20/05/2026
Some folk are wise. Some are... otherwise. Austwick is a beautiful Dales hamlet with an odd tradition. In the sweet spot between Settle and Ingleton, Austwick is surrounded by lush green fields and patchworks of dry stone walls. Winters can be harsh so of course everyone looks forward to spotting the first signs of spring. The cuckoo is seen by many as the harbinger of spring and better weather.
Many years ago, when maybe the Winter had been a little harder than usual, the good people of Austwick were so pleased to spot the first cuckoo nesting in a tree (or maybe it had stolen another nest), they quickly built a wall around it in the hope of keeping it there. Unfortunately the wall wasn’t high enough so the cuckoo simply flew away…
I'm not sure why you'd want to commemorate such folly but this story is remembered with an annual festival in Austwick. It takes place this Monday and includes plant and cake stalls, a chance to see dray horses and a Yorkshire unicorn (!), enjoy live music, and of course a fell race.
If you don't fancy going to Austwick to spot cuckoos, you might be more interested in enjoying a drink at the The Game C**k Inn or relaxing in the charming garden at The Traddock with an excellent lunch, afternoon tea or dinner. You could work up an appetite with a good walk first - there are some excellent routes to nearby Feizor, Clapham and Oxenber Woods.
