Category: North York Moors
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Stang Stoops and Slip Gates
Returning to Yoad House in Bransdale, the weather was a tad kinder this week, not as harsh as the last. The forecasted rain? Nowhere to be found. And, surprise, in the afternoon the sun decided to make an appearance. That stone post in the photo? It’s part of what is called a ‘stang stoop’ or…
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Celebrating Capt. James Cook
“Well there goes another February 14th. Evenings of whimsical sighs, chinking champagne glasses, and adoring compliments across the Pacific as indigenous folks send their thanks out to the Hawaiian cousins that took care of business, and finally put an end to the diseased, kidnapping, murderous, thieving invader called Captain James Cook.” So wrote Tina Ngata…
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Roseberry Topped Reflection
I recently read an article about the ecology of puddles, revealing their significance as habitats for certain invertebrate species. These small, transient pools offer a refuge from larger predators and competitors due to their isolated and short-lived nature. Many of these puddles hold high conservation value, housing rare specialist creatures. Noteworthy examples include the fairy shrimps…
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Collop Monday
Some folk may be aware that tomorrow marks Shrove Tuesday. This implies that today, a fact unknown to many, is Collop Monday, occurring two days before Ash Wednesday, which initiates the period of Lent. Traditionally on Collop Monday, people consume collops and eggs for breakfast. These collops typically consist of thick slices of pan-fried meat…
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Deep in Newton Wood—in search of Cold Well
On a rather damp morning, likely the dampest of this winter, I seized the opportunity to explore something that has lingered in my thoughts for quite some time. Attempting to do so last summer proved futile due to the impenetrable undergrowth. Within Newton Wood lies a feature labelled as “Cold Well” on the 1st edition…
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Easterside Hill, the sleeping behemoth
It was a magical moment, ascending from the sombre depths of Bilsdale up Newgate Bank, when we emerged into a realm of brilliance and lucidity, with a cloudless azure sky adorning the western horizon. And the formidable hogback of Easterside Hill loomed above the cloud like a sleeping behemoth. While the mist persisted in the…
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Silent Symphony of Sheep
Head down against the driving rain, I sensed unseen eyes upon me. The fleeces of these Aireyholme sheep appeared as fresh as a perm, even after, or more likely because of, the overnight deluge. Despite dwindling numbers, sheep remain the predominant livestock on North York Moors farms. In 2016, the National Park boasted a staggering…
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A winter’s view from Yoad House
The view from the garden of Yoad House in Bransdale, where the emergence of snowdrops signals the impending arrival of spring. The tranquillity of the snow-clad fields extending down to the beck is lost in the mist veiling the opposite bank, and by the stark silhouettes of skeletal trees and precarious dry-stone walls, lend a…
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The Scars of Jet Mining on Roseberry Common
A casual remark recently brought my attention to this stretch of barren spoil heaps nestled just beneath the col between Roseberry Topping and Little Roseberry. This scarring owes its existence to the extraction of jet, a prized black rock revered for millennia, but especially gaining favour after Queen Victoria took to wearing it in mourning…
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Easby Hall and the Rise and Fall of the Whitby Campions
The tiny hamlet of Easby serves as a picturesque setting against the majestic backdrop of the Cleveland Hills. The large prominent house to the left of centre is Easby Hall. Easby Manor came into the possession of Robert Campion, a prominent figure in Whitby during the early 19th century. Campion, a banker and businessman of…