Quaint gateway to the Dales
AN award-wiNNiNg local museum, the world’s oldest sweetshop and a high street once voted ‘Best in Britain’, all slap-bang in the middle of an area of Outstanding Beauty on the outskirts of the Yorkshire dales National Park.
No, this isn’t York, Harrogate, richmond or ripon. it’s Pateley Bridge, ‘capital’ of Nidderdale. Never heard of it? You’re not alone, which is why this small market town is never too crowded.
But it’s much more than ‘the perfect place to start your exploration of the Yorkshire dales’ (as a local tourist guide has it). with an abundance of locally produced food and drink, an art gallery of original movie posters, and what might just be the country’s best hot chocolate, there are plenty of reasons to go.
Start at Cocoa Joe’s (41 High Street). Each delicious cup of hot (or iced) chocolate — made with real chocolate (not powder) and sourced worldwide — is made to order, so take your time choosing the perfect blend with advice from the experts, and try out samples before deciding.
Next door, at number 39, is the guinness Book Of records’ Oldest Sweet Shop in The world, trading continuously since 1827. Like traditional sweet shops of old, the goodies are stored in large glass jars on shelves, while an antique till rings up prices — but it’s also bang-up-to-date and now takes online orders. a short walk leads to King Street, and the Nidderdale Museum.
Based in a Victorian workhouse, the museum punches well above its weight. as well as an immersive lead mining tunnel, there’s a complete Victorian schoolroom, and artefacts covering local life back to the ice age.
Talking of this geologic period, four miles east of town you can marvel at the dramatic effect ice had on a series of rocks, which have rather interesting names: druid’s Stone, Lover’s Leap, Baboon’s Face and Smartie Tube. They can be found at Brimham rocks, 400 acres of moorland criss-crossed by public footpaths and the backdrop to many films, including Jane Eyre (1996) and wuthering Heights (1970).
Back in town, don’t miss The Tordoff gallery (6 High Street) with its collection of more than 7,000 original movie posters, lovingly collected over 50 years by co-owner Eric Broadbelt. He began his career as a celebrity hairdresser — he was behind Mia Farrow’s famous ‘pixie’ haircut, apparently — but his passion has always been film. This is now the largest gallery of film posters outside London.
Pateley Bridge has twice been voted one of the country’s best places to live, as well as being a past winner of the great British High Street award. and there’s a bonus if you visit on September 22, as the town plays host to the Nidderdale Show. regarded as one of the county’s best agricultural shows, this regularly draws big crowds to events such as the dry-stone walling competition, show jumping, sheep dog trials and livestock competitions.
Then again, with so much on offer in such a small place, every day is show day in the Yorkshire dales’ Pateley Bridge.