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St. Thomas’s Day
Four shopping days left and all’s quiet on Great Ayton’s High Green. Everyone’s waiting on the Government’s dilly-dallying. And it’s also St. Thomas’s Day when it’s traditional for Yorkshire lads to go around farms and houses ‘a-Thomassing‘ or ‘St. Thomassing‘; asking for ‘Thomas’s gifts‘ usually a piece of ginger bread, a slice of pepper cake,…
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The Glover Landscape Review
In May 2018 the Government commissioned an independent review led by journalist Julian Glover into whether the legislation for our National Parks and AONBs issued over 70 years ago, is still fit for purpose. The subsequent report was published in September 2019, and became known as the Glover Landscape Report. This 168 page report contains…
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Port Mulgrave
The coast provided an escape from the inland mist. This is Port Mulgrave, once an active harbour east of Staithes, where ironstone was exported to foundries on Tyneside. There is still no easy way down to the harbour. Once there were steps used by the men to descend every day to work on the quays…
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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…
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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…
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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…
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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…
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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…
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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…
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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?…
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