Tag: National Trust
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Sunset from Cliff Rigg
A very wet run this morning over the Cleveland Hills. And after lunch, the sun came out. Blue skies. So I dragged the dog up to Cliff Rigg for the sunset. And she repaid me by thorough belching — I made that phrase up, inspired by the 18th-century expression of a ‘thorough-cough‘ which is coughing…
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A day spent with the National Trust in Barker Plantation in Bransdale
The 36 acre plantation is largely coniferous, planted as a commercial crop more than likely before the property was given to the Trust by Charles Ingram Courtney, Earl of Halifax and others, in 1975. With contractors due to come in in a year or two to fell the larch and spruce only, mature oaks, Scots…
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Deck the halls with boughs of holly, Fa la la la la la la la!
It’s been a bumper year for all sorts of fruits and berries, and the holly is no exception. I was fascinated by this holly bush on Ryston Bank — the northern slope of Little Roseberry. Its branches are laden with bright red berries. In the distance is the flat topped Bousdale Hill with its fields…
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Two-stoop yate
‘Gate’, as in Westgate and Belmangate of Guisborough, is an old Scandinavian word meaning a ‘way’ or ‘road’. This is etymologically different to the modern useage of the word, which stems from the Old English word ‘geat‘ for a “door, opening, passage, or hinged framework barrier”. In Yorkshire though, we say ‘yate’, ‘yat’ or ‘yet’.…
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The unmistakable silhouette of Scots Pine …
… ‘haloed‘ by the National Trust to give a breathing space and a chance to harden up before the remaining larch plantation is felled next winter. These trees are on a ridge called, quite coincidentally I think Scot Ridge, in Bransdale in the heart of the North York Moors. Barker Plantation is shown on the…
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The ever changing faces of Roseberry trig. point
It was given a fresh coat of paint in July if I recall. The stencils appeared soon after the Queen’s death and were left, out of respect. But graffiti artists do not show the same respect. So, weather permitting, the trig. point will be getting spruced up. A lovely clean canvas. Since last week a…
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Roseberry Common ‘omega’ sign
The oak leaf on an ‘omega’ shaped plaque has become the National Trust’s iconic sign since it was designed by Yorkshire artist Joseph Armitage (1880-1945) in 1935. “The oak leaves were chosen as being no less symbolic of England than the more usual lion, and more in keeping with the use of the emblem”. Omega…
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Why?
All acts of vandalism are just mindless and irresponsible but some defy any sort of explanation whatsoever. Look closely to the right of the seat and you can see a patch of wall that has been repaired. I reported this to the National Trust just last week and they have promptly been up and repaired…
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Burnmoor Tarn
Described by Coleridge as “flounder-shaped” with “it’s Tail towards Sca’ Fell, at its head a gap forming an inverted arch with Black Comb & a peep of the Sea seen thro’ it“. He was on his ascent of Scafell in 1802, and took the direct route from Burnmoor Tarn, so he could well have passed…
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Tea on the Topping
From 2009, until Covid came along, the National Trust held their ‘Tea on the Topping’ event on the summit of Roseberry Topping on the first Sunday in August. Hot and cold drinks and homemade cakes, baked by staff and volunteers were sold in a pop-up tea room, everything including crockery, tables, boilers, gas bottles and…