RAMBLERS and countryside lovers are being encouraged to make use of the new Dalesbus services, which come into operation on Easter Sunday.

Service 830 from Darlington and Richmond to Swaledale and Hawes will also operate on May 1 and every Sunday from May 22 until October 16.

The Arriva bus leaves Darlington Market Place at 9.33am and Richmond market place at 10.05am, running via Reeth, Muker and the Buttertubs Pass to Hawes.

There are also buses from Richmond at 1.40pm and 2.55pm to Reeth and at 4.45pm through to Hawes.

In the opposite direction, buses will leave the Dales Countryside Museum, in Hawes, at 11.30am for Richmond and 6.10pm for Richmond and Darlington, and leave Reeth for Richmond at 12.26pm, 2.15pm and 3.30pm, and at 7.06pm for Richmond and Darlington.

Service 807 will also run from Hawes to Richmond via Wensleydale, on Easter Sunday and May 1, and every Sunday from May 22 until October 16. The service starts in Skipton at 9.50am, then leaves Hawes at 11.30am running via Aysgarth and Leyburn to Richmond. Return from Richmond is at 5pm.

Full details of the services are available at www.dalesbus.org or on 0870 6082608.