An A-Moo-Sing Welcome For Tour De Yorkshire

To celebrate the 2018 Tour de Yorkshire, taking place 3rd- 6th May, Yorkshire’s dairy farmers have been installing giant Yorkshire Wensleydale Cheese straw bales in the fields of local farms to put a smile on the faces of cyclists and spectators alike.

Working with the Wensleydale Creamery, home of the famous Yorkshire Wensleydale Cheese, the farming community has been rallying together to install eye-catching cheese bales along the routes of two races which will pass through the area.

The Yorkshire Dales is an area rich in cheese-making history, dating back to 1150 when French Cistercian monks first settled in the area. The Wensleydale Creamery continues the tradition by using locally sourced milk to handcraft their iconic creamy, crumbly and full of flavour Yorkshire Wensleydale cheese.

The Yorkshire farmers leading the initiative, who supply milk to the Wensleydale Creamery, reside along the route passing through Wensleydale via Leyburn on Saturday 5th May and through Coverdale, to Masham and Nidderdale on Sunday 6th May.

David Hartley, managing director of The Wensleydale Creamery, commented:
“The giant Yorkshire Wensleydale Cheese straw bales pay homage to region’s cheese-making credentials. We are grateful to our community of dairy farmers for partnering with us and leading this fantastic initiative, which allows us to showcase our devotion to the region and locally sourced milk.

“We’re delighted that the everyone’s eyes will be on Yorkshire – last year saw over 2 million spectators line the routes to watch the races, and this year is said to be even bigger, with broadcasts on ITV4 and Eurosport. It’s an amazing event and a great showcase for our beautiful Yorkshire Dales.”

Steve Scriven, Chairman of the Wensleydale Creamery Milk Producer Group, added:
“We are delighted to be partnering with the Wensleydale Creamery again for this wonderful project which showcases our playful Yorkshire nature, whilst highlighting how proud we are of our region and the cheese that comes from it. The giant cheese bales were a huge success during the TDF Grand Depart in 2014, and they will certainly bring joy to the Yorkshire Dales once more.”

Do let us know if you spot a Wensleydale Yorkshire Cheese bale around Yorkshire! We hope they brighten your day too!