Curious

You may already know Malham Tarn, but what about the Yorkshire Dales' other naturally formed small lake? Hidden in tiny Raydale close to Wensleydale, Semerwater is much loved by walkers and water sports enthusiasts. There's a circular footpath from the lake foreshore, or you could follow the footpath along one of England's shortest named rivers - River Bain which meanders over a couple of miles to Bainbridge. By the time it arrives there, it's powerful enough to turn an Archimedes Screw and prod…

How do you feel about ghosts and shadows of the past? Have you heard of witches' marks or apotropaic marks? We didn't realise it when we bought our house, but in theory our house is protected by one of them...

I'm not sure I entirely believe in ghosts or witches, but a few experiences have shown me how the past can echo down the years. Many years ago we stayed near the Bolton Abbey Estate, in Beamsley Hospital, a beautiful 16th/17th century Landmark Trust property, once home to impoverished gentl…

Hawthorn trees are associated with May Day and many ancient customs. Blossoming hawthorn trees are one of the signs that Spring is really here, and known as the May Tree. Heard the expression: "ne'er cast a clout till May be out"? It doesn't mean don't take off any clothes ('clout'- old word for clothes) such as your wool vest, until the end of May. Rather it means that Spring hasn't properly arrived until the May tree flowers are out.

Hawthorn's associated with another saying: "to hold a torch f…

Ingredients for a perfect trip? I think Askrigg has them all: lovely location; great walks to Aysgarth and Worton; James Herriot connections; excellent pubs and The Bake-well cafe (fab cakes); and quirky historical features.

You might find that Askrigg already looks familiar: probably thanks to its fame as a key location for the BBC's James Herriot's All Creatures Great and Small, using one of the houses as Skeldale House and the King's Arms as the Drovers'. You can see photos from the filming in…

Ever wondered about the original of pub names? Go to a pub and you're continuing a tradition that probably started in Roman times, when they developed a network of sort-of-inns to offer refreshment for workers and travellers. The King of Wessex apparently established legal ale houses in the 7th century but the main contributors to the English pub were monks.

The Romans were the first to paint signs outside buildings to indicate the profession of the inhabitants. The large illiterate population de…

There are some places that are so special, I'm in two minds about sharing them. Betty's Vintage hut is one of these. Over the years I’ve carried out a lot of ‘research’ into special places for afternoon teas. The Waldorf, Langham, Café Royal in London, grand country house hotels, beautiful gardens, stately homes – you name it, whether it was for work (I’ve been paid for writing about cake – it’s an actual job…!) or pleasure, I’ve tried quite a few places.

Some have beautiful settings but disappoi…

Bones in the market place, an odd name, plenty of beer, sheep and creative people - where? Masham - it’s ‘peculier’…

The ‘peculier’ bit doesn’t relate to its folk (although…) but to medieval times when the Archbishop of York couldn’t be bothered to travel to Masham to oversee its affairs. So Masham was designated a ‘peculier’ with its own court and government. It’s now better known as the home of Black Sheep Brewery and Theakston Brewery, which created Old Peculier beer.

Masham’s other claim to fa…

There was a time when you might have been very relieved to come across the distinctive AA telephone box that stands sentry on the A684 between Leyburn and Hawes near the West Burton turn-off. Such boxes were built in the 1950s and phased out in 2002. 

The Automobile Association started to install their network of sentry boxes across the UK in 1912. This was when driving was in its infancy and the newly invented motor car broke down quite frequently. The first AA boxes did not include telephones b…

Has anyone ever made a 'laughing stock' of you? I love noticing small details, bits of history that have been around for ever, half-forgotten. Village stocks are surprisingly prevalent still. A law was passed in 1350 called the Stature of Labourers to order that every village and town in England should have village stocks. The last recorded use was in Rugby in 1865. ​

They were used for minor miscreants, such as vagabonds who'd drunk too much. Victims were kept in the stocks for at least a few ho…

Have you heard of the 'Terrible Knitters of Dent'? Nowadays Dent is a tiny, quiet little hill village near Sedbergh in the Yorkshire Dales National Park, instantly recognisable for its whitewashed cottages. Until the 19th century, Dent would have resounded with the clickety clack of hundreds of knitting needles! In those days knitting wasn't an activity associated with women or hobbies - it was something done by men, women and children and was an essential way to supplement meagre incomes.

Whethe…