in ‘Bone’, and these are set off against the subtle ‘Shaded White’ of the walls.

The door, in ‘Mahogany’, adds a darker note, which is picked up by the fabric used for the lampshades. The chairs are upholstered in linen: Osborne & Little’s practical and hardwearing ‘Pebble’.

Bathroom Bonus “Every aspect of the design, even down to details such as the precise placement of the tables, was thoroughly planned out in advance,” says Sarah. “The Forge put together a ‘storyboard’ for us, complete with colour and fabric samples, photographs and scale plans.

It was a really helpful basis for discussion.”

“Refurbishing the dining room has been a great success. Visitors who pop in for a cup of tea are often so impressed that they ask to see our rooms and end up staying the night, or coming back to stay later in the year. We’ve had a surprisingly large amount of business that way.”

So what is it about the bedrooms that has proved so alluring? Upstairs in the attic, James Dow and his team have masterminded some serious structural alterations, creating two stunning en-suite rooms from what had formerly been unexciting, cramped, awkwardto-access spaces. The approach to the two rooms has been remodelled, new floors installed, beams stabilised and ceilings renewed.

The first of the two rooms, the Middleham, is light and bright. The colour theme is a mix of soft whites and wood tones, and it has a luxurious French-style bed from And So To Bed.

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The bathroom is unexpectedly huge, and features a super-stylish tumbled Jurassic limestone shower, with an under-heated limestone floor to match. A large mirror, framed using reclaimed oak floorboards, occupies the space above the sink.

At the window end of the bathroom is a claw-foot bath beneath an exuberant Zoffany bird-print wallpaper, with Farrow & Ball’s ‘Mahogany’ and ‘Mouse’s Back’ continuing the theme of muted browns. A large fossil ammonite provided by Sarah is the sole item on the windowsill – a simple, clever touch.

Raising the Roof In the adjacent room, Castle View, the space under the roof has been opened up to create a wide, high-peaked bedroom with a real ‘wow’ factor.

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The quirkily uneven exposed roof timbers create an immediate sense of drama, and their rich woody tones are echoed by a new oak floor and the coppery glint of a slipper bath that stands boldly on the diagonal in a corner.

There’s a bathroom too, of course, with a shower in tumbled limestone, similar to the one in the Middleham Room.

Back in the bedroom, the lighting fittings are by Garden Trading and India Jane, and the quilt is from The White Company. The furniture is a mix of family pieces and items acquired by Sarah, who also found the stunning light fittings that adorn The Priory’s spacious stairwell.

With so much attention to detail – and evident insistence on quality – having gone into the refurbishment, it’s no surprise that delighted guests are spreading the word about The Priory far and wide. It takes nerve to pour money into a new business during a recession, so here’s wishing Sarah and Chris all the best for their exciting new venture.

For further information about The Priory visit www.prioryguesthouse.co.uk. For further information about The Forge Home Interiors visit www.forgeinteriors.co.uk.

You won’t believe what you can do in Masham!

From painting to photography, from blacksmithing to stained glass, jewellery making, stone carving, wood turning, ceramics, felt making and much more...

Experienced Graphic Designer required Dales Life are seeking an experienced freelance graphic designer to join our team.

The ideal candidate will be proficient in the use of InDesign and will be required to work closely with our Art Editor.

Please email sue@daleslife.com for further details

The Stables ART S TU D IO

New art studio and workshop in West Tanfield

Fantastic homemade lunch with all 1 & 2 day workshops. Weekly, daytime & evening classes too.

View programme & book here:

www.artison.co.uk Group bookings welcome Gift vouchers available.

High Burton, Masham, HG4 4BS

01765 689637

Exhibitions. Open Studios. Art for sale.

One day and half day courses with professional artists and craftspeople include: pastel painting felt-making & needle-felt papercutting print-making hand-made natural soaps mosaics

Open Studio weekend 24th - 26th August For a full list of courses and details of Open Studio events, please contact Sue Orrey-Godden 01677 470690/07890 651187 sue.godden14@btinternet.com or visit us at ‘The Stables’ ,Bruce Arms, West Tanfield.

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William IV silver nutmeg grater, Birmingham, 1835.

Tennants expert Mark Littler introduces us to some highly collectable silver.

Silver Lining Often the items of silverware most keenly sought by collectors, and hence the most valuable, are those with little or no practical use. They fall into the category of ‘objects of vertu’: cleverly crafted, decorative, extravagant pieces whose primary purpose was to reflect the purchaser’s wealth and discernment rather than to do a proper job of work.

Tennants specialist Mark Littler talked us through six interesting solid silver objects of vertu that will shortly be going under the hammer at their Leyburn auction rooms.

Packing a Punch

The first item is arguably one of the most functional: a silver pocket nutmeg grater dating from the early 19th century. Since medieval times, nutmeg had been an expensive, highly

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regarded spice. A fashion developed for adding it to punch, and those who could afford it would carry their own nutmeg and grater.

Kitchen graters of the period are simple, austere items, but this one is unmistakably a luxury version — silver is a relatively soft metal, and not an obvious choice for a tool meant for heavy use. Embossed with its owner’s family crest, this is something specifically designed to been seen and admired.

Nutmeg graters are popular with collectors.

They come in a huge range of different shapes, and some are even fashioned as urns, fruit or imitation nutmegs. This gives plenty of scope for building a varied collection, which can easily be displayed in a small space. Anyone hoping to fill a gap in their cabinet with this example can expect to pay £400 to £600.

“They were staggered to hear that the last one we sold, three years ago, fetched £42,000!”

Silver novelty pepperette, Birmingham, 1873.

Great Shakes

The novelty Victorian pepperette that we turn to next is another example of a utilitarian object that has been turned into an expensive frippery. It is designed as the head of a knight in armour. You can shake pepper onto your food through the holes in the visor, which lifts to enable the pot to be filled.

As with nutmeg graters, there are avid collectors of pepperettes. This model isn’t uncommon, but there will be many enthusiasts hoping to add it to their collection – and willing to pay £500 to £800 for the privilege.

Miniature silver tea and coffee service in a walnut shell case, French, early 19th century.

Nut Case

Our next item is something unashamedly useless, but truly charming: a miniature fourpiece silver tea and coffee service housed inside a walnut shell. Made in France in the early 19th century, this tiny trinket is an impressive display of the maker’s technical skill.

Each of the diminutive silver vessels is engraved with an elaborate pattern, and the two pots have fully operational hinged lids.

The walnut is lined with blue and green satin that, when new, would have formed a perfect backdrop to the silverware.

This kind of item would most likely have been purchased as a gift, and brought out as a party piece to elicit coos of delight from guests.

Unlike the nutmeg grater, it’s something of a one-off, hence less easy to value. Mark has put an auction estimate of £500 to £800 on it, but wouldn’t be surprised to see it fetch more.

Pair of silver menu holders, Sheffield, 1900.

Hold Your Horses

Furnishings for the dining table are a rich source of inspiration for makers of objects of vertu. Also included in Tennants’ July sale is a striking pair of menu holders designed as hunters on horseback.

There’s no questioning the artistry of the maker; these horses were evidently modelled by someone very familiar with their subject matter.

The menu holders are in prime condition and attractively boxed, and will undoubtedly find a ready market amongst collectors of equestrian subjects. Auction estimate: £400 to £600.

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Knight Rider

Silver and ivory model of a knight on horseback, German, import marks for Chester, 1910.

Many of the most elaborate silver objects of vertu from this period were made in Germany.

Our penultimate piece is a silver and ivory model of a knight on horseback. Medieval subjects were popular at the time, and this is a rather more upmarket nod to the era of chivalry than the pepperette we looked at earlier.

Modelled in the round, and a respectable 33cm high, this piece may well have been used to dress a dining table – it would certainly look splendid by flickering candlelight. It is a finely detailed, high quality piece, and carries an auction estimate of £1,500 to £2,000.

On Sail

Objects of vertu are nothing if not extravagant – that’s their whole point – but our final object takes extravagance to a whole new level.

It’s a ‘nef’, that’s to say a table decoration in the form of a ship. Nefs first appeared in the Middle Ages, when they were wheeled up and down the dining table to pass salt, spices or drink between diners.

This one is an early 20th century revival of the idea, and it’s a very substantial piece, standing 72cm high. The deck can be removed to access the space inside the hull, but whether it was used as anything other than an ornament is questionable. It is so extraordinarily detailed – its decks and delicate rigging are swarming with scores of tiny sailors – that to put it into service would risk damaging a very expensive toy.

Mark’s first sight of this remarkable item was a glimpse of the top of the masts poking out of a plastic carrier bag on a Tennants’ valuation day. “It was a real Antiques Roadshow moment,” he recalls. “The owners had inherited it, and been given a probate valuation of £3,000 based on the scrap value of the silver.

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Silver nef, German, import marks for London, 1913.

They were staggered to hear that the last one we sold, three years ago, fetched £42,000! This one will be going under the hammer with an auction estimate of £25,000 to £35,000.

For details of forthcoming auctions at Tennants visit www.tennants.co.uk or call 01969 623780.

Danny Piper

Bespoke

Oak Doors

EXTERIOR DOORS ◆ ◆ DOOR FRAMES ◆ ◆ INTERIOR DOORS ◆ ARCHITECTURAL HARDWARE

Creative Metal Work

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Gates, Railings, Staircases, Furniture & Lighting

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Tel 01677 427400

www.creativeironwork.co.uk

www.bespokeperioddoors.com

dannypiper@live.co.uk | 01765 635085

Sissonsi Gallery I MOORCROFT perhaps the best in Yorkshire

Sissons Gallery has a huge collection of artwork, paintings, pottery, enamels and sculptures as well as greetings cards. Also, one of the largest collections available to buy of recent and vintage Moorcroft pottery

To book space in the Autumn issue contact Sue Gillman

Do come and have a look or give us a ring

01439 771385

www.sissonsgallery.co.uk 23 Market Place, Helmsley, York email: sales@sissonsgallery.co.uk

Photo © W Moorcroft plc

DATE FOR YOUR DIARY Sat. 19th October Moorcroft’s Senior Designer, Rachel Bishop, here at HelmsIey12pm - 3pm.

Telephone: 01904 629295 Mobile: 07970 739119 email: sue@daleslife.com www.daleslife.com SUMMER 2013 | Dales Life |

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Discover The Forbidden Corner

A unique labyrinth of tunnels, chambers, follies and surprises created in a four-acre garden in the heart of the Yorkshire Dales. This was the brainchild of Mr C.R. Armstrong CMG 0BE, and was originally built as a private folly but due to popular demand was subsequently opened to the public. Visit this enchanting environment or take a break in one of our four self catering accommodations. Ideal for families & groups of visitors, they are situated in beautiful Coverdale with a free day pass with all stays.

Open every day from 28th March - 3rd November & then Sundays until Christmas Mon - Sat 12 noon until 6pm Sundays & Bank Holidays 10am until 6pm

Admission is by pre-booked tickets only. To reserve your ticket telephone 01969 640638 or visit www.theforbiddencorner.co.uk Tupgill Estate, 11:29 Coverham, Middleham, Leyburn DL8 4TJ Spear Travel DL3-2013 HHB5 copy.pdf 1 Park 17/07/2013

A world of experience PACKAGE HOLIDAYS • TAILOR-MADE ITINERARIES • CRUISES • RAIL FERRIES • FLIGHTS • FAMILY HOLIDAYS • CITY & UK BREAKS • HONEYMOONS SAFARIS • LONG-HAUL HOLIDAYS • AIRPORT HOTELS PARKING & LOUNGES • THEATRE TICKETS

Robert Sturdy, 10 Market Place, Leyburn, DL8 5BG 01969 623486 robert.sturdy@speartravels.net www.speartravels.net/leyburn Other branches in Boroughbridge, Northallerton, Helmsley and Stokesley

FOR ALL YOUR TRAVEL NEEDS, HOME AND ABROAD RETAlL AGENTS FOR ATOL HOLDERS - ABTA L8041 RWS@SpearTravels and Spear Travelsare registered trading names of Jetclub Ltd. Registered in England number 1711255. Registered and accredited office: 75 Corbets Tey Road, Upminster Essex RM14 2AJ

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A Glorious Family Day Out

Newby Hall & Gardens

RIPON, NORTH YORKSHIRE

More details on these events are available at www.newbyhall.com

July & August MATOMBO ZIMBABWEAN SCULPTURE Saturday 17th & Sunday 18th August NORTH EAST CARRIAGE DRIVING ASSOCIATION Until 29th September CONTEMPORARY SCULPTURE EXHIBITION Sunday 29th September LAST DAY OF SEASON & APPLE DAY

OPEN: Newby Hall and Gardens will be open until Sunday 29th September 2013

www.newbyhall.com NEWBY HALL & GARDENS, RIPON, NORTH YORKSHIRE HG4 5AE Information Hotline: 0845 4504068

Kiplin Hall

JACOBEAN HOUSE

Country Seat of Founder of Maryland, USA

2013 open Sun, Mon, Tues and Wed until 30 Oct.

‘A complete gem - what a surprise!’

Gardens and Tea Room 10am – 5pm Hall 2pm – 5pm • New! from August – Children’s Play Area • Owned by the Calverts, Crowes, Carpenters and Talbots • Now furnished as a comfortable, Victorian home • Crowded with centuries of family possessions • Extensive & important collection of paintings • Delightful gardens, woodland & lakeside walks • Home baking and lunches in the Tea Room

Exhibition:

Kiplin Hall in Times of War from Civil War to Second World War Kiplin Hall, nr. Scorton, Richmond, DL10 6AT Tel: 01748 818178 www.kiplinhall.co.uk SUMMER 2013 | Dales Life |

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steaming ahead The Wensleydale Railway is celebrating the tenth anniversary of its reopening – and looking forward to exciting times ahead.

Brian Pike reports.

F

or generations the Wensleydale Railway played a vital role in the life of the dale. It carried not only passengers but pretty much everything else besides – from milk and munitions to racehorses, coal and quarry stone.

Unfortunately Beeching’s axe fell, and the passenger service was terminated in 1954.

A goods service continued, but even that eventually stuttered to a halt. The final train carrying limestone to Teesside ran in 1992.

This summer, though, champagne corks are popping to celebrate the tenth anniversary of the line’s reopening. What’s more, there are far-reaching plans afoot to further restore the fabric of the railway and extend its services.

Solar Fares The Wensleydale Railway opened in 1848, with a service between Northallerton and Leeming Lane. By 1878 it had been extended in stages 94

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to reach Hawes, then Garsdale – a 40-mile stretch of track linking what is now the East Coast Main Line with the celebrated Settle to Carlisle Railway.

In this era of universal road transport, it’s easy to forget how crucial the railways were to otherwise isolated rural communities a century ago. Four or five passenger trains ran daily, and in 1911, 24,000 passengers used Leyburn

Station, then the busiest station on the branch.

Agricultural supplies were ferried in, Dales produce was carried off to market, and horses went to and fro from Middleham’s stables.

The railway also brought new sources of income to the Dales in the form of tourists keen to sample the Yorkshire landscape. In 1927 thousands of visitors from across the country converged on Leyburn to watch the first full solar eclipse visible from the British mainland for 200 years. Excursions were organised from cities as distant as London, Colchester, Nottingham and Norwich. A return rail fare third class from Leeds would have cost you 7/9d – a small price to pay to get the best possible view of such a momentous event.

War and Peace During the Second World War the line served several army camps and supply dumps in the area. It was used as a diversionary route, the

idea being to send ammunition trains across country, keeping them off mainline routes.

During the build-up to D-Day, branch trains were regularly packed with servicemen and women from all over the world.

Even after the passenger service was halted, the Wensleydale Railway continued to serve the local community. And royalty too – as in 1970, when the Queen stayed overnight on the Royal Train at Bedale.

In January 1962 blizzards brought chaos to the dale, with snowdrifts of up to 5 metres blocking roads. An emergency steam-hauled passenger service was hastily arranged to come to the aid of local folk. This role was reprised during the severe floods of 2012, when the railway once again ran an emergency service to help people stranded by submerged roads.

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was used as a location in James Herriot’s All Creatures Great and Small, and Christopher Awdry – who took over from his father, the Reverend W Awdry, as author of the Thomas the Tank Engine series – wrote The Chips Express, a children’s story following the exploits of engines Jack and Lucy and their adventures along the Wensleydale Railway.

Back on Track Determined to see the line restored to its former glory, a group of enthusiasts formed the Wensleydale Railway Association, set up a limited company and negotiated a lease on the line. Passenger services resumed in July 2003 with a service from Leeming Bar to Leyburn.

Currently there are 16 miles of track in operation, running from Leeming Bar up to Redmire. Later this year the service will be extended east to Northallerton. And Wensleydale Railway PLC’s aspirations don’t end there.

Scruton Station is currently being refurbished and is due to reopen next year. There are plans to extend the line to Castle Bolton within the next five years, and the National Park is supporting proposals to re-open as far as Aysgarth Station – a 1950s’ gem – by 2020.

It is a measure of how much the rebirth of the line has stirred the public imagination that

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the Wensleydale Railway Association now has more than 2,000 members worldwide, and 4,000 shareholders. For those concerned in the railway’s running and upkeep, it’s a genuine labour of love. There are only seven paid staff, and most of the work is done by volunteers, of whom there are over 250.

A Fine Line With so much glorious scenery on offer, it’s no surprise that the Wensleydale Railway is once again proving a draw for visitors. In addition to timetabled services – up to five trains a day in each direction during the summer months – it offers a wide variety of other activities, including murder mystery events, jazz trains, group excursions, weddings, afternoon tea trains, guided walks, school trips and a park-and-ride service for Leyburn’s annual Food Festival and 1940s’ Weekend.

The line’s locos consist mainly of an assortment of heritage diesel engines, with steam trains offering terrific photoopportunities on most Saturdays from late spring into autumn. Seven diesel locomotives are stationed at Leeming Bar, of which four are working at any one time. Trains operate on around 230 days of the year, completing over 1,000 return train journeys and covering a total of some 32,000 miles. More than 30,000 people now travel on the line every year.

As an incentive to local people to make the most of the railway in their backyard, residents of nearby postcodes are entitled to a Residents’ Discount Card giving 25% price reductions on normal return tickets. Over 1,000 have already been snapped up.

To find out more about the Wensleydale Railway, including information on timetables, fares, special events, the Residents’ Discount Card and more, visit www.wensleydalerail.com.

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PERFECT DAY OUT FOR ALL GARDEN LOVERS

13-15 SEPTEMBER 2013 GREAT YORKSHIRE SHOWGROUND

Rated in top three UK gardening events by Which?Gardening

• Inspirational show gardens • New ChilliFest with plants, top tips, and all things spicy • 100 leading plant nurseries • Giant vegetable show • 1000s of beautiful autumn blooms • Expert gardening advice and talks • Kitchen Garden Live • Cookery theatre and specialist foods • Unique crafts and gifts

SAVE £2.50* PER TICKET book before noon 3 Sept 2013

www.flowershow.org.uk or phone 01423 546157 Tickets available every day on the gate: Fri & Sat £15.50; Sun £14.00 Opening times: 9.30 - 5.30 Sun 9.30 - 4.30

North of England Horticultural Society

*A booking administration charge applies per order Photograph by Nigel Harrison

Kingfisher Craft Fair Saturday 24 – Monday 26 August 2013, 10am – 5pm.

A wide selection of stalls with everything from antiques and collectables to various crafts.

Free Entry

Contact our booking office on 0871 720 0011* or visit

www.lightwatercountryshopping.co.uk Free Entry & Free Parking

Lightwater Country Shopping Village, North Stainley, Ripon HG4 3NB (HG4 3HT). So easy to find; just off the A6108, north of Ripon. Tel: 01765 635321 *Calls are charged at 10 pence per minute from a BT landline, calls from other networks and mobiles will be considerably more.

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DALES DIARY Events compiled by Rachel Golding

Yorkshire Dales Millenium Trust Telephone: 01524 251002 www.ydmt.org media@ydmt.org

Guided Walk - Sedbergh

Kiplin Hall

Kiplin Hall near Scorton, Richmond Telephone: 01748 818178 www.kiplinhall.co.uk

A Day at the Zoo Thursday 15 August, 11am - 4pm, £4 (under 2s free) Dress up as your favourite animal for lots of fun activities in the house and grounds.

Children must be accompanied by an adult.

As You Like It Wednesday 28 August, 7.30pm, £15 The Lord Chamberlain’s Men breathe new life into this Shakespearean comedy classic.

Picnics from 8pm. Cakes and drinks will also be on sale. Booking advisable.

Kiplin Collections Tuesday 24 September, 10am - 12.30pm, £15 Learn about Kiplin’s late 19th century collections, including furniture designed by Beatrice Carpenter. Booking essential.

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Monday 19 August, 10am, suggested donation £15 A 6 mile circular route along the banks of the River Rawthey, and the lower reaches of Winder Hill in the Howgills. There is the option to join other walkers for a pub lunch after the walk, and a tour of part of the Sedbergh School estate in the afternoon.

Contact the Trust using the above details for more information and to book your place.

Guided Walk - Swale Gorge Thursday 26 September, 10.15am, £6 (children £3) As part of the Richmond Walking and Book Festival, this 6 mile easy/moderate route takes in the dramatic scenery of Swale Gorge, between Muker and Keld, including the impressive waterfall of Kisdon Force. Meet at Muker village car park. For more information visit www.booksandboots.org, and to book your place contact the festival organisers on 01748 824243.

Stainforth Salmon Walk Thursday 24 October, 10am, suggested donation £15 A 4 mile walk around Stainforth Foss, Winskill Stones and Catrigg Force, timed to give the best chance of seeing salmon leaping at Stainforth Foss. There is the option to join other walkers for a pub lunch after the walk.

Contact the Trust using the above details for more information and to book your place.

DALES DIARY

Thorp Perrow Arboretum Bedale Telephone: 01677 425323 www.thorpperrow.com

Children’s Woodland Activity Days Wednesday 21 - Friday 23 August, 11am - 4pm All children are welcome at the summer activity sessions. Drop in at any time during the day, and please wear old clothes.

Sherlock Holmes Saturday 31 August, 7pm (grounds open at 6.30pm), tickets £12 (children/students £9, family 2+2 £40) Bring a chair and a picnic for this brand new Sherlock Holmes adventure. The tearoom will be open for snacks and refreshments.

Admission is by ticket only.

William Sissons Gallery

Susan Cunliffe-Lister in Cutting Garden, Swinton Park

Swinton Park Swinton Park Masham Telephone: 01765 680900 www.swintonpark.com

Garden Lunches

Helmsley Telephone: 01439 771385 www.sissonsgallery.co.uk

Monday 5 & Tuesday 20 August, £35pp Join the celebrated gardener Susan CunliffeLister for a two course lunch, garden talk over coffee and then a guided tour of the grounds.

Moorcroft Legacy Exhibition

Celebration Lunches - Grouse

Saturday 19 October, 12 - 3pm A celebration of the stunning pottery of the Moorcroft Design Studio. Moorcroft’s distinctive style is at the very forefront of contemporary pottery design, with the newer designs from the Studio perfectly complementing classical Moorcroft pieces from the late 19th Century. The Sissons Gallery exhibition will feature the new Legacy Collection from Moorcroft Design Studio, and Senior Designer Rachel Bishop will be in attendance to discuss the pieces and sign books. Don’t miss this rare opportunity to see some of Britain’s finest pottery.

Tuesday 20 August - Friday 4 October, £25.95pp Celebrate the start of the shooting season at Swinton Park, with a delicious two course lunch championing this most British of ingredients.

Lunch, coffee and a home-grown or produced gift to take home. Advance booking required.

Children’s Cookery Courses Wednesday 28 & Thursday 29 August, from £50pp A real summer holiday treat - an enjoyable morning or afternoon learning about food and cookery, with local chef Gilly Robinson.

Half day classes for 6-9s and 10-14s.

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DALES DIARY

Fountains Abbey Ripon Telephone: 01765 608888 www.fountainsabbey.org.uk

Wild Art Workshops Saturday 3 - Sunday 4 August, 90 minute sessions at 11am & 1pm, £2.50 Create a beautiful work of art using natural, gathered materials. An active workshop for the whole family. Normal admission charges apply. Booking essential; please call 01765 643176.

Bathing House Excavations Saturday 17 - Sunday 18 August Come and experience live archeology as the remains of John Aislabie’s 18th Century bathing house are explored. Normal admission charges apply.

Children’s Open Air Theatre and BBQ Treasure Island Friday 30 August, 6pm, £12 (children £10, under 3s free, family ticket £40) Cambridge Touring Theatre’s tale of adventure follows two young heroes who find a treasure map and set sail! There will also be a barbecue at the Abbey Tearooms from 6 - 9pm, at an additional cost.

Booking essential; please call 08442 491895.

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Harrogate Flower Show

Harrogate Autumn Flower Show Great Yorkshire Showground Telephone: 01423 546157 www.flowershow.org.uk Friday 13 - Sunday 15 September, tickets for Friday & Saturday £13 in advance or £15.50 at the gate; tickets for Sunday £11.50 in advance or £14 at the gate; under 16s free when accompanied by an adult.

This year’s show is heating up as Harrogate Flower Show holds its first ever ChilliFest, with 100s of different plants, lots of hot tips for growing chillies at home and great ideas for a range of delicious spicy dishes.

The show will also feature beautiful show gardens, stunning plant nursery displays and live expert demonstrations, not to mention an amazing giant vegetable competition which has broken the world record for heaviest onion two years in a row. It’s also the perfect opportunity to take home ideas and inspiration from the designers of the beautiful Autumn Show gardens, and to stock up your garden with an unrivalled range of top quality plants.

There’s something to suit all ages, with handson fun for younger gardeners in Gardening with Nature, as well as a Spot It trail quiz to keep them entertained.

DALES DIARY

Vennell’s Restaurant Masham Telephone: 01765 689000 www.vennellsrestaurant.co.uk

Grouse Festival Wednesday 21 - Saturday 24 August, £39.95 Sample the finest roast grouse - the star of an outstanding four-course menu, which also features a tomato consommé, whole Dover slip sole, and a choice of either iced lemon mousse or a cheese course featuring five Yorkshire cheeses.

Masham Sheep Fair

Masham Telephone: 01765 688417 www.mashamsheepfair.com Saturday 28 & Sunday 29 September, 10am Masham’s market square is famous for its sheep sales where in the past as many as 70,000 sheep were sold each year. To commemorate these times, the Masham Sheep Fair promises an action-packed weekend of sheepy entertainment, including a sheep show, sheepdog demonstrations, sheep racing, craft market, old time children’s fair and much more! All proceeds go to Yorkshire charities.

Further details and entry forms for the sheep show and wool craft competition are available from the above telephone number or by contacting susan@burtonagnes.com. Entry forms can also be collected from Broadley’s Insurance Office, Market Place, Masham.

Contemporary sculpture at Newby Hall

Newby Hall & Gardens near Ripon Telephone: 0845 4504068 www.newbyhall.com

Matombo Zimbabwean Sculpture Until Sunday 8 September An exhibition showcasing the rich artistic culture of Zimbabwe. An important aspect of the exhibition is the opportunity for children to feel the shape and texture of the Shona stone sculptures, experiencing art in a whole new way.

Contemporary Sculpture Exhibition Until Sunday 29 September, included in price of admission to Gardens A rare opportunity to view stunning pieces of contemporary sculpture in a unique setting, as you follow the Sculpture Trail through Newby’s Woodland Walk. All the sculptures are also up for sale.

Last Day of Season & Apple Day Sunday 29 September Celebrate the last day of Newby Hall’s visiting season and the fruit grown in its 25 acres of award-winning gardens.

SUMMER 2013 | Dales Life | 103

DALES DIARY

Lightwater Country Shopping Village Ripon Telephone: 01765 635321 www.lightwatercountryshopping.co.uk

Kingfisher Craft Fair Saturday 24 - Monday 26 August, 10am - 5pm, free entry A great selection of stalls ranging from antiques and collectables to a variety of crafts, as well as a whole host of fine food purveyors. Contact the booking office on 0871 720 0011.

Autumn Floral Demonstration Wednesday 18 September, 2pm, £3.50 Be inspired by the sensational flower arrangements of Bob Forbes. The spectacular designs will be raffled off after the demonstration. Price includes tea and biscuits.

Black Sheep Brewery Masham Telephone: 01765 680101 www.blacksheepbrewery.com

Otley Folk Festival Thursday 19 - Sunday 22 September The Otley Black Sheep Folk Festival celebrates its 22nd year of top-notch folk music, with a fantastic line-up featuring a huge selection of folk musicians old and new. The festival takes place in the picturesque surroundings of Otley in Wharfedale, which also has a Friday/Saturday market. Tickets can be printed off from www.otleyfolkfestival.com; contact the Festival hotline on 01943 464858 for more details.

104 | Dales Life | SUMMER 2013

The Black Swan Fearby Telephone: 01765 689477 www.wensleydaleshow.org.uk

Seafood Festival Friday 6 September - Thursday 3 October Sample the very finest fresh seafood from the East Yorkshire coast and around the world. Each evening’s selection is different, with dishes ranging from old favourites like lobster, scallops, halibut and sea bass, to more exotic delicacies such as MahiMahi, Wahoo and Parrotfish. All this can be enjoyed as part of a package deal with a double or twin room for two people, with dinner and breakfast on both days, for £269.

A one night package is available midweek to include the same for £139 per room. To book, please call the above number and quote ‘Seafood Package’.

New Jersey Bedale Telephone: 01677 427746 www.newjerseywools.co.uk

Flappers ‘n’ Tuckers Knitting Group Monday evenings 6.30 - 9pm, Tuesday and Friday afternoons 1.30 - 5pm A friendly drop-in group for knitters of all levels. Bring along a knitting project to work on, knit and natter with like-minded crafters, and receive helpful advice from seasoned knitters. Flappers ‘n’ Tuckers are also regularly involved in charity fundraising - recently their Knit-a-thon raised £1,475 for Children in Need. For more information call the above number, visit the website or drop in to the shop, which is open every day except Wednesday and Sunday. Do come along and share your ideas and expertise.

SUMMER 2013 | Dales Life | 105

An opportunity to live and work in the heart of the Dales We are delighted to offer for sale these unique 18th-century grade II listed traditional stone cottages, with river-frontage and fishing rights on the River Ure. These properties are located in the Yorkshire Dales National Park and rarely reach the market. Viewing is strongly recommended.

Birkbeck House An opportunity for a true lifestyle change. A traditional Dales stone-built house, being carefully converted from a former mill into a 1600 sq. ft 2 bedroom home, with an integrated office/work room. Perfect for someone wishing to relocate and run a business from home. ÂŁ295,000 2 Yore Mill A charming period terraced house fronting the river. Recently renovated, all external works have been completed leaving only internal finishing, affording the purchaser a choice of kitchen and bathroom, oak flooring and cast iron stoves. ÂŁ232,000

AUSTIN BROOKS 01904 227992 sales@austinbrooks.co.uk www.austinbrooks.co.uk 106 | Dales Life | SUMMER 2013

Working Magic This unique property at Aysgarth Falls offers the chance to take working from home to a whole new level.

Thousands dream of running their own businesses in the beautiful surroundings of the Yorkshire Dales, but few will have dreamed of a home-cum-workspace quite as idyllic as Birkbeck House at Aysgarth.

It stands in ancient woods overlooking the River Ure, and with Aysgarth Falls just a few footsteps away you could hardly hope to find yourself in a more iconic Dales location.

Birkbeck House is part of an exciting project

by Richmond construction firm Randall Orchard to restore and refurbish buildings originally belonging to Aysgarth’s Yore Mill.

The Yore Mill was built at the end of the 18th century, and continued to mill flour right until the 1950s. Birkbeck House was once the Mill’s workshop; the remainder of the block consisted of accommodation for mill workers.

Under the watchful eye of Randall Orchard MD Graeme Newton, the mill workshop has been transformed into a unique all-in-one home and business space. For the business part of the equation there’s a generously

Birkbeck House, a 2-bedroom self-contained home and office/workshop at Aysgarth Falls, is currently for sale at a guide price of £295,000. There is one remaining 2-bedroom cottage for sale in St Joseph’s Mews, guide price £232,000. For viewings and further information contact Austin Brooks, York, 01904 227 992, www.austinbrooks.co.uk.

proportioned work area — it would be ideal for either a workshop or an office — with its own cloakroom and separate entrance. The spacious domestic accommodation includes a living, kitchen and dining area with woodburning stove, two ensuite double bedrooms and a further first floor space that would make a handy additional office area.

“This is the kind of property that will give someone with vision a genuinely life-changing opportunity,” says Graeme. “It’s a perfect location for a local entrepreneur to set up a home office, and a genuinely inspirational environment in which a painter, sculptor or other craftsperson could set up their own studio or workshop.”

“Birkbeck House is a special place in so many ways. The location is unmatched, and as far as I know this is only the second time that planning consent has been given in the National Park for a live-and-work unit. Without a doubt this is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity for some aspiring Dales businessperson.”

The remainder of the block, St Joseph’s Mews, has been converted into charming riverside cottages, all but one of which have already been snapped up by eager purchasers.

“I’m not surprised,” says Graeme. “Where else can you open your lounge door and look straight out onto one of the most famous stretches of river in the North?”

SUMMER 2013 | Dales Life | 107

On themarket market On the

Our beautiful properties for sale in Yorkshire.

Ourregular regularround-up round-upofof beautiful properties for sale in Yorkshire.

£225,000 - £275,000 The Gables & Nursery, Burneston Substantial family residence. In need of some refurbishment. Former garden nursery. Range of outbuildings. Delightful village location.

EPC rating F. Viewing by appointment Contact Robin Jessop on 01677 425950 www.robinjessop.co.uk

£350,000 - £400,000 Thorpe Grange Cottage, Greta Bridge A spacious detached country house with five bedrooms. Well presented. Private parking. Close to the A66. 6 Acres grass land. Excellent location. EPC rating D. Viewing by appointment.

Contact Robin Jessop on 01969 622800 www.robinjessop.co.uk

£180,000 - £220,000 6 Ivy Crescent, Newton Le Willows Charming semi detached property. Beautifully presented throughout.

Pleasant private gardens. Immaculate family accommodation. Convenient & accessible location. EPC rating E. Viewing by appointment.

Contact Robin Jessop on 01677 425950 www.robinjessop.co.uk

OIEO £150,000 Pondside Barn, West Witton Delightful two bedroom barn conversion. Immaculately presented. Superbly located adjacent to open countryside and the village pond.

EPC rating D. Viewing by appointment.

Contact Robin Jessop on 01969 622800 www.robinjessop.co.uk

£325,000 - £350,000 Richmond House, Felixkirk A period grade II listed detached village property. Spacious accommodation in need of some updating. Gardens, grounds and garaging with outbuildings. Superb village location. EPC graph rating G. Viewing by appointment.

Contact Robin Jessop on 01677 425950 www.robinjessop.co.uk

OIEO £285,000 The Villa Cottage, Thornton Steward Delightful stone built house with gardens. Three bedroomed accommodation. Ideal secluded position. Delightful gardens and grounds.

Desirable village location. Chain free. EPC rating D. Viewing by appointment.

Contact Robin Jessop on 01677 425950 www.robinjessop.co.uk

108 | Dales Life | SUMMER 2013

C HA R T ER ED S UR V EY ORS • ESTATE AG ENTS • PROPER T Y A UCT I O N E E R S • V A L UE R S • L A N D A G E N T S

West End | Carlton In Coverdale

East Rountengill | Walden

Traditional Dales farmhouse. In need of modernisation.

Superbly positioned elevated plot. Beautiful gardens and grounds. Superb panoramic views. EPC rating E. Viewing by appointment.

Traditional Dales farmhouse with 53 acres approx. 3 bedroom farmhouse. In need of complete refurbishment.

50 Acres grass land. Secluded location. Stunning panoramic views. Rare opportunity to purchase an untouched small farm in idyllic and stunning rural location. Chain free.

EPC rating G. Viewing by appointment.

£275,000 - £300,000

£325,000 - £375,000

P roperties R e q uired To S atisfy Demand Contact Tim Gower

Newcroft | Castle Bolton

The Manor House | Bainbridge

A two bedroom detached victorian cottage with separate two storey annexe. Planning permission to extend. Delightful gardens and grounds. Stunning village location. EPC G rating.

Viewing by appointment.

A unique historic manor house situated in a commanding position overlooking Bainbridge. Five double bedrooms.

Immaculately presented. EPC rating F. Viewing by appointment.

Offers in excess of £325,000

£330,000 - £360,000

Bedale 01677 425950 robinjessop.co.uk

Leyburn 01969 622800 SUMMER 2013 | Dales Life | 109

On themarket market On the

Our beautiful properties for sale in Yorkshire.

Ourregular regularround-up round-upofof beautiful properties for sale in Yorkshire.

£435,000 2 Preston Mill, Wensley Station Grade II Listed, 3 bedroom house, which forms part of a larger, period, stone-built property that dates back to circa 1784. Offers lovely rural views to the south and has the benefit of large gardens, workshop, additional 4 acres or so of grass paddock and stables.

Contact GSC Grays on 01969 600120 www.gscgrays.co.uk

£645,000 School House, Middleham Grade II Listed former school, sympathetically renovated throughout, creating an impressive 6 bed family home. Many original features, such as the bell tower, open fireplaces, timber panelling, exposed beams and vaulted ceilings.

Contact GSC Grays on 01969 600120 www.gscgrays.co.uk

£380,000 The Dovecote, Crakehall A detached and spacious three bedroom bungalow in the picturesque village of Crakehall, tucked well away from the main road down a quiet private road. Set within large gardens and has ample off-road parking.

EPC (EER) E52.

Contact GSC Grays on 01677 422400 www.gscgrays.co.uk

£450,000 Orchard House, Scorton A 4/5 bedroom detached house built by Randall Orchard in 2001 on a good sized plot, private gardens, just off the village green in this popular village. excellent access to A1. Ideally suited to a family with the second floor attic room offering a home office facility or potential guest suite. EPC (EER) D62.

Contact GSC Grays on 01748 829217 www.gscgrays.co.uk

£485,000 20 High Street Gilling West Grade ll Listed, large gardens, double garage, carport & off street parking.

Second floor master/guest suite incorporating bedroom, dressing room/ nursery and en-suite. First floor: 3 bedrooms,bathroom & cloakroom.

Ground floor: 2 reception, breakfast kitchen & garden room EPC (EER) F32.

Contact GSC Grays on 01748 829217 www.gscgrays.co.uk

£650,000 Maple Lodge, Thornton Steward Well presented detached family home, deceptively spacious with wellplanned flexible accommodation, finished to a very high standard with state of the art technology. Located in the rural hamlet of Thornton Steward, the property is surrounded by open countryside. EPC (EER) D65.

Contact GSC Grays on 01677 422400 www.gscgrays.co.uk

110 | Dales Life | SUMMER 2013

                            

BEDALE: 01677 422400 LEYBURN: 01969 600120 RIC HMOND: 01748 829217 Offices also at: Barnard Castle ∙ Hamsterley ∙ Stokesley

               



                       SUMMER 2013 | Dales Life | 111

Go For Growth We have!

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Giving you more for your money.

• 20,000 copies hand-delivered to homes and businesses throughout the Dales.

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It all adds up.

“We have advertised with Dales Life for 19for years, and Going have always had a great response. The magazine has Growth really helped our business grow.”

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“We have advertised in the magazine from the start – and reached customers in places we never expected.”

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Helping local businesses grow since 1993 www.daleslife.com 112 | Dales Life | SUMMER 2013

Contact Sue Gillman on 01904 629295 sue@daleslife.com Dales Life, 8A Tower Street, York, North Yorkshire YO1 9SA

On themarket market On the

Our beautiful properties for sale in Yorkshire.

Ourregular regularround-up round-upofof beautiful properties for sale in Yorkshire.

£239,950 Four Trees, Hunton Spacious detached bungalow in an edge of village setting. Open front and rear aspects, good sized garden. Entrance hall, lounge, dining room, kitchen/breakfast room, utility room, cloakroom/wc, 2 double bedrooms, garage, driveway, front and rear gardens, oil fired c/h, upvc double glazing, No forward chain. EPC rating E 53 Contact Norman F Brown on 01969 622194 www.normanfbrown.co.uk

£385,000 Jasmine House Elegant grade II listed Georgian town house with spacious accommodation over four floors. 4 double bedrooms, 2 with en-suite. Full of superb features including a beautiful drawing room with open fire and 30ft kitchen/dining room.

Contact J. R. Hopper & Co on 01969 622936 www.jrhopper.com

£249,950 Dale Grange West, Askrigg A spacious end terraced cottage with garden, garage and ample parking enjoying dales views. Scope for some updating. Entrance porch, hall, lounge, dining room, kitchen, 3 double bedrooms, bathroom/wc, garage, ample parking, south facing garden. EPC rating F 31 Contact Norman F Brown on 01969 622194 www.normanfbrown.co.uk

£300,000 Well Cottage Picturesque Dales cottage in West Burton boasting superb views. Includes 2 double bedrooms, bathroom and shower room, kitchen with Aga, living room with dining area, sizeable front garden, private suntrap patio and double garage.

Contact J. R. Hopper & Co on 01969 622936 www.jrhopper.com

£205,000 36 Dale Grove, Leyburn Well presented modern semi detached family house with conservatory and south facing garden. Entrance hall, lounge/dining room, conservatory, kitchen, cloakroom/ wc, 3 double bedrooms, shower room/wc, bathroom/wc, garage, driveway, front and rear gardens, gas fired c/h, double glazing. No forward chain. EPC rating C 69 Contact Norman F Brown on 01969 622194 www.normanfbrown.co.uk

£230,000 The Bield Surprisingly spacious detached Dales cottage, with 3 bedrooms, house bathroom, lounge, dining room, modern fitted kitchen, utility room and ground floor w/c. The property benefits from a south facing front garden and a yard to the rear.

Contact J. R. Hopper & Co on 01969 622936 www.jrhopper.com SUMMER 2013 | Dales Life | 113

On themarket market On the

Our beautiful properties for sale in Yorkshire.

Ourregular regularround-up round-upofof beautiful properties for sale in Yorkshire.

£232,000 Yore Mill Beautiful period property in the idyllic location of Aysgarth Falls. Recently renovated, all external works have been completed leaving only internal finishing requirements, affording the early purchaser a choice from a range of kitchenware, sanitary ware and decoration. The property briefly comprises: 2 bedrooms, bathroom/WC, open plan kitchen/living room and ground floor WC. A chance to purchase a tastefully restored Dales cottage in a truly unique setting.

Contact Austin Brooks on 01904 227992 www.austinbrooks.co.uk

£950,000 Chilton House Truly magnificent, modern, individually designed family residence in a sought after rural village setting on the edge of Yarm. The property has been extended and refurbished, providing superb luxurious accommodation, including 6 reception rooms, 5 bathrooms, cinema room, games room and gym. Other modern features include under floor heating, Bose surround sound system, bespoke fireplaces and detached garaging for 2 - 3 cars. Situated in extensive landscaped grounds with formal lawns and stone terracing.

Contact Austin Brooks on 01904 227992 www.austinbrooks.co.uk

£250,000 Beech Cottage Recently built 3 bedroom house with spacious gardens. Desirable location within rural surroundings, yet the property is not isolated, offering quick and easy access on to the A66 and A1M. All building works are now complete, with the property finished to a high standard including a kitchen with integrated appliances, decent sized en-suite shower room to the master bedroom along with two other double bedrooms, as well as a good sized family bathroom.

Contact Austin Brooks on 01904 227992 www.austinbrooks.co.uk

£283,000 Paddock Cottage Charming, spacious, newly built 4 bedroom family home located in the lovely village of Cleasby, just 3 miles from Darlington, affording quick access to the A66/A1M. The property benefits from well laid out gardens to the front and enclosed garden to the rear. The external works, including garage, have now been completed, but there is still internal work to be done, allowing the purchaser input into the ultimate layout and look of the property.

Contact Austin Brooks on 01904 227992 www.austinbrooks.co.uk

114 | Dales Life | SUMMER 2013

Be part of an exciting new development SWALEDALE COURT, MORTON-ON-SWALE

Available now

Austin Brooks are delighted to offer for sale a range of properties now being built in Morton-on-Swale. This popular village is located approximately three miles west of Northallerton.

Monkgate cottages from

• Exclusive development of only 12 homes

£234,950

• Four different styles of property • Monkgate Cottages detached with 4 bedrooms • Walmgate Cottages detached with 3 bedrooms • Stonegate Cottages linked with 3 bedrooms

£279,950 Walmgate cottages from

Stonegate cottages from

£172,950 Part exchange available

• All properties to be finished to the highest standard with a wide range of modern features

For further details contact Austin Brooks on

• Early purchaser afforded a choice of internal finish

01904 227992

AUSTIN BROOKS 01904 227992 sales@austinbrooks.co.uk www.austinbrooks.co.uk SUMMER 2013 | Dales Life | 115

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Call 08448 262818 info@the-property-sellers.com SUMMER 2013 | Dales Life | 117

TAKE YOUR HOME TO AN ENERGY EFFICIENT FUTURE with Bedale Plumbing & Heating Ltd established in 1970

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01677 426063 • 07814 036057 118 | Dales Life | SUMMER 2013

Bathroom Suites Design and installation including all joinery, tiling and electrical works.

J.R. HOPPER

& Co. EST. 1886

“For Sales In The Dales” SALES • LETTINGS • COMMERCIAL LAND & PROPERTY SPECIALISTS • PERSONAL & PROFESSIONAL SERVICE Residential Buying, Selling & Letting. Commercial Sales & Leases.

Holiday Property. Overseas Property. Business Transfers. Acquisitions.

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01729 825311 Bentham 015242 63739 Settle Hawes 01969 667744 London 02072 980305 0845 2802213 Leyburn 01969 622936 Fax

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NORMAN F. BROWN CH NO AI N

Chartered Surveyors • Estate Agents • Lettings Selling and letting property since 1967

The Cottage, Braidley

A spacious traditional dales cottage tastefully refurbished in recent years enjoying superb views across coverdale. Entrance hall, lounge/dining room, sitting room, study, kitchen, 3 double bedrooms, en-suite shower room/wc, family bathroom/wc, driveway, south facing front garden, oil fired central heating, double glazing. EPC rating F 22 Leyburn office £395,000

The Apothecary’s House,Askrigg An immaculate tastefully updated & improved substantial double fronted Georgian style house providing ample family or b&b accommodation within the heart of this sought after village. Large living/dining room, sitting room with mezzanine area, study, kitchen/breakfast room, cloakroom/wc, 5 double bedrooms, 3 ensuites, shower room/wc, garage, ample parking, lovely rear gardens, O/F C/H, UPVC D/G.EPC rating F 28 Leyburn office. £495,000

3 Bolton Court, Leyburn

A spacious well presented modern link detached family house within a well regarded neighbourhood conveniently located for the town centre. Reception hall, lounge, dining room, kitchen, conservatory, ground floor shower room/wc, 3 double bedrooms, en-suite shower room/wc, family bathroom/wc, garage, double driveway, front and rear gardens, gas fired central heating, double glazing. EPC rating D 59 Leyburn office. £275,000

14 Queens Road, Richmond • 01748 822473 6 Bridge Street, Bedale • 01677 422282 25 Market Place, Leyburn • 01969 622194 SUMMER 2013 | Dales Life | 119

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No job too small For further information please contact

DDR Solar Ltd 01969 622 260 www.ddrsolar.co.uk

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BOOKINGS NOW BEING TAKEN FOR SUMMER EXTERIOR PAINTING Established over 10 years

Tel: 01677 450810

Hunton, Bedale, North Yorkshire www.wensleydalehousedoctor.co.uk

Designers, Manufacturers and Installers of the Finest Quality Traditional & Contemporary Architectural Joinery

BESPOKE JOINERY HARROGATE

LEYBURN

01 423 5 2 4 4 7 0

01969 623020

E. info@bikerbespokejoinery.co.uk W. www.bikerbespokejoinery.co.uk

Achieving excellence in all aspects of bespoke joinery; from period internal joinery to the latest energy efficient external windows & doors made from sustainable timber.

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Rosedale Nursing Home & Rosedale Lodge The Old Vicarage, Catterick Road, Catterick Garrison, North Yorkshire DL9 4DD Tel: 01748 841315

We believe that moving into care should be a change of life, not life changing.

Why not come and join us at Rosedale and live in style and comfort.

Reservations are now being taken.

First weeks stay free.*

Tel: 01748 841315 *Subject

Nursing Care

rosedale@mmcg.co.uk

to a minimum 4 week stay. Quote: Rose/04/13

Residential Care

Dementia Care

Collect your copy of Dales Life from Campbells of Leyburn Serendipity of Leyburn The Co-Op Masham The Black Sheep Masham CB Furnishings Northallerton The Station Richmond The Mulberry Bush Hawes Telephone: 01904 629295 email: sue@daleslife.com www.daleslife.com 124 | Dales Life | SUMMER 2013

Respite Care

Short Breaks

Premiere Care

North East Ltd.

We are a Leyburn based agency offering high quality care services to our Clients.

Our experienced team supports the various needs of vulnerable people to remain as independent as possible in their home. We provide hourly, day/night and live-in-care.

Testimonial

’Exceedingly high quality ladies, honest, caring and totally trustworthy’ Premiere Care has been awarded by the CQC the highest possible rating on their last inspection in 2009 which confirms the quality of service that we supply.

For an information pack please contact: Premiere Care (NE) Ltd Thornborough Hall, Leyburn DL8 5AB 01969 622 499 www.premiere-care.co.uk

Hillcrest

Care Home

Dedicated to quality care • Handpicked staff • New management • New experienced owners • Totally refurbished • Value for money • Home cooked quality meals

At Hillcrest we believe in giving all our residents the quality, care and respect that they deserve. We deliver this with our team of dedicated staff that all have empathy and passion for the care they give.

Hillcrest has undergone a major refurbishment by the new owners, giving the home a warm and welcoming atmosphere. The only way to really appreciate the high level of care offered at Hillcrest is to arrange a visit for yourself.

Call Hillcrest’s manager Nicola Cooper to arrange a visit at a time to suit you on 01748 834444 or email hillcrest@sirtin.com

Hillcrest, Byng Road, Catterick Garrison, North Yorkshire, DL9 4DW

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Are you an older driver?

Refreshing Your Skills If you have a licence to drive, and are fit to drive, keep driving!

Try not to become over dependent on your partner’s driving because as traffic conditions change it can be very hard to take up driving again after several years off. It’s better to stay in practice on the roads you frequently use.

Refreshing your skills really can make all the difference to your confidence, building on your

experience with driving tips, techniques and advice.

95 Alive are currently offering a free 1 hour refresher drive for drivers over 50 with an approved driving instructor. For more information email 95alive@northyorks.gov.uk, call 01609 798120, or visit our website www.roadwise.co.uk

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The Millings

Putting you at the heart of our care RESIDENTIAL, RESPITE & DAY CARE HOME FOR OLDER PEOPLE North End, Bedale, North Yorkshire DL8 1AF Tel: 01677 423635 www.residential-homes.net

SUBSCRIBE TO

and never miss out!

We deliver thousands of free copies of Dales Life door-to-door, up and down the Dales.

Unfortunately, though, we can’t guarantee to get every issue to every household.

With so many must-read features – from stunning nature photography to mouthwatering recipes from celebrity chefs – it’s a shame to miss out.

But you don’t need to. Take out a subscription, and you need never miss another copy.

A subscription to Dales Life makes a perfect gift for friends and family, near or far.

daleslife.com

To find out more, visit daleslife.com/subscribe or call 01904 629295

SUMMER 2013 | Dales Life | 127

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To Dine For Great places to eat and stay in the beautiful Yorkshire Dales.

The White Bear

The Countryman’s Inn

The White Bear is situated in the beautiful market town of Masham. A team of talented chefs use locally sourced ingredients to create delicious, seasonal dishes. Enjoy your meal in the charming dining room or the traditional bar; open fires create a cosy atmosphere throughout. An extensive wine list complements the menu. Accommodation is available in fourteen individually designed rooms all en suite.

A traditional country pub, with four well-equipped, comfortable en-suite bedrooms. You are assured of a warm welcome, with good beer, good food and a relaxed and friendly atmosphere. The restaurant offers a wide selection of locally sourced and freshly prepared food to suit all tastes and budgets. The bar offers a selection of four cask-conditioned ales, three of which are brewed within 10 miles of the pub.

T: 01765 689319 www.thewhitebearhotel.co.uk

T: 01677 450554 www.countrymansinn.co.uk

The White Swan

Swinton Park Hotel

Overlooking Middleham’s picturesque market square and boasting lovely rural views, the White Swan is now a premier town-house hotel with superb facilities.

Originally a coaching inn retaining many original features, the hotel has been extended and refurbished offering 17 excellent bedrooms. The brasserie offers a range of mouth-watering meals, all freshly prepared.

An elegant, 30 bedroom luxury castle hotel. With four Red Stars (Inspector’s Choice) and three Rosettes awarded by the AA for excellent facilities, this is one of the most highly rated hotels in Yorkshire.

Award-winning cuisine is served in the sumptuously furnished dining room, using seasonal produce sourced from the hotel’s four-acre walled garden and surrounding estate.

T: 01969 622093 www.whiteswanhotel.co.uk

The Wensleydale Heifer Situated in the heart of the Dales, the Heifer, with two AA rosettes, is renowned for fantastic seafood and locally sourced meat. The restaurant, with its leather chairs, linen table cloths and Doug Hyde artwork, is ideal for an evening out or special occasion. The fish bar is more relaxed, and features wooden tables, rattan chairs and freshly cut flowers. When the weather’s fine, why not dine outside in the garden restaurant? Early Bird Menu 6–6.30pm, food served all day at weekends. Thirteen luxurious guest rooms.

T: 01969 622322 www.wensleydaleheifer.co.uk

T: 01765 680900 www.swintonpark.com

Hendersons Bar & Restaurant Set in the idyllic riverside surroundings of Westholme Estate in Bishopdale near Aysgarth, Hendersons is a bright, stylish, relaxed bar and bistro-style restaurant with a contemporary feel. Using local and seasonal produce our talented chef creates a menu of Modern British Cuisine.

Restaurant opens Lunch Tues, Wed, Fri and Sat 123pm & Dinner Mon, Tues, Wed, Fri and Sat 5.30 - 9pm.

Bar open daily 12 - 11pm (Sunday 12 - 10.30pm)

The Blue Lion

T: 01969 663268 Westholme Estate, Aysgarth.

Regarded as one of the North’s leading country inns. The ‘candlelit restaurant’ provides a stunning setting in which to enjoy a gourmet meal. All food is freshly prepared using a variety of Yorkshire produce. There is an extensive wine list to choose from. The bar, with its open fire and flagstone floor, offers a tantalising range of bar meals, as well as a fine selection of traditional hand-pulled beers.

The Sandpiper Inn

T: 01969 624273 www.thebluelion.co.uk

T: 01969 622206 www.sandpiperinn.co.uk

Enjoy Jonathan Harrison’s unique cuisine in the traditional surroundings of the Sandpiper Inn, Leyburn.

Modern British food prepared using only the finest ingredients. Fine wines, real ales and friendly service.

Accommodation is available.

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The BLACK SWAN

The Black Sheep Brewery

The Black Swan at Fearby is a 17th century inn offering a traditional warm welcome, panoramic views and a bar stocked with Black Sheep and a variety of guest ales.

Home-cooked bar meals are served at lunchtimes, and a bistro menu based on seasonal local produce in the evenings. With spacious new en-suite guest rooms, it makes an ideal base for a Dales break.

The Black Sheep Brewery Visitor Centre – situated in Masham, is the ideal place for a great day or evening out. You can take a tour of the Brewery, have a meal in the Bistro, and taste their award-winning beers at the ‘Baa…r’. You can also buy lots of goodies from the well-stocked Sheepy Shop. It offers a ‘ewe-nique’ venue for corporate entertaining, product launches, parties and weddings.

T: 01765 689477 www.blackswan-masham.co.uk

The Burgoyne Hotel Overlooking Reeth village green, The Burgoyne Hotel is a luxurious home-from-home set in an elegant Georgian mansion. It has eight spacious and beautifully appointed rooms — the panoramic views from some of them have to be seen to be believed.

There’s an emphasis on friendly service and fine food, with generous breakfasts and a four-course dinner menu focusing on fresh local produce sourced from the Dales and the Yorkshire coast.

T: 01748 884292 www.theburgoyne.co.uk

Vennells Restaurant Now in its ninth year, Jon Vennell’s cooking continues to impress with many major accolades and awards under his belt. Jon’s wife, Laura, is front of house and has a relaxed, friendly approach which is probably why customers keep coming back to sample the seasonally changing menu. Even Claudia Blake gave a flawless review. Vennell’s holds many events throughout the year. See the website for further details.

T: 01765 689000 www.vennellsrestaurant.co.uk

The Queen’s Head The Queen’s Head is a charming, characteristic country inn dating from the 1700s, set in the attractive village of Finghall. near Leyburn. It offers comfortable modern accommodation and a traditional, cosy bar. Owner and head chef Ian Vipond has devised a fresh, new menu for the restaurant, based around tasty local and seasonal produce.

Traditional bar snacks are also available. With original oak beams and a dining room that looks out over the woods, The Queen’s Head combines great food with a genuinely warm welcome.

T: 01677 450259 www.queensfinghall.co.uk

T: 01765 680101 www.blacksheepbrewery.com

Stone House Hotel Stone House Hotel is an elegant, country residence dating from 1908. It is just a short drive from the bustling market town of Hawes. With its cosy bar, library-cum-billiard room and panelled Oak Room, Stone House makes a great place to relax. Enjoy delicious, locally sourced traditional food from breakfast through to dinner, and choose from an extensive list of fine wines. There are three spacious and romantic four-poster suites, and five groundfloor conservatory bedrooms that open directly onto the lawns, popular with dog owners and guests who aren’t keen on stairs.

T: 01969 667571 www.stonehousehotel.co.uk

Yorebridge House Just outside the unspoilt village of Bainbridge in Upper Wensleydale, AA five-star hotel Yorebridge House offers sumptuous rooms and a relaxing atmosphere in an attractive riverside setting. The stylish 2 AA Rosette bar and restaurant feature an exciting Modern British menu created by Head Chef Aaron Craig and his team, using the very best of local fresh produce.

T: 01969 652060 www.yorebridgehouse.co.uk

Fairhurst’s Bistro Fairhurst’s Bistro is one of the most exciting eating and drinking places to open recently in Wensleydale.

Situated in Middleham Key Centre, it has an intimate, relaxed atmosphere and a rustic yet modern interior.

It offers a unique interpretation of classic dishes, using local produce where possible, and its themed nights feature cuisines from all over the world. There is private access from the car park, and the bistro is open Thursday– Saturday evenings. Bistro: 2 courses £18.95 Themed nights: 3 courses £16.95 Middleham Key Centre, Park Lane, Middleham, DL8 4RA

T: 01969 624668 www.fairhursts.co.uk

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Eccles Heddon LLP Solicitors

For your legal ease For help and legal advice call Bedale 01677 422422 Ripon 01765 601717 Thirsk 01845 522324 www.eccles-heddon.co.uk

Family Law (Divorce, Family & Children) Property Law (Residential & Commercial) Business Advice Employment Law Wills, Probate and Family Trusts Estate Planning Lasting Powers of Attorney Advising the Elderly Farming & Agriculture Dispute Resolution

FAMILY LAW CLINIC We also run a family law clinic once a week at our Bedale and Ripon offices.

Please telephone Jane Midgley at Bedale or Liz Kidd at Ripon to book a FREE 30-minute consultation.

SUMMER 2013 | Dales Life | 131

HOLMEDESIGN KITCHENS & BATHROOMS

INSPIRED DESIGNS... ...CREATED FOR YOU

NEW BATHROOM SHOWROOM NOW OPEN

Visit our showroom Holme Design Limited, Unit 1, The Craft Yard, The Station, Bedale, North Yorkshire DL8 1AW

or call 01677 424669

for more information or to arrange a free consultation

www.holmedesign.com