Every year Christmas is in Settle is special.  The owners of the local independent shops and the volunteers at town's three charity shops make a huge effort to make the shop windows festive and attractive. 

Photograph taken in early November.  The Shaker style kitchen is coming along, providing double sink, gas hob, electric ovens, extraction unit, dishwasher.

A 25m cotoneaster hedge runs across the bottom of the garden in front of the property, providing privacy and shelter.  Over 50 years old, it had become very overgrown so it was time to give it a trim. So, that's we did today.  Now it looks a lot tidier and boxier.

Just in a week into the Settle Flowerpot festival and they springing up everywhere.  Both businesses and private individuals are getting very creative and making Settle look really fun. Here are some more I spotted.

The 2025 Settle Flowerpot Festival is here!   On a beautiful day I took the opportunity to take photographs of just a few of this year's flowerpot characters. 

Not to be missed is the annual is this year's Flowerpot Festival where locals create characters from Flowerpots.  According the festival's website you'll 'be amazed, amused, astounded & astonished by the quirky flowerpot displays decorating the town'.  And you will!

In March,  the Telegraph published its guide to the best and worst counties in Britain.  The methodology was complex based on 41 criteria across 4 main categories:   Natural Wonders, History and Culture, Luxuries, and Peace and Quiet. And North Yorkshire ranked 2nd out of all 48 counties.