Attractions

Originally built by local businessman Joseph Dover in 1837, Fairfield Mill, was one of five working mills in Sedbergh. After his death in 1839 his two sons James and John carried on the business, which stayed in the family over 100 years, with textile production continuing on the site for over 200 years until the mid-1992 when the mill closed.

In 1993 a local group established by members of the community began fundraising to purchase the Mill to preserve Sedbergh’s textile heritage. Today, Fairfield Mill is a fully restored Victorian woollen mill, the only working mill left in the Western Dales, complete with its working original Hutchinson & Hollingworth Dobcross looms.

Alongside this the Mill is also home to one of the UK’s leading venues for textile arts, a vibrant community of 20 resident artisan makers, with a further 60 makers showcasing traditional and contemporary arts and crafts on site.

Throughout the year visitors can explore the Heritage displays, experience the working looms in action, discover the regularly changing exhibitions, take part in the regular craft workshops and demonstrations, as well as having the chance to purchase arts and crafts from the array of artists and makers on site, as well as enjoying a cuppa and a slice of cake in the café.

www.farfieldmill.org

Discover what it was like to live and work in the Western Dales in years gone by, tracing the social history of this beautiful and secluded valley from Viking Times to the present day.

Housed in what was once the village’s petrol station the museum and heritage centre displays a wealth of artefacts, many of which have been rescued from local farms, donated by local families or rescued by the museum’s founders, Jim and Margaret Taylor, who themselves farmed at of High Laning Farm.

Alongside exhibits detailing life on the land, visitors can also find out about the Terrible Knitters of Dent and the valley’s part in the slave trade through the Sill family of Whernside Manor, as well as the valley’s important part in the industrial revolution with its coal mines, world famous railway the Settle-Carlisle line and Dent marble works used to create beautiful floors and fireplaces the world over, with a particularly famous examples found in the Tsar’s Winter Palace in St Petersburg.

After sampling the delights of the museum, visitors can also venture outside and follow the Flintergill Outrake and nature trail to stretch their legs.

https://museumsintheyorkshiredales.co.uk

If guest wish to keep their eye in out of season of practice during the season, we can arrange for guns to join the Crabtree Clay Pigeon Shoot, which offers interesting stands and varied set-ups.

Crabtree provides the ideal place for guns to hone their skills before the start of the season and for experienced clay-busters to improve their scores.

Non-shooting guests wanting to try their hand at shooting clays, can also take part with expert tuition available on site, children are also welcome to have a go too depending upon their age and build.

The First Timer Package provides the perfect opportunity to try the sport with expert guidance and tuition provided by Crabtree’s qualified coaches. The package includes gun hire, eye / ear protection and a full hour of tuition to get you started safely. Guest shots will also take you through safety precautions and site rules.

www.crabtreeclayshoot.co.uk

Sedbergh is the perfect location for anyone who wants to get off the beaten track and get stuck into some challenging mountain biking or road biking.

The market town provides access to a variety of routes including one of the toughest singletrack mountain bike rides in the UK. The Bowderdale Classic as it is known begins with a steep grassy push up Winder, before making its way along the ridge of the Howgills Fells to The Calf, before descending into Bowderdale, the return route via Ravestonedale Common and the foot of the Howgills.

The Pennine Bridleway, which ends at Street near Kirkby Stephen, also provides numerous possibilities for a great day out in the saddle.

Alongside this Sedbergh also offers road cycling opportunities aplenty too… with access to the fabulous road network to be found in the Yorkshire Dales, with classic climbs including the internationally famous climb of the Buttertubs Pass.

There are plenty of linear and circular routes too; including the 196-mile circular Lakes & Dales Loop, which passes through the market town on its journey around the Lake District, the Yorkshire Dales and the Eden Valley.

Riders can also access the circular 130-mile Yorkshire Dales Cycleway which links Skipton, Grassington, Malham, Settle, Ingleton, Dent, Hawes, Reeth and Kettlewell.

There are plenty of gentle family friendly roads to explore too on quite country lanes and bridleways including the stunning Smardale ride from Kirkby Stephen, which offers the opportunity to take a short walk to take in in an impressive 14 arch Victorian railway viaduct, medieval field system and stunning nature reserve.

To check out the road biking and mountain biking routes to be found in the area visit:

https://cyclethedales.org.uk

This is a must see for visitors to this corner of the Yorkshire Dales. This stunning 4.3mile, 7km circular walk opened its doors to the paying public in 1885 set against a dramatic backdrop of ancient woodlands and cascading waterfalls.

The walk is easy to follow as it traces the paths of two rivers, the Twiss and Doe, as they cascade over numerous waterfalls including Pecca Falls, Hollybush Spout, Thornton Force, Beezley Falls, Rival Falls, Baxenghyll Gorge and Snow Falls.

Alongside this the trail also takes in ancient native woodland with oak, hazel, ash and birch, along the way see if you can spot the famous Money Tree… and if you can… try and find a little space to hammer in a coin to bring you luck. While you are at it keep your eyes peeled along the way and see if you can spot the ancient Roman Road, known as Twisleton Lane, which linked Ingleborough the fort with the fort on the River Lune at Over Burrow.

www.ingletonwaterfallstrail.co.uk

The Wensleydale Creamery, in the Yorkshire Dales village of Hawes is home to the world-famous Yorkshire Wensleydale cheese and a popular visitor centre.

The new interactive experience takes you on a journey through the art of cheese-making, with the opportunity to watch Wensleydale cheese being made by in the creamery. Visitors can also enjoy a full programme of cheese-making and butter-making demonstrations, as well as cheese-grading and cheese tastings in the creamery’s new demonstration area, providing a fascinating insight into a thousand-year history of Wensleydale cheese making.

There’s lots for the little ones to do too with hands-on games and activities, with clips of your favourite Wallace & Gromit films, colouring kits, quizzes and puzzles too.

www.wensleydale.co.uk