Month: March 2023
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Following the feetings
A ‘feetin’ is a North Yorkshire word for a footprint, “a mark or impression left by the foot“. In East Anglian a variation, ‘feetings’, is used specifically for the tracks of creatures in the snow. I do like this use of the word. Newton Moor had feetings in abundance this morning. Mostly Grouse, occasionally ending…
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Rait burial ground
Woke up to another cloudless sky and a quick low level run prior to the journey home, where I believe there has been a bit of snow. Had a look around the burial-ground of Rait with its roofless ruined church and several interesting 18th-century gravestones. Although the existing structure likely dates from the post-Reformation period,…
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Site of Medieval Farmstead and Ring Enclosure
Running around the foothills of the Sidlaw Hills above Fingask, and, as usual, I was easily distracted trying to locate the humps and bumps indicative of archaeological features. All the features turned out to be quite subtle, except for this farmstead, which was particularly noticeable, thanks to the low winter sun. The discovery of the…
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Dunsinane Hill
Macbeth shall never vanquisb’d be, until Great Birnam Wood to high Dunsinane hill Shall come against him. Shakespeare, Macbeth Act IV, Scene I. Did the son of a glove-maker from Warwickshire actually make a trip to this hill in Strathmore, or did he simply pick up an already established legend? Shakespeare’s renowned tragic play portrays…
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Fingask Castle, near Dundee
Fingask Castle boasts an array of distinctive topiary, sculptures, and ornamental follies. The castle has a rich history, tracing back to 1594 when Patrick Bruce constructed it, although the Bruce family had been established on the site since the 14th century. Fingask is first documented in the Foundation Charter of the Abbey of Scone in…
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The coastline near Cove
The Berwickshire coastline is a rugged and untamed stretch of land that is a favourite destination of ours for a refreshing break during a northbound journey, offering ample opportunities for exercise and fresh air. These breathtaking views along the coast are the result of millions of years of sedimentary rock formation during the Palaeozoic geological…
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Ruthergate
My plan was to take a photo of an old route from Guisborough climbing Kemplah Bank on to Hill Plain. The pasture fields of Hill Plain can be seen in the top left corner, while Ruthergate is recognisable by the diagonal line of dark green gorse that stands out against the brown of the withered…
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River Leven
A paddling of ducks in Ayton can be seen swimming leisurely on the River Leven, located downstream of a weir, which is referred to locally as the waterfall. Despite the serene ambiance, there are several concerns about the condition of the river. Agricultural lands located upstream contribute to high levels of nitrates and sediment runoff.…
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Escomb Church
The quiet village of Escomb lies at the end of a mile long cul-de-sac down a steep bank. It’s a village which fortunes have ebbed and flowed. The origin of the name derives from the Saxon name “Eda“, which led to the medieval Ediscombe — the second element, “combe“‘ is a sheltered dwelling place. The…
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All my life I have loved being out and about …
… in the fresh air, in the hills and mountains. Never a day goes by without my daily fix. But the sight of blackened, smelly swiddens saddens me; just as much as the large plumes of smoke that waft across the moors. This melancholy is worsened by an increasing anxiety of the climate emergency and…