Cheers for Masham.

Byline: Jo Batey

It was like therapy to escape the Christmas mayhem and spend a day in the peaceful market town of Masham.

Situated in the heart of the Yorkshire Dales, this is such a beautiful part of the world and virtually on our doorstep, that the journey took less than an hour.

Our family is very fond of this area, particularly my dad who is a keen reservoir fisherman and spends time there most weeks.

He and his fellow fishermen friends also take a holiday in Masham every year to fish, fish, fish and drink real ale - more about the latter later.

So on Saturday my parents John and Josephine, husband Ray and Harry the dog journeyed to Masham.

We parked the car by the river Ure with ease. We then started the day with an enjoyable walk along the riverbank and up into Masham's rather grand market square - one of the finest in North Yorkshire, set in its splendid position above the river.

After a browse in the town's shops, workshops and galleries and a spot of lunch in the White Bear, we then moved on to the Black Sheep Brewery.

This is one of two breweries for which Masham is famous, the other is Theakstons with its Old Peculiar. Top quality Yorkshire beer, many say, is the best in Britain.

The weather had turned to hail and rain by this time, however when we walked into the luxury of the Black Sheep Brewery it felt wonderful.

The place is warm, cheery, welcoming and richly decked out in Christmas decorations. We had booked ourselves on to a tour - booking is highly recommended as these are very popular - so browsed around the gift shop while we waited.

There were around 30 of us on our tour which was led by a "shepherd" who added really interesting facts and anecdotes.

It lasted about an hour and consisted of a video presentation about the company and the merits of their six speciality beers followed by a walk around the brewery.

This is very enjoyable but please bear in mind that there are quite a few steps to climb.

For us the best part was looking down into the huge tanks filled with the wonderfully scented bitters - each containing enough to have a pint a night for seventy years. We would happily have stayed and breathed in the aroma for all of that time.

Families please note that despite the best efforts of the guide and a small gift, there is not a lot to hold the attention of children.

By the time we arrived back in the brewery's restaurant we were all really looking forward to a taste of the beer, except my mam who was craving tea.

With memories of wine tasting on holiday, I do have to say that we were all a little disappointed that the tour price only included tasting one variety.

After hearing so much about them all, we would really like to have sampled the six with a view to buying for Christmas.

There are many other great ideas for a day out in the Masham area that can be tied in with a visit to the Black Sheep Brewery and these include visiting Jervaulx Abbey.

This is one of the great abbeys of North Yorkshire, founded by Cistercian monks in a quiet park along the banks of the River Ure.

Nearby too is Thorp Perrow Arboretum, covering miles of woodland walks, and one of the finest collections of trees and shrubs in the country.

See a Druids Temple, a folly created in the 19th Century by William Danby.

Set in spectacular countryside, you can explore the enormous oval of altars, menhirs, dolmens, sarcens and other stone structures. This is the Stonehenge of the North.

For us, the day was made complete by a stroll back up to the market place just in time to see the Christmas tree lights twinkle to life, a magical end to a magical day.

* The Black Sheep Brewery is in the centre of Masham. Get there down the A19 from Teesside, taking the A684 to Northallerton and on to Bedale and then the B6268 to Masham. Or go down the A1, leaving at the A684 for Bedale.

Its popular tours really ought to be booked in advance to avoid disappointment.

For queries and prices, please call 01765 680100 or 01765 680101.

The Black Sheep Brewery's visitor centre claims to be a "ewe-nique" venue for corporate entertaining, product launches, parties, weddings etc. There is also the Bistro and Baa...r and a chance to buy souvenirs from the Sheepy Shop.