Lynher Dairies

Lynher Dairies is an award-winning artisan cheesemaker based at Ponsanooth in Mid Cornwall, best known as the home of Cornish Yarg. The dairy makes a distinctive range of handmade cheeses, combining traditional cheesemaking techniques with locally sourced ingredients and a strong connection to the Cornish landscape.

At the heart of the business is Cornish Yarg, the iconic Caerphilly-style cheese wrapped in locally foraged stinging nettles. Lynher Dairies is now the only producer of Cornish Yarg and its distinctive nettle covering. The dairy forages around two tonnes of young nettles each year from sustainably managed local woodlands, hedgerows and fields. The leaves are picked in spring, frozen and later hand-applied to each cheese before it is matured for around four to six weeks.

Lynher's cheeses are made using milk from its own herd of pedigree Ayrshire cows, alongside milk from a small number of carefully selected Cornish farms. The dairy's cheesemakers combine science, experience and intuition throughout the cheesemaking process, with much of the work still carried out by hand.

Alongside Yarg, the range includes Wild Garlic Yarg, Cornish Kern and Stithians. Each cheese has its own character and maturation journey. Kern, for example, uses Alpine cultures and is matured for 16–22 months, developing a complex balance of sweet and savoury flavours, while Stithians is a tribute to local cheesemaking traditions and is matured for 7–9 months.

The dairy's commitment to place extends beyond its milk and cheeses. Its nettles and wild garlic are sourced locally, while its cheese shop showcases a wider selection of British cheeses and products from Cornwall and beyond. The shop also offers cheese tastings, pairing advice and bespoke celebration cheese towers, making Lynher Dairies both a working dairy and a destination for cheese lovers.

Key cheeses: Cornish Yarg · Wild Garlic Yarg · Cornish Kern · Stithians

Location: Ponsanooth, near Truro, Cornwall