Category: North York Moors
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The Old Fish Pond, Kildale
Welcome to the picturesque col, or pass, connecting Commondale and Kildale. Here, the nascent River Leven gracefully meanders through this marshy terrain, making its entrance from the right, just this side of the road to West House, a scene of a horrific murder. The river then finds itself in a state of contemplation, torn between…
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A thought-provoking piece of artwork that juxtaposes the simplicity of an alphabetical motif with the rugged beauty of weatherworn lichen-covered sandstone crag …
… The use of white aerosol paint against the natural textures of the crag creates a striking contrast, drawing the viewer’s attention to the delicate interplay between man-made symbols and the organic world. Sorry, too tongue in cheek perhaps. Graffiti! The malicious cousin of art that’s always popping up where it is least desired. It’s…
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The Delicate Greggles of Newton Wood
I make no apologies for yet another posting featuring the greggles of Newton Wood. In a mere couple of weeks, they will have surpassed their peak, and the woods will be stripped of their intoxicating hue of violet blue. Thomas Hardy employed the term “greggles” in his book, The Mayor of Casterbridge, ingeniously portraying the…
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The Coombs
The moors have been transformed into a vibrant green as bilberries blanket the landscape. From this vantage point in the Esk valley, overlooking a basin resembling an armchair at the northern edge of Danby Rigg, known as ‘The Coombs.’ A captivating scene which caught the attention of Rev. Canon Atkinson, who dedicated fifty years as…
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The Lockwood Beck Ghost Pack
Broken ground reveals a disused quarry dating back to the 19th century, with Lockwood Beck Reservoir in the distance. As the reservoir was constructed in the 1870s, it seems likely the quarry was associated with it. However, the mention of Lockwood Beck serves as an opportunity to share a story from the book ‘Strange Stories…
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From Sores to Toothaches: remedies with Wild Garlic
Another dreich morning with poor visibility. So my eyes were drawn to the abundance of flowers blooming in Newton Woods. Ramsons, also known as Wild Garlic, are plentiful in the damper areas of the wood. Personally, I find their display equally impressive as the Bluebells, although some may dislike their scent. Throughout history, plants from…
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From an English woodland to a South American jungle
An annual task with the National Trust is at the Valley Gardens at Bransdale to tackle the invasive American Skunk Cabbage, which thrives in the damp areas of the valley floor. But this day was interrupted when a sudden hail storm arrived, making the already boggy ground even more challenging. On arrival is sunshine, we…
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Distress in Scugdale — the consequences of ladder traps
As I was wandering around the head of Scugdale, something caught my attention: a ladder trap filled with birds. Two crows were stuck inside, looking distressed, and my heart sank. Although they had water, shelter, and plenty of food (dead rabbits), they were trapped and unable to escape. Upon closer inspection, I realised that the…
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Birch — a pioneer species in the succession of moorland into woodland
On a dreich morning such as this, I do find the heather moorland to be a rather lacklustre hue of brown, struggling to emerge from its wintry dormancy. But amidst this dullness, here on Hutton Moor, scores of self-seeded birch saplings bursting with fresh green leaves bring colour and vibrancy to the otherwise subdued landscape.…
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Newton Wood’s Bluebells
May is an enchanting month, and one of the most exhilarating things about it is the appearance of bluebells in Newton Wood. These stunning blue flowers are a breathtaking sight and attract photographers from all over Teesside. While the majority of bluebells are blue, this clump of white ones regularly bloom. These may be “albino”…