Dales life spring 2014

FREE Spring 2014

ANTIQUES

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FOOD

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INTERIORS |

Sett Apart Britain’s controversial badgers

WILDLIFE

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GARDENING

Shooting Star Gamekeeping in the Dales

Using their loaf The bakery that changes lives

Sweet Things Luscious chocolate blooms

Master Class

Easy recipes from TOP chef Darina Allen

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

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featured kitchen by

FROM THE EDITOR

WELCOME

S

“It took three days to capture our cover image”

pring is well on its way, the days are lengthening and the countryside is bursting into life. Now the dark days of winter are behind us it’s time to get busy in the garden, and in our exciting newlook Dales Life you’ll find masses of inspiring ideas.

With Easter in mind, why not plant some of the gorgeous chocolate-coloured flowers featured on p.24? Subtle, muted shades are increasingly popular with garden designers, so maybe it’s time to give your borders a makeover. And, looking forward to tasty vegetable treats, what about trying your hand at artichokes? Find tips on growing these gourmet delights on p.30.

When you’re out and about this spring, keep an eye open for ‘mad March hares’ – and in the meantime enjoy Rich Steel’s spectacular photographic study of the hare on p.18. Staying with our native wildlife, there has been a heated debate about badgers, and on p.42 Professor Chris Baines adds his thoughts. What are your opinions about the badger cull? Let us know by letter, email or on Twitter!

Finally, isn’t our cover photo just fabulous? This stunning image of a red squirrel amidst the buttercups was taken by Simon Phillpotts of wilddales. co.uk. It took three days of sitting being bitten by midges and horseflies to capture this unique image. Well worth it, I’m sure you’ll agree!

Sue Gillman Editor GUARANTEED DELIVERY Take out a subscription and never miss another issue! For further details visit www.daleslife. com or call 01904 629295.

SHORT AND TWEET The Dales Life Twitter following is growing!

For the latest news and views follow @Dales_Life

MORE THAN JUST A MAGAZINE Read our latest issue — and enjoy lots of exclusive extras — online at www.daleslife.com.

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We have just introduced a fantastic new range of limestone and distressed oak flooring to complement our hand built kitchens.

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 Bespoke doors • Cast iron radiator • Oak flooring • LIMESTONE FLOORING Period | Dales Life | SPRING 2014 fireplaces • Handmade kitchens • Wood stoves 4

Contents Spring 2014

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18 13

64

COVER IMAGE © Simon Phillpotts, Wild Dales Photography Dales Life 8A Tower Street York, YO1 9SA www.daleslife.com

9 LIFE STYLE Inspiring ideas for your home.

18 WILD ANGLE Photographers celebrate the beauty of the natural world.

21 GARDEN NOTES Handy tips for managing your garden.

24 HOT CHOCOLATE This season’s luscious chocolate blooms selected

by Elena Greenway.

30 DIG IT Is any garden vegetable more spectacular than the artichoke, says Adam Appleyard.

39 A DAY IN THE LIFE OF In the first of a new series we talk to head game keeper Lee Hart.

42 A BLACK AND WHITE CASE Professor Chris Baines tackles one of Britain’s most controversial subjects, the badger.

49 FOOD NOTES Food news, products and events.

52 THE DISCERNING DINER Claudia Blake visits Headlam Hall, near Gainford.

58 MASTER CLASS Three sumptuous gourmet recipes from TV chef and founder of Ballymaloe, Darina Allen.

64 MAKE IT SIMPLE Three chic contemporary dishes from Sophie Michell’s book Love Good Food.

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Contents Spring 2014

92

72 Editor Deputy Editor Production Advertising

Art Editor Art Director PA to Editor

Sue Gillman Brian Pike Claudia Blake Sue Gillman Liz Hanson Stef Suchomski Annabel Eager Katie Thompson

Proprietor

Sue Gillman

Contributors Prof. Chris Baines, Rich Steel, Brian Pike, Ian Henry, Elena Greenway, Claudia Blake, Adam Appleyard, Simon Phillpotts, Barnaby Aldrick, Beth Noble and photographywithcaroline.com. 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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88 72 EVERYDAY GOURMET Cook up something special with Peter Gordon.

78 MAKING IT Continuing our series showcasing regional talent. This month, The Veterans’ Artisan Bakery.

84 IN SEASON When it comes to a salad leaf that is truly good for you, look no further than watercress.

87 PRIZE LOT This month’s auction room highlights.

78 88 DALES LIFE LOVES Gorgeous goodies for spring.

92 TRAVEL UPDATE Our pick of the best spring breaks.

96 A GREAT PLACE TO STAY Dales Life visits Yorebridge House in Bainbridge.

108 DALES DIARY A guide to local events, compiled by Katie Thompson.

128 TO DINE FOR Great places to eat in the Yorkshire Dales.

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Peppercorn House Fine furniture, Fabrics and Wallpapers 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, all enhanced by our beautiful home accessories and gifts.

Commissions undertaken.

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

f Beautiful soft furnishings, upholstery and fine furniture.

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

Westwoods

Country Living Be inspired by our new spring collections At Westwoods Country Store you’ll find a vast selection to brighten up your home this spring.

Browse our unique range of beautiful home accessories, from colourful cushions, pottery and ceramics, clocks, candles and kitchenware to quirky soft furnishings and much more.

Re-opening in spring, the tea room is the perfect place to relax and unwind for a morning coffee, light lunch or afternoon tea.

Village Farm, Main Street, West Tanfield, HG4 5JJ 01677 470769 • Please call for opening times for the tea room 8

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Swallow pillow from the new Sophie Allport collection, Westwoods Country Living, West Tanfield 01677 470769.

Chair upholstered in Linwood fabric from a range at Peppercorn House, 01325 401778.

Life Style

Inspiring ideas for your home Peter Rabbit mug by Emma Bridgewater, Dovetail Interiors, Bedale 01677 426464.

Tea Tree Temple Jar by India Jane, No.23 Interiors, Bedale 01677 423530.

Thomas Hare sculpture by Frith, from a selection at Dovetail Interiors, Bedale 01677 426464.

Jemima Puddleduck miniature bronze, National Trust, nationaltrust.org.uk.

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The finest handmade curtains, soft furnishings and upholstery We have been passionate about our work for almost 50 years.

Our curtains are hand sewn using traditional methods, for a superior finish.

Our sofas and chairs are lovingly crafted with exceptional attention to detail.

We stock one of the largest collections of designer fabrics and wallpapers in North Yorkshire.

Plan how to transform your home into something special with a free consultation.

Joanna Marco Interiors 4 Ancorage Lane and 7 Town Hall Buildings, Northallerton 01609 776260 www.joannamarco.com

Joanna Marco INTERIORS

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

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Fresh spring fabrics by Harlequin, available at Milners of Leyburn, 01969 622208.

Period piece painted in Annie Sloan ‘Henrietta’ decorative paint, No.23 Interiors, 01677 423530.

Life Style

Inspiring ideas for your home

Hedgehog plate

by Magpie, available at Bear Cottage Interiors, 01969 666077.

Greengate Beige Spot Jug by Oak Tree and Acorn, oaktreeandacorn.com.

Hand-painted allotment pea mug available at the Joe Cornish Gallery, 01609 777404.

Footstool from the Voyage range at Bear Cottage Interiors, 01969 666077.

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©indiajane.co.uk

Welcome to No.23 Interiors…

…the art of stylish living

Freshen up your home for spring with our unique and eclectic collection of furniture, home wear, designer lighting, luxury interior designer gifts and collectable pieces.

No23 Interiors | 23 North End Bedale DL8 1AF | 01677 423530

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

Little Black Hen jug

by Jane Abbott from Fodder, 01423 546111.

Chair upholstered in Woodville fabric by Zoffany, available from Joanna Marco Interiors, 01609 776260.

Life Style

Inspiring ideas for your home

Le Creuset butter dish in teal, Serendipity Interiors, Leyburn, 01969 622112.

Versaille clock available at Homeworks, Northallerton, 01609 772231.

Shetland throw in duck egg ivory by Susie Watson, susiewatsondesigns.co.uk.

Hand-painted partridge mug by Jane Abbott, available at Fodder, 01423 546111.

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DOVETAIL INTERIORS FURNITURE HOME ACCESSORIES GIFTS

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

Welcome to our Deli, Bakery and Tea Room.

Honest, fresh, and satisfying food prepared in our village kitchen.

Fresh bread cakes, pies and pasties baked on the premises.

Delicious bistro meals to take home.

Pop into our Tea Room for breakfast, light lunches or afternoon tea.

Greetings cards, postcards and a fantastic range of gifts.

Market Place, Askrigg ∙ www.askriggvillagekitchen.co.uk ∙ 01969 650076 14

| Dales Life | SPRING 2014

Pekin Duck moneybox by Quail Ceramics, available at Hornseys Gallery, 01765 602878.

Poetica curtains from a range

by Harlequin at Milners of Leyburn, 01969 622208.

Life Style

Inspiring ideas for your home

Set of hearts from the Parlane collection, Serendipity Interiors, Leyburn, 01969 622112.

Hare toast rack from the Quail Ceramics collection at Hornseys Gallery, 01765 602878.

Teacup from the Hound Dog collection at Askrigg Village Kitchens, 01969 650076.

Decorative chalk paint by Annie Sloan, available at No.23 Interiors, Bedale 01677 423530.

Coq et Poule kitchen clock available at ilikechickens.co.uk.

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T 01609 775383 W WWW.DEANSBURYKITCHENS.CO.UK E INFO@DEANSBURYKITCHENS.CO.UK

Sophisticated Style

Bespoke upholstery service Let us bring your old suite back to life. If your sofa or chairs are showing signs of wear, then why not consider reupholstery?

We offer a complete bespoke service tailored to your exact requirements.

We can simply cover with the latest fabrics and replace the fillings, making your suite as good as new.

Choose from an extensive selection of fabrics and our craftsmen will refurbish your cushions to the highest of standards. To discuss your requirements in time for spring, contact Colin Blanchard. – 01748 811773 or 07764 279815 www.canefurniturenorthyorkshire.co.uk

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Time for Teal Dulux colour of the year Sea Urchin is a shade of teal which combines the harmony of green with the tranquility of blue.

Use it to transform any room.

We have also made it easier than ever to find your perfect colour. We stock the Dulux Tailor Made Collection which offers over 1200 colours that can be mixed in any finish you want.

Finishes available in Flat Matt, Matt, Soft Sheen, Silk, Eggshell, Satinwood and Gloss

SANDERSON & CO

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

Beautiful Bathrooms Stunning Prices

Bathrooms At Bathrooms Direct we bring you exceptional bathrooms at incredible savings. Our bathrooms are elegant, practical and designed to last a lifetime. We have been designing bathrooms for over 30 years and offer expert advice and the highest quality customer care.

Call us now to arrange a free design and estimate.

Direct 01677 425788 sales@bathrooms-direct.net www.bathrooms-direct.net John H Gills Yard, 1 Leeming Lane, Leeming Bar DL7 9AB SPRING 2014 | Dales Life |

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Rich Steel is a wildlife photographer and environmental consultant based in the Wirral.

His patience, sympathy with his subject matter and keen eye for design are evident in his vibrant, immaculately composed images. To enjoy more of Rich’s stunning images visit his informative blog, wildlifephotographic.blogspot.co.uk. And if you’re planning a trip to Northumberland this year, be sure to click through to his gorgeously illustrated Bird Photographer’s Guide to the Farne Islands.

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Wild Angle Photographers celebrate the beauty of the natural world

the brown hare

U

by Rich Steel

nlike the ubiquitous rabbit, the brown hare is a solitary, enigmatic creature. Since prehistoric times hares have played an important role in myth and magic, and for many early Europeans, killing and eating them was strictly taboo.

Long associated with spring, the hare is the original ‘Easter bunny’.

Spring is the time ‘mad March hares’ draw attention to themselves with spectacular displays of chasing and boxing. Sadly it’s an increasingly rare sight. Hare numbers have fallen rapidly over the last century, and despite their dwindling population they receive little by way of legal protection.

Hares live out in the open, rather than burrowing like rabbits. They rely on their black-tipped ears and sharp eyes to detect predators, and use their long legs to race away from danger at speeds of up to 45mph. Interestingly their vision seems biased towards detecting moving objects. If you see a hare loping towards you on a country lane, immediately stand stock still and there’s a good chance it will amble on past.

Hares feed mainly on grass and herbs, and raise three or four litters of young per year, but many are taken by foxes or killed by farm machinery.

Fortunately for us, though, the patchwork landscape of the northern uplands is one of the brown hare’s strongholds, and a spring morning or evening in the Dales is an opportunity to spot these striking animals.

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MILNERS of Leyburn Serving The Dales for over 130 years

Carpets | Rugs | Curtains | Blinds | Upholstery | Bedding Ladies & Mens Fashion and Accessories

Style for you and your home 20

6 Market Place, Leyburn DL8 5BJ | 01969 622208 sales@milnersofleyburn.co.uk | www.milnersofleyburn.co.uk

| Dales Life | SPRING 2014

garden notes

Tiptoe through the Tulips

SOW AND SOW Newby Hall is giving budding gardeners the chance to brush up on their propagating skills on 16th April from 10.30am to 3.30pm. Head Gardener Mark Jackson and Head Propagator Ian Forbes will demonstrate how to sow seeds and take cuttings – a far more cost-effective way to increase your stock than buying young plants. Call 01423 322583 to book.

PECKING ORDER Now your hens can live in a house as stylish as your own! Brandsbybased Henny Penny Hen Houses offer luxurious chicken coops that range from the modest Chalet to the imposing Manor House. With their charming designs, thatched roofs and sturdy construction, it’s no surprise these bijou dwellings have a celebrity following. Find out more at hennypennyhenhouses.co.uk.

Weight for It!

Planning your gardening year can generate a surprisingly large volume of paperwork. To keep it from being scattered far and wide, these delightful bird-themed paperweights from Dora Designs are just the ticket. You can buy them – along with other quirky animal characters – from Jamesons Country Store in Masham (wejameson.co.uk/country-store).

Constable Burton Hall’s Tulip Festival returns for another year from 3rd to 5th May. With an amazing 7,000 bulbs ready to burst into bloom, the festival showcases a gorgeous array of traditional and new tulips. One of only two show-houses sponsored by Chelsea-award-winning Bloms Bulbs, Constable Burton Hall’s show features two yellow tulip beds in honour of the Tour de France. For details, log on to constableburton.com.

Prints Charming Why shouldn’t your garden tools look as gorgeous as your garden? Burgon & Ball’s Chrysanthemum ‘Karashishi’ collection includes beautifully presented forks, trowels, kneelers and more. They’re endorsed by the Royal Horticultural Society, and each features an exquisite 19th century Japanese floral illustration. Find them at burgonandball.com.

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garden notes

IN THE PINK

Branch Out If you love the challenge of growing trees – and wielding secateurs – this Indian Bean Tree (Catalpa bignonioides ‘Aurea’) just loves being hacked and pruned. The gorgeous trumpet-shaped white flowers that it bears in summer will make all your hard work worth while. Buy online from hayloft-plants.co.uk.

GONE TO POT Why not make the workaday task of sowing seeds a lot more pleasurable with this lovely chunky potting table? Crafted in untreated spruce with a zinc worktop, this hardwearing piece contains three spacious drawers and a shelving unit, and it would add a dash of rustic charm to any shed or greenhouse. Get yours at gardentrading.co.uk.

Combining the beauty of the watermelon with the bite of the radish, these ‘Watermelon’ or ‘Red Meat’ radishes make tasty and attention-grabbing additions to stir-fries and salads. Sow them from March through to September as a catch crop between main crops, or in any sunny scrap of spare ground. Available from nickys-nursery.com.

THE CUTTINGS EDGE

Cauli Power These striking cauliflowers are the result of painstaking selective cultivation. Not only do they look good, they will do you a power of good too. The orange cauliflower has 25 times more beta carotene – a form of vitamin A that promotes healthy skin – than normal caulis.

The colour of the purple ones comes from anthocyanin, which can help prevent heart disease by slowing blood clotting. Find them at Fodder (fodderweb.co.uk) in Harrogate.

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This nifty garden journal for garden plotters will do away with all those untidy mounds of garden notes and jottings.

Divided into ten easy-to-use sections, The Dodo Book of Cuttings is an essential garden planning aid. It has a durable wipe-clean cover, and also features a wipeclean laminated grid that lets you design and redesign your garden to your heart’s content. From dodopad.com.

GROVE HOUSE

Bespoke Kitchens & Interiors E s ta b l i s h e d

1 9 7 7

Turning your dreams into reality Specialists in the creation of high quality and truly bespoke solid wood and hand painted kitchens, dressing rooms and home offices for 37 years.

As we make all our own cabinets we can create and design any layout with limitless choice of style and finish. Using only the finest materials our small friendly team of creative designers, time served cabinet makers, polishers and painters, along with considerate installers will ensure you receive the highest standard of service, leading to a unique bespoke kitchen that fits seamlessly into your home, causing minimum disruption and maximum effect.

SE E HOU GROe V riors te In & ns Kitche Bespok

GROVEHOUSE Ind. Est. t Park, Thirsk Unit 1 Concep YO7 3NH ire sh rk Yo rth Thirsk, No 62 Tel. 01845 5235 re.co.uk vehousefurnitu Email. info@gro .uk co efurniture. www.grovehous

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HOT CHOCOLATE When it comes to colour in the garden, chocolate is chic. Elena Greenway selects six of this season’s most sumptuous chocolatey blooms.

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ith Easter in prospect, there seems to be chocolate everywhere you look. For gardeners too, chocolate can become an obsession - especially if you want to create a floral display that will turn heads.

Pillar-box reds, egg-yolk yellows and rich, royal blues are fine in a box of kids’ crayons, but jumbled together in your flower border the overall effect can be jarring. Subtler shades are so much more sophisticated, which is why top garden designers often showcase flowers that bloom in more restrained colours, such as whites, creams and even greens.

And this is where flowers in dusky, muted maroons and red-browns - often sold as ‘chocolate’ shades - come into their own. Match them with silver-green or blue-green foliage and you’ve got the kind of colour scheme that wows the judges at Chelsea.

Nowadays numerous plants have been selectively bred for their rich smouldering chocolatey hues, and here I’ve chosen six of the best. Some are big, bold showstoppers, others are smaller and more discreet but equally gorgeous. So this year why not raise your gardening game and find a corner for one or two of these sweet, sensuous treats?

Images © RHS Clockwise from Top left Primula Auricula ‘Gizabroon’, Cosmos Atrosanguineus, Geranium Phaeum ‘Chocolate Chip’, Dahlia Twinings Chocolate,

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Zantedeschia ‘Hot Chocolate’ Flowers in summer.

Pure white calla lilies are the flowers most favoured by Britain’s brides, but in their dark, chocolatey forms - such as Zantedeschia ‘Hot Chocolate’ or Zantedeschia ‘Black Jack’ - they can be even more magnificent.

The bad news is that dark Zantedeschias aren’t very hardy, although their striking good looks make it worth taking the trouble to circumvent that minor inconvenience. You could use them as summer bedding and lift the rhizomes before the first frosts strike, but an easier solution is to grow them in containers and move them indoors or out as the season dictates.

Plant them in a rich compost. Give them lots of sun, water liberally and feed regularly through spring and summer. During winter, keep your pots fairly dry. The luscious blooms make long-lasting cut flowers.

Geranium phaeum ‘Chocolate Chip’ Flowers in late spring to early summer.

In contrast to most of the show-stopping chocolate delights discussed so far, Geranium phaeum is a sprawling, informal plant. Often known as Dusky Cranesbill, this is a native British species, so it’s fully hardy and a doddle to grow.

Dusky Cranesbill’s natural habitat is damp woodland margins, and it thrives in partial shade, or even full shade. Use it to add a dash of magic to those corners of your garden that you let run a little wild for the benefit of local wildlife.

Dusky Cranesbill pretty much looks after itself, so all you need to do is ensure it doesn’t get bullied by beefier neighbours. Cut back flower stems hard after flowering to help it stay vigorous, and propagate it by dividing clumps.

Primula auricula ‘Gizabroon’

Flowers in late spring to early summer.

Auriculas have compact, gemlike flowers that, thanks to centuries of selective breeding, come in a dizzying variety of colours and patterns. Primula auricula ‘Gizabroon’, with its yellow centre and white petals generously splashed with deep, velvety red-brown is one of the most endearing.

Auriculas are fully hardy, but can be temperamental. They originated as alpine plants and won’t fare well in poorly drained soil - ideal for rockeries, but not necessarily suitable for the average herbaceous border. If in doubt, grow them in terracotta pots packed with gritty compost.

Auriculas don’t approve of too much direct sunlight, so keep them somewhere cool and shady in summer. Feed well and water moderately until they have flowered.

Propagate from offsets in autumn, and keep them dry over winter.

Cosmos atrosanguineus Flowers in late summer to early autumn.

Not only does it boast rich, red-brown, daisy-like flowers, Chocolate Cosmos even smells sweetly chocolatey - if you use your imagination a little. It’s a cheerful, loosely spreading plant that will grow up to a metre high in a sunny spot in rich, well-drained soil.

Water it well until it is established, then hold back unless there’s a drought - this is a plant that likes dry conditions. Divide the tubers every few years to keep your plants vigorous and increase your stock.

Chocolate Cosmos isn’t fully hardy, so unless you’re growing it in a very sheltered spot you may want to lift the tubers, dry them and keep them in a cool, frost-free place over winter.

LEFT: Zantedeschia ‘Hot Chocolate’

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Dahlia ‘Twyning’s Chocolate’ Flowers in summer through to early autumn.

Dahlias fell from favour for a decade or two, but these showy flowers are very much back in fashion again today. And with good reason; they have a lengthy flowering season and make fabulous cut flowers. Dahlia ‘Twyning’s Chocolate’, with its vibrant bronze flowers is a tall, elegant dahlia that adds a touch of class to any border.

Dahlias are simple to grow. Once all danger of frosts has passed, plant your tubers in full sun in freely draining soil enriched with plenty of well matured manure or compost. Water generously and they will quickly establish themselves.

The tubers will need to be lifted in autumn and protected from sub-zero temperatures over the winter. Dahlia tubers are liable to rot, so be sure to inspect them regularly.

Iris ‘Death by Chocolate’ Flowers in late spring to early summer.

With its sabre-like leaves and coppery blooms, Iris ‘Death by Chocolate’ grows up to 40cm high and is at its most eyecatching planted in small clumps in an open position.

The key to success in growing standard dwarf bearded irises - of which this is one is plenty of sunshine and freely draining soil.

Planting them on slightly raised mounds will help keep them dry. Be sure not to fully bury the rhizome, which needs a splash of sunshine to stay in top form.

Water them only when they are getting established and during prolonged droughts.

Feed with a phosphate-rich fertiliser in early spring, and again after flowering. Divide your plants every three or four years in late summer to keep them healthy.

Raise your game with the RHS Whatever your plans for the garden, you’ll find plenty of helpful information on the Royal Horticultural Society website, www.rhs.org.uk.

Use the RHS Plant Selector to decide which plant will thrive where, and the Plant Finder to find out who can supply the plants you want.

Of course nothing beats seeing plants growing in context, and here in North Yorkshire we’re lucky to have the magnificent RHS garden at Harlow Carr in Harrogate on our doorsteps.

With environments ranging from formal borders to wildflower meadows and dappled woodland it’s an unbeatable source of ideas – and it’s open every day of the year except Christmas Day. For full details visit www.rhs.org.uk/gardens/harlow-carr.

TOP: Iris ‘Death by Chocolate’

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From Yorkshire to London for £12,500 Bonhams Leeds offers direct access to the international auction market from right on your doorstep. Regular valuations days offering free, no obligation auction appraisals are held in the Leeds Office and around the North of England. Home visits can also be arranged where necessary.

Appointments & enquiries 0113 234 5755 alison.hayes@bonhams.com

Bonhams 30 Park Square West Leeds, LS1 2PF A fine micromosaic brooch, circa 1830.

Consigned locally and sold in our Fine Jewellery Sale in London for £12,500

International Auctioneers and Valuers - bonhams.com/leeds Prices shown include buyer’s premium. Details can be found at bonhams.com SPRING 2014 | Dales Life |

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dig it

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Is any garden vegetable more spectacular than the globe artichoke?

Adam Appleyard on growing this spiky Mediterranean treat - and its knobbly namesake, the Jerusalem artichoke.

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hen garden writers describe plants as ‘architectural’, the globe artichoke is the kind of thing they have in mind. A two-metre-high giant thistle with grey-green foliage and vibrant purple flower heads - if you can resist the temptation of eating them when they are buds the globe artichoke is as welcome at the back of the herbaceous border as it is on the allotment.

The most important thing you will need to grow globe artichokes is space, and plenty of it. It is advisable to leave at least a one metre gap between plants, so if you’ve only got a pocket handkerchief of a garden you may have to resign yourself to buying your artichokes from the greengrocer.

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The good news, providing you’re lucky enough to have a relatively extensive plot, is that globe artichokes aren’t picky about soil. That said, they’ll definitely thank you if you choose a decently sunny spot and dig some manure or compost into the ground first.

Globe artichokes can be grown from seed.

Plant them in pots in March or April. Results are notoriously variable - the plant doesn’t always grow ‘true’ - so sow plenty and only transfer the sturdier specimens into your garden. Once you’ve got your artichokes established they will produce offsets freely, and you can propagate from these in future years.

Alternatively, instead of starting from seed, source offsets from a gardener friend or a local nursery or garden centre.

There are numerous cultivars of globe artichoke. ‘Green Globe’ has impressively large and fleshy flower buds. ‘Violetta di Chioggia’ has gorgeous dark purple buds and is an excellent choice for a herbaceous border. Probably the best all-rounder, and my personal favourite, is ‘Gros Vert de Laon’, which has a refined flavour and is one of the hardiest varieties.

Whichever variety you choose, if you want to tuck into big juicy buds then you’re going to have to water your plants liberally. If they are in an exposed spot you will also need to stake them to prevent wind damage.

Your new globe artichoke plants will almost certainly develop flower buds in their first year.

In theory you should snip these off when they’re tiny and wait until the following year before letting them develop to a decent size for eating.

To be honest, I’ve never managed to resist the temptation of taking a crop the first year.

Your artichoke buds should be ready to eat from mid-July onwards. Once the buds start opening up to flower they will be tough and inedible, so keep a close eye on them. It’s difficult to give a reliable rule for when to harvest them because different varieties - and different plants - produce buds of different sizes.

Expect the buds of most varieties to achieve a size somewhere between a tennis ball and a clenched fist.

Cut the buds with a 2-3cm length of stem attached, and simmer them in salted water for

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Plants should be productive for several years, providing they survive the intervening winters. about 40 minutes. If you want to collect a set of uniformly sized buds from different plants for a special meal, you can keep the first ones to mature in the vegetable drawer of your fridge for up to a fortnight.

Plants should be productive for several years, providing they survive the intervening winters.

Unless your garden is in a frost hollow or winter is particularly harsh, this shouldn’t be a problem. To give them the best chance, though, cut back the old flowering stems in autumn and cover the base of each plant with an insulating mulch of compost or straw.

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Sunny Side Up: Jerusalem Artichokes Despite the name, Jerusalem artichokes are completely unrelated to globe artichokes, and the part of you plant that you eat is the crisp, knobbly underground tuber rather than the flower buds. The tubers have a sweet, nutty taste; use them to make soups and casseroles, or roast them and serve as a side vegetable.

Like the globe artichoke, the Jerusalem artichoke is a tall, decorative plant. It’s a kind of sunflower, so perhaps it’s no surprise that you can expect it to tower up to three metres high, bearing bright yellow, daisylike flowers.

When it comes to choosing between different varieties, you’re unlikely to have many options.

‘Fuseau’ tends to be the most commonly available one, and since its tubers are slightly less branched - and therefore easier to peel - I wouldn’t bother scratching around for alternatives.

Apart from taking up a lot of real estate, Jerusalem artichokes couldn’t be simpler to grow. Plant the tubers in late March or April. You can dig a bit of nourishment into the soil beforehand, but they won’t need any feeding thereafter. Or watering - they really are as tough as old boots. Just leave them alone and they’ll be fine.

Your only real issue is likely to be that, as with most sunflowers, their height makes them vulnerable to toppling in windy sites. Some bamboo stakes and a length of twine should solve this problem.

Some gardeners advocate cutting off topmost quarter of the plant on the grounds that this will make the plants more stable and encourage them to put more effort into producing tubers, but you would need a heart of stone to lop off all those cheerful blooms.

Instead, earth the plants up, the way you would with potatoes - it’s another way to increase your yield.

Your Jerusalem artichoke tubers should be ready to harvest from October onwards. As with parsnips, leaving them in frosted ground won’t harm them, so dig them as and when you need them, any time through until the following spring.

IMAGES © Gap, RHS and Photocuisine

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| Dales Life | SPRING 2014

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We have a superb range of garden furniture

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| Dales Life | SPRING 2014

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Now Open

For the best in country, leisure and shooting wear

Wilfords of Leyburn offers a wide selection of outdoor attire, including country, leisure and shooting wear, from a large range of top of the line outdoor clothing brands.

One of only a very few appointed UK stockists of the Holland Cooper luxury tweed clothing range, Wilfords offer clothing to suit all budgets.

14 Market Place, Leyburn DL8 5BG • 01969 622213 • info@wilfordsofleyburn.com www.wilfordsofleyburn.com

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| Dales Life | SPRING 2014

A DAY IN THE LIFE

The

Gamekeeper Lee Hart, 36, has been head keeper at the

2,100 acre Hartforth Estate near Richmond since 2008. Every year he raises 5,000 pheasant and 3,000 red-legged partridges in preparation for the Estate’s 22 shoots.

What time do you start work?

Every morning at first light I’m up and out with my dogs. I have twelve of them, mostly labradors and cocker spaniels. I’ll be out again as night falls – which means that in summer, when the days are long, I might start work at four and not be finished until ten at night.

What do you typically do at this time of year?

People seem to imagine keepers don’t have much to do in spring, with the shooting season finishing at the beginning of February and not due to start again until autumn. But the time and effort you put in now makes the difference between success and failure at the end of the year. I repair all the feeders and pens that have been damaged over the course of the previous year, and make sure all the equipment in my rearing sheds is sterile and in perfect working order. I supervise the planting of game crops – every year we maintain around 50 acres of maize, kale and so on to provide the birds with food and cover.

Other jobs include clearing the woodland rides of windblown trees, and thinning out the rhododendrons; they’re beautiful plants, but very invasive.

And what about predator control?

Well obviously that’s something you need to keep on top of all year round. I know it can be a sensitive topic with some people, but you need to remember that if we didn’t keep stoats, weasels, foxes, magpies and so on in check then you wouldn’t see anywhere near the number of songbirds – or ground-nesting birds like lapwing and curlew – that we have in and around the estate. And on the subject of conservation, it’s worth mentioning that it’s not just by controlling predators that shooting estates benefit threatened species, but also by preserving a variety of different habitats. Without the income from shooting, maintaining mixed woodland, for example, wouldn’t make commercial sense for most landowners.

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A DAY IN THE LIFE

When is the new generation of birds released into the wild?

After two or three weeks in the rearing sheds we start letting the birds out into big grass pens every day. We move them on into release pens in the woods in mid-June when they are seven weeks old, and we keep them there for a couple of weeks so they get to feel at home in the area. From late summer onwards they are totally free. Of the total number of birds we release, we generally only get around 40% back in terms of birds shot. Of the remaining 60%, some are lost to predators, others simply wander off.

So you can relax once the birds are out?

No, not at all! We need to keep them close at hand, or else we would have barely any left by the start of the shooting season. So at first light every day from mid-August through until Christmas I will be out ‘dogging in’ the birds, that’s to say going round with a team of dogs and gently walking the birds back towards their home. You might need to go ‘dogging in’ up to three times a day on certain days. Setting up lines of feed in carefully chosen spots also helps distract the birds and stop them wandering away too quickly.

Do you have a problem with poachers?

To be honest, the days have gone when people would take a pheasant or two from the woods to feed the family. Poaching has changed, and the problems we face nowadays are more mischiefmaking than old fashioned poaching – mainly lads with dogs looking to course hares or chase deer. Fortunately our local police force take these matters seriously and give us the support we need.

What made you become a gamekeeper?

I grew up in the village of Hurworth, near Darlington. There was no history of keepering in my family, but from an early age I loved dogs, and spent as much time as I could roaming about in the countryside. I started helping out local keepers in my spare time while I was still at school, and it all just developed from there.

What parts of the job do you find hardest?

You know, sad as it might sound, I enjoy every aspect of the job. It’s something that you do because you enjoy the lifestyle, not for the money.

I’m lucky – I’m doing my hobby every day.

“…from an early age I loved dogs, and spent as much time as I could roaming about in the countryside.”

And what are the high points?

Nothing beats the satisfaction of a shoot day going well. It’s stressful, of course, because in effect you’re showcasing your whole year’s work, and the success of the day is very dependent on the weather. But it’s like a tightly controlled military operation, and when everything goes smoothly there’s nothing in the world more thrilling.

Photo of Lee Hart © photographywithcaroline.com 2014.

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R O O M S • R e s ta u r a n t • B a r

Yorebridge House is situated in the heart of the beautiful Yorkshire Dales with stunning backdrops of rolling hills and rivers.

STAY

The Victorian Grade II Listed former Headmaster’s House and School sits proud and welcoming, promising luxury, relaxation and beautiful interiors.

The award winning five star accommodation boasts individually designed luxury bedrooms, some of which include their own private terraces with outdoor hot tub.

Perfect for romantic getaways, Yorebridge House also offers superb 2AA rosette dining, including delights such as Swinton Estate Venison with Brambles and Chocolate, Beef Fillet with Confit Tomato, Onion & Oxtail, and to finish Dark Chocolate Pavé with Pear, Honeycomb and Praline Ice-Cream.

Yorebridge House is also the perfect venue for a Wedding Day to remember. Licensed for civil ceremonies this exclusive use venue offers a bespoke wedding service to help you create the day of your dreams along with your own personal wedding coordinator.

DINE

WEDDINGS

Yorebridge House - Bainbridge - Leyburn - Wensleydale - North Yorkshire - DL8 3EE. - UK Telephone: 01969 652 060 - Facsimile: 01969 650 258 Email: enquiries@yorebridgehouse.co.uk - Web: www.yorebridgehouse.co.uk SPRING 2014 | Dales Life |

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A BLACK AND WHITE CASE

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Professor Chris Baines on one of Britain’s most controversial wild animals – the badger.

Images by David Chapman.

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Badgers are more common than you might think. Sadly most of us only ever see them as road casualties, but there are believed to be more than a third of a million of these magnificent mammals living in the British countryside.

T

he grandfatherly Badger in Kenneth Grahame’s Wind in the Willows is a gruff individual who lives in isolation and is happiest in his own company. Nothing could be further from the truth. The badger’s close relatives include weasels, stoats and pine martins, all of which do indeed live relatively isolated lives, but badgers are quite different. They live in strong family groups known as tribes, sharing underground setts that have often been established for many generations.

Global Worming Badgers will eat just about anything. However, their main diet is earthworms, which is why they are fond of visiting close-mown lawns and pastures on warm damp evenings, and can be seen wandering along with their snouts close to the ground. One adult badger was found to have consumed more than 200 earth worms in a single night.

Earthworms are a year-round favourite, but in dry summers and cold winters the worms don’t come to the surface, and badgers switch to a range of alternatives. In spring they will catch and eat frogs, small birds and mammals, and they are one of the few predators that can tackle a hedgehog. They dig up bulbs and tubers, and in autumn fallen fruits are an important part of their diet.

Because badgers are nocturnal, and have a sense of smell that can pick up signs of danger on the lightest of breezes, they are good at keeping out of sight. They do not hibernate through the winter, but they do tend to stay underground when the weather is bad. In the summer they are often hidden by vegetation in the hedgerows and woodlands where they have their setts.

Badgers fare best in a varied landscape of woodlands and pastures, wetlands and crop fields.

They patrol the boundaries of their territories regularly, and one telltale sign of their presence is their unmistakeable latrines. Badgers dig neat holes about the size of a cereal bowl in which to deposit their droppings. These are usually close to a hedge or some other boundary shelter, and their contents give a clue to their diet. The hundreds of undigested plum and damson stones I see each September are indisputable proof of the badgers’ fondness for windfalls.

Sett Routine Badger setts are impressive excavations. Generally there is one central sett with an interconnected network of tunnels and chambers, constantly in use and with clear signs of activity at several of the separate entrances. The residents are usually headed by a dominant boar and sow, and the sett will be used for breeding purposes. If you are lucky you may see adult badgers dragging out old bedding and replacing it with fresh straw or bracken, but patient badger watchers are more likely to be rewarded with the sight of young cubs chasing and wrestling in the twilight of a late May evening.

Most setts are on sloping ground where the fresh soil will fall away from the entrance. Sandy soil is the easiest to dig, but because it is prone to collapse, setts are often sited beneath trees and hedgerows where the roots serve as reinforcement. In most badger territories there are several smaller setts in addition to the main ‘ancestral home’. Some may be linked to the main sett, but used only occasionally.

There will often be additional outlying setts, usually with just one or two entrances, which are used as emergency bolt-holes.

Cull Or Cure?

Badger baiting was outlawed in the UK as long ago as 1835, but unfortunately it still continues, and there are regular convictions with punishments of up to £5,000 fines and six months in prison. Since badger protection was increased through the Protection of Badgers Act in 1992, the main danger badgers face is traffic, with as many as 45,000 killed on roads and railways every year.

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Disease is another significant cause of death, and as everyone now knows, badgers suffer from the same type of tuberculosis as cattle. The current pilot cull in Somerset and Gloucestershire has been widely condemned by conservationists and most scientific experts as likely to cause badgers to disperse outside their family groups and spread the disease more widely, but so far the Government seems determined that it should continue.

Developing an effective vaccine for both cows and badgers would be more humane, more economical and almost certainly more effective.

In the pilot areas, round one appears to have gone the badgers’ way, with target numbers proving impossible to achieve. The added stress caused to these shy and social animals by culling seems likely to increase their susceptibility to disease, break up their tight-knit clans and aggravate the TB problem, but only time will tell.

What are your views on the badger culling debate?

We would love to hear from you – email your comments to sue@daleslife.com

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Badger Fact File Female badgers give birth to two or three cubs in early spring. The cubs first emerge in mid to late May – generally the best time of year for badger watching.

Females can delay the start of their pregnancy for several weeks after mating to ensure the cubs are born at a time when food is plentiful.

The soft bristles of badger fur have been used traditionally for making shaving brushes since the mid-18th century.

Badgers have poor eyesight but a powerful sense of smell. Stand upwind of them, avoid appearing as a silhouette on the skyline, and they may well snuffle right up to your feet.

The badger trust (badger.org.uk) campaigns on behalf of badger conservation and has local groups throughout the country.

Alfresco Dining at S w i n to n Pa r k

Alfresco Barbecue Dinners 19 April (Easter), 24 May, 20 & 21 June, 26 July Enjoy a gourmet barbecue dinner at our charming Deerhouse in the Parkland, with views over the Vale of York. Two course buffet menu, with glass of Pimm’s on arrival. £35 per person.

Barbecue Cook & Lunch at the Deerhouse 19 & 20 April (Easter), 24 & 25 May, 21 & 22 June, 26 July Perfect your grilling skills with a one-hour cookery course, helping Chef Stephen Bulmer prepare a gourmet barbecue lunch. Two course buffet menu, with glass of Pimm’s on arrival.

Cook and lunch £40pp, lunch only - adult £25pp, child £15 pp.

Swinton Park, Masham, Ripon, HG4 4JH www.swintonpark .com • enquiries@swintonpark .com

•

01765 680900

Constable Burton Hall Gardens

Tulip Festival 2014 Saturday 3 - Monday 5 May, 10am - 5pm

General garden opening times

Sponsored by “BLOMS BULBS” CHELSEA AWARD WINNING NURSERY Explore a festival of tulips amongst the romantic gardens.

6,500 tulips planted annually to give a dazzling display of colours and forms.

Refreshments Admission: Adults £4.00, Senior Citizens £3.00, Children free

Saturday 22 March to Sunday 21 September 9am - 6pm For further details telephone 01677 450428 www.constableburton.com

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– Newly refurbished –

The Black Lion has undergone a major refurbishment. We will be offering a new mouthwatering menu using locally sourced produce for Bistro style dishes.

We have Real Ales and a carefully selected wine menu to complement the food.

All this combined with our friendly front of house staff will only add to your enjoyable experience.

The Black Lion

8 Market Place, Thirsk, North Yorkshire YO7 1LB Telephone 01845 574302 info@blacklionthirsk.co.uk www.blacklionthirsk.co.uk

Stone House Hotel

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

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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 2014 www.stonehousehotel.co.uk Stone House Hotel. Sedbusk. Hawes. N.Yorks.

DL8 3PT Tel (01969) 667571

Food notes

CHICKEN FEED

COOK UP A STORM What could beat practising a range of gourmet cooking techniques, then sitting down to savour the results? Swinton Park’s new Thursday Supper Club evenings offer you the chance to do just that. Head Chef Stephen Bulmer has 20 years’ experience in Michelinstarred restaurants, and will guide you through some sumptuous fine-dining dishes.

There are classes from now until June – full details at swintonpark.com.

Pep Stalk With the rhubarb season well and truly upon us, here’s something a little different: a gorgeous rhubarb liqueur from The Little Red Berry Company in Ripon. To find out more about it – along with the rest of the company’s innovative range – visit thelittleredberry.co.uk. If you want to get your hands on some fresh rhubarb of your own, Kiplin Hall (kiplinhall.co.uk) is expecting a bumper crop this season.

Orange order Fresh from the home of The World’s Original Marmalade Awards & Festival comes Jane Hasell-McCosh’s enticing new range of marmalades.

Jane, who founded the Awards, created her beguiling preserves with the help of recipes she discovered in archives at her home in Dalemain in Cumbria. Browse and buy from Jane’s marmalade collection at dalemain.com.

Have you ever longed for a truly tasty chicken? Look no further than Edward Wilkinson’s Herb Fed Poultry in Pilmoor, whose birds have an exceptional depth of flavour thanks to the special fresh herb diet that all their free-range livestock enjoy.

Trust us, chicken never tasted this good. Find out more at herbfedpoultry.co.uk.

Festival Fever

This May Bank Holiday weekend sees the return of the annual Dales Festival of Food and Drink in Leyburn.

Focusing on food, farming and fun, it features live cookery demonstrations, beer tents, family entertainment and much more – plus, of course, masses of mouthwatering local produce. Visit dalesfestivaloffood.org for more details.

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Food notes

The whole hog

Wild About Food Foraging for wild food is all the rage these days, and if you fancy trying your hand, Grassington House Hotel is offering masterclasses in June, led by Chris Bax from Countryfile’s ‘Taste the Wild.’

Scour scenic Wharfedale for plants, seeds, nuts, flowers and fungi, then head back to the hotel to learn how to cook them to perfection.

For more information visit grassingtonhousehotel.co.uk.

Straight to the hips Aficionados of foraged foods will find Carolyn Caldicott’s Rosehips on a Kitchen Table full of inspirational ideas for using the wild ingredients – traditional as well as more unusual ones – that you can find in your local area.

With chapters on gleaning, gluts, growing your own and gathering, it covers everything you need to make the most of nature’s larder.

From franceslincoln.com and all good booksellers.

The Eggs Factor With pretty much every variety of confectionery you can imagine packed into one bijou little store, you’ll be spoilt for choice when you go shopping for Easter goodies in The Sweet Shop in Leyburn.

From opulent eggs to cute Easter bunnies, they’ve got the lot. To see more of the tasty treats on offer, go to fb.com/thesweetshopleyburn.

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Few can claim their sausages have celebrity status, but Olley’s Whole Hog Sausages are creating a big stir across the Dales. Ruth and Peter Olley use prime cuts from the whole side of pork to create beautiful bangers with a truly unique flavour. Now in stock at Carrick’s Deli in Snape.

Visit carrickfishltd.co.uk.

SPEAR TIME Asparagus season is fast approaching once again.

Our homegrown asparagus is rightly acknowledged as the best in the world, and cultivating it is something of an art – just ask asparagus enthusiast Ronda Morritt, whose passion for the succulent spears has turned into a thriving business. You can buy Ronda’s lovingly raised crop direct from her at Low Moor Farm in Sand Hutton.

Call 01759 371855.

Visit our inspiring garden in 2014 • 20 acres of beautiful walks, lakes and plant nursery • Sculpture exhibition by renowned artists • Open from Fri 18th April - Sun 8th June inclusive, everyday 10am - 4pm (closed Mondays except Bank hols) • Admission £6.50 Children under 12 FREE We can supply the rarer and more unusual varieties of Species and Hybrid Rhododendrons as well as Azaleas, Magnolias, Cornus and other Himalayan plants.

Mail order plants are available to order all year round.

Dogs must be kept on a lead at all times. Refreshments available from our tearoom. With apologies but there is limited wheelchair access.

www.himalayangarden.com www.himalayangarden.com The Hutts, Grewelthorpe, Ripon, HG4 3DA P: 01765 658009, E: info@himalayangarden.com

escaping the everyday A place of contrasts and surprises. Discover the spirit of a great abbey and the elegance of a Georgian water garden at this World Heritage Site.

Members and under 5s go free

01765 608888 nationaltrust.org.uk/fountainsabbey

National Trust

© National Trust Images/John Millar. Registered Charity Number 205846.

Fountains Abbey & Studley Royal

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THE DISCERNING DINER

| RESTAURANT REVIEW

THE DISCERNING DINER CLAUDIA BLAKE VISITS HEADLAM HALL, NEAR GAINFORD

H

eadlam Hall is a sudden surprise at the end of three miles of narrow lane that zigzags lazily northwest from Piercebridge – an imposing Jacobean mansion looming out of the gently undulating farmland of County Durham.

Over the centuries it has been altered and extended, and today the home built by the Birkbeck family at the turn of the 17th century has metamorphosed in a 40-room country house hotel. Along the way it has accumulated a variety of facilities to tempt its guests, including a spa and a nine-hole golf course.

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Headlam Hall’s restaurant has something of a split personality.

The Orangery is a kind of giant conservatory, a light, bright space decorated in creams and beiges.

The other section majors on warmer tones, and harks back to the wood-panelled country house of yesteryear – though given that the panelling is clearly new, the effect is not entirely convincing.

Following a complimentary cup of celeriac soup, the eating began in earnest with two hearty starters. Mine was goat’s cheese with rocket, pickled carrot, roast beetroot and a wine syrup. The

THE DISCERNING DINER

cheese was truly luscious, and set on wafer-thin rounds of beetroot that added a delicious earthy sweetness. I could see what Chef was aiming at with the pickled julienne strips of carrot: a dash of acidity to cut the richness of the cheese, and why not? It was, however, mouth-puckeringly sharp and – I thought – there was rather too much of it. Other than that, splendid.

Piers had chosen belly pork with crackling and black pudding, and this was served with some diminutive blobs of squash purée and a cider jus. The crackling was not what I expected, which is a jolly good thing because I’m not normally a fan of crackling (tough on the teeth, and you can’t hear a word anyone is saying while you’re chomping it). The Headlam Hall version was altogether lighter and frothier. I approve.

The pork belly itself was moist and succulent, the black pudding was appropriately dark and brooding, and the cider jus was pleasant enough.

Ideally there would have been more of the jus – or something – to balance the richness of the meat.

The dots of squash purée packed a remarkable amount of flavour for their size; being sweet, though, they didn’t do enough to counteract the heaviness of the pork and black pud.

Next, mains. Mine was a themeand-variation on chicken, and – like the rest of the meal – exquisitely presented. Eye-catching highlights included smart roundels of chicken in Parma ham, and a puff-pastry-topped

“the squash purée packed a remarkable amount of flavour”

chicken and bacon pie served in a teeny-tiny saucepan. Also in attendance were truffle oil mash with a shard of crispy chicken skin, wild mushrooms, Savoy cabbage and a caper jus.

No shortage of visual exuberance, then. However the dish didn’t delight my palate quite as much as it delighted my eye. It was all rather too salty for my taste, and the flavours of the different components seemed to merge together into a general chickeny blur.

A heftier punch from the caper jus might have helped sharpen things up.

The focus of Piers’ main course was pan-fried loin of lamb. No doubting the quality of the meat, which was sumptuous. A shame nobody asked how we liked it cooked, because I would have preferred it a touch rarer. It came with cubes of shredded belly lamb in a crispy coating of breadcrumbs, along with curly kale, some fine fondant potato cylinders and a nod to Greek cooking in the form of feta and tomatoes. Oh, and a dash of mint jus.

We felt that, as with the pork starter, the dish as a whole needed slightly more jus – or something with a quantum of zing – to give it a boost. Lamb, plus more lamb, plus feta cheese, plus buttery potato… well, it’s all rather rich. Don’t keep those scintillating sauces to yourself, Chef!

On the positive side, there was no danger of us leaving hungry. In acknowledgement of everything we had packed away so far, I chose fresh fruit with natural yogurt for my dessert. There was plenty of fruit, but not a great deal more yogurt than you could comfortably fit in an eye bath.

I felt that one or two of the fruity elements on the plate weren’t quite as sparklingly fresh as I would have

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THE DISCERNING DINER

What to expect Two-AA-starred restaurant in an unstuffy country house hotel.

Ambience Conservatory chic (the Orangery) or vaguely Victorian nostalgia (the Panelled Room).

The bottom line We paid just over £35 per person for three courses à la carte plus complimentary soup and sorbet. Wines from around £18 per bottle, or buy it by the glass.

High points

hoped for at a price tag of £7.50.

But let’s end on a positive with Piers’ dessert, which was a pannacotta with various bits and

Italians, but Headlam’s wibblywobbly delight was certainly the best I’ve had this side of the Channel for some while.

To sum up our evening, then, there was plenty to enjoy, despite one or two shortcomings.

And to be fair, every kitchen – mine especially – has the occasional off day.

If it can iron out the minor errors, Headlam Hall clearly has the potential for greatness.

“the best I’ve had this side of the Channel” bobs. Have I ever mentioned that the best pannacotta I’ve eaten was at Nello’s in Bologna?

Well nobody is likely to snatch the crown from those ingenious

Stylishly presented food and a genuine enthusiasm for promoting local suppliers.

Ideal for Golf or spa break. Family functions, conferences.

Pride of place Look out for the gorgeous carved wooden fireplace in the Main Hall – it dates back to when Headlam Hall was first built.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION ABOUT HEADLAM HALL CALL 01325 730258 OR VISIT HEADLAMHALL.CO.UK.

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New at The Wensleydale Heifer this April

Th e G ri ll Ro o m Now we’re doing for steak what we did for fish!

Our fabulous fish restaurant has become nationally renowned and has won critical acclaim along with several prestigious accolades.

Now in addition to our awarding winning seafood restaurant we’ve sourced the finest, most succulent meat in the Dales, marinating it in our secret recipe and cooking it to perfection on our charcoal grill.

From Pork T-bone to sirloin, organic free range poussin to Chateaubriand, we’re offering a sizzling range of choice cuts, served up with our special melted butters, trio of sauces and our famous triple-hand-cooked fat chips.

With something to suit everyone, The Grill Room is the ultimate steak experience!

The Wensleydale Heifer Boutique Hotel & Restaurant West Witton, North Yorkshire, DL8 4LS

01969 622322 | wensleydaleheifer.co.uk 1

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the perfect place for your celebrations

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

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 56

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Good Pub Guide Inn of the Year 2014 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

Tel: 01969 624273 www.thebluelion.co.uk

A delightful 18th century coaching inn located in the picture-postcard village of Romaldkirk near Barnard Castle offering great accommodation, food and hospitality.

Spring Awakening

Eating at the R&C

See the countryside come back to life in this beautiful dale which is renowned for its stunning wildlife and flora. Available for two or more nights from 1st March until 31st May 2014 to include:

The award winning food is based upon the great locally sourced ingredients of Teesdale and northern England...

• Accommodation in a double/twin room • Complimentary upgrade to a superior room (subject to availability) • Full English breakfast • Four-course a la carte dinner £89 per person per night based on two sharing (£40 per night single supplement)

PLUS in March and April get a 3rd night FREE*

Open daily for lunches in the bar. A selection of freshly prepared sandwiches, light bites and hot meals are served from 12-2.30pm. On Sundays you can enjoy a traditional roast in either the bar or oak panelled restaurant (booking advised).

Dinner is served every day in either the bar or restaurant from 6.30-9pm. Dishes are freshly prepared using seasonal ingredients to create food that looks good and tastes even better! Booking advised, especially for larger tables.

The Rose & Crown, Romaldkirk, Teesdale, DL12 9EB Tel. (01833) 650213 www.rose-and-crown.co.uk

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MASTER CLASS Three sumptuous gourmet recipes from Darina Allen, TV chef and founder of Ballymaloe, Ireland’s foremost cookery school.

Wild Garlic Custards melted butter, for greasing 250ml (9fl oz) double cream 250ml (9fl oz) milk 4 organic egg yolks 100g (31/2oz) Parmesan or Coolea cheese, finely grated pinch of cayenne pepper 3 tablespoons finely chopped wild garlic sea salt and freshly ground black pepper To serve wild garlic flowers, to decorate (optional) fingers of plain toast or triangles of Melba toast Serves 8

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Preheat the oven to 150°C/300°F/gas 2 and brush the inside of eight deep ovenproof pots or ramekins (approx. 75ml (3fl oz)) – we use deep shot glasses – with melted butter.

In a mixing bowl, whisk the cream and milk with the egg yolks and the finely grated cheese. Season with salt, freshly ground pepper and a pinch of cayenne pepper. Whisk again. Add the wild garlic to the custard at the last minute and immediately pour into the pots or ramekins.

Fill a roasting tin with hot water and put in the pots; the water should come about two-thirds of the way up the sides. Cover the tops with a sheet of greaseproof paper. Depending on the depth of the pots, bake for 30–45 minutes in the preheated oven or until the mixture has just set. A skewer inserted into the centre should come out clean when they are ready.

Serve decorated with some wild garlic flowers, if using, and a few fingers of plain toast or triangles of Melba toast.

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Spatchcock Chicken with Rosemary and Chilli Oil 1 x 1.8–2.25kg (4–5lb) organic chicken 1 teaspoon Maldon sea salt For the marinade 1 tablespoon freshly chopped rosemary 4 garlic cloves, peeled and crushed 1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper 1/2 teaspoon chilli flakes 1 tablespoon freshly squeezed lemon juice 4 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil To serve 2–3 avocados, cut into wedges fresh green salad Serves 6 or more

Spatchcocking enables the bird to cook much faster; there will be lots of crispy skin and it will be really easy to carve. All poultry can be cooked in this way – you can vary the seasoning and spices if you wish to give Mexican, Moroccan or Asian flavours.

First spatchcock the chicken. Remove the wishbone from the neck end (keep it for the stockpot). Insert a heavy chopping knife into the cavity of the chicken from the back end to the neck. Press down sharply to cut through the backbone. Alternatively, put the chicken breast-side down on a chopping board and use poultry shears to cut along the entire length of the backbone as close to the centre as possible. Open out the bird.

Preheat the oven to 180°C/350°F/gas 4 or light the barbecue. To make the marinade, combine the rosemary, garlic, pepper, chilli flakes, lemon juice and extra virgin olive oil in a bowl. Just before cooking, brush the chicken – both inside and out –with the marinade. Sprinkle with the Maldon sea salt.

If cooking in the oven, lay the chicken skin-side up on a rack inside a roasting tin and roast in the hot oven for 40 minutes.

Alternatively barbecue for approx. 40 minutes, 20cm (8–9in) from the coals, turning halfway. Make sure the chicken is fully cooked through before serving.

Accompany with a good green salad and wedges of avocado.

Variation Spatchcock Quail with Rosemary and Chilli Oil Spatchcock the quail as above and brush with the marinade.

Cook under a moderately hot grill or on the barbecue for approx. 8 minutes on the bone-side and then approx. 5 minutes on the skinside. Quail vary a lot in size; the birds we get tend to be quite small, approx. 150g (5oz) in weight.

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Almond Tart or Tartlets with Raspberries or Loganberries For the Pastry 110g (4oz) unsalted butter, softened 110g (4oz) caster sugar 110g (4oz) ground almonds For the redcurrant glaze (makes 300ml) 350g (12oz) redcurrant jelly approx. 1 tablespoon water (if necessary) For the Filling 450g (1lb) fresh raspberries or loganberries 300ml (10fl oz) whipped cream To serve mint or sweet cicely leaves Serves 12 (Makes 24 tartlets, 2 medium tarts or 1 tart and 12 tartlets)

Preheat the oven to 180°C/350°F/gas 4. To make the pastry, cream the butter really well and then stir in the sugar and ground almonds. (Don’t overbeat the mixture or the oil will leak out of the ground almonds as the pastry cooks.) Divide the mixture between 24 shallow 6.5cm (2½in) tartlet tins or 2 x 17.5cm (7in) sandwich tins. Bake in the preheated oven until golden brown – approx.

10–12 minutes for the tartlets or 20–30 minutes for the tarts.

Meanwhile, make the redcurrant glaze. Melt the redcurrant jelly with the water in a small stainless steel saucepan. Stir gently, but do not whisk or it will become cloudy. Simmer for 1–2 minutes, no longer or the jelly will darken.

Remove the tartlets or tarts from the oven and set aside to cool in their tins for 5 minutes before turning them out. Do not allow them to set hard or the butter will solidify and the pastry will stick to the tins. If this happens, pop the tins back into the oven for a few minutes so the butter melts and then they will come out easily.

Set aside to cool.

Just before serving, arrange the whole raspberries or loganberries on the base. Briefly reheat the redcurrant glaze and brush over the fruit. Decorate with rosettes of cream and tiny mint or sweet cicely leaves.

Recipes are from 30 Years at Ballymaloe

by Darina Allen, with photography by Laura Edwards. Published in hardback

by Kyle Books and available from all good booksellers, RRP £30.

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Keep It Simple Impress your dinner party guests with these three chic and sophisticated contemporary dishes from Sophie Michell’s new book Love Good Food

Beetroot-Cured Salmon Gravlax 800g/1lb 12oz side of salmon, skin on 150g/5½ oz sea salt 100g/3½ oz/scant ½ cup brown sugar zest of 1 lemon 1 tsp freshly ground black pepper 200g/7oz raw beetroot, peeled and grated 1 small handful of tarragon leaves, roughly chopped 1 small handful of edible micro flowers, such as borage, pansies and chive flowers, to scatter DRESSING 1 tbsp horseradish 1 tbsp wholegrain mustard 1 tsp white wine vinegar 2 tsp caster sugar sea salt and freshly ground black pepper TO SERVE blinis, rye bread or oaty soda bread Serves 4

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This dish fulfils my love of pretty colours, delicate flavours and simple but impressive techniques. Curing salmon is one of those processes that sounds so much harder and more time consuming than it actually is, and it knocks people’s socks off!

The beetroot adds amazing colourful edges.

Check the salmon for pin bones and remove, then trim off any excess fatty bits from the edges of the salmon.

Mix the salt, sugar, lemon zest and pepper together in a small bowl. Put the fish, skin-side down, on a plastic tray and pat the salt mixture on top in an even layer. Spread the grated beetroot over the salt mixture, then cover with clear film and put a second tray or chopping board on top of the salmon. Put weights on the tray such as cans of food, then put in the fridge to cure for at least 24 hours.

Whisk all the ingredients for the dressing together with 2 teaspoons water until thoroughly combined, then cover and put in the fridge with the salmon.

Scrape the beetroot and salt mixture off the salmon and discard.

Quickly wash the salmon under cold water and pat dry with kitchen paper. Put the salmon on a chopping board and, using a very sharp knife, cut it on the diagonal into thin slices. Use the skin to hold onto as you cut to keep the fish steady, and discard it when you have finished cutting the fish.

Drizzle the dressing over the salmon, then scatter over the tarragon and edible flowers. Serve with blinis, rye bread or soda bread, if you like.

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Venison Steaks with Pickled Red Cabbage and Truffle Polenta Fries vegetable oil, for frying 4 venison steaks sea salt and freshly ground black pepper PICKLED RED CABBAGE 1 tsp juniper berries 1 bay leaf 200ml/7fl oz/generous ¾ cup red wine vinegar 50g/1¾oz/heaped ¼ cup brown sugar 1 small red cabbage, cored and very finely sliced TRUFFLE POLENTA FRIES 1l/35fl oz/4 cups vegetable stock 50g/1¾ oz butter 200g/7oz/1₁⁄₃ cups instant polenta 125g/4½ oz Parmesan cheese, grated 1 tbsp chopped truffle paste 1 tsp truffle oil 100ml/3½ fl oz/scant ½ cup olive oil Serves 4

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Venison is not only very high in iron but also a very low-fat source of protein. The polenta chips make a great side dish, but are also satisfying if served by themselves as a nibble.

To make the truffle polenta fries, line a baking tin, about 18 x 25cm/7 x 10in, with clear film. Put the stock and butter in a saucepan and bring to the boil, then quickly pour in the polenta and stir well, removing any lumps. Reduce the heat to low and simmer, stirring continuously, for 15 minutes, then add 100g/3½ oz of the Parmesan and season with salt and pepper. Add the truffle paste and oil and mix until well combined, then scrape the mixture into the lined tray. Leave to cool to room temperature, then put in the fridge for 20 minutes to set.

While the polenta is setting, make the pickled red cabbage. Put the juniper berries, bay leaf, vinegar and sugar in a saucepan and bring to the boil. Reduce the heat to low, add the red cabbage and stir well, then cover and simmer, stirring occasionally, for 40 minutes until the cabbage is cooked. Leave to one side.

When the cabbage is cooked, preheat the oven to 180ºC/350ºF/Gas 4. Turn the polenta out onto a chopping board and cut into 2cm/¾in wide x 8cm/ 3¾in long chips. Pour the olive oil into a large frying pan over a medium-high heat, and when hot, fry the polenta for 5 minutes until golden brown all over.

Transfer the fries to a baking tray, sprinkle with the remaining Parmesan and put in the oven to keep hot. Meanwhile, heat the vegetable oil in a separate frying pan over a medium-high heat.

Season the venison with salt and pepper, then put in the hot pan and cook for about 6 minutes on each side, depending on thickness, until browned on the outside but still quite pink in the centre.

Serve the venison with the truffle polenta fries and warm pickled red cabbage.

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Milk Chocolate AND Sea Salt Caramel Pots SEA SALT CARAMEL 200g/7oz/scant 1 cup caster sugar 200ml/7fl oz/generous ¾ cup double cream a large pinch of sea salt 1 egg yolk MILK CHOCOLATE CREAM 300ml/10½ fl oz/scant 1¼ cups double cream 1 tsp vanilla extract 300g/10½ oz milk chocolate, very finely chopped 2 egg yolks CARAMEL SHARDS 300g/10½oz/scant 1₁⁄₃ cups caster sugar 1 tbsp sea salt crystals Serves 4

To make the sea salt caramel, stir the sugar and about 1 tablespoon water in a saucepan over a high heat until dissolved, then bring to the boil. Reduce the heat to low and simmer until the sugar starts to caramelize and turn golden. Watch the pan closely because the sugar turns very dark very quickly. Also, try not to get any sugar crystals on the side of the pan, as they will cause the caramel to crystallize.

Remove from the heat, add the cream and salt and mix until well combined. The cream will bubble and the caramelized sugar may start to go hard – if it does, return the pan to a low heat and stir constantly until it dissolves and the ingredients are incorporated.

Remove from the heat and leave to cool slightly, then whisk in the egg yolk. Pour the caramel into four 150ml/5fl oz/scant 2⁄3 cup glass serving bowls or ramekins and put in the fridge for 1 hour to set.

To make the milk chocolate cream, put the cream and vanilla extract in a saucepan over a medium-high heat and bring just to the boil, then remove from the heat and add the chocolate. Stir until completely melted, then leave to one side for 5 minutes to cool slightly before whisking in the egg yolks.

Remove the ramekins from the fridge and pour the chocolate cream over the top. Return to the fridge to set for 1–2 hours.

To make the caramel shards, first line a baking tray with baking parchment. Using the sugar and 50ml/1¾ fl oz/scant ¼ cup water, follow the method above for caramelizing the sugar. Pour immediately onto the prepared baking tray, sprinkle the sea salt crystals over the top and leave to one side to harden.

To serve, break the sheet of caramel into shards and use to decorate each caramel pot.

Recipes and photographs are from Love Good Food by Sophie Michell, published in hardback by Duncan Baird and available from all good booksellers, RRP £18.99.

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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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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

Step into Swaledale, Stay, Relax, Explore

Spring at The Burgoyne.

Walks, lambs, wild flowers, fine food, market towns, waterfalls, fine wines, magnificent views, comfy sofas, meadows, moors, inglenook fire, nesting birds, tranquil, unique, memorable.

On The Green, Reeth, North Yorkshire • 01748 884292 • enquiries@theburgoyne.co.uk • www.theburgoyne.co.uk

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Everyday GOURMET

Cook up something special any day of the week!

These innovative recipes from Peter Gordon are full of clever twists, but super-simple to make.

Parmesan baked ricotta with chilli roast tomatoes and peas 200 g ricotta salt and freshly ground black pepper 2 tbsp Parmesan, finely grated ½ tsp fresh thyme leaves 2 generous pinches cumin seeds extra virgin olive oil 16 cherry tomatoes ¼ tsp dried chilli flakes (or finely chopped fresh red chilli) 80 g cooked peas 1 handful basil leaves 1 large handful mixed salad leaves SERVES 4

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As a starter this dish is light and refreshing and also very delicious. By baking the ricotta in this way it becomes firmer and much more tasty.

Preheat oven to 190˚C. Cut the ricotta into four pieces of equal thickness, lay on a baking tray lined with baking paper and sprinkle with a little salt. If you’re using ricotta from a round tub, cut it horizontally into four.

Mix together the Parmesan, thyme, cumin seeds and 2 tbsp oil, then spoon it over the ricotta, spreading it evenly.

Bake in the upper part of the oven for 18–20 minutes until golden, then take out and cool.

While the ricotta is cooking, slice the tomatoes in half horizontally and sprinkle with the chilli, some salt and olive oil.

Bake in the oven until beginning to colour, around 25 minutes.

Take from the oven and leave to cool.

Smash a quarter of the peas lightly using a mortar and pestle, or place them in a plastic bag and hit with a rolling pin. Tear the basil leaves into pieces and add to the whole and smashed peas with 2 tbsp oil, salt and pepper.

To serve, place a slice of ricotta on a plate and scatter with the salad leaves. Sit 8 tomato halves on and drizzle with the pea salad and any of the oil from the cheese or tomato baking trays.

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Rump steak on swede and parsnip mash with beetroot salsa 4 rump steaks, each 140–180g salt and freshly ground black pepper 350 g parsnips, peeled and cut into chunks 350 g swedes, peeled and cut into chunks 1 heaped tbsp rosemary leaves, roughly chopped 80 g butter 1 handful parsley, roughly chopped 1 medium beetroot, roasted or boiled until cooked, peeled and coarsely grated ½ tsp caraway seeds, cumin seeds or coriander seeds (optional but delicious) 2 tbsp olive oil, plus extra for brushing 2 tbsp balsamic vinegar 300 g spinach, washed and drained Serves 4 main courses

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Lightly season the steak and leave it to come to room temperature.

Boil the parsnips and swedes with half the rosemary in lightly salted water. Once cooked, drain in a colander and return to the pot.

Cook the butter over medium heat to a nut-brown colour, stirring it a little as it colours, then mash this into the root vegetables along with the parsley and keep warm.

Place the grated beetroot in a bowl. Sauté the remaining rosemary and the seeds (if using) in a pan with the olive oil until the rosemary sizzles. Pour over the beetroot and mix in the balsamic vinegar.

Season with salt and pepper.

Steam or sauté the spinach to wilt it, then drain in a colander and keep warm. Heat up a skillet, grill or heavy pan and brush the steaks with olive oil. Cook over a medium-high heat until cooked to your preferred stage. I cook mine for 5 minutes, then turn over and cook for another 2–3 minutes depending on the thickness of the meat.

Take the steaks off the heat, place on a warm plate and let them rest for 4–5 minutes, which will keep the meat juicy.

To serve, divide the mash and spinach between four warmed plates. Slice the steak into fat fingers and sit them on top, then spoon on the beetroot salsa.

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Sticky banana espresso pudding with maple syrup cream 140 g soft butter (plus extra for buttering the moulds) 90 g demerara sugar or soft brown sugar (plus extra for preparing the ramekins) 50 g caster sugar 300 g ripe bananas (2–3 bananas), peeled and sliced 1 cm thick 1 egg 1 tsp vanilla extract 1 double espresso (or 50 ml strong instant coffee) 320 g flour 2 tsp baking powder 10 fresh Medjool dates or dried dates, pitted and cut into 6 150 ml water ½ tsp baking soda 300 ml cream 2 tbsp maple syrup Makes 10 desserts

These puddings may look like a lot of fuss, but they’re fairly simple – just read the recipe thoroughly in advance and have your ramekins prepped. Serve them straight from the oven, or make them up to three days ahead then reheat in a microwave on full heat for 1–1½ minutes or cover loosely with foil and place in an oven at 180˚C for 10 minutes.

Preheat oven to 180˚C. Brush 10 x 250 ml ramekins thickly with a few tablespoons of extra butter and coat with extra demerara sugar, then place the moulds in the fridge.

Cream the butter, demerara sugar and caster sugar together, beating in half the sliced bananas as you go. Beat the egg, vanilla and espresso together, then whisk it into the creamed mixture – don’t worry if it separates as it’ll all come back together.

Sift the flour and baking powder and mix into the batter.

Put the dates, the remaining banana slices and the water in a saucepan. Slowly bring to the boil, then take off the heat. Stir in the baking soda (it will froth up a little), then mix thoroughly into the dough.

Divide the mixture among the moulds and sprinkle with a little demerara sugar.

Place the ramekins on a baking tray and bake in the centre of the oven for 20 minutes. Test with a skewer to see if they’re cooked; they need to be a little gooey in the middle. While they’re cooking, lightly whip the cream and maple syrup together until soft peaks form.

If you’re serving these straight away, be careful unmoulding them as they will be very hot. Run a knife around the lip of the ramekin; then, using a tea towel to hold them, invert onto a plate and serve with the cream. Alternatively, if you’re making them in advance, leave them to cool for 10 minutes before unmoulding.

Recipes and photographs are from Peter Gordon Everyday by Peter Gordon with photography by Manja Wachsmuth, published in hardback by Jacqui Small LLP and available from all good booksellers, RRP £26.

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MAKING IT SHOWCASING REGIONAL TALENT

Veterans’ Artisan Bakery Top-quality breads, cakes and patisserie

F

reshly baked loaves, tempting biscuits and tasty tray-bakes from the Veterans’ Artisan Bakery in Catterick Garrison aren’t just delighting local foodies, they’re also helping rebuild lives. With support from top celebrity chefs like Marco Pierre White and Rosemary Shrager, the project is giving homeless and at-risk ex-servicemen and women the opportunity to carve out new careers and find their place on Civvy Street.

The bakery’s products have already attracted the attention of discerning delis and restaurants across the North. Stockists currently include The White Swan in Gilling West, The Burgoyne Hotel in Reeth and Jefferson’s in Richmond.

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“The key to our success,” says lead baker Ros Taylor, “is the quality of our goods. Our breads and cakes taste great because they are made by hand, and because we genuinely care about what we do.

Take our bread, for example. We make it by a very traditional process, using less yeast than normal and leaving the dough to prove overnight – it gives the finished bread a far better flavour.”

The Veterans’ Artisan Bakery offers a dazzling variety of enticing breads, from bloomers and baguettes to foccacia, Cotswold crunch and ciabatta.

Flavour combinations include cheese and onion, date and pecan, and multi-seed and rye. They even bake a black pudding bread. There’s an equally diverse range of sweet treats, with chocolate brownies, millionaire’s shortbread, carrot cake and date and walnut cake amongst the highlights. The bakery’s Yorkshire fruited teacakes have an especially loyal local following.

“The key to our success is the quality of our goods. Our breads and cakes taste great because they are made by hand… we genuinely care about what we do.”

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“Because we’re a small bakery we mainly work to order, and we often provide the baked goods for weddings and other events,” says Ros. “Of course we’re also delighted to take small orders – even just a single loaf – from individual customers. All we ask is that you order 24 hours in advance, preferably early in the day. The following morning we’ll have your order ready and waiting!”

Even if you don’t happen to live within easy range of the bakery or one of its outlets, you can still enjoy a taste of its products – and support the cause. Working in partnership with Rosemary Shrager, the bakery has devised two different kinds of biscuits: oaty and spicy ginger. These were launched last year at the Great Yorkshire Show and are now available to buy online – just follow the link on the bakery’s website.

“I’m a great believer in offering fresh starts for people,” says Rosemary. “I had an instinctive connection with the bakery, and I wholeheartedly believe that the work it does with veterans who are damaged, physically, mentally or emotionally, can transform vulnerable lives.”

Veteran’s Artisan Bakery, The Beacon, Marne Road, Catterick Garrison, North Yorkshire, DL9 3AU. For more information, and to find out how to support the project, visit veteransbakery.com. To place an order call 07927 330458.

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The best little cards and gifts shop in the Dales

Nickery Nook

• Everything you could want for birthdays and special occasions • Huge range of carefully selected greeting cards and a fantastic range of unique gifts • New and exquisite ranges of wedding and baby gifts • Personalised and general gifts • Trophy, jewellery and gift engraving Stockists for Yankee Candle, Bomb Cosmetics, Blue Nose Bears and Boofle. Special gifts including Hallmark baby gifts for new arrivals. Chocolate shoes, East of India, and really fun collections including Camilla and Rose and Dad’s Army!

2 Market Court, Market Place, Bedale, DL8 1YA 01677 425848 www.nickerynookbedale.co.uk

Oliviers

The home of fine furniture

A w ard w i nn i ng ser v i ce . B est p r i ces g u aranteed .

2 Firby Road, Gallowfields Trading Estate, Richmond, North Yorkshire DL10 4ST | 01748 823100 28 Galgate, Barnard Castle, Co. Durham DL12 8BH | 01833 631555 | www.peterolivier.com SPRING 2014 | Dales Life |

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Celebrate Spring at S w i n to n Pa r k

fr o m t h e h e ar t o f t h e Y o r k s h i r e D a l e s

gourmet chocolate

The best handmade

The Swaledale Chocolate Company

Amid the glorious flowers of the Parkland Garden Lunches 14 April, 19 May, 2 June, 23 June Two course lunch with talk and guided tour by Susan Cunliffe-Lister. £35pp.

Orchid Lunch 13 April Two course lunch with a talk about orchids, by Ray Creek. £35pp – including an orchid gift.

Easter Egg Trail 18 – 26 April Find eggs on a nature trail through the Parkland £3pp (under 3’s half price) Swinton Park, Masham, Ripon, HG4 4JH 01765 680900 www.swintonpark.com enquiries@swintonpark.com 82

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We are artisan chocolatiers working in the heart of the Yorkshire Dales.

Judy, our master chocolatier, makes every ounce of our chocolates by hand. Just as a fine wine needs the best grapes, so gourmet chocolate needs the best beans. Judy only uses Valrhona cocoa beans, considered the best in the world, you can taste the quality in every bite.

Swaledale Chocolate Available from Fatsheep in Reeth, selected outlets in the dales and by post direct to your door.

Phone 01748 880189 or visit www.swaledalechocolate .co.uk

NOW OPEN

We are now open Tuesday to Sunday for lunch and dinner We won’t start without you…

Contact us on 01748 822 602 or visit www.richmondgrillandbrasserie.co.uk Trinity Square, Market Place, Richmond DL10 4HY

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In Season When it comes to a salad leaf that is truly good for you, look no further than watercress.

Watercress Growing watercress is a great British tradition.

The pungent salad leaves were so popular in Victorian times that several railway companies – including Hampshire’s ‘Watercress Line’ – did a thriving trade transporting supplies from the provinces to London.

British watercress is at its best from April through until October, although production sees something of a lull during the heat of mid summer. Watercress isn’t just a tasty seasonal

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treat, though – it’s packed with vitamins A and C, and a rich source of minerals and antioxidants.

Combined with boiled egg or creamy cheese, watercress makes a classic summer sandwich, but it can bring a peppery punch and a splash of vibrant green to many other dishes. Simmer with stock and potatoes to make a stunning emerald soup, or add it freely to salads, stir fries and pasta sauces. For a super-healthy smoothie, simply blitz with fresh apple, pear or melon.

Cheese and Watercress Scones Makes approximately 9 scones

METHOD

INGREDIENTS 100g watercress 225g self raising flour 2 tsp baking powder 1 tsp mustard powder (optional) a pinch of salt 50g butter, cubed

75g Wensleydale Creamery ‘Abbot’s Choice’ mature cheddar, grated 200ml milk or buttermilk, plus a little for brushing the tops. a pinch or two of cayenne pepper (optional)

Preheat the oven to 2200C/ Fan 2000C/Gas Mark 7. Set aside a few small sprigs of watercress for decoration.

Finely chop the remainder.

Sift the flour, baking powder and mustard into a large bowl. Add the salt and butter, and use your fingertips to rub it into the dry ingredients. Stir in the chopped watercress and 50g of the cheese.

Mix thoroughly.

Make a well in the centre of the dry ingredients, add the milk or buttermilk and mix together with a round-bladed knife to form a soft dough.

Very lightly knead the dough on a floured surface, then use a floured rolling pin to roll it to a thickness of 2.5cm. Use a 6cm plain round cutter to press out circles of the dough, re-rolling lightly as necessary.

Place the scones on a large oiled baking sheet. Brush each with a little of the milk or buttermilk and top with a sprig of watercress.

Scatter over the remaining cheese.

Dust with a little pinch of cayenne if liked, then bake in the centre of the oven for 20 to 25 minutes or until golden on the top. Leave to cool on the baking tray for five minutes before serving warm.

ABOUT THE WENSLEYDALE CREAMERY 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 hand made, using milk from cows that graze the Dale’s flower-rich pastures. For

more information about The Wensleydale Creamery – and more inspirational cheese recipes – visit wensleydale.co.uk.

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HARROGATE SPRING FLOWER

SHOW

Rated UK's best gardening event by Which?Gardening

24-27 APRIL 2014 GREAT YORKSHIRE SHOWGROUND •Inspirational show gardens•Over 100 plant nurseries •Great garden shopping•Cooking demonstrations •Kitchen Garden Live•Unique crafts and gifts•Floral art

Save £2.50*per ticket Book by Tuesday 15 April

flowershow.org.uk 01423 546157 Tickets available every day on the gate: Thurs, Fri & Sat £17; Sun £15 Opening times: 9.30 - 5.30 (4.30 Sunday) *A booking administration charge applies per order

North of England Horticultural Society

A GLORIOUS FAMILY DAY OUT GRACEFUL COUNTRY HOUSE, MINIATURE RAILWAY, CHILDREN’S ADVENTURE PLAYGROUND

Special events throughout the year including: Wed 16th April Gardening Workshop in the Potting Shed Sun 20th & Mon 21st April Easter Fun Days

Sun 11th May Spring Plant Fair Sun 18th May Cars In The Park Sun 25th & Mon 26th May Yorkshire Game Fair

OPEN: 1st Apr – 28th Sept 2014, Tue to Sun, plus bank holidays.

Open seven days in July & Aug. 11am - 5.30pm (House opens 12 noon for tours only)

www.newbyhall.com INFORMATION HOTLINE: 0845 4504068 RIPON, NORTH YORKSHIRE, HG4 5AE 86

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Newby Hall & Gardens

AUCTION ROOM HIGHLIGHTS

Prize Lot Item

C

ombining vibrant colours, technical innovation and wildly imaginative designs, the Fairyland Lustre range Wedgwood black Fairyland marked a sudden and surprising change of direction Lustre trumpet vase for Wedgwood in the early years of the 20th century.

Fairyland Lustre was the brainchild of Yorkshire-born Daisy MakeigDesign Jones, who joined Wedgwood in 1909 and quickly established herself as ‘Butterfly Woman and one of the company’s foremost designers. She took her inspiration from Floating Fairies’ the books of fairytales that were so popular at the time, and in particular

by Daisy Makeig-Jones from contemporary illustrators such as Arthur Rackham. Working Date with Wedgwood’s technical experts she devised elaborate glazing and gilding techniques to capture her fantastical visions in ceramics. around 1920 Fairies, imps, elves, gnomes, goblins and dragons featured frequently in Daisy’s designs, along with colourful birds, butterflies Size and fish.

These elements were often incorporated into magical 24cm high landscapes, whose lush vegetation and quirky hills and bridges Auction estimate were clearly strongly influenced by Japanese and Chinese art.

Fairyland Lustre designs appeared on vases, bowls, and plates from £1,000 to £1,500 1915 through until 1941.

For sale at They were always a premium product, hence manufactured Tennants Auctioneers, Leyburn in comparatively small Spring Sale, 28thnumbers. Following a brief 29th March 2014 fall from popularity in the Contact middle of the last century, Fairyland Lustre quickly tennants.co.uk became one of the most 01969 623780 highly sought-after varieties of Wedgwood porcelain.

Nowadays perfect examples of rare designs command prices of thousands – and sometimes tens of thousands – of pounds.

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Spring in Your Step Leave winter colours behind with these luxurious Varca loafers, handmade in Menorca from goatskin textured leather. Incredibly comfortable, they come in a variety of vibrant shades – match to your outfit or wear casually with jeans. From varca.com.

Sugar Rush If you want to give your nails some springtime shimmer then grab your Sugar Dune nail varnish from Tom Ford while you can – this gorgeous fresh shade is from the spring limited edition collection. Available now from Harvey Nichols in Leeds.

Light Fantastic At last a skin cream that delivers results without the lengthy wait! Instant Light Radiance Boosting Complexion Base from Clarins contains 3D Radiance pigments that smooth over imperfections and leave your skin looking fresh and full of vitality. From all Clarins stockists.

Lip Service The delicate sunlight and fresh colours of spring are captured in Tom Ford’s newest pretty pastel shades – and this ‘In the Buff’ lipstick is one of our new favourites. Check out the whole range at Harvey Nichols in Leeds.

The Eyes Have It Estée Lauder’s Pure Colour Instant Intense Eyeshadow Trio gives you a huge selection of different looks in one simple package. Day or night, these gorgeous purple shades will dramatically transform your look. From Estée Lauder counters nationwide.

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Truffle Triumph The award-winning Temple Spa Skin Truffle Face Rejuvenation cream is designed to give your skin a wake-up call. With exotic ingredients that include black truffle, pure gold, grape-seed champagne and diamond powder, it doubles as both luxurious moisturiser and lustrous anti-ageing cream.

From templespa.com.

Ring the Changes These golden hoop earrings by Emma Sedman are perfect for adding a touch of glamour to any outfit, and Emma’s gorgeous contemporary designs are really putting the Dales on the fashion map. From Emma Sedman Jewellery, Leyburn, 01969 368006.

Spoil yourself at S w i n to n Pa r k S PA

With spring on the horizon, now is the time to shed you winter woollies and get ready for summer.

Enjoy a wide range of treatments and our private spa room* with hot tub, sauna and relaxation area.

• Face, Body & Beauty Treatments

• Day Spa Experiences

• Hen Party Packages Mon – Fri: 10am to 8pm, Sat & Sun: 10am to 6pm. (*Booking essential)

Swinton Park, Masham, Ripon, HG4 4JH 01765 680967 www.swintonpark.com spa@swintonpark.com

New Jersey, for everyone who loves to knit.

The best of British and International contemporary designer jewellery Enameller, jeweller and goldsmith Bespoke design service and commissions Jewellery gallery and in-house workshop Contemporary textiles and accessories Newsteads • High Street • Leyburn North Yorkshire • DL8 5AQ Opening hours, Mon 10.00am - 4.30pm, Thurs, Fri & Sat 10.00am - 5.00pm.

T: 01969 368006 • info@emmasedman.co.uk emmasedman.co.uk

Gatsby’s hairdressing

01677 426943

Visit our beautiful shop in Bedale.

38 Market Place, Bedale, DL8 1EQ. 01677 427746 www.newjerseywools.co.uk

Spring Pamper Offer

Why not enjoy a Joico treatment and head massage with your cut and blow dry for only £5.00 extra.

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LUXURY LINEN HIRE AND LAUNDRY SERVICE FOR THE DALES We are the premier rental service for luxury bed and bath linen in the Dales.

We specialise in holiday cottages, guest houses and hotels. We can take responsibility for your stock levels and ensure there are no stock turnover penalties.

We also offer a housekeeping service for homes and holiday cottages.

See our new web site for further details.

THE WHITE BEDDING CO. LTD. Unit 4, Leyburn Business Park, Leyburn, North Yorkshire DL8 5QA julie@thewhitebeddingco.com

www.thewhitebeddingco.com

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01969 623699

FRIMBLE Stylish women’s fashions, designed, woven and made in Great Britain.

Currently stocking a new range of coats, jackets, skirts and waistcoats made using the highest-quality Tweed.

Visit the website or make an appointment to meet Sophie at her studio.

07813 652970 www.frimble.com

Mother and daughter treat!

Book a Heaven Bee Sting facial and receive one at half price!

Treat Mum this Mother's Day with a half-price facial at Blink Beauty.

30 - 32 Malpas Road Northallerton, N. Yorkshire DL7 8TB

01609 779390 www.blinkbeauty.co.uk

Book an appointment at the same time and she'll receive a 50% discount from now until 30th April.

Offer not available in conjunction with any other offers. A bee venom patch test is required 24 hours in advance.

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TRAVEL

A TREAT OF A RETREAT

N

owadays there are any number of spas, bootcamps and retreats to choose from. Even so, it’s all too easy to come back home with none of your problems solved. Fortunately, though, we’ve discovered a retreat that’s a genuinely life-changing experience.

The Olive Retreat is set in a beautifully converted whitewashed farmhouse near Rhonda, in Andalusia, in southern Spain.

With its light and airy guest rooms, 14 acres of gardens and fruit trees – plus the added bonus of spectacular views of the Grazalema National Park – The Olive Retreat is the ideal place to relax and recharge your batteries.

Founders Bettina and Cristina, both pictures of glowing good health, are clearly passionate about their philosophy of wellbeing.

Their retreats emphasise detoxing, weight loss and wholesome nutrition, with options to study meditation and yogic breathing techniques. The food is entirely vegan, with coffee, alcohol and dairy also strictly off limits.

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Bettina spends much of her day in the kitchen, cooking up some of the most sensational food we’ve ever tasted, even managing to rustle up a delicious chocolate pudding that doesn’t compromise on healthy eating. Cristina leads classes on nutrition and offers one-to-one sessions for guests to explore their individual issues.

Their detox regime may be rigorous, but the days are unstructured, with no pressure and no punishing exercise regimes. Instead you can join in with a poolside yoga session, enjoy a massage or take a stroll in the surrounding countryside.

Of course the real test is what happens when you return home.

Here too the Olive Retreat shines, because included in the price of retreats is a month of support by phone or email from the resident team. So far we’ve managed not to slip back into bad habits, and there’s no arguing with losing a stone of surplus weight, so it’s a big thumbs-up from Dales Life!

For more information visit oliveretreat.com.

TRAVEL

FRENCH LEAVE Spring is the perfect time for a city break, and thanks to Eurostar the delights of Paris are now an easy train ride away from Northallerton.

The city’s world-famous art collections are an obvious draw, but if the weather is fine why not give the tourist honeypots a miss and explore its vibrant streetscape instead?

Unlike London, Paris is a compact city whose colourful quartiers are easy to take in on foot. Dive into the winding medieval streets of the Marais to enjoy a beguiling combination of quirky architecture and cuttingedge boutiques. A stroll along the

MARRAKECH MARVELS Nowadays many sunny short-haul holiday destinations are countries that either use the Euro or have currencies linked to it. Not so Morocco, which still represents exceptional value for money for UK visitors.

sparkling Canal St-Martin will take you past everything from shabby-chic bistros to the futuristic Parc de la Villette, or head to the Parc de Belleville at sunset to take in one of the city’s most breathtaking panoramic views.

Book your ticket to Paris at eurostar.com.

MULL IT OVER For wildlife enthusiasts it’s hard to imagine a more rewarding UK destination than The Isle of Mull.

From white-tailed eagles and puffins to red deer, otters, seals, sharks, whales and dolphins, Mull’s rugged hills and deep blue waters are home to an extraordinary diversity of creatures. And many of them can be seen from the grounds of the Tiroran Country House Hotel, a luxurious retreat that was last year hailed as Scottish Country House Hotel of the Year.

With its exquisitely appointed rooms and fine dining restaurant Tioran makes an ideal base from which to explore the local attractions. Tobermory lies to the

north, and includes a picturesque waterfront and one of Scotland’s most venerable distilleries amongst its attractions. To the south lies the tranquil island of Iona, with its rich history and beautiful white sandy beaches.

Find out more about Tiroran Country House Hotel at tiroran.com.

The ancient imperial city of Marrakech is one of Morocco’s prime treasures, and definitely not to be missed. You’ll find no shortage of memorable accommodation, from chic converted riads (traditional townhouses built around a courtyard garden) to fabulous five-star hotels complete with spas and golf courses – and all of it surprisingly affordable.

At the centre of old Marrakech is Djemaa El-Fnaa, a huge square bustling with snake charmers, traditional storytellers, magicians, dancers and food stalls. To its north is a dense network of narrow alleyways whose countless shops and stalls are piled high with colorful exotica.

For a change of pace, relax in a steamy hammam, explore the city’s tranquil gardens (the Jardin Marjorelle is one of the finest), or visit the sumptuous Bahia palace with its gorgeously painted ceilings.

Organise your trip with Spear Travels in Leyburn or Northallerton, speartravels.net.

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Kiplin Hall

JACOBEAN HOUSE Country Seat of Founder of Maryland, USA

“One of the best stately homes we have seen – ever” Gardens and Tea Room Open from Sunday 2 February, Sun – Wed 10am – 5pm (4pm Feb and March)

Hall Open Sunday 6 April, Sun – Wed 2 – 5pm All also open Good Fri and Easter Sat

Exhibition:

Kiplin Hall in Times of War from Civil War to Second World War • Jacobean Hall now furnished as a comfortable, Victorian home • Crowded with centuries of family possessions including scientific instruments, paintings, portraits, Arts and Crafts • Delightful gardens, woodland and lakeside walks • Home baking and lunches in the Tea Room

Kiplin Hall, nr. Scorton, Richmond, DL10 6AT Tel: 01748 818178 www.kiplinhall.co.uk

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 1 April - 2nd 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 Park Estate, Coverham, Middleham, Leyburn DL8 4TJ SPRING 2014 | Dales Life |

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STAY IN STYLE

Yorebridge House in Bainbridge

In a Nutshell Luxurious boutique hotel and award-winning restaurant in a gorgeous riverside setting on the edge of one of Wensleydale’s most picturesque villages.

Setting the Scene Yorebridge House is a striking grade-2-listed Victorian building – formerly a schoolhouse – just a stone’s throw from the quirky village of Bainbridge, with its spacious green, quaint cottages and elegant Georgian houses.

The hotel has splendid views across upper Wensleydale, and makes an ideal base for visitors who want to explore the dale’s wild and beautiful landscape. Miles of footpaths, secluded valleys, expansive moorland and panoramic vistas make the area a magnet for walkers.

The bustling market town of Hawes – home to the Wensleydale Creamery and the Dales Countryside Museum – is close by, as are the spectacular natural attractions of Semerwater, Hardraw Force and Aysgarth Falls. Historic Bolton Castle, Middleham and Masham are just a short car journey away.

Yorebridge House and its two-AA-rosette restaurant have received plenty of critical acclaim during the last year, winning Best Restaurant with Rooms in November’s White Rose Awards, and an AA Inspectors’ Choice Award for Restaurant with Rooms. The hotel has also consistently maintained its AA 5-gold-star ‘Highly Commended’ status for Restaurant with Rooms, along with the coveted Best UK Breakfast award.

As you might expect from an establishment that Tripadvisor voted ‘Most Romantic Hotel in the UK’, Yorebridge House makes a unique and memorable wedding venue, and can cater for parties of up to 120 guests.

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The Rooms Each of Yorebridge House’s large and luxuriously appointed bedrooms has been individually styled to a theme inspired by the global wanderings of owners Dave and Charlotte Reilly.

Interior designer Charlotte has used her skills to create an impressive diversity of engaging interiors.

Nishiki – each room is named after a place that Dave and Charlotte have visited – offers a contemporary take on the exotic East, featuring striking oriental wallpaper in black and silver, and a mango-wood four-poster bed.

As well as its contemporary bathroom with freestanding bath and marble mosaic wet room, Nishiki has a private terrace with an outdoor hot tub where you can soak away your cares whilst contemplating the night sky.

Kariega, the African room, is a feast of natural wood and rich brown and cream fabrics. It too has a hot tub, in its own private garden on the banks of the Ure. For a touch of Italian chic, Pienza offers carved furniture, crystal chandeliers and an ornate bathroom with a roll-top bath. And for real ‘wow’ factor, check out Greenwich, a New-York-style loft suite with dramatic exposed beams, bold colours and pair of freestanding baths with views out over the dale.

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Naturally Charlotte’s design talents are also evident in the hotel’s elegant public spaces. The lounge and bar areas offer sumptuous interiors with oak floors, comfy seating and an open fire, while the restaurant is light and spacious, with huge French windows and a smart, classic-but-contemporary feel.

Food and Drink Yorebridge House has an enviable reputation for food, and Head Chef Dan Shotton presides over an à la carte menu that revisits British culinary classics with imagination and flair. Dishes are designed around fresh, local ingredients, and change seasonally to reflect the best of what’s available.

Menu highlights that give an indication of the delights on offer include sophisticated starters like Swinton Estate venison with nasturtium leaves, brambles and chocolate, and hearty mains such as beef fillet with confit tomato, onion and oxtail.

As for desserts, who can resist an indulgent treat like dark chocolate pavé with pear, honeycomb and praline ice cream?

There’s a meticulously compiled wine list catering for everyone from connoisseurs in search of classics to adventurous drinkers keen to sample something new and different. The welcoming bar open, like the restaurant, to both residents and non-residents – stocks locally brewed cask ales, a comprehensive range of whiskies and other spirits, and an extensive selection of vintage ports.

“Dishes are designed around fresh local ingredients.”

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Hotel Factfile Address

Yorebridge House, Bainbridge, North Yorkshire, DL8 3EE.

Telephone 01969 652060

Website yorebridgehouse.co.uk

The Rooms Eleven, all of which are individually styled and en suite. Prices, including breakfast, range from £200 to £250 per night.

Situated a short walk away, in the centre of Bainbridge village, The Cottage (£150) and The Barn (£285) give guests a chance to enjoy their own space whilst still enjoying the facilities at Yorebridge House.

Restaurant tariff Three courses a la carte will cost around £36 per head. Lunch is served daily (including Sundays), with two courses for £17.50 or three for £22.50, along with a selection of ‘Light Bites’.

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An opportunity to live and work in the heart of the Dales We are delighted to offer this unique 18th century property with river-frontage and fishing rights on the River Ure.

Birkbeck House An opportunity for a true lifestyle change. A traditional Dales stonebuilt 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

AUSTIN BROOKS 01677 368412 sales@austinbrooks.co.uk www.austinbrooks.co.uk SPRING 2014 | Dales Life | 101

B. K. Webster Gunsmith

Specialists in gun repair & alteration since 1984

Emergency gun repairs Gunfitting

Tel: 01677 470505 West Tanfield, Ripon, HG4 5JH www.bkwebstergunsmith.com

Danny Piper Creative Metal Work

ction Private instrfuor and guiding

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

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

Rob Clipsham

Wedding Photography

Capture the memories of your special day with bespoke packages to suit your needs.

Gates, Railings, Staircases, Furniture & Lighting www.creativeironwork.co.uk dannypiper@live.co.uk | 01765 635085

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Professional wedding photography. Meet and discuss your specific plans with a free lifestyle photography shoot before the big day.

For details see

www.robclipshamphotography.com 07818 118207 | Whashton, Richmond

Floor tiles & FLAGS cleaned and sealed Kitchens • Conservatories • Halls

John Lord

01748 811452 • 07961 460020 john@steamcleanseal.co.uk

T I M B E R

• Oak Beams • Doors • Decking • Sawn Timber • Machined Timber • Skirting • Architrave • Flooring • Cladding

Timber Solutions

Call us or visit our showroom for advice on how we can help you with your project.

Green Lane, Melmerby Ripon HG4 5JB

01765 640564

sales@duffieldtimber.com www.duffieldtimber.com

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ÂŁ1

off admission with this advert FREE For Children www.dalescountrysidemuseum.org.uk SPRING 2014 | Dales Life | 105

Spear Travel DL3-2013 HHB5 copy.pdf

1

17/07/2013

11:29

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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Providing good honest legal advice across the Dales since 1908 Offices throughout Yorkshire and the North T: 0800 160 10 10 E: info@coles-law.co.uk W: www.coles-law.co.uk

Money Matters Whether you are looking for financial advice or a review of your financial affairs, we may be able to help. We offer a professional, personal and friendly service.

Diana Atkinson Limited Independent Financial Advisers

t. 01609 882155 e. di@dianaatkinson.co.uk w. www.dianaatkinson.co.uk Moatside, Deighton, Northallerton, North Yorkshire DL6 2SJ

• Investments and savings • Advice at and during retirement • Life Assurance • Pensions Initial meeting at our expense - at your home or at our office in Northallerton Accredited Member of the Society of Later Life Advisers (SOLLA) Authorised and Regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority.

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SPRING 2014

Dales Diary

Compiled by Katie Thompson

Himalayan Garden Grewelthorpe, near Ripon himalayangarden.com

Season opens – Friday 18 April Friday 18 April-Sunday 8 June, 10am-4pm daily (closed Mondays except bank holidays) – £6.50 (free for children under 12)

These award-winning 20-acre gardens boast one of the North’s largest collection of rhododendrons, azaleas and magnolias.

The gardens have nearly 20,000 plants, attracting visitors worldwide throughout the year, with a huge range of rhododendron, azalea and magnolia varieties on display. New to the garden are a range of features including a Chinese pagoda built in Bali and a 1900s thatched summerhouse

by Henry and Julius Caesar.

Light refreshments are available, and there is also a nursery selling nearly 200 different varieties of rhododendron as well as many other ericaceous shrubs and perennials.

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Harrogate Spring Flower Show Great Yorkshire Showground 01423 546157 flowershow.org.uk

Thursday 24-Sunday 27 April, 9.30am5.30pm (4.30pm Sunday) £14.50 if booked before 12pm 15 April, (Sunday £12.50) or £17 on the gate (£15 on Sunday.)

Don’t miss the Harrogate Flower Show this year.

The show will feature beautiful new show gardens created especially for the event by talented designers. From large-scale features to smaller border plots, the gardens will offer ideas and inspiration for all tastes. Among the 150 works of art will be ‘On Your Bike’-themed flower arrangements and floristry celebrating Vive Le Vélo.

Live entertainment includes talks, tips and gardening chat in the Dig It Garden Theatre, plus expert growing advice from the Kitchen Garden Live team. The newly expanded ‘Have A Go’ offers the opportunity to try new floristry techniques, while children can take part in seed sowing, willow weaving and more. With thousands of high-quality garden products, unique handmade crafts, lovely gifts and specialist regional foods, this really is the perfect day out for garden lovers and shoppers.

SPRING 2014

Kiplin Hall

Swinton Park

Planning a Vegetable Garden Thursday 20 March, 10am-3pm – £15 Learn how to create a productive vegetable garden. Please bring a packed lunch. Price includes morning coffee. Booking advisable – book all three garden events for £40.

Orchid Lunch Sunday 13 April – £35 Join expert Ray Creek for a talk about orchids, followed by a two-course lunch. Includes an orchid gift.

Easter Fun for Families Friday 18-Monday 21 April, 10am-5pm Easter hunts, mask making, colouring and more!

Easter Sunday, from 10am, North Yorkshire Vintage Machinery Society display items from their collections. Included in admission to the hall and gardens.

Garden Lunch Monday 14 April & 19 May – £35 Two-course lunch with coffee, talk and garden tour by Susan Cunliffe-Lister.

near Scorton, Richmond 01748 818178 kiplinhall.co.uk

Italian Memories Sunday 4 May, 2-5pm North Country Theatre gives an interactive interpretation of Bridget Talbot’s work during the First World War, including her time in the hostile conditions of the bitter fighting on the ItalianAustrian front. Included in admission to the hall and gardens.

We’ll Meet Again – Recalling the Second World War Sunday 11 May, 10am-5pm Dress up and join in. Full-size, replica Spitfire, RAF re-enactors, create Canadian aircraft nose art, ‘Dig for Victory’ in the walled garden and hear music from WWII with Leyburn Band and singing duo, Malcolm and Carole Brown. Included in admission to the hall and gardens.

Masham 01765 680900 swintonpark.com

Easter Trail & Activities Friday 18-Saturday 26 April – £3 (under 3s half price) Easter Egg trail in the parkland and additional activities. Visit swintonpark.com for details.

Barbecue Cook & Lunch at the Deerhouse Saturday 19-Sunday 20 April and Saturday 24-Sunday 25 May – £40 class and lunch, £25 adults lunch only, £15 child lunch only.

Improve your barbecue techniques and enjoy an alfresco two-course buffet lunch. Includes a glass of Pimm’s or soft drink on arrival.

Deerhouse Dinner Saturday 19 April & Saturday 24 May – £35 Delightful alfresco two-course buffet dinner in the converted Deerhouse in the Parkland.

Includes a glass of Pimm’s or soft drink on arrival.

Estate Produce Lunches Tuesday 13 May-Friday 13 June – £25.95 A delicious two-course lunch, featuring seasonal estate produce, with a garden gift.

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SPRING 2014

Fountains Abbey & Studley Royal

near Ripon 01765 608888 nationaltrust.org.uk/fountainsabbey Birdwatching for Beginners Saturday 22 March, 11am-1pm Want to learn how to bird watch with the best of them? Come on down to Swanley Grange where you can learn more about bird watching, bird species and habitats, and then try spotting birds on a guided walk.

Newby Hall near Ripon 01423 322583 opt 3 newbyhall.com

National Duathlon Championships Sunday 13 April Organised and run by Functional Fitness Events. 10km run, 40km bike, 5km run. functionalfitnessevents.co.uk Gardening Workshop, Grantham Room Wednesday 16 April, 10.30am-4pm – £30 Join the gardening team for a hands-on day of ‘Practical Propagation.’ Booking essential.

Easter Fun Days Sunday 20-Monday 21 April, 12-4pm The Easter Bunny invites younger visitors to follow the Easter trail through the woodland walk. Included in gardens admission.

Den Building Tuesday 8 & Wednesday 16 April, 11am & 1pm Bring your best den building team to make a makeshift home like the first monks did with branches and leaves. A great family activity starting from Swanley Grange.

Geocoaching Taster Day Wednesday 9 April-Wednesday 28 May, 11am-1pm & 2-4pm Join one of the team to learn how to use a GPS unit to find the clues hidden on the estate.

Deer Watch Saturday 26 April, 2-4pm Do you know your stags from your hinds and your Reds from your Sikas? Begin your guided walk of the medieval deer park at the Visitor Centre.

Plant It, Grow It, Eat It Monday 5 May, 11am & 1pm Get your little green fingers working in the herb garden with Brother Robert. Learn how to plant seeds then take them home and watch them grow.

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Spring Plant Fair Sunday 11 May, 10am-4pm – £9.50 adults, £8.50 seniors, £7.50 children A traditional gardener’s plant fair with specialist nurseries and plant experts from across the North of England. Includes admission to gardens.

Cars in the Park Sunday 18 May Hundreds of modern classics assemble in Newby’s beautiful grounds. Included in gardens admission.

SPRING 2014

Constable Burton Hall near Bedale 01677 450428 constableburton.com

Dales Countryside Museum Hawes 01969 666210 yorkshiredales.org.uk/index/ outandabout/see/dcm.htm

Mother’s Day Sunday 30 March, 10am-5pm Celebrate Mothering Sunday at Dales Countryside Museum with free entry for mums into the museum. Kids can make something crafty for mum in the Creation Station on the train.

Tulip Festival Saturday 3-Monday 5 May, 10am-5pm – adults £4, senior citizens £3, children free Each year Constable Burton plays host to a magnificent tulip festival. Sponsored by Chelsea award-winning nursery Bloms Bulbs, large collections of traditional and new variant tulips are grown in the informal areas of the garden. With more than 6,500 bulbs planted annually, vast expanses of flowers grace the gardens in a glorious display of colour.

Victorian Kitchen Friday 11 April, 11am-3pm Friends of Dales Countryside Museum will be dressed in costume in the Farmhouse Kitchen. They will explain all about the work that went on in the Farmhouse Kitchen. Included in admission fee.

Sausage Making Saturday 12 April, 10am-12pm & 1.30-3.30pm – adults £10 Make your very own sausages from local produce.

Learn about traditional recipes and choose the ingredients to flavour your sausages with, before taking them home to enjoy for your tea!

Booking required.

Porcelain Impressions Sunday 4 May, 2pm-4pm – adults £10 Join ceramic artist Anna Whitehouse using porcelain and experimenting with surface textures, creating a collection of unique decorations that capture the Yorkshire Dales landscape.

SPRING 2014 | Dales Life | 111

SPRING 2014

Dales Festival of Food & Drink near Leyburn (postcode DL8 5SG) dalesfestivaloffood.org

Saturday 3-Monday 5 May, 10am-5pm Leyburn in Wensleydale is once again hosting the three-day Dales Festival of Food and Drink. This has been something of a magnet for food and drink fans since 2002 because of the wide variety of food, farming and entertainment, most with a distinctly Yorkshire flavour.

The Food Hall has about 80 different stands featuring many local food products and there is something for all to sample, from the best meats and cheeses, to preserves and traditional baking from the region.

In the Beer Marquee, many Yorkshire micro-breweries are represented at the beer festival. The bar sells refreshing pints of award-winning beers and ales along with a good selection of wines and soft drinks.

The Theatre Marquee brings together live cookery demonstrations from a selection of the region’s top chefs, this year including Wensleydale-born Tristan Prudden. There’s also a ‘Speakers’ Corner’ featuring the ever popular Gervase Phinn, and Gary Verity of Welcome to Yorkshire, telling the story of how ‘Le Grand Depart’ of Le Tour de France 2014 is to be a Yorkshire triumph.

The Farming for Food area gives the chance to see farm animals and learn about how to care for them, including demonstrations of traditional farming skills and the opportunity to bake your own loaf.

The Festival offers attractions for all ages, with traditional dancing and six hours of brass and jazz music every day. Since 2004 the Festival has donated more than £150,000 to local community projects.

It also supports Tickets for Troops.

The event takes place on the A684 just outside Leyburn, approaching from the east.

The site is well signed and offers free parking.

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SPRING 2014 | Dales Life | 113

On the market

Our regular round-up of beautiful properties for sale in Yorkshire.

£235,000 6 Overton Garth, Reeth in Swaledale Traditional stone built ready to move into 3 bedroom family size house, within short walk of this renowned Dales village. Great for a larger holiday, second or family home. Well proportioned 1300 sq ft house with ‘L’ shaped garden.

Contact Austin Brooks on 01677 368412 www.austinbrooks.co.uk

£282,950 Plot 5, Swaledale Court, Morton on Swale, Northallerton Last remaining 4 bedroom detached house on this nearly completed small exclusive development in sought after village.

With easy access to nearby Northallerton-3 miles and 4 miles from the A1M. Possible upgrades to features and fittings.

Contact Austin Brooks on 01677 368412 www.austinbrooks.co.uk

£295,000 Birkbeck House, St Joseph’s Mews, Aysgarth Falls, near Leyburn 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/arts and crafts room incorporated and separately accessible. Perfect for someone wishing to relocate and run a business from home.

Contact Austin Brooks on 01677 368412 www.austinbrooks.co.uk

£650,000 The Clock House, Leven Road, Yarm Newly built 5 bedroom executive home, ready to fit out to purchaser’s requirements, in a magnificent setting within Yarm’s prestigious Leven Road. Built to a high standard by a well respected family builder. Part exchange available to facilitate a quick move-in.

Contact Austin Brooks on 01677 368412 www.austinbrooks.co.uk

£250,000 Beech Cottage, Cleasby, near Scotch Corner Recently built 3 bedroom house with spacious gardens. Desirable location within rural surroundings, with quick and easy access on to the A66 and A1M. All building works are now complete, with the property finished to a high standard. Show house open by appointment only.

Contact Austin Brooks on 01677 368412 www.austinbrooks.co.uk

Guide Price £335,000 71 Monkgate, York A beautiful town house located within 5 minutes walk of medieval walls and York centre. Perfect for a holiday home, or indeed a main home. A late Georgian, 3 bedroom, nicely appointed property with many period features.

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

114 | Dales Life | SPRING 2014

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

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01423 847662

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01904 623020 E. info@bikerbespokejoinery.co.uk W. www.bikerbespokejoinery.co.uk SPRING 2014 | Dales Life | 115

On the market

Our regular round-up of beautiful properties for sale in Yorkshire.

OIEO £220,000 Brooklyn Cottage, Hunton, Leyburn A first class semi detached country cottage. Spacious accommodation with three bedrooms. Delightful cottage garden. Excellent rural village location. Currently used as a holiday cottage. EPC rating E. Viewing by appointment.

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

£540,000 Woodlands, Scruton, Northallerton An outstanding detached village property. Four double bedrooms with superb master suite & balcony. Large gardens and garaging. Excellent rural village location close to local amenities. EPC rating C. Viewing by appointment.

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

£240,000 Chantry Farm Cottage, West Witton, Leyburn An immaculate period dales cottage. Spacious accommodation with three double bedrooms. Newly refurbished. Wealth of features.

Garage. EPC rating E. Viewing by appointment.

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

£375,000 Seata Farm, Thornton Rust, Leyburn An outstanding residential smallholding with 2 acres. Spacious four bedroom accommodation. Well presented. Delightful gardens and grounds, orchard and grass paddocks. Idyllic rural location. EPC rating D. Viewing by appointment.

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

£50,000 6 South View, Hunton, Leyburn A delightful three bedroom cottage in need of complete refurbishment.

Garden. Superb rural village location close to local amenities. EPC rating G. Viewing by appointment.

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

Offers Invited The Old Methodist Chapel Detached former Methodist chapel. Restricted community use only.

Excellent village location close to local amenities.

Viewing by appointment.

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

116 | Dales Life | SPRING 2014

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

Drumlins | Aysgarth, Leyburn

Millers House | Aysgarth, Leyburn

Fabulous traditional dales farmhouse with one bedroom annexe and 2 acres of land. Immaculately presented. Spacious accommodation with four bedrooms. Wealth of period features. Stunning location with panoramic views in the heart of Wensleydale. Complemented by a grass paddock with separate access. EPC rating D. Viewing by appointment.

A unique detached period dales property. Wealth of traditional features. Spacious accommodation with 5 bedrooms. Range of outbuildings. Gardens overlooking Aysgarth Falls. EPC rating F. Viewing by appointment.

£625,000

£475,000

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

Church Cottage | Horsehouse, Leyburn

Woodlands View | Breckenbrough, Thirsk

An immaculate period country cottage. Spacious accommodation with two double bedrooms. Delightful gardens. Useful garaging & parking. Outstanding rural dales village location. EPC Rating F. Viewing by appointment.

An outstanding country property with 4.75 Acres land. Spacious five bedroom barn conversion.Large gardens and range of outbuildings. Good handy block of grassland. Situated in a delightful rural hamlet Between Thirsk and Northallerton. EPC Rating D.Viewing by appointment.

OIEO £280,000

£575,000

Bedale 01677 425950 robinjessop.co.uk

Leyburn 01969 622800 SPRING 2014 | Dales Life | 117

On themarket market On the

Our beautiful properties for sale in Yorkshire.

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

£289,950 1 Chantry Garth, West Witton Detached, stone built bungalow in the Yorkshire Dales National Park.

With three bedrooms, gardens and views to three sides and garage with off-road parking. EPC (EER) D57.

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

£299,950 Avonlea, Carlton Grade II Listed, three bedroom cottage with period and traditional features, two reception rooms, front and rear gardens and off-road parking.

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

£365,000 Springside, Snape A beautifully presented ‘stone finish’ three bedroom detached bungalow with generous, well maintained, private gardens to the rear and ample off road parking. EPC (EER) C70.

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

£499,950 The Hatchery, Little Fencote A large four-bedroomed family house set in just under three acres, with generous gardens and two grass paddocks. With a selfcontained, one bedroomed annex at the rear. EPC (EER) E54.

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

£545,000 Craggs Lane Farmhouse, Tunstall, Richmond A well-presented five double bedroomed family farmhouse with versatile and well-proportioned living accommodation, gardens and a self-contained one bedroom annexe. EPC (EER) F31.

Price on application Bridgeworth House, Uckerby, Scorton A beautifully presented, five bedroomed period home with 3.8 acre paddock in a peaceful position with a southerly aspect and access to a network of bridleways. Timber stable block and two field shelters. EPC (EER) D68.

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

Contact GSC Grays on 01748 829217 www.gscgrays.co.uk 118 | Dales Life | SPRING 2014

LO C A L P E O P L E R E G I O N A L CO V E R A G E

With offices across the area, contact us at Bedale, Leyburn or Richmond for your Free Market Appraisal or to discuss your land and property requirements

PROPERT Y SALES • VALUATIONS & SURVEYS RURAL CONSULTANCY • RENEWABLES PLANNING & DEVELOPMENT • SPORTING LET TINGS & RESIDENTIAL MANAGEMENT Bedale: 01677 422400

Leyburn: 01969 600120

Richmond: 01748 829217 O f f ices a l s o at: B a r n a rd Ca stl e • Ha m ster ley • Stokesley

W W W.G S CG R AYS.CO.U K T H E

L A N D

&

P R O P E R T Y

S P E C I A L I S T S SPRING 2014 | Dales Life | 119

On themarket market On the

Our beautiful properties for sale in Yorkshire.

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

£135,000 Waddleduck Barn Beautiful 1-bedroom detached barn conversion in Bellerby, Wensleydale. Large rear garden and front garden with parking for several vehicles. Lounge and kitchen diner with double-glazing.

Excellent first time buyers or holiday home.

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

£450,000 Rosemary Cottage, Carlton Picturesque 3-bedroom character cottage with pretty garden and outside store. Wealth of charm and period features. Sitting room with open fire, detached garage and conservatory. Large south-facing gardens and orchard with Medlar tree.

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

£199,950 3 Church View, Hornby Traditional 3-bedroom Dales cottage with superb gardens and spectacular views. Recently refurbished with workshop and feature fireplace housing multi fuel stove. Front and rear gardens, safe parking, double glazing and electric storage heating.

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

£225,000 Dial House, Gunnerside A Grade II listed terraced cottage of character within this popular dales village. Including 2 bedrooms, an attached storeroom and a bonus of a two-story outbuilding. This property also provides a south facing front garden and night storage heating.

Contact Norman F Brown 01748 822473 www.normanfbrown.co.uk

£220,000 New House Farm, Thwaite A pleasantly situated 3 bedroomed detached cottage within upper Swaledale. Extension Potential (Subject To Consents). Modernisation may be required. Also included, an attached workshop and stores with loft room above, further stone outbuildings, driveway and a secluded garden, great for your privacy.

Contact Norman F Brown 01748 822473 www.normanfbrown.co.uk

£310,000 East Mount, Reeth A spacious terraced character property offering flexible accommodation over three floors. Quietly located just off the village green. This 4 double bedroomed property has great bed and breakfast potential (Subject To Consents). Front garden and solid fuel central heating also included.

Contact Norman F Brown 01748 822473 www.normanfbrown.co.uk

120 | Dales Life | SPRING 2014

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.

Valuations. Surveys. Mortgage Advice. Inheritance Planning.

Property & Antique Auctions. Removals, Collections & Deliveries.

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

www.jrhopper.com

NORMAN F. BROWN Charted surveyors • Estate Agents • Lettings Selling and letting property since 1967

2 Woodside, Leyburn A spacious 3-bedroomed semi-detached family house, enjoying an elevated position within a cul-de-sac setting. Situated close to the schools and town centre. Including both front and rear gardens, gas fired central heating and UPVC double glazing. EER TBC. £179,950 Leyburn office

Glenholme, Arkengarthdale Road, Reeth

Greystones, Redmire

A south-facing modernised terraced cottage conveniently situated for the local village green.

Including 3 bedrooms, lounge, kitchen/dining room and a lovely small front garden. EER TBC.

A spacious 3-bedroomed semi-detached traditional stone built cottage, located within a pleasant Dales village. Including parking space to the rear of the property for one car and superb front and rear gardens. EER F35.

£197,500

£225,000

Richmond office

Leyburn office

14 Queens Road, Richmond • 01748 822473 6 Bridge Street, Bedale • 01677 422282 25 Market Place, Leyburn • 01969 622194 SPRING 2014 | Dales Life | 121

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

• PANASONIC ACCREDITED INSTALLERS OF AIR SOURCE HEAT PUMPS • GRANT ACCREDITED INSTALLERS OF SPIRA WOOD PELLET BOILERS. • SOLAR THERMAL & SOLAR PV INSTALLATION. • FULL DESIGN AND INSTALLATION.

WE CAN ALSO PROVIDE: Under-floor heating systems.

Un-vented hot water and heating systems.

Multi-fuel Heatstore installation.

Oil storage tank replacements.

System upgrades.

Powerflushing.

Oil boiler replacements.

Natural gas & LPG boiler replacements.

Boiler service and repair.

Plumbing repairs.

Water mains replaced & repaired.

Landlords certificates.

BEDALE PLUMBING & HEATING LTD 12 Coronation Rd, Little Crakehall, Bedale, DL8 1HZ bedaleplumbingandheatingltd@hotmail.co.uk Please note our telephone number has changed

01677 426063 • 07814 036057 122 | Dales Life | SPRING 2014

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

A solar PV installation fitted now will reduce your energy bill year on year by...

647kW%p

facing South oof º 0 3 r stem el sy p 6 1 an 50 inc vat 7 5 £ m fro fitted

53% 4k

328kW% p

East/W Wp est fa 30º roo cing f 16 pan from £ el system 5750 in fitted c vat

facing South of 30º ro tem l sys 8 pane 5 inc vat 9 1 4 from £ tted fi

28% 2k

East/W Wp est fac ing 30º 8 pane roof from £ l system 4195 in fitted c vat

The Plan Shop Architects Landscape & Interior Designers

figures based on statistics supplied by the Department of Energy & Climate Change giving average domestic UK combined gas & electricity bills 2012 as £1,279.00

Call now for a no cost no obligation site survey Phone: 01969 622 260 www.ddrsolar.co.uk

SPRING 2014 | Dales Life | 123

S

S

LYNDON HAW

LYNDON HAW

Specialists in traditional and contemporary wrought ironwork and woodwork

Specialists in traditional and contemporary wrought ironwork and woodwork

Wood gates • Traditional hardwood and softwood doors Quality fencing • Specialists in remote control gate systems • All types of fabrication work undertaken • Repair/refurbishment service to existing gates Specialists in fitting gates in rising driveways

Wrought iron gates • Weather vanes, handrails and balustrades • Quality metal fencing • Specialists in remote control systems • All types of fabrication work undertaken • Repair/refurbishment service Specialists in fitting gates in rising driveways

Distance and delivery no object.

Call for a free estimate or on site quotation

Distance and delivery no object.

Call for a free estimate or on site quotation

Tel: 01677 450450/450374

Tel: 01677 450450/450374

The Forge, Finghall, nr Leyburn

The Forge, Finghall, nr Leyburn

We are looking for distribution agents To book space in the Tour De France issue contact Sue Gillman Telephone: 01904 629295 Mobile: 07970 739119 email: sue@daleslife.com www.daleslife.com

124 | Dales Life | SPRING 2014

Positions available throughout Yorkshire. Excellent rates paid

Telephone: 01904 629295 Mobile: 07970 739119 email: sue@daleslife.com www.daleslife.com

SPRING 2014 | Dales Life | 125

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

We are looking for distribution agents

Positions available throughout Yorkshire. Excellent rates paid

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.

Telephone: 01904 629295 Mobile: 07970 739119 email: sue@daleslife.com www.daleslife.com 126 | Dales Life | SPRING 2014

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 • Established owners • Experienced management team • Low staff turnover • Pleasant surroundings • Nutritional, attractive home cooked quality meals • Care available - long stay, day care, respite (dependent upon availability)

Hillcrest has a warm and welcoming atmosphere. It enjoys an enviable reputation within the community and is totally compliant with CQC. To experience the Home and the expertise of the local management team, why not call in and view for yourself the level of care being offered to the Residents.

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 SPRING 2014 | Dales Life | 127

128 | Dales Life | SPRING 2014

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

The White Bear 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.

T: 01765 689319 www.thewhitebearhotel.co.uk

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

The Wensleydale Heifer

The Black Sheep Brewery

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.

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: 01969 622322 www.wensleydaleheifer.co.uk

Swinton Park Hotel

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.

T: 01765 680101 www.blacksheepbrewery.com

The Burgoyne Hotel

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.

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: 01765 680900 www.swintonpark.com

T: 01748 884292 www.theburgoyne.co.uk SPRING 2014 | Dales Life | 129

Headlam Hall

The Black Lion

This charming 17th century country mansion in Teesdale has an award winning restaurant. Guests can enjoy great food made with local ingredients including produce from the Hall’s gardens and farm.

The restaurant offers diners a choice of the warm and intimate Panelled Room or the more contemporary Orangery. The service is relaxed and friendly with the menu and extensive wine list offering good value. Book now for Christmas lunches throughout December with family, friends or colleagues.

Now under new ownership, The Black Lion is a friendly bar and bistro on Thirsk’s cobbled marketplace. It offers exciting and varied lunch and dinner menus based around seasonal, locally sourced ingredients, including fresh fish from Hodgsons of Hartlepool, prime meats from R & J Butchers and delicious Brymor ice cream. With excellent service, a well stocked bar and a wide ranging wine list from Yorkshire Vintners, it’s a great choice for a luscious lunch or memorable evening meal.

T: 01325 730238 www.headlamhall.co.uk

T: 01845 574302 blacklionthirsk.co.uk

Richmond Grill and Brasserie

Stone House Hotel

Looking out over Richmond’s cobbled Market Place, Richmond Grill and Brasserie offers the chance to indulge in a spot of people-watching whilst enjoying a delicious lunch or leisurely dinner prepared by talented head chef Ross Hadley and his team. There’s an exciting menu catering for all tastes, featuring the finest ingredients — from Lindisfarne oysters to top quality steaks — locally sourced whenever possible.

A great choice of vegetarian dishes too, and plenty of mouthwatering desserts to tempt you.

T: 01748 822602 www.richmondgrillandbrasserie.co.uk

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

Fairhurst’s Bistro

The White Swan

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: 01748 825122 www.thewhiteswan.co

T: 01969 624668 www.fairhursts.co.uk

The Rose & Crown at Romaldkirk A charming 18th century coaching inn that offers delightful accommodation and excellent food, utilising the best of local produce from the Durham and Yorkshire dales. Lunch from £11.50, Sunday Lunch £19.50 and Four-Course Dinner in the 2AA rosette restaurant £35.00. Combine an enjoyable drive in the Teesdale countryside with a stop off at the Rose & Crown for either a drink or a bite to eat at this Great British Inn!

T: 01833 650213 www.rose-and-crown.co.uk 130 | Dales Life | SPRING 2014

Set in the charming village of Gilling West, The White Swan is a family-run country pub and pantry on a mission to promote regional artisan food producers.

Here you can enjoy local cask ales and the finest local foodstuffs — including gorgeous cheeses and breads, sumptuous steaks, and premium burgers, sausages and black pudding — in a relaxed and informal environment. Check the website for a lively programme of special events including ‘pop-up’ street food and live music.

The Freemasons Arms The recently refurbished Freemasons Arms at Nosterfield is set to remain very much a charming, characteristic country inn, offering a traditional, cosy bar and restaurant. With an innovative head chef and exciting new menus based around fresh local produce, there’s something here to please everyone. Diners can choose from pub classics with a twist, daily specials and Chef’s own signature dishes, exactingly cooked and served by a friendly front-of-house team.

T: 01677 470548 thefreemasonsarms.co.uk

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.

SPRING 2014 | Dales Life | 131