There’s something wonderfully grounding about getting your hands dirty — quite literally — and few things slow the pace like sitting at a potter’s wheel, surrounded by the calm of the Yorkshire Dales.
Just 40 minutes from our front door, tucked away in the gorgeous little village of Clapham, you’ll find Rachel in the Dales Pottery — a beautifully peaceful little studio where time moves differently and creativity flows as easily as the Yorkshire tea. Rachel’s a professional potter with a gentle manner and an easy laugh, and she offers one-to-one pottery sessions for absolute beginners and curious dabblers alike.
But this isn’t just any pottery studio. Rachel works with stoneware clays and creates her own glazes using materials she forages herself from the surrounding landscape. Think nettle ash, dock leaves, iron-rich ochre from Whernside springs, even quarry dust and wood ash from local forests. Her pieces are truly of the Dales — rich in texture, quietly earthy, and steeped in the local geology and plant life. You might even spot wool from a Swaledale sheep embedded in the glaze, a nod to the flocks that dot the hillsides.
You’ll learn how to centre the clay, shape a pot, and maybe even take home something a little wobbly but wonderfully yours. It’s not about perfection — it’s about presence, texture, and making something by hand, with materials that tell a story.
Whether you’re looking to try something new on a solo escape, add a creative twist to a romantic break, or just fancy an afternoon away from your phone, this is a lovely way to spend a few hours.
Sessions are by appointment only — and they fill up quickly — so we’d recommend booking in advance via Rachel’s website:
👉 rachelinthedales.co.uk
We’re always happy to help with directions or timing — just ask at reception.
