A look ahead to the Yorkshire Dales Cheese Festival

Celebrate all things cheese in the Yorkshire Dales

Great British Life: Learn about cheese making at festival demonstrations Learn about cheese making at festival demonstrations (Image: supplied)

The Yorkshire Dales Cheese Festival returns this September with double the number of events and activities following the success of last year’s inaugural event. One of the new events will put a cheesy slant on the War of the Roses by holding a week-long tasting competition fiercely pitting fromage from Yorkshire against Lancashire-produced cheeses.

The Bolton Arms at Redmire near Leyburn will be asking guests to taste cheeses from each county and then vote for their favourite during the festival which takes place September 15th-23rd. Other plans are already well underway with more than 50 events lined up that will enable visitors to satisfy their cheese cravings while savouring some of the best beauty spots in the Yorkshire Dales National Park and Nidderdale Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty.

While Yorkshire-produced cheese will take top billing, a vast array of locally-produced food will also be celebrated at restaurants, cafés, shops, visitor attractions and dairy specialists that are holding events including talks, demonstrations and savoury afternoon teas as well as six-course gourmet tasting menus.

Wensleydale Creamery at Hawes, home of Wallace and Grommit’s favourite cheese, will set the celebrations rolling with its two-day mini Cheese Festival on September 15th and 16th with 35 stalls of local produce and all-things-cheese as well as cookery demonstrations, tastings and pairings, butter making and live music.

Great British Life: Secrets of cheese making are revealed during talks at the festival Secrets of cheese making are revealed during talks at the festival (Image: supplied)

The celebrations close on September 22nd with a new Beer and Beef Festival hosted by Brymor Ice Cream near Masham featuring locally-reared Dexter beef and locally-produced ales plus live music and entertainment.

‘Yorkshire has some fine cheeses, delicious produce and recipes that taste all the better when consumed in the stunning Dales surroundings,’ said Helen Dalton, destination co-ordinator for the Yorkshire Dales National Park Authority. ‘The festival won’t just be about eating though, as talks and sporty endeavours are also being planned that will pay homage to our fromage and Yorkshire’s heritage for cheese-making,’ she added.