An insider's view: Paul Reynolds - The Traddock, Austwick
Can you tell us a little about your job and how you came to be doing it?
Together with my wife, Jenny, I look after the day to day management of our family's hotel and restaurant, The Traddock. It's a family business and was bought back in 2002 by my parents as a pre-retirement life-style business! The first few years proved a very steep learning curve but with lots of effort the hotel gained a good reputation and grew quickly to a point when Jenny and I joined in 2008. Both Jenny and I had very little hospitality experience, having worked around London in sales and marketing roles for various healthcare and pharmaceutical companies. It has been very rewarding and yet challenging life-style, but it suits our skills and we greatly enjoy seeing the business flourish. What aspect of your job and the place where you work makes you feel happiest? The most rewarding part of our job is being told how lovely a place The Traddock is and how much our guests enjoy their visits to the Yorkshire Dales. We have a large number of guests who return many times in the year to de-stress and unwind and I find this the biggest endorsement of what we do and offer. Just about every day when I turn a corner or look up for a second from the usual rush of life, the Yorkshire Dales scenery stops me dead in my tracks. I still find it such a impactful and stunning place, even after seven years. What do you think visitors gain from being at The Traddock? A change of pace and a chance to de-stress and be looked after, all wrapped in a cosy, luxurious and friendly hotel environment. The Yorkshire Dales are on our doorstep offering tranquility, peace and space to explore some of the most stunning countryside the UK has to offer. If some one is feeling a little down and perhaps in need of a boost, where in the Yorkshire Dales do you suggest they should visit? Oxenbur & Feizor woods during late May and early June. These woods are carpeted with Bluebells, Primroses mixed in with white wild Garlic flowers, wild orchids and a huge array of other wild flowers. The smell is just heavenly and is such a beautiful setting, it's straight out of a Disney Fairy movie! You can't help but feel uplifted by the abundance of beauty on show! If a visitor was coming here for two days what would you recommend they should try to do? Any particular places to eat or drink you'd like to recommend? Well you should at least pop-in and see us and say hi, maybe have some tea or coffee and cake in one of our lounges! Two days would only allow someone to scratch the surface of what you can do and see here. If I was visiting for the first time I'd head for Malham and take a stroll over to Malham Cove and the up and over the limestone pavement to Gordale Scar and then back down into Malham for refreshments in one of the villages excellent pubs. I'm also a real fan of Dentdale and Garsdale. Both these dales are small but virtually unchanged from how they would have looked many years ago. With high U-shaped green valleys, dry stone walls and characteristic stone barns they are the model image of what the Yorkshire Dales offer. These dales are usually quiet, peaceful and lush places where its great to take one of the may walks and maybe enjoy and picnic while taking in the picturesque views. |
Is there somewhere you feel sudden swooping joy?
Every morning looking out of my bedroom window for the first time. We have a stunning view of Phen-Y-Ghent and Ingleborough and its always a joy to pull open the curtains and see what's waiting! The happy detail in everyday life that many of us miss? Taking the time to greet someone as you pass them by. Due to our jobs we know just about everyone locally and I really enjoy these quick friendly exchanges as you go about your day. Where's your favourite place to just sit and look? On top of Oxenber ridge. It's a flat, limestone pavemented hill over looking Austwick. Its such a lovely vantage point to stop and watch village and farming life continuing apace below. A local person who you think embodies the Yorkshire Dales spirit - and why Our local vicar, reverend Ian Greenhalgh, is far from being your average village vicar. He is a corner stone of our community and has immeasurable and boundless energy and enthusiasm for everything he does. He has time for everyone and is always involved in just about every aspect of village and community life! He is one fit person, found daily running with his dog round Austwick and Feizor. He's run multiple marathons over the years and raised thousands for many causes. Anything else you'd like to tell us that we probably don't know! Everyone always asks, what is a Traddock? You can find out the answer here More Yorkshire Dales insider views |