Month: May 2023
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From Green Bank to Cranimoor
Descending Carlton Bank, I dismounted the trusty bike to capture this photo of Green Bank, resplendent in the May sunshine and revealing its toponymic origin. Beyond is Cringle End, the steadfast nose of the moor of the same name. The old maps record this as Cringley Moor but an even more archaic name is Cranimoor.…
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The Charnel House of All Saints Church
What a gloomy morning it was, with the moors blanketed in clag. However, as the afternoon arrived, so did the sun, and I popped down to the village’s All Saints church to photograph its alleged charnel house. I’ve posted about this remarkable church before, it proudly stands as the oldest structure in Great Ayton. The…
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Bluebells, Burrs, and the Oak Tree
A return to the enchanting Valley Garden in Bransdale; the woodland floor is adorned with a vibrant carpet of blooming bluebells beneath the shade of a magnificent oak tree. Its base boasts a remarkable feature—a large burr, a fascinating clue to the tree’s history and resilience. Burrs are a peculiar growth resembling warts, and can…
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The Old Fish Pond, Kildale
Welcome to the picturesque col, or pass, connecting Commondale and Kildale. Here, the nascent River Leven gracefully meanders through this marshy terrain, making its entrance from the right, just this side of the road to West House, a scene of a horrific murder. The river then finds itself in a state of contemplation, torn between…
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A thought-provoking piece of artwork that juxtaposes the simplicity of an alphabetical motif with the rugged beauty of weatherworn lichen-covered sandstone crag …
… The use of white aerosol paint against the natural textures of the crag creates a striking contrast, drawing the viewer’s attention to the delicate interplay between man-made symbols and the organic world. Sorry, too tongue in cheek perhaps. Graffiti! The malicious cousin of art that’s always popping up where it is least desired. It’s…
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The Delicate Greggles of Newton Wood
I make no apologies for yet another posting featuring the greggles of Newton Wood. In a mere couple of weeks, they will have surpassed their peak, and the woods will be stripped of their intoxicating hue of violet blue. Thomas Hardy employed the term “greggles” in his book, The Mayor of Casterbridge, ingeniously portraying the…
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The Coombs
The moors have been transformed into a vibrant green as bilberries blanket the landscape. From this vantage point in the Esk valley, overlooking a basin resembling an armchair at the northern edge of Danby Rigg, known as ‘The Coombs.’ A captivating scene which caught the attention of Rev. Canon Atkinson, who dedicated fifty years as…
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The Lockwood Beck Ghost Pack
Broken ground reveals a disused quarry dating back to the 19th century, with Lockwood Beck Reservoir in the distance. As the reservoir was constructed in the 1870s, it seems likely the quarry was associated with it. However, the mention of Lockwood Beck serves as an opportunity to share a story from the book ‘Strange Stories…
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From Sores to Toothaches: remedies with Wild Garlic
Another dreich morning with poor visibility. So my eyes were drawn to the abundance of flowers blooming in Newton Woods. Ramsons, also known as Wild Garlic, are plentiful in the damper areas of the wood. Personally, I find their display equally impressive as the Bluebells, although some may dislike their scent. Throughout history, plants from…
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From an English woodland to a South American jungle
An annual task with the National Trust is at the Valley Gardens at Bransdale to tackle the invasive American Skunk Cabbage, which thrives in the damp areas of the valley floor. But this day was interrupted when a sudden hail storm arrived, making the already boggy ground even more challenging. On arrival is sunshine, we…