Simon Raine is the mastermind behind the Weardale; a northern dales-style cheese, all hand-made with the help of his wife, Julie

For anyone keen on food provenance, it doesn't come much better than Weardale Cheese. When cheesemaker Simon Raine needs his next batch of milk he gets it direct from his two local farm suppliers in Hunwick and Crook, with their fine herds of Dairy Shorthorn and pedigree Holstein cows. The result is a range of cheeses made from the milk of single herds that have fed on grass, wild flowers and herbs local to the area. In fact, the unilateral nature of his raw material means that, while the quality remains consistent, it is possible for slight variations in the cheeses as the seasons change, a true indication of an artisan product according to Simon.

For anyone keen on hand-made food, Weardale Cheese also hits the mark, with every part of the process carried out by Simon or his wife Julie at their unit at the former Prisoner of War camp at Harperley, near Wolsingham.

The business has been established for just six months, but the products - Weardale, a firm, fresh, northern dales style white cheese; Prince Bishop, a smooth yet tangy cheese with light blue veining; St Cuthbert, a semi-soft blue with a full flavour; and the "ever-evolving" Brie de Weardale (perhaps to be re-named Breardale) semi-soft/hard cheese - are already available in local delis, farm shops, whole food shops, pubs and restaurants, including Auckland Castle. At weekends Simon can be found at local markets, such as Yarm, Darlington or Durham, at food festivals and agricultural shows.

It's a long way from his previous job as managing director of a distribution company but a natural progression from growing up with a mum from a rural background and a dad who worked for the Milk Marketing Board. Simon's first job was in the dairy division of Northern Foods but as far back as 2003 he was attending cheese appreciation days and did his first cheese-making course in 2004.

The father of three says: "It was something I'd wanted to do for a long time but it was a matter of finding the right time."

He left his MD role at the end of 2013 and spent the following year practising cheese-making at home and setting up the dairy. "I wanted to give it a go while I still had the energy and drive to give it seven days a week. I had the idea of the name Weardale Cheese from the very beginning. Wensleydale, Swaledale and Teesdale all have their own cheeses and the Weardale cheese, whilst made in a similar manner, has its own personality; a northern dales-style cheese, fairly young, clean tasting with a lactic, lemony bite."

Production is now up to 100kg a week and Simon says: “I’m delighted with the positive feedback we’ve received from customers all across County Durham.”

  • Follow Simon on Facebook.com/Weardale-Cheese and on Twitter @weardalecheese