Category: North York Moors
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William Parkinson and the gibbet on Turkey Nab
I reckon Turkey Nab must be one of the steepest hill climbs in Cleveland. It’s one of those routes where vehicles can be driven without tarmac, which makes it popular with 4WD enthusiasts. But for cyclists, it’s a different story altogether. That loose gravel turns it into a proper challenge. This high moorland route has…
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Hey, it’s good to be back home again
John Denver could have sung about this old hill being like a long-lost friend. OK, I’ve paraphrased. He was actually singing about his farm. A month away and the changes around here have been absolutely dramatic. The bluebells, the mayflowers, and the primroses. They’ve all had their moment and moved on. But the bracken, of…
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Scarth Nick — from drovers to abstainers
Scarth Nick, a natural pass in the Cleveland Hills, has likely served as a route throughout history, from prehistoric times to the present. It was probably used by ancient humans and the Romans, and continued to be used as a drove road for cattle during the Medieval era. This pass acted as a precursor to…
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Shig-shags
While cutting back the bracken in Newton Wood today, I was taken by surprise when I stumbled upon what seemed to be miniature apples. Of course, these were not genuine apples, but rather galls created by insects as excrescences. And as it dawned on me that they were attached to a small oak sapling instead…
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Empire Day: a forgotten anniversary for an imperialist mindset
In the last century, for a period of more than 50 years, children were granted a half-day off from school on May 24th to commemorate ‘Empire Day.’ This celebration was aimed to highlight the grandeur of the empire and foster a sense of connection among its subjects. It was initiated in response to concerns raised…
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Au’d Nan o’ Sexhow
The wooded Whorl Hill, a glacial outlier. Behind and just to the left is Sexhow, a township in the former parish of Rudby-in-Cleveland. Nowadays, it is a Civil Parish in its own right. There is not much there, maybe just the trio of the Hall, the Park and the Grange. It was once though described…
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Sir Joseph Whitwell Pease’s Thoroughbred Hunters and Bousdale Farm
Bousdale Farm, perched on the plateau of Bousdale Hill, provides a splendid panoramic view of Guisborough and, in the distance, the North Sea. Although the farm was likely constructed in the early 1880s, it does not appear on the 1881 census. Apparently, the buildings were initially erected to accommodate Sir Joseph Whitwell Pease’s prized thoroughbred…
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St. Helen’s Day, the Rowan tree, and their connection to warding off witches
Wikipedia says St Helen’s Day — Helena, mother of Constantine I — is honoured in the Church of England on 21st May but in the Episcopal Church on 22nd May. The Rev. R.C. Atkinson, however, suggests it falls on the 2nd May. So who’s right? Yer pays yer money … It matters if you wish…
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From Green Bank to Cranimoor
Descending Carlton Bank, I dismounted the trusty bike to capture this photo of Green Bank, resplendent in the May sunshine and revealing its toponymic origin. Beyond is Cringle End, the steadfast nose of the moor of the same name. The old maps record this as Cringley Moor but an even more archaic name is Cranimoor.…
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Bluebells, Burrs, and the Oak Tree
A return to the enchanting Valley Garden in Bransdale; the woodland floor is adorned with a vibrant carpet of blooming bluebells beneath the shade of a magnificent oak tree. Its base boasts a remarkable feature—a large burr, a fascinating clue to the tree’s history and resilience. Burrs are a peculiar growth resembling warts, and can…