Month: September 2024
-
Mauley Cross: Linking Ancient Ritual with Regency Enterprise
Mauley Cross, that modest monument to the caprices of the de Mauley family, likely served as a marker of their grazing rights or, if we are to believe the National Park’s heritage record, a humble wayside guide for those wandering the moors. It could, of course, have been both, though neither role saved it from…
-
Turtle Doves and the Dew Pond of Newton-on-Rawcliffe
As we pedalled merrily through the village of Newton-on-Rawcliffe, we stumbled upon this delightful little dew pond. It was instantly recognisable from the photographs we’d seen in the Birds on the Edge exhibition at the Danby Lodge National Park Centre. This pond, restored by the North York Moors Trust, is now a haven for wildlife,…
-
A Glimpse of Baysdale
This morning’s short walk along Battersby Moor offered this view towards the upper reaches of Baysdale, formerly known as Basedale. From here, you can see the two main tributaries—Black Beck and Gain Beck—separated by the ridge aptly named Middle Head, while the moorland edge is dominated by commercial plantations that create a stark contrast to…
-
The Golden Gown of Gribdale Gate
Ah, another splendid day graced with the magic of Autumn! In this view from Gribdale Gate looking down Lonsdale, the summer’s lush bracken has begun to don its golden-brown gown, though the purple heather still manages to tinge the valley side. Beneath the vast, cerulean sky, the air sparkles with the seed fluff of Rosebay…
-
Bagged for Your Convenience
After a return from just a few days away in the Lakes, I was delighted to find that the National Trust, in their usual brilliance, had thoughtfully helicoptered in around 40 large bags up the main path of Roseberry. Each one, of course, containing roughly a ton of aggregate to ensure they did not have…
-
A Day at Lingy Hut
One of my favourite races during my dalliance with fellrunning was the Lake District Mountain Trial, an event of some tradition that is held annually on the second Sunday in September each year. My engagement has dwindled over time to the modest role of manning a checkpoint, a role that usually entails little more than…
-
Avoiding the Plunge at Buckstones Jum
I seem to have become a regular visitor of open-water swimming spots, though I’ve yet to sully my person with an actual dip. I am sure that one need not plunge into icy water to commune with nature. The gentle rustling of the murmur of streams, and the occasional squelch of boggy earth beneath one’s…
-
Slate, Sheep, and Silence: The Legacy of Tranearth Quarry
The tranquil Tranearth Quarry, where wild swimmers now glide through waters once surrounded by industry. Amid Bronze Age cairns and abandoned slate, nature reclaims what human ambition left behind, watched only by sheep and time.
-
High Wray Bay: A Picture of Purity Beside Tainted Waters
A morning walk by Windermere’s Wray Castle reveals the grandeur of a Victorian retreat built on industrial wealth, while downstream, untreated sewage serves as a reminder of modern neglect.
-
Harrop Tarn: A Tale of Heroic Miscalculation
Recalling a previous visit to Harrop Tarn, armed with a map and misplaced confidence. Faced treacherous fells, dreadful weather, and my own ineptitude. The result? A near brush with hypothermia and, naturally, fond memories.