Out & About …

… on the North York Moors, or wherever I happen to be.

Month: December 2021

  • Another cracking morning

    Another cracking morning

    But a wee bit zneesy below the cloud. Above, the tranquility was disturbed by the sound of gunshots as the seasonal cull of pheasants was in full swing. Or maybe the shooters were after partridges, striving for that rarest of presents to give to their true loves — the partridge in a pear tree. Rare…

  • Dragon’s breath

    Dragon’s breath

    Another outing dominated by low lying mists and the sun’s faculence. Bilsdale today. I wonder what our ancient ancestors would have made of these meteorological phenomena. That temporary blind spot after glimpsing directly into the sun — ok, our ancestors would not have been driving. And that low lying winter mist clinging to the fields…

  • The Nab and Douthwaite Dale

    The Nab and Douthwaite Dale

    Heading to Bransdale to work with the National Trust clearing up after Storm Arwen, my eyes ached from squinting into the sun during the drive along Blakey Ridge. Blue skies all around, and not a cloud in sight. In the distance , the Vale of Pickering was smothered by a blanket of white cotton wool…

  • Scallywag hideout

    Scallywag hideout

    A few weeks ago I had a tip off about a WW2 ‘Auxiliary Unit‘ operations base above Danby Park overlooking Castleton (thanks, Chris). This would have been the hideout for a special detachment of the Home Guard which would have operated as a guerrilla force in the event of a German invasion. Although these were…

  • Wainstones

    Wainstones

    Seen from Cold Moor, across Garfit gap. The morning’s duvet just about blown off, and the December sunshine hitting the crags for the first time. The Wainstones are a popular climbing venue. It’s difficult to get any idea of scale with this shot. The maximum climb is about 35′, just over twice the size of…

  • An old favourite — Great Ayton Moor Bronze Age round cairn

    An old favourite — Great Ayton Moor Bronze Age round cairn

    I’ve photographed it many times before: — It’s tempting to think of cairns as permanent, but there has been some noticeable movement in this pile of stones since 2007. I saw today the gamekeepers have buried an animal trap in a metal box amongst the stones so this may have contributed. This is a ‘round…

  • Civic responsibility

    Civic responsibility

    The moors were quite busy this morning. Hardmoors runners, orienteers, mountain bikers, and plenty of folks out for a less energetic wander in the fresh air and solitude found on the moors. And then the tranquility was shattered by the noise and smell of a pack of off-road motorcyclists. Why do I get so incensed?…

  • Coleson Bank

    Coleson Bank

    This is not a route I use that often. A deep sunken track from Battersby up and over the moor to Baysdale. It gives an impression of some age, but its original purpose has been lost in antiquity. I suspect it may have been the route initially used by Bernard de Balliol (of Barnard Castle…

  • Great Ayton Moor

    Great Ayton Moor

    It’s been a while, a blue sky and high cirrus clouds, and a huge sigh of relief from the hundreds of Red grouse inhabiting the moor. December 10th, the last day of the grouse shooting season. They’re safe now until the “Glorious Twelfth”, the 12th August, free to survive the winter and to procreate, to…

  • A view from Cliff Rigg

    A view from Cliff Rigg

    In the distance, the Cleveland Hills look gloomy and drab. Breaks in the cloud allow patches of sunlight to flit across the vale. Near right is Undercliffe House, built of whinstone setts. December 9th, sixteen days left until Christmas and the day designated by the United Nations as ‘International Anti-Corruption Day‘. The theme this year…