Out & About …

… on the North York Moors, or wherever I happen to be.

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This week

  • Thimbleby and the Vale of MowbrayFrom Barbados to Morrisonsā€”The history of Thimbleby… 11th August 2023 The agricultural landscape of the Vale of Mowbray stretches across to the Dales , a view made visible through the recent felling of what was called ‘The Big Wood’ on…
  • Cold Moor LaneCold Moor Lane ā€” Hollow Way and Medieval Trod 8th March 2024 Taking a respite from the biting easterly breeze while in the shelter of Cold Moor Lane, a sunken bridleway climbing out of Chop Gate, a debate unfolded about its origins.…
  • NZ6919 Brotton CemeteryThe White Maid of Kilton Castle 23rd June 2024 The British Cycling Championships descended upon East Cleveland today, bringing to mind a project I embarked upon during the days of Covid: transcribing the works of Richard Blakeborough. Among his…
  • Roseberry Ironstone MineRoseberry Ironstone Mine 8th January 2020 The site of the Roseberry Ironstone Mine which operated from 1871 to 1926 although, in the early years, there is some doubt as to whether the mine actually produced any…
  • RoseberryEmpire Day: a forgotten anniversary for an… 24th May 2023 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…
  • img_7386.jpgKirtomy Bay 25th May 2024 In a stretch of coast with no natural ports of refuge, this harbour, the most quaint imaginable, is accessible by a zigzag path descending the steep cliffs from the landside,…
  • A high-angle outdoor shot shows a dense, verdant forest with numerous trees marked with bright orange paint. The trees in the foreground, particularly on the left, have distinct orange spots or bands, indicating some form of marking or surveying activity. The forest floor is covered with a thick undergrowth of green plants and grasses, some of which appear to be brambles or similar low-lying vegetation. In the background, more trees and dense foliage create a lush, somewhat wild appearance. The lighting suggests an overcast day or a shaded area, as there are no harsh shadows.Orange Spots ā€” The Slow Death of Ash Dieback 5th July 2025 Ash dieback is sweeping through Cliff Ridge Wood, and the National Trust Rangers have been out marking doomed ash trees with orange spots. These are the infectedā€”struck by a disease…
  • A sweeping panoramic view of a rural landscape in the English countryside. Rolling hills covered in lush green fields and patches of brown moorland stretch into the distance. A small village with stone houses and a winding river can be seen nestled in the valley below. The sky is overcast, casting a soft, diffused light over the scene.Reeth Revisitedā€”Memories of the Aftermath of the 2019 Flood 3rd November 2024 A day in Swaledale, that picturesque valley of the Yorkshire Dales, seemed promising enough, though the weather was somewhat overcast. I climbed High Harker Hill, naturally, as one does, to…
  • A vibrant summer landscape on a sunny day. In the foreground, a field of tall, bright purple fireweed flowers stretches across the left. To their right, a narrow path leads through a field of golden, ripe crops towards a distant treeline. Beyond the trees, more fields and to the left a range of buildings are visible, all set against a backdrop of rolling green hills under a sky with white, fluffy clouds. A wooden fence post is visible in the bottom right corner.Bombweed, a Hall Built of Basalt and German POWs 3rd July 2025 The vivid pinks of Rosebay Willowherb blaze across summer landscapes, yet most pass them by. Known as Fireweed, it is often the first plant to reclaim burnt ground. That was…
  • Blacksmiths, CarltonG. Ward & Son, Blacksmiths of Carlton 7th April 2015 Took the road bike out today which gave me a chance for a moreĀ closer look at the villages of Cleveland than I can get from a car. CarltonĀ has a pub…

All Time

  • Thimbleby and the Vale of MowbrayFrom Barbados to Morrisonsā€”The history of Thimbleby… 11th August 2023 The agricultural landscape of the Vale of Mowbray stretches across to the Dales , a view made visible through the recent felling of what was called ‘The Big Wood’ on…
  • RoseberryMiddlesbrough’s Dark Past: the 1961 Cannon… 21st August 2023 A reminder popped up on my phone today that back in 1961, things had hit a boiling point on Cannon Street in Middlesbrough. Three nights of rioting had built up…
  • The Giant’s BootThe Giant’s Boot 8th April 2020 Northern Ireland’s most visited attraction is the iconic Giant’s Causeway, polygonal columns of basaltic rock formed sixty million years ago when molten lava spread across the land and created clouds…
  • Duncombe Park Army CampDuncombe Park Army Camp 5th April 2021 About 3km after crossing Rievaulx Bridge with its opportunity to gaze at the majestic abbey, the Cleveland Way crosses a concrete road at Griff Lodge. Here the National Trail bears…
  • SE0478 On Dead Man’s HillOn Dead Man’s Hill 20th February 2019 Or the continuing story of Jenny Twigg and her daughter Tib. We parked up at Scar House Reservoir at the top of Nidderdale last night and from across the reservoir,…
  • Boxing Day HuntA Boxing Day Tradition ā€” The Hunt 26th December 2023 I chanced upon the Great Ayton Boxing Day Hunt today. A traditional affair, you know. Had completely slipped my mind. Christmas, a season steeped in tradition, yet this one leaves…
  • Roseberry Ironstone MineRoseberry Ironstone Mine 8th January 2020 The site of the Roseberry Ironstone Mine which operated from 1871 to 1926 although, in the early years, there is some doubt as to whether the mine actually produced any…
  • Hackness HallThe Hackness Shame 27th August 2020 I had a look around the Forge Valley near Scarborough, a place I’ve always wanted to see but never had the opportunity. I must admit, I wasn’t that overwhelmed. A…
  • 2019-02-19 SE1274 Jenny Rig and her daughter Tib.jpgJenny Twigg and her daughter Tib 20th February 2019 Ee, I love maps me. I happened to notice the name “Jenny Twigg and her daughter Tib” marked on the map of Fountains Earth Moor overlooking Nidderdale, and so I…
  • Bousdale BrickworksBousdale Brickworks 2nd March 2021 With cloud shrouding the moorland tops, I kept low and, taking advantage of the winter vegetation die back, had a little potter around the old brickworks at Bousdale, now part…