Our Spring Issue is here; grab your free copy before they all disappear! View collection points

Welcome

Sue Gillman

Spring is a glorious time in the Dales. Animals and birds are making the most of the lengthening days. The trees are coming into leaf and the hedgerows are bristling with wild flowers.

The primrose is one of the plants most associated with spring, and it has some wonderfully varied and colourful relatives that definitely deserve a place in your garden. You can read more about them on page 32.

One of the last mammals to wake from its winter slumbers is the dormouse. This charming little creature is now nationally rare, but conservationists have reintroduced it to some of its former haunts in the Dales. Find out more on page 26.

With Easter on the way we’ve gathered together some exciting recipes to inspire you to make the most of local seasonal produce. Yorkshire rhubarb and Yorkshire asparagus are showcased in our food feature A Taste of Spring on page 58. Meanwhile on page 66 Josh Barnes of the Swinton Estate shares a fantastic recipe using their home-reared venison.

The Dales is renowned for its meat, from grass-fed beef and tender pork to succulent lamb – and the recipes on page 86 will taste even more delicious if you source your meat locally from the fine farm shops and independent supermarkets to be found in the magazine.

One last thing: we have introduced lots of extra collection points for readers who have been struggling to find a copy of Dales Life, but please phone ahead before making a special trip – copies can disappear very quickly!

Sue Gillman's signature

Sue Gillman – Editor