Month: January 2022
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River Tweed
The River Tweed, traditionally designated as the border between Scotland and England since 1018 when Malcolm II, King of all Scotland, claimed the River Tweed as the boundary of his kingdom. But Berwick-upon-Tweed’s strategic importance, on the north bank of the river, has meant the town has undergone several changes between the kingdoms of Scotland…
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The Hospital of St. Leonard of Lowcross
A miserable morning so I thought I had better take a photo or two before venturing up into the gloom. The old Ordnance Survey map shows a “Leper Hospital (Site of) A.D. 1392” to the left of centre within the curve of the track. This location is confirmed on the North York Moors Historical Environment…
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A fresh sprinkling of snow on Roseberry summit
A sprinkling of fresh snow coated the summit this morning and judging by the absence of footprints I was the first. It’s quite a rarity nowadays to have the summit to myself. Even at night head-torches can frequently be seen. Besides the 1950s trig point, two pieces of modernity adorn the summit. Both can be…
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A doomed Ash tree
The Ash, one of our major trees along with oak, birch, elm and lime. It’s a strong and flexible wood, traditionally used for spears or axe handles. The name comes from the Anglo-Saxon ‘aesc‘ meaning a spear or lance. But since 2012, a disease has been devastating Ash trees — Ash Dieback, caused by a…
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Hawthorn Hive
This morning I was surprised that The Guardian’s Country Diary was about Chourdon Point on the Durham coast. Surprised that I just happened to have planned a run along the coastal path passing by this point. After I met up with someone in nearby Dalton. Phil Gates, the writer of the piece, describes “the soporific…
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The Cleveland Dyke
I ‘discovered’ this viewpoint the other day. It nicely illustrates the route of that intrusion of igneous rock known as Cleveland Dyke. The Cleveland Dyke was formed about 59 million years ago when an immense hot spot of pressurised molten magma developed under the Earth’s crust near the island of Mull off the west coast…
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Went for a bimble around the Belmont Ironstone Mine
To be clear this is the old mine, which operated between 1855 and 1877, and not the new one which was sited a kilometre further west and which operated in the first half of the 20th-century. I didn’t really expect to find anything. The authoritative “Catalogue of Cleveland Ironstone Mines” by Peter Tuffs doesn’t mention…
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Back in North Yorkshire and noticeably no rain
One annual ritual about this time is the New Year’s Honours list. Its publication is often met with loathing or apathy, and a pinch of ridicule thrown in. How come Raducanu, aged just 19, can be appointed an MBE, after winning just one Grand Slam title, the US Open (and the BBC Sports Personality of…
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New Year in the Lakes …
… with good friends and great food, and lots of rain. One of these friends is Alice Leon, a young writer from Guisborough. I am honoured she has agreed to write a guest post for me. Scree slopes and waterfalls paint a heavy contrast against the faded patchwork fields of Guisborough, which had become the…