Editor's Letter

Welcome to the first Dales Life of 2023. This is an exciting time of year: the days are longer, new buds and shoots are emerging, and our local birdlife is very much in evidence.

And on the subject of birds, the once rare little egret has been popping up increasingly frequently in the Dales. Find out about this elegant newcomer on page 18.

Did you know that the UK is home to over half the world’s population of bluebells? There are plenty of other interesting flowers to look out for in the Dales too – check out our photo-feature on page 33.

As for plants even closer to home, nothing beats growing your own vegetables – and now is the perfect time to start. Turn to page 40 for some in-depth advice.

Finally, a piece of good news for readers living in areas our distribution team can’t cover. We’ve introduced lots of new collection points, and even commissioned some smart new counter stands to put in them! View the collection points

Sue Gillman – Editor