Fun in the Yorkshire Dales

Having spent a week in the Yorkshire Dales last summer, we decided to go back and sample more of the delights of this Area of Oustanding Natural Beauty and we weren't disappointed. Not only that, a week in a cottage in Masham, food, petrol and all the following days out cost, in total, around a quarter of that of our week at Center Parcs. (Hmmmmmm ........... food for thought)

So here's what we did.

We had a lovely day walking at Aysgarth Falls, after buying up half of the stock of the Wensleydale Creamery ("Abbot's Bronze" is the best cheese ever!):

After a morning at Middleham admiring the racehorses and watching them train on the Gallops:

there was an amazing trip to The Forbidden Corner (even after two hours we hadn't managed to find all the items on the list in this weird and wonderful garden!):

We had a free day at Lightwater Valley Theme Park (TGFTesco Clubcard points):

We enjoyed climbing all over the rocks at Brimham Rocks:

Whilst walking the Masham Leaf Trail (a walk punctuated with sculptures of leaves symbolising things about the area) daughter was delighted to be joined on our walk by a few ponies who wandered across the stream to see her:

We had a super day at Fountain's Abbey......


.............. and Studley Royal:

There was dressing up both at the Ripon Museums and at Fountain's Hall:

and of course, a trip to the Black Sheep Brewery, fudge from Joneva and ice cream from the Brymor Ice Cream Farm.

Guess I'll be going back on the diet now........