Tag: National Trust
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Blackthorn’s Starry Flowers Precede the Bluebell Spectacle
The bluebell meadows in Newton Wood are on the verge of bursting forth in a hue of cerulean blue. However, it is not their time quite yet. The initial shoots can be seen, but presently it is the blackthorn that commands the spotlight of spring. Masses of blossom, soft and disordered, the twisted thorny shrubs…
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The Smiddy, Bransdale Mill
Doing some work at Bransdale Mill, specifically in the old smithy, known as ‘smiddy’ in the local Cleveland dialect, which is being repurposed into a wood store. This structure, formerly a dilapidated two-room, single-story building, had its fortunes revived in the recent past by the National Trust, which rendered it weatherproof with a fresh blue…
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Roseberry’s Forgotten Quarry
It might sound unbelievable, but, back in the day, sandstone used to be quarried right at the very top of Roseberry. A small quarry nestled just below the summit was the most recent scene for this extraction. On the climb up the back of Roseberry, from the summerhouse, and you’ll start to climb a gentler…
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On yet another foul day …
… so I didn’t venture far; instead, just bagging Roseberry Topping and picking up Cliff Rigg on the way back. Cliff Rigg has a quarry that has been the subject of my posts on several occasions. This ridge is part of the Cleveland Dyke, a tough volcanic rock that forcefully juts through the much older…
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Dovedale Griff
On the weather front, a rather dreary day unfolded with the National Trust at Bridestones. Nevertheless, a new view for me as I stood atop one of the High Bridestones, gazing down upon the narrow upper stretch of Dove Dale, also known as Dovedale Griff. Beneath me, the valley slopes will, in a few months,…
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A Tale of Erosion and Repair on Roseberry Topping
Roseberry Topping, perhaps the most popular honey pot in Cleveland, bears the weight of incessant foot traffic. Prior to the National Trust’s takeover in 1975, the upkeep was a bit lax, as it was deemed mere agricultural land. Fast forward to 1995, the Trust had rolled up its sleeves and pumped some serious effort into…
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Priest’s Spa Quarry and its elusive spring
On Hither Moor, this 19th century sandstone quarry overlooks the road winding up the Cod Beck dale between Osmotherley and Scarth Nick. Nowadays, the dale is best known for its reservoir that draws quite the crowd. The quarry, mapped as “Priests’ Spa” by the early Ordnance Survey, owes its name to a spring allegedly blessed…
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Life finds a way
Am I on an arboreal theme this week? A toppled tree trunk, adorned with vibrant green moss and saprophytic reddish-brown fungi. The presence of the latter suggests that the tree has been dead for some time. But is it truly lifeless? Fungi, the decomposers in this woodland ecosystem, toil away, breaking down deceased trees and…
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Connections: A Hidden Iron Age Gem to Trevelyan’s Controversial Past
According to the National Trust’s heritage records, this conspicuous feature is termed a “small univallate earthwork.” ‘Univallate’ is just a fancy way of saying it’s got one raised edge encircling a ditch. Usually, that word is usually associated with hillforts, but here, the lack of any visible signs of habitation inside points more towards a…
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Cragside
Exploring the National Trust’s Cragside near Rothbury. Lovely historic property, well maintained but a feeling of being corralled and cosseted — not an adventure.