Out & About …

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

Tag: moorland

  • Ladder trap, Great Ayton Moor

    Ladder trap, Great Ayton Moor

    Last week there was a furore over Natural England’s decision to revoke its long-standing General Licences to kill birds to prevent serious damage to livestock and crops. This followed a legal review of its licensing system which was found to be unlawful. Chris Packham, one of the three co-directors of the environmental organisation, Wild Justice,…

  • Pond, Great Ayton Moor

    Pond, Great Ayton Moor

    I managed to get my feet a little wet trying to take this photo and was reminded of the 1973 British Public Information Film “The Spirit of Dark and Lonely Water” menacingly narrated by Donald Pleasance, perhaps better known as Blofeld, James Bond’s arch-villain. This is a modern version of folk tales told to instil…

  • The Cheshire Stone

    The Cheshire Stone

    But in Yorkshire. Looking towards Haggs Gate or Clay Bank top, the col between Hasty Bank and Carr Ridge. Also called the Cheddar Stone apparently. Another type of cheese. A hazy morning with a struggling sun. Only yesterday I learnt a new word and found myself guilty of it today, lalochezia. Suddenly I found myself…

  • Havelock Stone

    Havelock Stone

    In 1716 the Lord of the Manor of Gisborough, Edward Chaloner, ‘perambulated’ around the boundaries of his manor. This annual custom was carried out throughout the country often on Ascension Day and is often known as Beating the bounds. Before the days of modern surveying, it was an important way of reinforcing the parish boundaries.…

  • More moor burning

    More moor burning

    Dear Tony Juniper CBE, Congratulations on your appointment as Chair of Natural England. I very much admire and respect your work as one of the country’s leading environmental campaigner and writer. I must admit however I am a bit cynical of Michael Gove’s motives. I appreciate your to-do list will be very long but I…

  • Upper Ryedale and Snilesworth Moor

    Upper Ryedale and Snilesworth Moor

    The gamekeepers have taken advantage of the vernal weather to burn the heather on their moors. Plumes of smoke can be seen right across the skyline, creating a haze. The smoke from these burns on Snilesworth Moor was drifting as far as Sheepwash, spoiling the day for families enjoying half term walking around the reservoir.…

  • Bridestone Griff

    Bridestone Griff

    A slight covering of snow completely transforms the otherwise drab winter colours of Bridestones Moor. The is the upper reaches of Bridestone Griff. A griff is a North Yorkshire term for a deep, narrow valley, said to have formed by glacial melt-water, and sure enough, lower down, the glen does become steep but here, high…

  • Low Bride Stones

    Low Bride Stones

    You might believe these squat sandstone stacks were laid down in seas long ago when dinosaurs ruled the earth. Their curious shapes the result of the wind and the rain. But A.J.Brown* suggests it was Wade who placed them during a game of duckstones. Now, this is not so unfeasible, for Wade was a giant…

  • Highcliff Gate

    Highcliff Gate

    After last night’s passage of Storm Deidre, a benign sunny morning. Bit disappointing to find no snow but icy tracks made the going interesting. This is looking west along the watershed between the Tees and the Esk, across Highcliff Gate to Potter’s Ridge with Roseberry peeping over the skyline. Open Space Web-Map builder Code

  • Carr Ridge and Hasty Bank

    Carr Ridge and Hasty Bank

    A menhir or standing stone on Urra Moor right next to the Cleveland Way. I suspect this stone has been erected in modern times simply because I can find no mention of it which I am sure there would be if it was indeed historically significant. As it is it gives a good foreground to…