Category: North York Moors
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St. Hilda’s Chapel Archaeological Dig
My Wednesdays are spent at an archaeological dig at the medieval chapel site in Kildale and on my penultimate day for this season, a reflection of the progress so far. We’ve unearthed a further trove of pottery, yet raised more questions than answers. This season started with six tidy two-metre square test trenches, but they…
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Local Governance Quagmires: Who Pays for Road Repairs?
One might think that our modern roads just magically appeared, but let’s cast our gaze upon the B1257, the stretch that runs between Stokesley and Helmsley, for a tale of twists and turns. First, let’s scale Cushat Hill to Clay Bank, which, back in the day, used to be known as Hagg’s Gate. Then, it…
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When Satnavs Lead Astray: A Tale from a Trail Race
Great Ayton Moor, a dull overcast day but dry. That’s Capt. Cook’s Monument is the distance. I found myself thinking about an observation I made over the weekend. I found myself manning a checkpoint on a trail race that traversed my local moors. This particular checkpoint was strategically positioned at the intersection of public bridleways,…
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Wildlife in Peril: The State of Nature Report/The Felling of the Sycamore
Two pressing matters have graced the headlines this week. First, the State of Nature report has been published, casting a dire shadow upon the condition of the UK’s wildlife. The findings are nothing short of catastrophic — one in six species teeters on the brink of potential extinction. The population of 753 land and freshwater…
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St. Michael’s Day
Apart from the purplish hue of the ling, the crimson shade of this bramble leaf also holds a special place in my colour preferences. It seems this vibrant colouration owes its existence to anthocyanins, naturally occurring chemicals found in blackberries. These compounds come together within certain leaves when sugar levels experience an increase during the…
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A Return to Bransdale: Battling the Tenacious Pine and Larch Saplings
After a hiatus of a few weeks, I find myself once again in Bransdale, volunteering my time to the National Trust. The task at hand is none other than the removal or trimming of young larch and pine saplings that have sprouted up on their own in Bloworth Wood, which was clear-cut a couple of…
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On the lookout for fairies in Baysdale
An early morning saunter around Baysdale, that remote dale in an expanse of moorland, its lush fields gleaming in the sunlight. In the distance, Ingleby Moor draped in a shroud of clouds, though it would disperse within the hour, leaving with a bright and dry morning. But this tranquil scene is soon to be disrupted,…
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Checking on Medusa: A Slippery Slope to the Ancient Oak
Caught on Greenhow Bank in a shower and finding myself taking more time than anticipated, I decided to take a shortcut by descending the bank directissimo, which led me to a spot above Medusa. My thought I would pay a visit to the old gorgon to check on her well-being. The descent was nothing short…
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From Roseberry’s Shadow to Durham Gaol: The David Cobbold Saga
In those turbulent days of the 1930s, in the quaint village of Newton-under-Roseberry, there existed a shop of equally quaint nomenclature – “Ye Olde Village Shoppe.” Now, I am sure, there might well have been other shops in that village, but the tale I’ve uncovered revolves around none other than the proprietor of the said…
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Kildale’s Telecoms Mast Dilemma
The picture doesn’t quite portray the hurricane-like gusts, making it a struggle to stay upright. Another rain shower is looming, chasing away the previous one in no time. I’m up on the moor behind Park Nab, looking across Kildale. On the distant skyline, at its highest point, stands Captain Cook’s Monument. But something’s amiss with…