Great places to learn new skills in the Yorkshire Dales

Make your stay in the Yorkshire Dales even more memorable - create your own souvenir to take home. Learn to create your own masterpiece with the help of a local artist or develop a practical skill you can use forever like scything or sausage-making!

Arts & crafts

Food & outdoors
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At Artison near Masham you can learn an incredible range of skills from painting to jewellery making, blacksmithing, sculpture, feltmaking, textiles, and ceramics.
Their one day courses all include their famous fantastic lunches and plenty of cake! All this for £60 - £100 for a one day course.
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Whatever your existing photography skills, Guy Carpenter will patiently help you develop your ability, really understand your camera and how to compose and create much better photographs.

After ensuring you're clear on technical details (in a non-geeky way!), he'll take you outside to help you develop your practical skills. A one-one day with him costs from £100. 

Textile fans will love learning practical wool techniques with Janet Phillips at the Threshing Barn to spin, weave, dye local wool, make felt, batik or rag rugs. Courses usually cost around £50 and Janet will happily tailor them to your specific needs and ability. 
​​Lee and his mother have been teaching pottery courses at Bentham Pottery for the last 35 years. They specialize in teaching how to throw pottery on a wheel in their thriving craft pottery located near Ingleton in North Yorkshire on the edge of the Yorkshire Dales. They also teach hand building, coil pottery, slip trailing and decorating.

In addition to standard Pottery Courses, Bentham Pottery caters for larger groups (up to 10 people) such as birthday parties, WI groups, hen parties and group events. 
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The Garsdale Retreat is a creative writing centre offering inspirational courses tutored by professional writers, enabling participants to develop their individual creativity in a place of peace and tranquillity, away from the distractions and stresses of everyday life. Their residential courses take place in an attractive Edwardian house, with workshops held in its converted coach-house between Sedbergh and Hawes. 
Chris Wildman is a farmer, fifth generation butcher, retailer and is well known as the creator of Paganum Chorizo, cured in Malhamdale from his pigs. He's passionate about local food, natural and traditional ways to prepare food. Join in and try your hand at butchery, sausage-making, curing and salami-making, with plenty of Dales hospitality and fun. His courses cost around £150, and you get to take home the fruits of your labour.
Old Sleningford Farm has a relaxed approach to life. Their alternative name is 'Old Slippage'! It's a 17 acre farm and one of those special places that you'll want to return to again and again, especially after enjoying a warm welcome from Rachel and friends whose aim is to create an inspiring venue that produces its own resources such as food and fuel. They enjoy demonstrating a low impact way of life and inspiring self reliance by sharing ideas and resources. Choose from a wide range of courses such as how to keep pigs, cure and smoke meats, weave, design & plant an edible forest garden, and other rural craft courses, all in the beautiful setting of Old Sleningford Farm. Prices around £50 to £75 for a one day course.

Broadrake in Whernside is the beautiful setting where you can learn some traditional country skills such as scything, blacksmithing and willow weaving, as well as painting and photography. 
Learn to find your way, stay safe and enjoy more outdoor adventures with the experts - Yorkshire Dales Guides who can teach you navigation skills, take you caving, climbing and abseiling and really show you the best of the Yorkshire Dales outdoors.