The seasons have shifted. As we enter Autumn and reacquaint ourselves with cosy jumpers, thick coats and hot chocolates on the sofa, the pull to sit comfortably on an evening, after a long day, and create something increases. How can you start a new crafting hobby this autumn? You want to do it, but you’re not sure how to begin.

When running a smallholding, it always pays to plan ahead for land management. This year has been a real challenge, with a long, hot summer and very little rain, resulting in drought conditions across much of the UK. As a result, many crops were lost, and hundreds of farmers got only one decent cut from the fields.

With a history that goes back nearly 180 years The Wellington in Shadwell has seen many changes. Originally a traditional coaching inn, it was run by various breweries, and now it has a very different role. Opened as a restaurant in 2019 The Ego at The Wellington has just undergone a remarkable transformation project.

Distillers at Yorkshire’s first whisky distillery have revealed details of the final bottling of their Sherry Cask Reserve series of releases. For 2026, the seventh and final bottling in Spirit of Yorkshire’s highly regarded series marries whisky from ex-Pedro Ximénez and ex-Moscatel casks.

As Menopause Awareness Month approaches, a small Yorkshire business wants to break the silence around one of the most common and least discussed aspects of women's health. Group Editor Andrew Palmer reports. Nobody plans their day around the nearest toilet. And yet, for a great many women across Yorkshire, that is precisely what happens.

And just like that, we are into autumn. This year has gone quickly, and while we have managed to get a lot done on the smallholding, I am not sure I am ready for winter just yet. Like most of the UK, I am enjoying the last of the late sunshine and dry days.

Estate planning is often associated with people who have partners and families. But with around four in 10 of people aged 65 and over in the UK single, it’s an increasingly important topic for singletons. In fact, an increasing number of people are spending their twilight years living alone.

As Sober October approaches, Ruth Allonby, Chief Executive of Mount Carmel Rehab offers practical tips and advice on how to take a break from alcohol and how to spot if you have a problem with alcohol misuse. This month, many people consider taking a break from alcohol to reset habits, improve health, and gain clarity.

As households face another rise in energy prices, our consumer expert, Jane Hawkes, who runs the consumer advice website www.ladyjaney.co.uk, shares her ten checks everyone should be making to help keep their bills down. The changes coming into force on 1st October make now the right time to give your energy account a five-minute MOT.

When the Queen set off on the 1953 Commonwealth Tour, tucked among her wardrobe were dresses made not by a Parisian couturier but by a cotton firm from Preston. That Horrockses Fashions could occupy that position — dressing royalty while staying within reach of ordinary women — is the fascinating story now being told at The Harris as its major new exhibition opens its doors this weekend.

Although living in the countryside, surrounded by acres of fields, wide open spaces and nature, is indeed wonderful, it unfortunately has a few drawbacks. Neighbours can be far and few between, and for those living in isolated rural areas, there is little chance of a catch-up over the garden fence.

The Crime Survey for England and Wales estimates around there were around 4.2 million incidents of fraud in the year ending March 2025, an increase of 31% from the previous year. With increased use of internet banking and apps, as well as AI providing virtually instant information to scammers from around the world, it’s never been more important to be ultra vigilant. And one of the growing ways scammers are trying to defraud people of their money is through pretending to be legitimate customer service departments.

Our consumer champion, Jane Hawkes, shares essential guide to using AI effectively when making a complaint - and reveals the mistakes consumers must avoid. Consumers are increasingly turning to artificial intelligence to help them make complaints against companies but there can be significant pitfalls.

We can no longer ignore how we’re spending our time. It causes us to stop and think about where our energy goes. We book the trip, meet that friend, start the crafting project. Personally, I’ve read so many stories over the years of people who’ve made changes in their lives, big and small, because of something traumatic that has happened to them or someone they know.

The Harrogate Food and Drink Festival was held in two locations this year, at The Stray, Harrogate, in June, and at Ripley Castle, Harrogate, on the 22nd and 23rd August. I went along to Ripley Castle on Saturday the 22nd to see what it was all about.

A vital new road in North Yorkshire has today opened to traffic in a move that has been heralded as key for generations to come using one of the most strategic routes in the country.

Andrew Palmer finds himself looking back across the Leeds skyline towards the Pinnacle tower — once the tallest building in the city, and once the site of his first taste of the view from the top — while getting reacquainted with Thai food that has rather more to offer than its postcode suggests. There is a particular strain of nostalgia that comes from sitting i…

Wild swimming seems to be everywhere at the moment. From Three Shires Head in the Peak District to the Bude Sea Pool in Cornwall, Brits are turning out in droves to unwind and enjoy the fresh water during the many heatwaves this summer.

Earlier this year, one of my miniature Mediterranean donkeys, Jasper, sustained an injury, the cause of which was unknown. Despite a couple of visits from the vet, no diagnosis was made, and the only advice I was given was to give him box rest and painkillers. Unhappy with the vet’s advice, I decided to look into the matter further myself.

Hawkshead Relish and The Lake District Tea Co. among the county's finest as national judges name their finalists for this year's awards, Andrew Palmer reports Cumbria's food and drink producers are celebrating a strong showing in the Great British Food Awards 2026, with Hawkshead Relish and The Lake District Tea Co.

I really enjoy the summer months in the North Yorkshire countryside, as almost every village hosts its own show, so there is somewhere to visit most weeks! Often kicking off as early as May, country shows offer something for everyone.

Grasmere Distillery has done it again. The tiny Lake District distillery's Single Malt New Make Spirit has taken silver at the prestigious Global World Whisky Masters, following last year's gold with back-to-back recognition on the world stage. The Global World Whisky Masters exists to find the best whiskies on the global market.

Throughout the summer months, as we spend more time outdoors, it’s a good moment to pause and think about protecting our skin. Skin cancer is one of the most common cancers in the UK, and rates have been rising in recent years.

Sourcing the right smallholding can be a nightmare. Anyone who has ever been house hunting will know that what looks ideal on paper rarely proves so in reality. When you are looking for more than a house, in the form of a smallholding that might be needed to start a business, keep animals, and maybe grow crops, the problems intensify, and the search can sometimes seem impossible.

If you want to spend more time crafting this summer, portable crafts are a great way to do just that. Of course, portable crafts work well all year round, but for this particular season where you can be out of routine, not at home, trying to grab opportunities where you can, they can be particularly effective.