Posted by Becs on May 25, 2009 in
Places 
Cheese, beer, BBQ walks.
2 hours North of Manchester are the Yorkshire Dales and Swaledale is at the top. We bravely camped in the first week in May in Keld (where apparently it always rains – but not when we were there!).
We stayed at Rukins campsite which is located on the Pennine Way and is therefore nicely busy with walkers and campers.
The campsite has amazing views over the dales, a small shop, cafe (lush bacon & egg sarnies) and a stream where you can build your own fire. It’s brilliant and there are some decent pubs nearby – one is a bit of a hike into Muker but well worth it for the views and, obviously, the beer.
The Sunday Times recently reckoned it was one of the best walks in Britain (after we had visited of course!).
We had a great time there and we think you would too!
Posted by Dunc on May 13, 2009 in
Food Shopping,
Places 
As part of Carry On Britain’s mini tour of the Yorkshire Dales, we descended on the little town of Masham. Home to two of Yorkshire’s finest breweries; Black Sheep and Theakston’s, it seemed rude not to at least have a little taste!
After our cheese eating session at Wensleydale Creamery, we needed something to quench our thirst so we pointed the Sat Nav at Masham, full steam ahead!.
First up was the Black Sheep Brewery. Unfortunately we’d just missed the guided toor and with nearly an hour till the next one, we decided to grab a pint of the black stuff and mull over our next move.
A little about Black Sheep Brewery…
Started back in October 1992 by maverick brewer Paul Theakston, Black Sheep was the result of Scottish and Newcastle gaining control of the Theakston’s family brewery T & R Theakston Ltd in 1987. Not wanting to be part of the changes afoot in the old family business, but not wanting to leave Masham either, Paul decided that the small brewery life was for him and set about building the Black Sheep Brewery that we know and love today.
Built on the site of the old Lightfoot brewery, Black Sheep’s premises house the brewing plant along with a vistor centre including a bistro and shop. The centre is a large open space which, while very nice, did have a slight feel of the corporate chain-pub to it (but maybe that’s just me – I love small, cosy, country pubs). The food did look and smell amazing though. I can’t comment on the tour as we didn’t take part, but I’ve heard good reports (from me mum, amongst others) so it’s probably worth a visit. If you have been, leave a comment below and let us know what you thought!
The beer…
Black Sheep brew 3 Cask Ales:
Best Bitter
Far and away their best selling cask beer, a well hopped, light golden best bitter with a distinctive, dry, refreshing taste, to be enjoyed in true Black Sheep style through a rich creamy head.
Brewed using traditional methods and finest ingredients.
Black Sheep Ale
Full flavoured premium bitter, with a rich fruity aroma. It is brewed with many generous handfuls of choice Golding hops giving a bittersweet malty taste, followed by Black Sheep’ characteristic long, dry and bitter finish.
Riggwelter
The pick of the Black Sheep flock – a strong deep chestnut brown beer with a rich near-white head and the aroma of freshly roasted coffee.
A wonderfully complex palate with hints of coffee, bananas and liquorice leading to a classic Golding hop finish.
The verdict…
Best Bitter is definitely my favourite of the 3. It’s a light golden session beer with a deliciously dry refreshing taste. Black Sheep Ale has a slightly more fuller flavour and bitter finish, whereas Riggwelter (when a sheep is on its back and can’t get up without help, it is said to be ‘riggwelted’) has a very distinctive taste and smell of roasted coffee which was a little strong for my pallete – nice for something different, but not a session beer. A few pints and it would indeed put you on your back!
All in all – good stuff! I would like to go back sometime and do the full brewery tour.
Next stop – Theakton’s Brewery…
This weekend saw the Carry on Britain team travelling to the Yorkshire Dales in search of cheese and good bitter (I know, so easily pleased). Over the next few days each one of the team will give a round up of what we did and where we went but I will kick off with a basic round up and to talk about the best and the most important (in my opinion) WENSLEYDALE CHEESE.
Ok, so this weekend the team and I packed up the car full of camping equipment and essentials such as toilet roll and beer and headed to the Yorkshire Dales. After a brief break on the side of the M61 to mourn the loss of the camping chair that fell out the roof box, we arrived in good time. We pitched up the tent (more about the campsite later) then headed out for a walk to a pub in Muker for lunch and refreshments. We spent the afternoon drinking beer, eating ploughman’s lunches and soaking up the sunshine. That evening we spent the evening making a fire (a real necessity when camping in early May) and having a bbq. It was only later when we retired to the pub to get warm that we realized soaking up the sunshine resulted in the reddest nose I have ever seen, my nose has only just returned to normal 3 days later!
On Sunday, after a rubbish nights sleep we decided to go home via Wensleydale and the Black Sheep brewery.
So now the best bit……
WENSLEYDALE CHEESE. Oh my god!!!! HEAVEN!
We did the tour (which was a fantastic bargain at £2.50 per person) and saw where the cheese is made and watched a video on the whole process. All very interesting, but I was itching to get to the best bit. The shop, the shop where you can taste all the Wensleydale cheeses.
So what was on offer? Wensleydale, Mature Wensleydale, Extra Mature Wensleydale, Yorkshire Blue, Smoked Blue, Wensleydale with cranberries, blueberries, mango and papaya, Wensleydale with chives, Wensleydale with Onion and also Wensleydale with ginger. Not forgetting Goats milk Wensleydale and also Cheddar with wholegrain mustard 
It was brilliant. We bought loads. My favourites were the Yorkshire Blue and the Wensleydale with onions, but my ultimate favourite is Wensleydale with mango and papaya. We also brought a ginger Wensleydale cheesecake, which did rock my world – No cheesecake will ever live up to that! All in all…very exciting. After that we decided to go to the Black Sheep Brewery and then to Theakston’s Brewery where I had a bitter revelation and things went slowly downhill (in a good way) from there.
