Meet the art gallery owner now holding an exhibition of stunning images of the Yorkshire Dales

When they first came to look at the gallery it was a horrible December day, but having never ventured as far into upper Swaledale, photographer Richard Walls was blown away by what he saw.

Mr Walls has been photographing the upper reaches of Swaledale and Wensleydale since he and wife Polly came to Muker to run the Old School Art Gallery & Craft Shop, the best part of five years ago.

As soon as they arrived Mr Walls was struck by the seemingly endless variety of photographic possibilities of his new surroundings and the two stunning, but very different dales.

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“Take Swaledale; from the bleakness of a winter’s day on Birkdale Common, to the perfect curve of Ivelet Bridge, to the drystone wall patterned meadows of Gunnerside Bottoms.

Ivelet Bridge Summer from the Over Buttertubs exhibition by Richard WallsIvelet Bridge Summer from the Over Buttertubs exhibition by Richard Walls
Ivelet Bridge Summer from the Over Buttertubs exhibition by Richard Walls

“Even narrowed down to the immediate vicinity of Kisdon Hill you’ll find limestone gorges, waterfalls, wildflower meadows, mires, tight knit villages, countless field barns; the list goes on and on.

“Upper Wensleydale – wider, softer, more open and with even more variety – is perhaps a bigger challenge to capture.

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“Five years on I’m still exploring and discovering; it’s a lifetime’s work.”

Photographer Richard Walls, of Muker, has been photographing the Upper Swaledale and Wensleydale since he moved to the area to run the Old School Art Gallery & Craft ShopPhotographer Richard Walls, of Muker, has been photographing the Upper Swaledale and Wensleydale since he moved to the area to run the Old School Art Gallery & Craft Shop
Photographer Richard Walls, of Muker, has been photographing the Upper Swaledale and Wensleydale since he moved to the area to run the Old School Art Gallery & Craft Shop
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A new exhibition which has opened at the The Station Gallery at Richmond is called Over Buttertubs – the route Mr Walls travels every day from his home in Gayle to Muker. It features 30 images taken in the surrounding area.

“It’s probably one of the best commutes in the UK – it certainly beats the M621 going into Leeds from Wakefield. If you are going to Muker you get the superb view descending into Swaledale. One day it’s misty, another it’s sunny, or snowy, it’s ever changing. No journey is the same.”

A big Tolkien fan, he says it reminds him of Rivendell, the mythical valley in Middle Earth which is both a homely place of sanctuary and a magical Elvish otherworld. “Whenever we come over Buttertubs and look down into Swaledale for me it has the same sort of feeling.

“The fells come straight down. Upper Swaledale is very enclosed – that’s what gives it its magic.”

Kidson Cottage Dawn by Richard WallsKidson Cottage Dawn by Richard Walls
Kidson Cottage Dawn by Richard Walls
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Mr Walls, who is working on a new project, 12 Perspectives on Kisdon Hill, hopes the exhibition encourages people to make the 30-minute drive from Richmond to upper Swaledale, the most northerly of the Yorkshire Dales.

Muker, which means “narrow acre” in Old Norse, offers Swaledale Woollens, a pub and store as well as the gallery, which showcases the work of over 50 of the best independent artists and makers.

He said: “When making the final selection at the back of my mind was the thought of showing off the Upper Dales and perhaps reconnecting them with people from the bottom of the dale who’ve not had a chance to visit for a while.

“They’re just such a wonderful resource to have right on the doorstep!

Haymaking Keld by Richard WallsHaymaking Keld by Richard Walls
Haymaking Keld by Richard Walls
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“Hopefully the exhibition will act as a spur for people to make the trip, drive up into Swaledale, visit us in Muker and discover the landscape for themselves.”

The images have been printed on large format aluminium to offer a contemporary alternative to traditional paper. It means they also can be hung just about anywhere, whether it’s the bathroom or the boardroom.

The exhibition runs until November 17.

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