Does your heart beat a little faster when you hear the sound of a mighty traction engine? When you see the sparks, and smell the smoke and the hot oil? If so, you'll love this event, now in its 37th year in beautiful Lower Wensleydale, over the weekend of 7-8 September.

There'll be steam engines, vintage cars and tractors, classic motorcycles, fairground rides and working demonstrations - 800 exhibits, with something to thrill visitors of all ages.With trade stalls, a bar, full on-site catering, and caravanning and camping options, it's no wonder the Hunton Steam Gathering is so popular.

Tickets at the gate are £10 for adults, £5 for children (with under-5s free). You can find details here: huntonsteamgathering.co.uk.​

The most popular walk out of Richmond is the lovely ramble to Easby. A gentle stroll of about 2.5 miles or 4 km, the Easby Loop has everything (except hills).

Start at The Station, Richmond's Victorian railway terminus, now converted to an art gallery, a three-screen cinema, a cafe/restaurant, a brewery, an ice-cream shop and more. Head along the old railway line to the bridge over the rushing River Swale. A few hundred paces later you'll reach the imposing ruins of Easby Abbey. More on Easby below... Return along the river to The Station, for refreshments and reflection.

Now then, Easby Abbey... Founded in 1152, it is one of the best preserved monasteries of the Premonstratensian order. "Best preserved" needs a little explanation: it was comprehensively dismantled by King Henry VIII in 1536, like most religious foundations of that time. But enough remains of its towering ruins, in their tranquil setting, to impress the visitor. And it's a great place to sprawl on the grass, or enjoy a picnic.

Easby is managed by English Heritage, and entry is free. Better still, if you're there at 14:00 on a Sunday, you can enjoy a free guided tour by a knowledgeable guide. Just turn up at the main gate. There is a car park, if you prefer to drive, but it's very small and you're not guaranteed a space. Anyway, the Easby Loop is a lovely walk! 

(Our booklet, Richmond Walks, available from The Station Shop, describes four circular rambles in and near Richmond, and has much more detail and a map for the Easby Loop. Well worth your £2!)

What did the Vikings ever do for us? Here's a clue: it went a long way beyond rampaging, pillaging and looting. In fact many of the place-name endings of local villages (-thorpe, -thwaite, -toft, -keld, -ness, -by, - kirk) speak of how the Vikings married and built, in and around Richmondshire. Yes, they became quite domesticated.

On Tuesday 13 August, at 19:00, Dr Joyce Hill, Emeritus Professor of History at the University of Leeds, will speak on The Vikings in Yorkshire, as part of the Richmondshire Museum Summer Lecture Series. It sounds fascinating.

The talk is at the Richmondshire Museum. Entry is free, but donations at the door will be very welcome.

​This lucky dip was drawn from What's On Richmond, the perfect place to find events in and around our town - or to advertise your own event, free of charge.