Photos of the Yorkshire Dales Paul Jackson Ribblesdale
I’ve taken my cat’s photo so many times that I’m sure he’s beginning to strike a few poses. As long as Tiny doesn’t start charging me model fees I’ll keep on sticking the lens in his face. It’s been very misty around Ribblesdale recently which is why I’ve been mainly photographing cats, horses, sheep, lambs and this flashy young cockerel…
Clear blue skies tempted me into clambering up the rocky western side of Kingsdale this morning. The views were fantastic. I went as far as the Turbary Road, an ancient track which locals once used to collect peat from the slopes of Gragareth. To the west I could pick out Morecambe Bay across the Lune Valley, and the snow-topped southern fells of the Lake District. Just off the main track are these erratics known as the Cheese Press Stones where I ate my pressed cheese sandwich while staring towards Ingleborough and Whernside.
The end of another lovely day here in Ribblesdale in the Yorkshire Dales. I particularly enjoyed watching the sun go down this evening. A pregnant ewe slowly settled down in the field in front of me, and half a dozen carrion crows squawked noisily before perching in the tree tops. With the last rays of sun reflected on remaining flood water and on the river, a more peaceful finale to the day I couldn’t have wished for. The moon is shining brightly now and through my binoculars I have a clear view of its craters. Don’t you just love Nature?
A lovely sunset tonight helps me celebrate my 100th blog on this site. I’m standing by the Ribble near Long Preston, the river flowing heavily yet quietly under the bridge, a couple of horses grazing unconcerned in the next field. Before writing this I scanned through the previous 99 blogs to see what subject had pulled in the most visitors. It was the one I wrote at the beginning of February; I didn’t think it was anything special until I noticed I’d written ‘it gave me the willies’. Really, do I have to mention a rude word to get noticed on t’ internet? Goodness knows how many hits I’ll get when I mention the blue tits in my garden.
The ducks and geese were having a whale of a time on the swollen Malham Beck in the Yorkshire Dales this morning. But there’s always one that goes too far isn’t there? The clouds were low and boring over Malham Cove but there’s no denying the drama of this vast curtain of limestone.
Driving up out of High Bentham towards Slaidburn today I had to stop to admire this view back over Wenningdale towards Whernside and Ingleborough. It was such a change to see an all-too-brief glimpse of blue sky. Looking the other way (below) was also a pretty scene (even though I briefly dipped my toes in Lancashire). I called at Stocks Reservoir after Slaidburn and wondered why there were cars parked outside rather than inside the small car park. They’ve started charging, that’s why. For years United Utilities who ‘own’ the land boasted about what lovely people they were in allowing the public to enjoy ‘their’ facilities for free. But now it seems that the profit of £607m the company made last year, much of it through rates we pay for letting them utilise what was once public land given away by government, is not enough. What’s the betting that the next time I visit Stocks there’ll be ugly yellow lines down the country lane along with ‘no parking’ signs.
Another place on the western fringes of proper Yorkshire which deserves ‘framing’ (see previous blog) is Mallerstang. The B6259 which runs through this lovely dale starts off in Yorkshire, following the Settle-Carlisle railway, and enters Westmorland around Aisgill. To the east rises Great Shunner Fell while to the west (pictured) is Wild Boar Fell. The river Eden flows down this valley and it certainly is a paradise.
You will have already guessed that my picture wasn’t taken in the last few weeks. But as I passed this spot just above Sedbergh today in dreadful weather I was nevertheless reminded just how beautiful the Howgills are. I’d like to register a vote for this view of the western-most edge of Yorkshire as one of Ashley Jackson’s Framing the Landscape @framinglandsc candidates, just so this far-flung part of the county is not forgotten.
I’ve written previously about wishing that my blog visitors could hear the thundering sound of the Ribble at Stainforth Force in Ribblesdale in the Yorkshire Dales… well here’s your chance. I was messing about with the movie feature on my camera and came up with a short 30 second sequence. There’s a wobbly bit halfway through when the camera strap got caught on the tripod (novice error apparently) but you get an idea of the sound made by the water as it rattles down the limestone. The falls had calmed down today after the deluge of the last few days and therefore the sound was not as wild as I’d previously heard. Unfortunately WordPress charge $60 a year to allow videos on their pages so I’ll have to divert you to another place…
The unmistakeable outline of Ingleborough greets those motorists driving from Hawes towards Ingleton near Ribblehead. This afternoon the sun was getting low in the west; there was icy blue sky to the east, while snow clouds were building up all around me. There’ll be much more of the white stuff here by the morning.