About Town & Dale

Town & Dale is a Catterick Garrison–based outdoor lifestyle magazine, created to help Military families, Veterans, tourists, and locals discover the towns, dales and adventures sitting right on their doorstep.

We take the idea behind Town & Country – aspirational outdoor country living – and ground it in the real, rugged landscape of North Yorkshire Dales, with routes, views, villages, pubs and places that you can actually go and experience this weekend.

Catterick Garrison – Gateway to the Dales.
Town & Dale is your guide.

Why Catterick Garrison?

The magazine is created in Catterick Garrison by a Veteran who served 32 years in the British Army and now calls this place home.

Catterick is the largest British Army Garrison Town in the UK. Thousands of Military personnel and their families spend two to three years here, often living inside the Garrison bubble and rarely venturing out into the Dales.

Town & Dale exists to change that.

We want people to:

  • Get outdoors and explore the landscape

  • Build memories while they’re here, not just wait for the next posting

Veterans Viewpoint

At the heart of Town & Dale is Veterans Viewpoint – a project created with Veterans who attend the Catterick Garrison Veterans Coffee Morning.

Veterans head out into the towns and dales, take their own photos and write short reviews of what they’ve seen:

  • A favourite view

  • A walk above a village

  • A quiet churchyard or war memorial 

  • A pub or café at the end of a long day

It’s simple, but powerful. It:

  • Combats loneliness and isolation

  • Builds confidence and routine

  • Supports mental health and resilience

  • Gives Veterans a voice in how the area is seen and shared

Five of these Veteran photographs have already been turned into postcards, real, hold-in-your-hand postcards.

Postcards, QR Codes & Going Further

Town & Dale postcards are:

  • Free souvenirs for tourists, visitors, Military families and local people

  • Distributed around Catterick Garrison and at key locations across the Yorkshire Dales

  • A way to take a piece of the Dales home

On the front:
A Veteran’s photograph of the Dales.

On the back:
A short description and an eye-catching, stamp-style QR code.

Scan the QR code, and you’re taken straight to the Town & Dale website, with digital magazines, walks, waterfalls, stories and ideas for things to see and do nearby.

Each postcard is a small invitation: “There’s more to explore.”

Supporting Local Business & Tourism

Town & Dale is more than inspiration; it’s also about supporting the local economy.

By shining a light on:

  • Independent shops and cafes

  • Pubs and places to eat

  • Accommodation and attractions

  • Local makers and ecommerce businesses

…we help direct the Garrison’s spending power into the surrounding towns and dales.

For businesses, Town & Dale offers a niche, clearly defined audience:

  • Serving personnel and their families

  • Veterans and the local community

  • Tourists and day-trippers exploring the Dales

Through print, digital, social media and our postcard network, we connect your products and services with people who are actively looking for things to do, places to go and ways to make the most of their time here.

Our mission

Town & Dale sits where three things meet:

  • Wellbeing & community – tackling loneliness and isolation, especially in the Veterans community

  • Local business & tourism – encouraging people to spend locally and explore more widely

  • Landscape & place – celebrating the North Yorkshire Dales and the towns & dales that serve them

If you’re posted here, if you’ve settled here, or if you’re just passing through, Town & Dale is here to help you step outside the gate, into the dales, and make the most of this place while you’re here.