Adventures in Yorkshire (Part1)

Ten Days in Wensleydale and Swaledale

Last month we escaped to the Yorkshire Dales for ten days, splitting our time between Leyburn and Reeth. We’d been hoping for good walking weather, decent pubs, and plenty of scenery. Yorkshire delivered all three, although not always in the order we’d planned.

We arrived in glorious sunshine, the sort that makes you think you’ve somehow picked the perfect week. Naturally, the first stop was the Wensleydale Brewery tap room for a celebratory pint.

About five minutes later the heavens opened.

Not just a bit of rain, but a full-on Yorkshire storm. The car park quickly turned into something resembling a shallow lake, and there we were, completely trapped inside the brewery while the rain hammered down outside. It would have been rude not to wait it out with another drink (or two).

A gentle start around Spennithorne

One of our first walks took us around the quiet village of Spennithorne. It’s the sort of place that reminds you why the Dales are so special. Dry stone walls, rolling fields, and peaceful lanes where the only traffic is the occasional tractor or a flock of sheep deciding they own the road.

The walk was punctuated by a visit to a lovely little community pub called the Old Horn. It’s great to see these places being rescued by the community.

Leyburn, Wensley Park and the Shawl

Another day saw us walking from Leyburn through Wensley Park before climbing back along Leyburn Shawl.

The Shawl has some of the best views in the area. Looking across Wensleydale, you can understand why people keep returning here year after year. The path follows the escarpment above the town, with panoramic views stretching across fields, woodland and the River Ure winding through the valley below.

Hawes and cheese, of course

No visit to this part of Yorkshire would be complete without a trip to Hawes.

It’s a bustling little market town with plenty to explore, but let’s be honest, there was one destination that was always going to make the itinerary: the Wensleydale Creamery. You simply can’t visit Wensleydale without sampling the cheese. It would probably be against local regulations.

After stocking up with enough cheese to keep us going for far longer than the holiday itself, we wandered around the town before heading back through more spectacular scenery.

End of Part 1

By this point we’d settled into a familiar rhythm. Breakfast, boots on, a day spent wandering through some of England’s finest countryside, then back via whichever pub happened to be conveniently on the route. It wasn’t a bad routine.

With Hawes ticked off, plenty of cheese safely packed away, and more sheep photos than I’d care to admit, the first half of our Yorkshire adventure had flown by.

Next time, a riverside walk with abbey ruins and another country pub, before heading into Swaledale with dramatic views from Fremington Edge... and yes, even more sheep.

Until next time, take care.

Rick