Wensleydale – Beer, cheese and beautiful scenery

By Peter Hunt

Wensleydale is one of the most northerly of the Yorkshire Dales, with beautiful scenery, excellent walking and plenty to see and do for all ages.

Wensleydale from Capplebank
Copyright Anthony Harrison

Wensleydale is home to the famous cheese, made with milk drawn from cows grazing the limestone pastures in the upper dale. The modern creamery is in the thriving market town of Hawes towards the head of the dale and is a great example of a local enterprise benefiting the community. In 1992 the then owners Dairy Crest, a London stock market listed company, planned to close the creamery and move production of Wensleydale cheese to, heaven forbid, Lancashire. A management buyout not only saved the jobs and brought ownership into local hands, but has grown the business, developed a major tourist attraction and created employment in a rural area, thanks in part to the marketing campaign based around the animated characters Wallace and Gromit, the former who in his own words, ‘likes a nice bit of Wensleydale'.

Why Alnwick is fast becoming a popular short break destination

By Peter Hunt

The delightful market town of Alnwick in Northumberland is fast becoming a highly popular short break destination, and when you visit you will soon discover why. The town is home to the magnificent Alnwick Castle and the inspired Alnwick Garden. It also has one of the largest second hand bookshops in the UK - Barter Books which is housed in the town's old railway station.

Alnwick Castle
Q Copyright Ken Crosby

The castle dominates Alnwick. It is one of the most stunning fortified buildings in Europe and one of the largest inhabited castles in England. Not surprisingly it is known as The Windsor of the North. The castle has stood over the town since medieval times and you may recognise it from its recent starring role as Hogwarts in the Harry Potter series of films.

Cambridge Attractions: Old and New

By Sean Nicholls

Cambridge is perhaps unique in the UK as a place where the progressive and modern exist comfortably alongside the genteel and traditional. At any time of the year, hotels in Cambridge are booked up by visitors from around the world hoping to take in all the city and its surroundings have to offer.

Clare College & King's College Chapel, Cambridge
Q Copyright Oast House Archive 

Cambridge is arguably most famous for being a university town. Many of the university's buildings are iconic structures in their own right and boast long and fascinating histories. Fortunately, these beautiful and magnificent buildings not only add charm to the landscape of the city, they are also open to visitors most of the year.

Food and Drink in the Heart of Leicestershire

King Street, Melton Mowbray

Q Copyright Martin Addison 

Melton Mowbray is a small market town in rural Leicestershire. Every year at the beginning of October, it becomes a mecca for foodies from all over the country when it hosts the East Midlands Food and Drink Festival. (Dates for this year: 6/7 October)

Admission to the festival costs £6 per person or just £5 for pre-booked tickets and children under 16 go free! Click here to pre-book your tickets now.

York: A city rich in history

York has a rich Roman, Saxon and Viking history. It's a great place to go for a day out or week-end away.

York City Walls
Copyright Lisa Jarvis and licensed for reuse under this Creative Commons licence 

A good way to start exploring York might be to take a stroll around the city walls, some of which have been there since Roman times. Within the walls, you'll find a network of historic streets full of interesting shops, restaurants, bars and cafés. The daily open air market has over 100 stalls selling fresh produce, clothes, plus crafts and gifts.