Lofthouse - Distinctive Nidderdale community is a magnet for thrill-seekers

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To reach the village, motorists have to negotiate a narrow twisting route which may put daytrippers off but does not stop thrill-seekers from all over the country heading into the hills in pursuit of action awaiting them at local attraction, How Stean Gorge.

The gorge, which is 80ft deep in places, is a spectacular limestone ravine carved out by thousands of years of flowing water and is home to How Stean Gorge outdoor adventure and activities centre – the business run by Mr Beer and his wife Ann.

The Beers have operated the attraction for 12 years but Mr Beer has lived locally for four decades.

“It’s deep in the country but not far from the town,” he says, referring to Pateley Bridge, which lies about seven miles away. “People visit Pateley Bridge and think they are in Nidderdale, but there is a place called Upper Nidderdale that’s completely different.

“It’s open land in and around Pateley. Here, there’s different scenery and a different mentality.

“It’s a bit of a canyon, we can see both edges of it, because it’s a narrow valley.

“We know who lives in most of the houses – there’s a lot of incomers now so there are some we don’t know as well as we used to but we have to go up one road to get in and out, and you get used to seeing the same cars and waving as they pass by.”

The village lies in the Nidderdale Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty and lies near the eastern edge of the Yorkshire Dales National Park.

Owing to its limited accessibility, Mr Beer tells of milk tankers no longing serving the area, meaning most local farms have come out of dairying.

As documented in The Yorkshire Post earlier this year however, farmers David and Diane Coates continue to milk a small herd of British Friesian cows, supplying fresh milk in bottles to locals, the village pub and How Stean Gorge. At Bell Farm, they also produce their own branded Meadow Dale ice cream.

“We take their milk and their ice cream,” said Mr Beer, who has also supported local trade by taking over and relocating the village post office to the gorge as part of the on-site cafe.

The old post office closed in 2014 and despite its revival, the concern has not stood the test of time.

“We wanted to take it on because older people used it but people now follow routes in their car and go to Pateley Bridge where there is a petrol station and a post office.”

People’s habits may have changed but the Upper Nidderdale community forges on.

Fast facts

Lofthouse has a school, village hall and pub, the Crown Hotel.

How Stean Gorge specialises in outdoor pursuits, including abseiling, canoeing and mountain biking. It also has Yorkshire’s only Via Ferrata, a walking/climbing route using metal rungs and ladders.

Nearby Studfold, ‘The Nidderdale Experience’, also offers outdoor activities and operates as a caravan, glamping and camping park.

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