An
exhilarating 90 miles across the glorious high country of the Yorkshire
Dales
Walk this
spectacular landscape from Saltaire to Appleby-in-Westmorland
Explore
its rich history, geology and culture
Return
with a breathtaking train ride along England's most beautiful railway
More
than just a walk
"For those who love long-distance walking, this new 90-mile route from
Saltaire, near Shipley, to Appleby will be a delight."
- Ann Clarke, Westmorland
Gazette
"Their description of
the route makes you want to pull your boots on and set off
immediately."
- Mike Priestley, T&A
"An excellent and
innovative route which is to be highly recommended for dedicated
fell walkers - my feet are itching to get started on this
walk!"
- Peter G. Davies, FoSCL
magazine
"The authors suggest the
return journey should be by train along the stunning Settle-Carlisle
Railway and I can think of no better way to end this spectacular
walk."
- Ann Clarke, Westmorland
Gazette
News en
route
A Tale of Two Festivals
The eighth Dent Folk Festival got under way on Friday, in a
field just outside Sedbergh. Meanwhile the first Dentdale Music
and Beer Festival got underway, in Dent.
The Dentdale Festival site on Saturday
afternoon (Above).
Andy Irving plays at the Dent Festival on Friday night
(below)
Confused? Some of those who turned up certainly were, unsure
which festival they were at. But it all ended well as both events
looked to be resounding successes, with the scorching June
sunshine emerging just on cue. Plenty of people and a few
performers ended up travelling to and fro between the two
festivals.
The Dent Folk Festival has gained a deserved excellent
reputation on the folk circuit. But it's growing success led
organisers to look for a new venue.
"In a nutshell we have outgrown our original site in
Dentdale and although we are very sad to leave we didn't really
have much choice if the festival was to continue. So we are moving
to an absolutely stunning setting at Buck Bank Farm under the
Howgill Fells near Sedbergh, Englands book town" organisers
said.
But some Dent locals didn't want to lose their local festival
and so decided to organise their own to fill the void. And what a
fine job they made of it. A true community festival combining beer
and music - and all completely free.
As they describe it: "Musicians have been coming to Dent
for many years to enjoy the views, meet friends and enjoy the
crack, so The Dent Folk Festival was born out of this initiative
and continued to grow year on year until 2008, when it reached
bursting point. This is why Dent has a new name for 2009 -
Dentdale Music & Beer Festival, as the old committee and the
name has moved several miles up the road to a brand new home /
venture to accommodate the full growth potential it deserves - we
wish them well!
"So here's to a brand new chapter in bringing great music
to Dentdale."
The Dent Festival's Sedbergh campsite was packed by Friday
evening. Camping at the new site generates additional income for
the festival and allows some top performers to be booked. Kila and
the FOS Brothers were sold out a month in advance. Others
appearing include the legendry Andy Irving, Solas, Ade Edmundson
and the Bad Shepherds, and Black Umfolosi.
Meanwhile back in Dent the line up was more modest but no less
entertaining, with perfomers including Martin Stimpson, Last
Orders, the Duncan McFarlane Band and Gordon Giltrap. The
atmosphere was fantastic, campsites were heaving and getting a
pint in the local pubs for the packed impromptu music sessions was
proving to be a difficult task.
Both festivals look certain to be repeated next year. Can
Sedbergh and Dent sustain two festivals? Judging by this weekend
the answer seems to be an emphatic Yes.
Crisis for hill farmers could damage upland landscape
Hill farmers are facing a crisis as their incomes plummet and
youngsters turn away from the hard, precarious lifestyle. And
fears that a collapse in
hill farming will also damage the landscape were expressed to a
new inquiry into the plight of upland communities, which begins
preparing its final report this month.
"Without hill farmers, much of the beautiful British
countryside which we take for granted could very quickly become
unkempt, inaccessible and poorly maintained" said Tim Farron,
MP for Westmorland and Lonsdale. "The average income of a
hill farmer is around £8,000. Up to 85% have no one in place to
take over the business when they retire."
Evidence given to the inquiry shows that the average net income
for a hill farmer dropped from £17,459 in 2004 to £10,786 last
year, a fall of 40%. The average age of hill farmers is 59 with
over one in five already past retirement age. Changes in
subsidies, designed to reduce overgrazing, have generally meant
cuts in income for hill farmers. Many are selling up. The number
of small farms in the Dales National Park area has halved since
the mid 1950's.
The Inquiry into the future for England's upland communities
will release an initial draft report in July with the final report
going to the Prime Minister in September. The Inquiry has been
held by the Commission for Rural Communities, created in 2005 to
provide independent government advice.
Countryside Tsar Stuart Burgess, who chairs the Commission, set
about visiting rural farms, pubs, homes and businesses. He was
shocked by what he found and urged the government to initiate the
inquiry, telling the Prime Minister: "I believe the future of
our hill farming communities merits particular attention. There
needs to be a stronger recognition that the management of these
upland landscapes and environment has a real economic and social
value, alongside the production of food and crops.".
Burgess, the former leader of the Methodist Church, was made a
CBE in the Queens birthday Honours List this weekend.
As the temperature soars Appleby is preparing for a huge turnout
this week at the annual Horse Fair. Around 10,000 Gypsies and
Travellers are expected, with another 30,000 visitors who come to
enjoy the spectacle. All this in a town with a normal population
of just 2,500.
The fair is based around Fair Hill, where some 1800 caravans
will gather, and runs from this Thursday to next Wednesday, with
the weekend being the busiest time.
The annual fair is run under a Royal Charter and has been held
since at least 1750. It is not an organised event as such, just a
traditional gathering of Romany and Irish families travelling to
meet up with old friends, celebrate their culture and conduct
business - particularly buying and selling horses. It is probably
the biggest and oldest such gathering in Europe.
There's a definite touch of the wild west about the event but the anarchic atmosphere doesn't suit
everyone's sensibilities.
Chief Superintendent Steve Johnson said he recognised the mixed
emotions that the local community had about the fair and the
police's responsibility to manage the potential for public
disorder.
"It is also vital that we respect the traditions of the
fair and make sure that we are sensitive to the gypsy and traveller
cultures, which have been around far longer than our policing
operation" he said.
An estimated 1500 horses will be sold over
the six days. Sellers wash them in the River Eden and run them on the
so-called Flashing Lane in front of potential buyers. This year the RSPCA has doubled the number of
inspectors it has attending to 20.
The Horse Fair has been growing in popularity in recent years
and the best way to visit is by train. The chances of booking
accommodation in Appleby at this time are nil.
Brigantes offer baggage service to A Dales High Way
Brigantes, one of the best known baggage couriers for walkers
in the Yorkshire
Dales and the north of England, have now added A Dales High Way to
the routes they cover. For a modest fee they will pick up and
transfer your baggage from stop to stop, giving you the freedom to
enjoy each day's walking carrying only a day bag.
They can also offer a full holiday service, arranging and
booking accommodation for the entire walk.
Mike Schofield of Brigantes said; "We have already had
quite a few enquiries regarding the Dales High Way, and indeed
secured a number of bookings. From past experience we have found
that new routes tend to take up to two years to become known, so
for us to have even one booking for a new walk is good news.
Everyone we have spoken to about the new walk has given a good
opinion of it and we are sure it will prove to be popular."
A Dales High Way was launched as a new long distance route last
September. Author Chris Grogan said: "A lot of people have
asked us if any baggage couriers covered the route, so we are
really pleased Brigantes have picked it up. They are a well known
local company with a good reputation and I'm sure they will help
make the walk a real experience to remember."
Brigantes have been in business transferring baggage and
providing walking holiday packages for the main long distance
routes in the north for twenty years. The Pennine Way, the Dales
Way, the Coast to Coast, the Cleveland Way and the Inn Way walks
are amongst the most popular. It looks like A Dales High Way is
set to join them.
"At £6.99 this is an
excellently-produced, pocket-sized publication, printed in full
colour on quality paper."
- Mike Priestley,
T&A
"This pocket sized book
contains many interesting photographs and informative descriptions
of the history, geology and the culture of the area - worth buying
for these alone."
- Jay Dingley, Strider
"It contains
large-scale coloured maps for every two to four miles of the
route, and these are full of detailed helpful directions."
- Keith Wadd,
West Riding Rambler
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in
hill farming will also damage the landscape were expressed to a
new inquiry into the plight of upland communities, which begins
preparing its final report this month.
with another 30,000 visitors who come to
enjoy the spectacle. All this in a town with a normal population
of just 2,500.
Way to
the routes they cover. For a modest fee they will pick up and
transfer your baggage from stop to stop, giving you the freedom to
enjoy each day's walking carrying only a day bag.
