Buttertubs

Swaledale mini break 1

I was lucky enough to be able to have another short break last month, this time to the northernmost sector of the Yorkshire Dales: Swaledale. The journey up through the Dales from Saltaire is spectacular - from Airedale, up through Wharfedale, Langstrothdale, over Fleet Moss, down through Sleddale to Hawes in Wensleydale and then - most breathtaking of all - from Hawes over to Thwaite in Swaledale, via the Buttertubs Pass. That road is on my photo above - and the Buttertubs are in the two pictures below. 

The Buttertubs are 20m deep limestone potholes, supposed to be where farmers would rest on their way to the market in Hawes. It's said that they would lower their tubs of butter into the holes to keep them cool. Not sure how true the old tale is, but they are certainly interesting natural structures. 

The road's other 'claim to fame' was that it featured as one of three categorised climbs in Stage One of the 2014 Tour de France - 'Col de Buttertubs'. It is a particularly challenging climb that cyclists still test themselves on. 

There are one or two places where you can safely pull off the narrow road to take in the amazing views. Swaledale is relatively sparsely populated compared to the other dales, but probably has more stone barns (cow 'usses) than all the rest put together.