Liz and her her husband Gez moved to Richmond and started their bed and breakfast at Cordilleras House in 2012. They have four large beautiful bedrooms and have really thought through every aspect from the Egyptian cotton bedlinen, to the robes and spa slippers for anyone wishing to use the hot tub, to the carefully sourced local ingredients for breakfast. Liz lists their suppliers including Angus Morton butchers in Richmond, Acorn Organic Dairy, Wensleydale Eggs, and Rountan artisan coffee roasters.

They're also happy to provide vegetarian, vegan, dairy-free and gluten-free options.

Chris and Suzanne Mitchell moved to Swaledale from East Yorkshire around six years ago and love living here. We asked Suzanne to tell us more. 

"Chris and I absolutely love living here. The scenery is stunningly beautiful in every season and you get proper winters here (and everything doesn't grind to a halt either at the first flake of snow!). We're close to the gorgeous village of Muker and love the pub, tea room and shops there. The walking round here is second to none - our favourite walk is the Kisdon Hill Circular and we also love going up to Crackpot Hall and over Swinnergill. Just gorgeous. We love the peace, fresh air and the sense of space. The lack of light pollution means we get gloriously starry skies. It's an incredibly friendly place to live - we were worried we'd 
be isolated but we have a better social life here than we did before (and that was saying something!) People really look out for each other here and help each other out all the time.

"In Keld, locals have worked together to create a winter tea room and a community orchard - it's so lovely to be part of projects like this. We run a holiday cottage business and love sharing this beautiful place with our guests. The most 
common comment we get when people arrive and see the view is wow! Even the delivery drivers are wowed by the views and take photos on their mobiles!" 

This all sounds idyllic. Have there been any challenges living in a more isolated area?  

Chris continues "Online shopping has made it a lot easier to live and run a business here - in fact I don't know what we'd do without it. The doctors here are great and so much more flexible than in towns. They even deliver prescriptions to you!

"Of course there are challenges and downsides to living here. It's been a struggle to get decent broadband (now about to change thanks to the power of the local community). Distance to hospitals is a worry. Lack of public transport is also a key issue - fortunately we have the Little White Bus (mostly run by volunteers) that runs up and down the Dale. The trains have now increased their services to Leeds which is brilliant news (and the station is only about 25 minutes from here with easy and free parking). We love a day out in Leeds or Bradford going to restaurants and the theatre. We are both keen squash players and gym goers so do miss not having leisure facilities but we go walking and jogging instead. And we have a DIY Zumba class in Muker which is great fun. We just can't imagine living anywhere else!"

​Neil and Jennie Riding moved to Ravenstonedale in the western most part of the Yorkshire Dales National Park in 2011. Their new life is quite a contrast from their previous one. Jennie was a minor shareholder of a Company which sold in 2009. She stayed with the new American owners, but quickly realised that the corporate life was not going to be for her. Neil agreed so they gave up the lease on their penthouse flat in Liverpool, sold their vintage Porsche and bright yellow Hummer and went travelling around the world for 6 months.

Jennie takes up the story, "On our travels we would arrive in to major cities but would venture out in to the countryside as soon as we could, exploring the wilds of Vietnam, China, Mongolia and Russia. New Zealand was our favourite place and a plan was hatched to emigrate there but on my birthday I was so homesick, I couldn’t stop crying. New Zealand was off the table. The Yorkshire Dales National Park was the alternative...

I knew this area of  as my Mum and Dad had a holiday cottage and I quickly realised that by moving here it would give us the lifestyle change and country living we craved, whilst being conveniently located an hour and a half away from family.

We set up a consultancy business that gave us the flexibility of remote working, with occasional visits to Liverpool, which we combine with visits to family. We also bought Artlegarth Country Lodges, a holiday let business, 3 log cabins on a private acre site which we have since extensively refurbished, as well as building 3 new log cabins last year. We've also set up a tour, events and experiences company, Happy Days, which allows us to share the wonderful places and people we have discovered to provide amazing memories for our clients.

As they drive around the Dales, many people ask "what does everyone do here? Is it all farming and tourism?" 

Many would be surprised if they knew the variety of jobs people do. I think few would ever guess at Matt Young's profession. As his twitter bio says, he's "probably the best Japanese-English chemical patent translator in the Yorkshire Dales"... It's one of the many businesses established in the Dales by people who have moved here. 

Matt moved to the Yorkshire Dales after time spent living in Southern England and Japan. His grandparents had lived around Lancaster and Carnforth all their lives, and often brought Matt to Ingleton as a child. Happy memories of those days led Matt and his wife to consider moving there. Both are self-employed so thought it would be a great place for their son to grow up. 
 
Like many others who've made the move, the surroundings are one of the things that makes Matt happiest. "I like being able to pull on my hiking boots and climb Ingleborough or do a lap of the Ingleton Waterfalls Trail whenever I feel like it. I like the fact that Ingleton is small enough to be a close knit community while being large enough to have the necessary amenities (shops, pubs, cafés etc.). I’m also a motorcyclist, and the Dales is a great place to have a bike - empty roads and beautiful scenery."

I asked Alice Cummings who lives in Malham to tell me how she came to live in Malham and how she's found the move. 

"Ever since I can remember I have wanted to live in a rural countryside village. I love being surrounded by nature and wildlife. The thought of being isolated, away from ‘modern life’ was appealing to me. My love of geography and photography would also thrive in a rural setting.

I couldn’t believe my luck when a tiny terraced house came up for sale. I was 23 at the time and was helped with a deposit but the price was no more than a flat in a town centre. And this house even had a garden! The decor was.....traditional but that didn’t bother me."

When asked what she likes best about her life in Malham, Alice is full of enthusiasm, "Where do I start?! Morning walks to Janet’s Foss, Gordale scar and Malham Cove - people come from all over the world to see these - yet I can visit whenever I like! Every day, season and weather conditions mean the walk is always different. It's so good to feel part of a special village and make more friends here than I ever did in 23 years of living in a town. There are two pubs on my doorstep, so whenever I want company (and great food) I just wonder over! I love the silent evenings. No light pollution - star gazing is a must!"

Alice is a keen photographer, and has managed to capture some incredible events such as the waterfall reappearing over Malham Cove for the first time in over 700 years, experiencing 3 days of snow drifts cutting Malham off from the rest of the world, and beautiful sunsets over Malham Tarn. Many of her photographs have been published. 

So what makes Alice happiest? "Taking my dog out. After a long day I know I will always be able to come home, get out on the hills and be alone. It’s so relaxing. We also love taking picnics (in all weathers) on weekends." 

The move from town to country has been easy to adapt to. Alice says, "My job is within a 30min commute and there's no ‘rush hour’ to contend with. The shops are only 15mins away. If you didn’t have a car it would be hard though, the public transport is sparse. It’s hard to heat my home. It’s old and the climate is colder here - but you soon learn  to invest in good clothing. I would say the main negative side of living in Malham is the summer tourism. It’s great for businesses here and we like to share the place of course but parking has been a problem and grid lock on the narrow lanes is troublesome. You just learn where and when to avoid places." 

Anything else that you think people would be interested in knowing? "In the winter the roads are always kept clear because it’s on a bus route. Local farmers with tractors do an amazing job. There is a real community spirit here - I don’t ever feel unsafe. My parents loved this place so much they moved here too! We have super fast broadband so don’t worry about being truly cut off - I have never felt that way. You can involve yourself in village live as much or as little as you like. I like to keep myself to myself most of the time but my parents have got involved with all sorts of activities such as Malham Safari in May and the show in August, there are plenty of clubs to join too."
 
Alice has a few top tips for anyone thinking of moving to the Yorkshire Dales: 

• "Get a dog - you’ll meet everyone that way!
• Be organised - I shop once a week in Skipton. It’s a lovely place with a great range of shops.
• Just enjoy being here, I have found I don’t need the internet, TV or much entertainment, I’m too busy being outside - even after 7 years I still can’t believe I live here!" 
  

Alice has recently started a dog grooming business, working from home so if you'd like your dog to look more dapper you know who to call! 

Grace Bull and her family are used to moving around as her husband is in the RAF. Their last move was up to Yorkshire from Surrey.

As Grace describes, living in Yorkshire is a little different to their previous life in Surrey - "We are much more remote then we were in Surrey. We could walk to the train station and the shops where we last lived and were a half an hour drive from most places. It has taken us about a year to readjust to living more remotely. Our nearest village is a 10 minute drive away and closest towns are 20 minute drives. For those who don’t drive it is quite an isolated place to live, especially as bus services are limited and non-existent from where we are based. Thankfully though both my husband and I both drive and so this is not a problem. I would say the biggest challenge for us is that our nearest train station is 20 minutes away and a £25 taxi ride either way."
 
While her husband is at RAF Leeming, Grace works from home as a blogger and has recently written her first book. She also enjoys working with some communities in the Yorkshire Dales, mainly on a voluntary basis. "We need to keep our small towns and villages alive, keep our wonderful small schools open and preserve local services and have plenty of people here to work in local businesses. We think it’s a marvellous place to live so we’re all very enthusiastic! Yorkshire is full to the brim with things to do, indoors and out. Every village and town has something to offer, whether it is a famous tearoom, a gallery, museum or ruin to explore. It is truly a fantastic place for children to grow up in. Space to run free and play, breathe in the fresh air and just be children. We're in a great location. Within an hours drive we can get to York, Leeds, Durham, Darlington and  Newcastle."

Does Grace have any top tips for anyone thinking of moving here?
 
"Do your research. What do you, as a family, need and like to do? How far is it to do those things and how far are you willing to drive or get used to driving to get there? How old are your children and how can they grow into where you are moving to? How far will you as parents need to chauffeur them around when they get older? How far is the school your children will go to? Do you both drive and if not, are you willing to learn or at least be near transport links? 

"Since moving here we have found many military families who have previously moved around a lot actually decide to stay and buy houses in Yorkshire. Many remain here and make it their home so their children can grow up in Yorkshire and have stability, while their husband or wife in the military commute back and forth."

Nicky Tooley was an electrician in Leeds and his wife worked in HR. They didn't just move home, they set up a new business, taking on the Falls Cafe and Bar by Aysgarth Falls. They wanted to have their own business and give their young son, Caleb a wonderful childhood but it took quite a while for them to make the move. 

Elizabeth spotted the property for sale on the internet around 3 years ago. When they looked around it, they could see it needed a lot of work but the challenge excited them. A financial advisor told them they were unlikely to get the kind of mortgage they needed so they forgot about it until some family members encouraged them to take another look. A different financial advisor found them a good mortgage, provided they could come up with the right business plan. They managed to sell their Leeds house before they'd even put in an offer for the Falls. The purchase took longer than expected so Elizabeth and Nicky moved into a holiday cottage so their little boy could start school in Bainbridge. A few months later the property was there. After many challenges (including some winter storms preventing deliveries of new furniture, carpets etc) and much hard work, the Falls Coffee Shop opened. 

Despite the exhaustion of setting up a new business, Nicky is happy they make the move. "What better place to bring up a child? There's so much to do and the wildlife just fascinates Caleb. Having a waterfall 2 minutes from your house is pretty good as well! There are endless places to take him that don't cost money but where he can have a wonderful time."
 
"The best thing about moving and what makes us happiest is as soon as you wake up and open the blinds the views are amazing. We'll never get tired of seeing the church and Bolton Castle. We love meeting so many different people (usually out walking), the stories they've got about where they've travelled from, and what they've been up to. It's nice to see people travelling from other countries coming to see our beautiful county.

Heather moved from the Fylde Coast in Lancashire with her children and husband Andrew to Hawes. It was a big decision: after a lot of life changes in a short space of time and the beginning of a new relationship, Heather relocated her family to be nearer her parents in the Dales. She also hoped to embrace a simpler life...

Heather is realistic about the challenges and benefits of living here but is very clear about the benefits to her family. "Relocating my family was the best thing I could have done on so many levels. The sense of community is incredible and calling such a beautiful place ‘Home’ is something you can never take for granted. I think the biggest impact has been on our girls. Moving from a large suburban school to a small village school was the making of my eldest daughter; watching her struggle with intense anxiety in an overwhelming environment to blossoming into a confident and happy girl in a smaller nurturing environment has been incredible.  Despite the significant challenges* that our rural schools are facing, they’re giving our children experiences that will benefit them for the rest of their lives."
 
How easy was it to actually move and what were the challenges? Heather says, "I remember someone saying that where we live is idyllic, and though I love it very much I’m not sure anywhere in the world is truly idyllic. It's a bit like house hunting - there is always going to be some kind of compromise. It’s a fact that you simply don’t have the same access to the same facilities as you would if you lived in an urban area. My children don’t have limitless clubs and leisure opportunities than they might if they lived somewhere closer to a larger town.  Retail is a totally different ball-game in the country - a lot of people can’t get their heads around our closest supermarket being half an hour away.   It’s all about counting the costs and weighing up if they can work for you and your family."
 
"We have been incredibly fortunate since we moved to The Dales four years ago. We found work almost immediately, both within fifteen minutes from the village we live in. Andrew works for Outhwaites the Ropemakers in Hawes and I worked at one of the village primary schools. After having my little boy we made the decision for me not to return to work and not long after that we set up a small business called Land of Rope and Glory, an online store selling handmade homeware and bespoke dog leads from the locally made Rope."
 
Heather has two pieces of advice for anyone thinking of moving to the Yorkshire Dales: 

"Firstly, the amazing sense of community is a two way street; you’re not going to experience it if you want to be an island on your own.  If you make an effort as a newcomer you will not find a more welcoming community. Secondly, do visit us in all seasons, it’ll give you a taste of Dales life beyond the holiday experience!"

* Note from Dales Discoveries' editor, Susan Briggs: A key challenge for our rural schools are pupils - we want more of them! Whereas many city schools are over-subscribed, many of our excellent village schools have spaces so if you're looking for a more nurturing, personalised learning experience and wonderful childhood for your offspring, do think about moving to the Yorkshire Dales!

Sue and her husband Stephen Knowles moved from "the other side" (Lancashire), from Bolton to Ingleton. The daily commute for Stephen to Manchester was one reason to move but they also wanted to start their own business and were ready for a fresh start and new challenge. The time for change "just felt right". 

They set up their Bed and Breakfast, Harling House, after refurbishments were complete (nearly 3 months). They knew their earnings would fluctuate so Stephen took a part time job in Settle, which is an easy commute.  
 
Sue and Stephen seem pretty happy living and working in the Yorkshire Dales. What do they most enjoy? How challenging has the move been? 

Sue says, "The genuine feeling of being in a community, able to make more of our free time. Even if the free time is an hour here and there, we can soon enjoy the fresh air and a country stroll from our doorstep.
 
When we first arrived, everything was new to us - a brand new business (we had to find local workmen and make contacts), meeting new people, learning new computer systems. All without the backup of working in a team, which we had before. We were on our own. This has also been good for us: we felt revitalised as we've had to make ourselves do it. I would never have walked in to a pub on my own and introduced myself before! It took a while for us to get used to the trading set up in the villages and small towns around here - shops not open from 8am until 9pm compared to Manchester as an example. Half day closing too - that was a new one! It did feel a bit like going back in time, or 'how things should be'.

Beth Daley and her partner wanted to move somewhere rural, with fresh air and little traffic. She worked just off the A1 in Boston Spa, so they looked to the north. Serendipitously, her partner's grandfather just happened to be selling his house in the Dales at the same time. 
 
Beth is so glad she made the move from Leeds. What are her favourite things about living in the Yorkshire Dales? "The relaxation that being surrounded by countryside brings. The shade of green I've only ever seen in the Dales. Seeing my children with their feet in the beck at the bottom of our garden. Or having them tell me things about farming that I have no clue about."

They have faced few challenges although Beth does mention that public transport isn't the best. "We've had two children since moving here so distance from a hospital and provision of local schools are things we are aware of as issues and think about a lot. But the only thing we really miss is our favourite curry from Bradford!"

Luckily Beth doesn't have to commute from Boston Spa any more. High speed broadband has made a big difference. Beth works for an organisation based in the Netherlands and her partner works for himself. 

So what else does Beth think anyone considering moving to the Yorkshire Dales should know? "We want for nothing. We have great places to eat out. We have access to culture. People are very welcoming. And Campbell's in Leyburn has all the fancy ingredients you think you won't be able to get. For anything you really can't get here,  you can still get delivered (thanks to that internet connection again!)."

Finally, any tips for anyone thinking of moving here? "Get involved in the local community - committees, groups, darts teams, whatever is good for you. Whatever it is, just do it!"

Heather's husband still works for the same company as before as he's able to work from home, thanks to the great broadband service. This is something not everyone realises - the B4RN service means that lots of relatively remote areas now have an excellent broadband service so it's now even easier to work from beautiful locations.

Since they moved, Heather has been inspired to set up a small business called Ollie Collie. "We design and make gifts, homeware and clothing inspired by our pet Border Collie. We’ve had lots of amazing support from various local organisations to get us started and the local community have also helped either by buying items, stocking them in shops or helping to promote them. It encouraged me to join the local Chamber of Trade and now I’m quite involved with the local business network." 

Obviously living in Sedbergh isn't without its challenges as Heather explains. "You have to be more organised! Realising you’ve run out of essentials like bread and milk at 11pm on a Sunday is no longer an option unless you want to drive a long way to somewhere that might be open. We have some amazing local shops though, so it’s worth the extra thought and planning to support them."

Heather has three more tips for anyone planning to move to the Yorkshire Dales: 
​

• Don’t automatically assume you need to buy a house straight away. Consider renting so that you can get a feel for an area without committing.
• Be prepared to get involved! Small communities need people who are willing to support their local shops, schools, businesses and services. Volunteering for groups and attending community events is so rewarding. You can really see how you can make a direct impact in the place that you live.
• Don’t forget to think about all of the people who are going to want to come and visit you once you live here!
  
  Depending on how far you are moving you may need to consider if you need to have space in your home for people to stay or will they be able to afford hotels? What accommodation is nearby and what does it cost? If you’ll be putting people up, consider costs like the extra food and build it into your budget. Also factor in the fuel costs for going back to see people you’ve moved away from. We love having friends and family come and stay but you do have to make it easy for them to prevent you ending up being miles away and rarely seeing anyone from your old life!