Pry House Farm B&B Keld, Swaledale

13/08/2024

National Park Rangers have begun laying a nearly two-mile long flagstone path across peatland in Birkdale, as part of works to make Alfred Wainwright’s ‘Coast to Coast’ route a National Trail. Read more 👇

https://www.yorkshiredales.org.uk/major-work-on-coast-to-coast-trail/

📸 Andrew F**g & Charlotte Mudd |

21/06/2024

What do you have planned for the next couple of months? There are so many events happening all over the Yorkshire Dales, you might need to plan some extra trips? Here's a selection of them. Please do add any others - or tag the events you've involved in or enjoy going to:
Skipton Sheep Day: 30th June
Great Yorkshire Show: 9th – 12th July
Settle Flowerpot Festival: 13 July - 1 September
Masham Steam Rally: 20 & 21 July
Ingleton Gala: 20th July
Ripley Show: 11th August
Art in the Pen: 17-18 August
Kettlewell Scarecrow Festival: 10 – 18 August
Gargrave Show: 17th August
Burnsall Sports: 24th August
Malham Show: 24 August
Wensleydale Agricultural Show: 24 August
Reeth Show: 26 August
Hebden Sports: 26th August
Kilnsey Show: 27 August
Muker Show: 4 September
Medieval Music in the Dales: 13 – 15 September
Bentham Agricultural Show: 7 September
Horton in Ribblesdale Show: 7th September
Nidderdale Show: 22 September
Grassington 1940s Weekend: 20 -22 September
Richmond Walking & Book Festival: 20 - 29 September
Yarndale: 28 – 29 September
Masham Sheep Fair: 28 - 29 September
Yorkshire Dales Cheese Festival, Celebrating Local Produce: 11 to 14 October

Which events have I missed? What are your favourite events? Any photos to share?
Image by Stephen Garnett Photography.

18/06/2024

Coming to Swaledale? Here's a taste of the huge range of wildflowers to see in the dale at the moment. Click on my blog post below for a pictorial wildflower walk.

A Wildflower Wander from Keld to Muker over Kisdon Hill and return through Keld Woods The month of June is paradise for lovers of wild flowe...

15/06/2024

11/06/2024

Great place to stop for coffee & cake or lunch when you are in the Reeth area, either enjoying one of the many walks starting in Reeth or merely passing through.

We weren't expecting that when we opened the Darlington & Stockton Times newspaper this week.. Our cafe reviewed in the Eating Out feature by Hannah Chapman. We think the visit was made on a very busy Bank Holiday weekend. Really great review, we're well pleased with that. Thanks to Bren and our awesome team for all the hard work, keeping standards high and great customer service.

07/06/2024

Where would we be without tractors? They're work-horses, ancient and modern, used as transport, haulage and even a focus for leisure time tinkering?

I've often thought that if tractors carried a list of the jobs they do on their rear, bad tempered motorists travelling behind them on narrow country lanes would feel very differently.

Is there any other vehicle that inspires such incredible love and loyalty as the humble tractor? Obviously much of this is due to the tractor's many essential roles in farming but it feels like more than just that.

Toddlers can go into raptures of joy just to spot a tractor toy, and are beside themselves when they see the real thing. For some that attraction never goes away. Look at the line up of tractors at one of our Dales country shows, and you'll see the pride and love for even (or maybe especially?) the oldest, most basic models, They've been fettled and polished, absorbing countless hours of care.

This weekend Tractor Fest takes place at Newby Hall & Gardens where you'll be able to see hundreds of tractors and machines, as well as a slightly strange sight commemorating D-Day - a life-size knitted (yes, that's right) tank created by a committed team of volunteers. More tractors can be seen at Masham Steam Engine and Fair Organ Rally on 20th and 21st July.

You can also see some lovely line ups at our agricultural shows through out the summer.

05/06/2024

Love to peek inside private gardens? You'll get your chance over the next few weeks with open gardens events. It's a great way to see some wonderfully varied private gardens which are normally hidden from view, enjoy teas and cakes, plant sales, and sometimes music too - all at the same time as raising money for charities and communities.

It can be tricky to find out all the information for these events, which are often only promoted locally so I'll start a thread here and if you know of any you can also add them in the comments?

The National Garden Scheme Yorkshire (known affectionately as the 'Yellow Book') is a good place to start. Openings include Old Sleningford near Mickley (8th/9th June), Jervaulx Hall near Jervaulx Abbey (12th June, 7th Aug), Langcliffe Hall near Settle (30 June).

Many gardens are opened informally for local charities and community groups. If you're lucky sometimes a group of local residents open their gardens so you can see many at once. Here are some of the events I've recently spotted:

Mr. Yorke's Walled Garden, Richmond - 9th June Marcia McLuckie may add some details in the comments

Snape Open Gardens - 22nd - 23rd June

Mickley Open Gardens - 23rd June

Carperby Open Gardens - 30th June

We're also opening our riverside garden in Masham for the evening of 29th June. Message for details - it would be lovely to meet some of you!

Do please add any more you know of, or photos of ones you've previously enjoyed

02/06/2024

31/05/2024

Watch out for the power of ancient graffiti! Why witches can't get into my house... Let's go back in time to the 16th and 17th century... Many people were fearful and suspicious, convinced that witches dwelt among them, that the wrong action might result in a visit from evil spirits. Ritual acts were performed to bring good luck or protect against wicked forces. Cats, shoes and other clothes were concealed within buildings, under floors, in ceilings and chimneys.

Special marks were carved into stone or wood. These protection marks took several forms and resemble carved graffiti. You've probably seen some in old houses or buildings and perhaps not paid it any attention. Many of these 'Marian symbols' were carved as associations with the Virgin Mary e.g. VV - Virgin of Virgins, or AM - Ave Maria.

There's a date stone on the outside of our house. It says Thomas Webster Milner (the old word for miller - it's an old mill), Anno Dom, and then just underneath, 1706. Next to this you can see a flower shape, a daisy. For many years I foolishly assumed this was just a showy flourish the stonemason had carved.

​An architectural historian corrected me: the daisy wheel shape is actually a type of protection mark, known as a 'hexfoil' and carved into walls and wood to ward off evil spirits, keep out witches and bring good luck to the building. So we're fine...

Look a little closer at lintels on old buildings, on beams inside them and you'll notice all kinds of clues that most people miss. I love to find the oldest date stone when I visit villages, often with the initials of the original occupier. It's amazing to see that obvious pride and to wonder about their lives.

What signs from old times have you spotted?

22/05/2024

A wonderful array of wild flowers to find when you come to Swaledale. Click on my blog to find out which is my favourite.

Flowers of Swaledale Swaledale is famous for its flower rich hay meadows that stand knee high in buttercups, pignut, wood's cranebill, clove...

21/05/2024

Wonderful Whamp Bridge, built in 1840 see date stamp, that spans the River Swale at Pry House Farm. Perfect place to paddle and picnic on your own private stretch of the river.

13/05/2024

A sea of golden Marsh Marigolds. Safe nesting for curlew, oyster catchers, lapwings and redshank.