Category: North York Moors

  • Robert Chaloner

    Robert Chaloner

    A gentle breeze this morning on Great Ayton Moor leading to a slight increase in visibility. In the absence of a stunning view, I had to resort to another of the many boundary stones that scatter the moors. This one is inscribed ‘R C’ so it is likely to refer to Robert Chaloner, but is…

  • Boundary Stone, Great Ayton Moor

    Boundary Stone, Great Ayton Moor

    A roughly dressed boundary stone, probably limestone, and inscribed “RY 1752”. This probably stands for Ralph Yoward who became Lord of the Manor of Hutton following the death of his father in 1751. When Henry VIII dissolved Gisborough Priory in 1539, it was the fourth richest religious house in Yorkshire. The priory land at Hutton…

  • One misty moisty morning when cloudy was the weather

    One misty moisty morning when cloudy was the weather

    I didn’t meet “an old man a-clothed all in leather” this morning. In fact, there were not many folks around at all. Plenty of evidence of money spiders (Liniphiidae) activities. I think these are the webs of the money spider, normally un-noticed until they capture the morning mist. In case you are wondering the title…

  • Ruined water tank, Rosedale

    Ruined water tank, Rosedale

    An early start for a circuit of Rosedale. Dense mist to begin but quickly clearing for a nice day. Much good work has been improving the old mineral railway around the head of the valley; it is now easily cyclable. What is not so good is the conservation of the brickwork ruins of an old…

  • Tempus exploro omnis negotium

    Tempus exploro omnis negotium

    Rather poor Latin, I’m told. The belief is it’s intended to mean “time reveals every affair”. My ‘O’ level Latin didn’t much help. And reputedly carved by a monk, although I can’t remember where I picked that up from. Google, however, says it’s “every time to explore business”. Hmmm, not sure about that. Another website…

  • On Roseberry summit

    On Roseberry summit

    A dash up Roseberry before the rain came. Not many folks up here today, bliss. A hazy view towards Guisborough. Open Space Web-Map builder Code

  • Rock Hole, Springbank, Slapewath

    Rock Hole, Springbank, Slapewath

    Walked a section of the Cleveland Way on a cloudy day with several showers. After crossing the A171 at Slapewath the route toils up Springbank around the huge bowl of Rock Hole, the remains of a 17th-century alum quarry. After 400 years some of the shale sides of the quarry noticeably haven’t reverted back to…

  • On Codhill Heights

    On Codhill Heights

    Sans le chien so a chance to go off-piste. So this is looking back after crossing Rivelingdale from Percy Cross Rigg and climbing Codhill Heights. The map indicates an old field system hereabouts, but there is not much to see. This small standing stone may or may not be significant, but as Donkey said in…

  • Monument Mine

    Monument Mine

    On this day, June 8th, in 1850, legend has it that John Vaughan and John Marley were out shooting rabbits on Eston Nab. Marley tripped over a burrow and as he sprawled on the ground, his hand landed on the purest ironstone he had ever seen, “Eureka!” he cried. He had discovered vast main seam…

  • “Love, and look after it!”

    “Love, and look after it!”

    I usually wake up to the Farming Today programme on Radio 4. On Saturdays, it is a bit of a compilation and 45 minutes later so I’m less philogrobolized than on a weekday. The first ten minutes or so this morning was about the trashing of the countryside that many of us have observed during…