Mooker mucker mew-ker - Muker - wonderful whatever you call it

Mooker, Muck-er, mew-ker... However you say it, Muker* in Swaledale is a tiny place, much-loved and especially popular with walkers and photographers. Muker is beautiful all year round but it's particularly wonderful in June when the wildflower meadows are in full flower. Make sure you stick to the paths - there are flagstoned paths in some of the fields so you can get closer to admire the myriad varieties of wildflowers.

Over recent years the hay meadows have become even more precious. Farmers are working with the Yorkshire Dales National Park & Yorkshire Dales Millennium Trust to use more traditional haymaking methods and cut the hay after the wildflowers have had time to set their seed, ensuring future crops are just as lush.

You can get another insight into farming life at the Muker Show Muker Show on the first Wednesday in September, when you can usually hear the marvellous Muker Silver Band, established in 1897.

Make sure you peak inside the beautiful St. Mary's Church in Muker. I'm fascinated by the pictures of previous vicars including the one below on a tricycle. Having walked up and down some of the neighbouring hills and parishes, I can't imagine he got very far on his bike although I love the idea of him free-wheeling and whooshing down the hills! From the graveyard you can peak over the wall into some of Muker's wonderful wild flower meadows. I especially like the abandoned door on the roof of one the old farm buildings.

The Old School Art Gallery is lovely, with a changing range of carefully curated exhibitions and displays from local artists and makers.Neighbouring Swaledale Woollens sell locally hand-knitted wool garments and skin products using lanolin (the natural oil in sheep wool).

*Muker is pronounced mew-ker