Our Autumn issue is almost here; grab your free copy from the 11th September View collection points

Welcome

Autumn in the Dales is magical. The hedgerows are laden with fruit and the woodlands are ablaze with colour. It’s a wonderful time to improve our physical and mental wellbeing by connecting with nature.

One of the most spectacular autumn phenomena here in North Yorkshire is the arrival of the tens of thousands of migrating birds that make our region their winter home. Geese are some of the most notable of these seasonal visitors, and on page 20 Brian Pike takes a closer look at these intrepid long-distance travellers.

Staying on the subject of nature, did you know that we have rainforest here in the Dales? A very special kind of rainforest, but rainforest nonetheless. The Yorkshire Wildlife Trust is working hard to restore this lush and species-rich habitat, which you can read about on page 26.

Autumn is also a great time to be out working in your garden. If you’re a tulip lover, you will definitely want to be planning next spring’s display right now, so turn to page 32 for inspiration and some handy tips. You can find more gardening tips and ideas in our Garden Notes section on page 39.

On days when the weather is less clement many of us take comfort in our kitchens and in this issue we have a bumper collection of recipes. On page 56 we celebrate local seasonal produce and you can learn exciting ways of using fine oils and vinegars on page 64.

Dales Life will be back in early December. Until then, here’s hoping this issue helps you make the most of all the delights autumn has to offer!

Sue Gillman – Editor