Roseberry Topping, North Yorkshire

May is for bluebells and a bad back, or so the story goes...

Another trip south on the A19 and an exit at the Whitby turn off for another bash at the bluebell carpet in Newton Wood, near the iconic landmark that is Roseberry Topping. Almost a year to the day I visited this picturesque location for a dose of landscape photography but I was more that happy to tread the terrain once more in the search for some improved bluebell shots, with Roseberry Topping as a backdrop. Sounds great, plus the weather was on my side and upon arrival I had the place to myself. My mobile phone is loaded with some ideal information in the shape of 'Photographers Ephemeris' which predicted the sun would be ideally placed around 3am for the shots I wanted. All went as planned and I was back at ground level within an hour and a half. It wasn't until the next day at work that niggling back pains kicked in and gradually worsened as the day progressed. By the following day I was in a lot of discomfort. Felt like I'd been booted by a horse. Down my right side the was excruciating and it affected my leg too, especially when driving. Not nice. I had to lift my leg up and out of the car before standing up, not to mention what I must have looked like trying getting out the car. Oh dear. Out of action for a while by the look of things. I reckon I must have brought this on by carting that ridiculously heavy camera bag up the hill to photograph the bluebells. Must be bloody mad. Oh well, as I write this blog entry a few weeks later, I'm glad to announce that I'm back to full fitness (whatever that may be) and the back pain has done one. I'll not be making that mistake again, says he. Oh well, I wouldn't say it was worth it. No photograph is worth going through that agony, but just for the record, here is the photographs from the outing. More blogging to follow.
Thanks, Ash

Falconry UK, Kirby Wiske

Here is a change of direction from the usual Landscape photography that I immerse myself in. It's back to Nature for the next two blog entries, as I focus on two recent trips in the field to photograph birds, both in the wild and captivity. Our annual trip to the Farne Islands off the Northumberland Coast was another opportunity to get up close to the thousands of nesting seabirds, but more of that later in the week, when I bring you shots breeding birds within the colonies, as well as birds in flight. Today I will concentrate on last weekends visit to a bird of prey centre in North Yorkshire, at a place called Kirby Wiske, not too far from Thirsk. As the Tour De France was taking place not too far away from our location I expected plenty of traffic during our journey South, but luckily for us that wasn't the case and even the bird of prey centre was less than busy, so things worked out quite well on that score. We've visited four similar places within the last 18 months or so and this one is definitely our favourite of the bunch. Unlike the others, Falconry UK has many birds on display outside of their usual enclosures, so photography opportunities are in abundance, with some of the smaller birds perched literally a five or six feet away from the perimeter fence. The largest of the birds, such as the Bald Eagle, Golden Eagle and Griffon Vulture are tethered at distance, although easily photographed with a 300-400mm telephoto lens.

We watched two flying displays during our visit, with two different teams of birds, including a Golden Eagle, Bald Eagle, White-Headed Vulture, Northern Hawk Owl, Barn Owl and a Kestrel. Each bird flew between the perches in the arena, giving me an opportunity to photograph them in flight and the two Eagles spread their wings a little further by venturing out of the arena for short periods, before returning to their handlers. Each bird was different in its flying habits and behaviour and this was apparent when the Golden Eagle swooped very low in front of me and almost knocked me off my seat, on more than one occasion it has to be said. I'm sure everyone else found it amusing, but when your eye is fixed on the bird through the viewfinder and it heads straight towards the camera, you don't get much time to think of a manoeuvre before it's almost in your face. I relied heavily on the big bird making the first move, which it did, so I escaped a good kicking!

The running commentary by the handler was quite interesting, although I wasn't taking too much notice for the best part, due to concentrating my efforts on pulling in some decent shots. These birds are quite difficult to capture in flight, it has to be said. Capturing them is one thing, but accurately capturing them in sharp focus is another task entirely. As I'm still getting to grips with my Canon 100-400mm lens I expected to find it quite difficult to begin with and that was indeed the case, with a fair percentage of my shots just missing focus. One or two of my attempts efforts missed the birds completely. The more shots I took, the better I became, and this was evident in my keeper rate shooting up dramatically during the last display from the Golden Eagle. I was running on A1 SERVO AF with IS2 selected on the lens, for moving subjects. Then it was a spot of fine tuning in-camera when selecting the appropriate selection between CASE 1 and CASE 6, which is excellent for tracking moving subjects and auto focusing on subjects that immediately enter the frame. There's also options for subjects that move erratically, ignoring possible obstacles along the way. It's all good stuff and the Canon 5D3 will fight your corner all the way, as long as you 'Tell it what to do'.

As mentioned earlier, if you like what you see here, then stay tuned for my next blog entry that covers more birds in flight at Planet Farnes. Not to be missed. Until then, I'll get myself away to watch the football, with a sherbet or two. Adios!
AC

Roseberry Topping (Via Newton Woods)

There hasn't been any photography activity this weekend so it would seem a good a time as any to catch up with another blog entry. I've got stacks of photo's on the back burner, from recent outings with the camera, so it's a case of getting them all uploaded to my blog page as soon as I can. Another set ticked off the list today, in the form of Bluebells, and lots of them! Two trips to Roseberry Topping in mid-May yielded some nice shots of the blue carpet, right across the meadow and pasture, towards the hill in the background. My first visit was an early evening affair and upon arrival I had been beaten to the box seat by another six photographers. This came as a surprise, although I never expected to have the plot to myself, I had an inkling one or others may well be in my company at some point. These fella's were by no means novices, judging by the banter and not least, their kit. It was full frame all the way along the back fence of the meadow. A gang of camera robbers would have made an absolute killing. The sun eventually broke through the clouds, just I was set up, so the first few frames were captured in the evening sun. Nice colour bathed the meadow and in turn brought the colourful hue from the bluebells right into our faces. After a minute of sun it was gone again, seeking refuge behind the cloud cover to our left. At this point the posse was joined by Andy Redhead, another photographer from Bishop Auckland, who I first met on a dawn visit to Buttermere, which to date remains one of my most memorable photography outings.

We waited for the sun to show again as it dropped towards the horizon, ready to set. We were out of luck. One by one we packed up and headed out, back through Newton Woods and on to the steep descent to ground level and eventually the car park. At least I had bagged a few nice ones, albeit during one minute of a 90 minute stay in the meadow. Oh well, owt is better than nowt, as they say. I got back home around 10.45pm, rather knackered after a days work before the 80 mile round trip for some photography. I intended to get another trip under my belt before the Bluebells died off, so it was a simple case of watching the weather for favourable conditions. And it wasn't soon before I made the second trip South, accompanied by Billy Short, friend and rookie photographer. The last two shots in this blog entry were taken during visit two, one of them ending up as a mock magazine cover (below). It was composed with magazine in mind - I think it works quite well. I gave Billy an insight into graduated filters, giving him a free run of my Lee grads, and  he commented later that they made all the difference to his shots, which was nice to know. The sun spread so evenly over the landscape that the filters weren't required for the best part, but as the sun dropped behind cloud cover they came into play, balancing the exposure as required, using 1,2 and 3 stop grads.

It only took two visits to bag these nice shots. On my first trip one the other photographers said he'd visited over the last 7 days in the hope of catching the light, which he never did until that very night we all stood alongside eachother. The things you do to grab the shot you want, eh. Oh well, been there and got many t-shirts!
Until the next time...
AC

As always, click an image to reveal enlarged version...

Saltwick Bay, North Yorkshire Coast

Following on from my recent Whitby blog entry, here is the latest instalment featuring Saltwick Bay. The Bay is a north east-facing bay situated 1 mile south of Whitby. Above the bay is Whitby Holiday Park, where we stayed over the course of a weekend in May, with the Cleveland Way cliff top path running through it. Access to the beach is via a footpath just beyond the park's gate. The path has suffered from some erosion and in places can be quite steep and also very slippery when wet. The path leads down to the sandy beach which gives way to rock and slate scar at either end. To the left is Saltwick Nab and to the right is Black Nab. If fishing from either end, be aware of the tide, as it travels quickly across the scar. The beach and rocks reveal much of Saltwick's alum mining past, and it is also a great venue for finding fossils. Saltwick Bay has many photographic opportunities due to its North-East facing coastline. This means that at the height of summer the sun sets over the sea when looking North-West as well as rising over the sea when looking North-East. In this respect, this small part of the Yorkshire coastline is unique in the whole of Northern England. The Bay also has a sandy beach either side of which is a flat, shale shelf (the Southern and Northern Shelves). These shale shelves are littered with texture-filled (and possibly fossil-filled) shale rocks. On the southern shelf is the local icon “Black Nab” and the remains of the wreck of the 'Admiral Von Tromp'. On the Northern Shelf is the other local Icon 'Saltwick Nab', which from a distance makes the outline of a whale.

I was out of bed bright and early to catch a sunrise on our second full day at the Holiday Park. It was a bit of a wash out to be honest, with very little colour on offer as the sun rose and quickly disappeared behind the low bank of cloud cover on the horizon. The tide was advancing at a fast rate so I kept this in mind as I photographed from a position at the cliff foot (see top photo). Because of the lack of sunrise I was back up the steep cliff path and back to the caravan within an hour of leaving it behind. Infact, no sooner was I back in the caravan and my head was down once again. Can't beat an already warm comfy bed. The Mrs was none the wiser! On the way back to the caravan I was already planning a return visit to the bay later that day, when the tide had retreated. The mission was to find the wreck of The Admiral which I had read about on the internet earlier in the week. I knew it was located somewhere in a hole on the Southern Shelf, so plans were made and later put into action. On our return the tide was way back, leaving the path clear to explore the bay in greater detail. Firstly I took a few black and white shots, one of which you can see in this paragraph. 

A ten minute walk along the Southern Shelf was all it took to get our first glimpse of the ship wreck. The mangled metal, twisted and eroded stuck out like a sore thumb and it was no time at all before we were on site of the mysterious remains.  The Admiral Von Tromp was a fishing vessel from Scarborough which came aground during a storm in 1976 with the loss of 2 lives. Not much of it remained, although the curved bow was instantly recognisable as it sat slumped to one side in the hole. Remnants of the engine sat nearby, covered in limpets, offering a reminder of its sorry state. Black Nab sits in the background of my third shot (shown here). At high tide the nab resembles that of a submarine floating near the sea surface. I walked out to the Nab to take my final shot (below). The colourful flat rock formation is quite an eye catcher as you walk along the ridge to the Nab, which rises approximately 18 feet to its tip.

The kids were more than happy to scan the rock pools as I photographed nearby. After landing a few crab they had to be persuaded to leave the beach! Even the lure of Fish n' Chips wasn't enough to get them walking instantly - they would've stayed there all day if I had let them. It was a nice way to kill a couple of hours, that's for sure. I'd like to return to Saltwick Bay for another crack at sunrise photography. I imagine this place would look the part with a good sunrise, especially at low tide when I can get the shipwreck in the foreground. But that's one for another day. Until then I'll keep this place on my list of places to revisit. It's certainly worth that...

Until next time, Ash

Whitby, North Yorkshire

Hello again!
Whitby is one of those places you never get sick of visiting. This North-Yorkshire fishing town is approximately 65 miles driving distance from our home, which isn't too bad for a day out when you don't wanna be in the car too long. We were booked into a caravan park not far down the coast from Whitby, on the cliff tops at Saltwick Bay. The weather was fine with lots of sun to be had - just what you want on a May Bank Holiday weekend. The backpack was stuffed and I was more than ready to put in some photography, which was what I did around the family thing. The new camera was getting another run out and I hoped to pull in some good shots on land and coast, with one or two dawn shots on the wish list. The photo's here are a bit of a mixed bag. Everything from low-light evening shots to first light long exposures, with a bit of picturesque in between. Without further ado...

My first shot (above) was taken on one of the piers in Whitby Harbour, around 7am. I had the place to myself, give or take the odd dog walker or two. This is a 40 second long exposure using a Lee Big Stopper to smooth out the wet stuff and a 0.9 Graduated ND filter to hold back the detail in the sky. Some nice lead in lines from the wooden boards guides the eye into the frame from foreground to background and nice cool tone of blue finishes the shot off quite nicely. I took another shot, closer to the lifebuoy on the right, then converted it to mono, but left the lifebuoy as red with a little colour splash technique. My first attempt at this and I wasn't sure whether I liked it or not, but it upped the keeper rate so it avoided the recycle bin. My second shot was taken on the West side of Whitby Harbour, on the promenade opposite the Magpie Restaurant. Looking across the water towards Sandgate, this shot shows the houses and rooftops which nestle in front of the cliffs. The tour operating Pirate Boat returns to berth against the harbour walls below where I was shooting from.

No visit to Whitby would be complete without visiting the Abbey. My visit was a little different from the norm though. I took one or two shots from outside the walls of the Abbey but distance didn't really do them justice. Of course the Abbey was closed to the public as it was around 10pm by this time. I thought 'Frig this' and hopped over the wall as a naughty boy would do and then made my way over to the Abbey in almost pitch darkness. I grabbed a few shots and got my arse back over the wall. Job done. Who dares wins. A bit of fearless photography never hurt anyone, he he. This shot shows yours truly on his covert operation, hiding in the shadows and capturing the Abbey on memory card, before the Gissy's showed up and hoyd me in the back of the meat van. Of course, that never happened as I was in and out like a flash (no pun intended).

And finally, another dusk shot of the boats moored in Whitby Marina. The last shot of the night and not a bad way to finish before heading back to the caravan to put my feet up. Grabbed some Fish n' Chips en route and it wasn't long before my arse was sat down and me belly was full. Watched the end of 'War Of The Worlds' with the little fella's, then had a flick through todays shots on the camera. A few hours kip then it's another early start at Saltwick Bay, a place I haven't previously visited, and only five minutes walk down the bank from our caravan. Very nice. Back soon with photo's from The Bay. Catch ya later...

Ash

Roseberry Topping, Nr Great Ayton

Welcome back to my blog page!
I have many new photo's to share, but finding the time to upload them is another matter, which is the main reason ashleycorr.com hasn't had the update treatment lately. But that is about to change. A busy July scuppered my chances of getting out with the camera, which obviously had a knock on effect with site updates. However, I got my arse into gear this week and ventured outdoors once again to catch some more of the local landscape, including sets from Offerton, Cox Green and Wearmouth. They'll be here soon enough, but first up is a selection of images I captured in North Yorkshire, at Roseberry Topping near Great Ayton, a fifty minute drive from my home. I'd visited this location as a kid, as part of a school trip to Captain Cook Country, and distinctly remember being shepherded up the hill by our teacher, who clearly wasn't enjoying the task due to a complete lack of fitness on his part. Roseberry Topping is a mere 320m in height, so hardly Mount Everest in comparison, yet our shepherd struggled big style, and was ready to collapse at any given moment, much to the amusement of me and my classmates, he he. Since then, I've had no connection with Roseberry Topping, other than marvelling at it in photograph form, taken by Joe Cornish (probably Britain's most famous Landscape photographer). Joe lived locally for many years, so the Topping was on his doorstep - easily accessible throughout the changing seasons, and ready to be captured in all its glory. I made three visits to this site between May and June. My first jaunt was for one purpose only - to photograph the bluebells, with Roseberry Topping as a backdrop. The result is shown below. The bluebells were on show for quite some time, but getting 'The shot' wasn't as easy as first anticipated, due to the fact that a fair few had been trampled on by idiots. Aye well, you get them everywhere, unfortunately.

From the car, parked in the visitor car park at the foot of the hill, it was a very mild accent through the bluebell woods and up towards the summit, taking around 40 minutes in total. There were families up there, dogs, pensioners et al. Great views from the top, panoramic style. Another visit saw me heading through the woods once again, but instead of climbing to the summit, I headed through more wooded areas and out towards the fields. I wanted to retrace the steps of Joe Cornish and to locate one or two of his vantage points that he photographed from. After studying one of his shots in particular I headed up a footpath towards where I thought the shot was taken. I found it in no time. The foreground trees were ideal for a landscape shot that I was about to land, so I got to work quickly before the clouds drifted over and killed what was left of the blue sky in my viewfinder. Click. My first shot (top) is without doubt my favourite one from the three visits I made. I converted it to Black & White, and it too made a great shot! Another visit followed soon after, as I was in the nearby town of Guisborough, so paid a visit while the oilseed rape was on show, also shown here. And no doubt I'll be back again, sooner rather than later. I reckon Autumn might throw up one or two surprises down there.

Finally, click this link to view the Joe Cornish shot, which I replicated above. A nice comparison - which one do you prefer?

See ya soon, Ash

Guisborough Priory, North Yorkshire

Guisborough (pronounced 'Gizbra') is a market town and civil parish within the authority of Redcar and Cleveland and the county of North Yorkshire, England. From my home in Houghton le Spring it is approximately 41 miles, 28 as the crow flies. As I have made more of an effort to travel South lately, and beyond Seaham, I targeted this area as one that I needed to photograph, as there are many other points of interest nearby. With this in mind I put a plan together in my head to do an 'All day' photography shoot when I had some spare time, and of course a nice sunny day to do it on. And I didn't have to wait too long for the opportunity. I headed down the A19 towards Middlesborough, passing the A66 turn off and heading towards the A174, which would lead me East, towards Whitby. In fact, it was perfect weather for the coast, but I hadn't intended on venturing that far across, so I stuck to my original plan which would see me tick off places like Guisborough and Great Ayton, including Roseberry Topping, a distinctive hill on the border of North Yorkshire. It is situated near Great Ayton and Newton under Roseberry. Its summit has a distinctive half-cone shape with a jagged cliff, which has led to many comparisons with the much higher Matterhorn in Switzerland. But more of that another day. Today's blog entry concentrates on Guisborough Priory, my mid-day visit in the baking hot sun...

A brief insight to the Priory -

Gisborough Priory is a ruined Augustinian priory in Guisborough, the borough of Redcar and Cleveland and ceremonial county of North Yorkshire, England. It was founded in 1119 as the Priory of St Mary by Robert de Brus, 1st Lord of Annandale, an ancestor of the Scottish king, Robert the Bruce. It became one of the richest monastic foundations in England with grants from the crown and bequests from de Brus, other nobles and gentry and local people of more modest means. Much of the Romanesque Norman priory was destroyed in a fire in 1289. It was rebuilt in the Gothic style on a grander scale over the following century. Its remains are regarded as among the finest surviving examples of early Gothic architecture in England. The priory prospered until the Dissolution of the Monasteries in 1540, when it was abolished along with England's other monastic communities. The priory buildings were demolished and the stone re-used in other buildings in Guisborough. The east end of the priory church was left standing with its great window forming a distinctive arch, a well-known landmark used as a symbol for Guisborough. It became part of the estate of the Chaloner family, who acquired it in 1550. The east window was preserved by them as part of a Romantic vista adjoining their seat, Gisborough Hall, from which the priory takes its idiosyncratically spelled name. It is owned by the Chaloners but is in the care of English Heritage as a scheduled monument.
Since the 19th century archaeological excavations have taken place in the priory grounds, though a substantial part of the site has not yet been investigated. In addition to the east window, surviving visible fragments of the complex include the lower courses of the west range, a vaulted undercroft, a gateway and a 14th-century dovecote still in use today. The adjoining Priory Gardens, laid out by the Chaloners in the 18th century, are under restoration by a volunteer group. The priory ruins and gardens are open to the public throughout the year.

Parting with two of my hard earned quids, I entered the priory grounds after parking at a very handy spot directly in front of the main gate. There were one or two other visitors on site, which was good for me and the camera - don't want too many people inviting themselves into the frame, do we? The bright sun was across to my right, hitting the side of the priory ruins, leaving the main wall in shade, which wasn't ideal, but after twenty minutes or so it had travelled enough to cast its rays onto the stonework, bathing it and bringing out the colour that I was waiting to see. Time to start some photography. Pigeons flew in and out of crevices every few minutes, which was a tad distracting. They were making regular visits to feed their chicks which were sheltered in shade - an ideal place to build a nest. The grounds were very well maintained, although there wasn't a great deal of colour on show as far as flowers and plants were concerned, but I did manage to include what there was on offer, just to add that odd burst of colour to my shots. It was in the nearby wooded area that an abundance of colour was visible, in the form of a bluebell plot. quite photogenic, it has to be said. I got down low and took a few photo's, one of which is shown below.

The wooded area included a collection of ancient stones which were obviously part of the priory buildings at some point. Laid out in a circular fashion, these pieces of stone, although covered in moss, were hundreds of years old and ancient relics of bygone times. Scattered amongst the trees were knitted figures, forming a trail of some description, but I didn't pay much attention to them before heading back out and onto the grassy area near the Priory ruins, which was clearly the focal point of the site. It was now simply a case of finding a few points to photograph from, so off I went, grabbing shots here and there. Here is a few examples...

Coming next - Roseberry Topping. Until then...
A

 

Another Visit To York

Last month Mr & Mrs C had another weekend away in York, which is one of our favourite places to visit and it's only a 90 minute car journey at a steady pace. Mind you, although we visit York at least twice a year we never seem to hit on good weather, for some odd reason, and our latest visit was no different. That said, it was February, so it was no surprise that the North of England was once again under a dull overcast sky, with accompanying cold winds and the odd bout of snow and sleet. What to do eh, other than grit thee teeth and get on with it - this weather is not for the soft lad. Or maybe it was, as I headed into warmer territory that is York Minster, while the Mrs went for a spot of retail therapy, which is not my cup of tea whatsoever, so a canny compromise was made to pass an hour or so before meeting up. I kept my entrance ticket from my previous visit, which guaranteed free entry to the Minster for a full year, so there was no crossing palms with silvers on this occasion, as I went on my way, into The Nave. It's £9 a go these days, but there were plenty of takers, especially foreign folk, eager to see what was on show in this ancient building. There was one noticeable absentee however, my tripod, which was given the day off,  as I wanted to see what the 5D Mk2 was capable of in a handheld situation with high ISO settings. Every shot inside York Minster was captured this way and the results were stunning, especially the ceiling shot in the Chapter House (Shot 2, below). As you can imagine, there was very little available light to play with inside the Minster, so the Auto ISO setting was necessary to give me a fast enough shutter speed in low light, even though it cranked itself right up to 3200 in the dimmest areas to get a fast enough shutter. Reviewing the images, I couldn't help but notice how pin sharp they were when magnified on the monitor, so off I went, in search of more. I covered all of York Minster, apart from The Quire, which was out of bounds due to an ongoing hymn practise. Handheld delivered some great shots, if I say so myself. Oh, and there's a rare shot of me too, capturing a mirrored reflection in the South Transept.

After a 30 minute sesh in the Minster I had just enough time to head over to the popular Shambles area of York City Centre. The Olde Worlde character of this place is tailor made for photography, although my shots don't show its popularity on this occasion as the place was almost deserted when I got there. It was almost 4pm and Sunday shopping was near its end, so the majority of folk had cleared off by this time, which wasn't a bad thing as the camera got to see what it wanted, with no crowds obstructing its view. Shambles (or The Shambles as it is often referred to) is a street in the city centre of York with a long and interesting past. Today it features great shops, cafes, restaurants and tourist attractions. A fine place to stroll on a day in York or visit to take in some shopping, history and culture - also this year's winner of Google's Most Picturesque Street in Britain. As the snow started to fall I packed the camera away and headed off to the pre-arranged meeting place, where my other half was already waiting, laden with shopping bags. Oh aye...what's the damage? She had a big smile on her face when I arrived, but I still don't know whether it was due to the bargain she'd bagged, or the state of my hair, which was looking very sorry for itself by this time. Ah well, time to sit down for a beer and a bar meal. It's not all trudging around in the cold, this York malarky.

As usual, click on an image to enlarge. And on that note I shall disappear once more, only to return with more photographs, made in the North-East of England. Until then, stay safe.

Ash

     

Castle Howard, York

Castle Howard is a stately home in North Yorkshire, England, 15 miles (24 km) north of York. One of the grandest private residences in Britain, most of it was built between 1699 and 1712 for the 3rd Earl of Carlisle, to a design by Sir John Vanbrugh. Although Castle Howard was built near the site of the ruined Henderskelfe Castle, it is not a true castle, but this term is often used for English country houses constructed after the castle-building era (c.1500) and not intended for a military function.Castle Howard has been the home of part of the Howard family for more than 300 years. It is familiar to television and movie audiences as the fictional "Brideshead", both in Granada Television's 1981 adaptation of Evelyn Waugh's Brideshead Revisited and a two-hour 2008 remake for cinema. Today, it is part of the Treasure Houses of England heritage group.

Castle Howard has extensive and diverse gardens. There is a large formal garden immediately behind the house. The house is prominently situated on a ridge and this was exploited to create an English landscape park, which opens out from the formal garden and merges with the park.
Two major garden buildings are set into this landscape: the Temple of the Four Winds at the end of the garden, and the Mausoleum in the park. There is also a lake on either side of the house. There is an arboretum called Ray Wood, and the walled garden contains decorative rose and flower gardens. Further buildings outside the preserved gardens include the ruined Pyramid currently undergoing restoration, an Obelisk and several follies and eye catchers in the form of fortifications. A John Vanbrugh ornamental pillar known as the Quatre Faces (marked as 'Four Faces' on Ordnance Survey Maps) stands in nearby Pretty Wood.

 

Four shots, taken on a red hot day - just what ya want, really. Ideal conditions - not to be sniffed at!

Not too much to say that hasn't been mentioned above, apart from a great day that was had. Came back home a shade of Lobster Red - it didn't half sting the next day. Sun cream is for pussies!

 

AC

 

 

 

North Yorkshire Coastal Route - Pt 4

Robin Hood's Bay

The final leg of my Coastal Tour of North Yorkshire was at Robin Hood's Bay, a small town, again with lots of history surrounding its past glory as a haven for fishermen. In the 18th century, Robin Hood's Bay was reportedly the busiest smuggling community on the Yorkshire coast. Its natural isolation, protected by marshy moorland on three sides, offered a natural aid to this well-organised business which, despite its dangers, must have paid better than fishing. Smuggling at sea was backed up by many on land who were willing to finance and transport contraband. Fisherfolk, farmers clergy and gentry alike were all involved. Fierce battles ensued between smugglers and excise men, both at sea and on land, and Bay wives were known to pour boiling water over excise men from bedroom windows in the narrow alleyways. Hiding places, bolt holes and secret passages abounded. It is said that a bale of silk could pass from the bottom of the village to the top without leaving the houses. The threat of the excise men was not the only danger to Bayfolk. In the late 18th century and early 19th century, the Press Gangs were feared and hated. Sailors and fishermen were supposed to be exempt but, in reality, rarely were. Once ‘pressed’, their chances of returning to their homes were not high. Village women would beat a drum to warn the men folk that the Press Gangs had arrived and it was not unusual for the Press Gang to be attacked and beaten off. The fishing industry reached its zenith in the mid 19th century and a thriving community existed in Bay. The townsfolk liked to amuse themselves in the winter and there were dances almost every evening. Church and chapel were well attended and funerals and weddings were occasions for a festival. Like other fishing villages, Bay had its own gansey pattern. From the early 19th century, Robin Hood’s Bay began to attract visitors from the outside and this has continued to the present day. 

Like the town centre of Whitby, Robin Hood's Bay has two parts to it - old and new, or relatively new. From the top of the hill the main road suddenly turns into a steep bank, flanked by houses and shops, which is where the Old Town begins. It is here that you get a taste of what Robin Hood's Bay is all about. Similar to the period buildings I found at Staithes, RHB is almost an extension of that town - both have a steep bank, taking you down towards the residential area, a 'Lost in time' world from days gone by. The character of the place is wholly untouched, which is something that has been deliberately done to avoid moving with the times, and thus losing its identity altogether. I've walked these streets many a time, often hoping to discover something new, something that has me lifting the camera once again, and quite often I find it. The Old Town is maze-like, and more often than not I'll find myself in no-mans land, before attempting to retrace my steps in the hope of getting back to familiarity. It's very easy to become absorbed in these surroundings, like walking a tight alleyway and wondering who walked here in years gone by - what did they look like, and where were they heading, and why? Fascinating.

Today was very much another typical day in the life of. Tourists here and there, on land on sand, and even in the water. The Bay is quite small, but when the tide retreats its rocky shore becomes a magnet for families engaging in rock pool searches. We joined in but there was little or nothing of interest, so we headed back towards the Bay Hotel, which is the starting point of the climb back up the steep bank. The ramp which joins the beach from the back foot caught my eye, with its cobbled stones that made for an interesting foreground, with the backdrop of the hotel as my focal point. The Bay Hotel struck me as one of those creepy style residences - which wouldn't look out of place on the set of 'A League Of Gentlemen'. Are you local? My second photograph gives you an indication of where I'm coming from - Landlords, Edward & Tubbs! Can I have a pint of lager and a gum shield, please Barmaid!!!

Outside the Bay Hotel were a few punters, sitting supping their ales. The smell of a nearby Fish n' Chip shop filled the sea air around us. Temptation crept up on your writer once again, as I fumbled in my pocket for cash of the paper variety, in the hope of sampling the fried scran once again. I must add that my previous blog entries from my 'North Yorkshire Coastal Route' include my indulgence with Fish n' Chips - well they were on previous days during our mini-break, so don't be thinking I necked 3 portions all in one day. I might be a greedy get now and again, but not on this particular weekend! A sandwich board, tucked away to one side of the road, directed us up a narrow back land towards the Fish n' Chip shop. Tiny it was, with people huddled inside, but how do you form a queue inside a sardine tin? A five minute wait and I was at the front of the queue - it was more Fish n' Chips. Well worth the money. The little fella visited the Chocolate Fountain instead and enjoyed a 'Kebab Style' fudge and strawberry covering, and covered he was! The missus picked away at my Fish Lot, although your writer saw off the Lion's share, he he.


And that closes the 'North Yorkshire' blog until another visit - maybe next year, who knows. The whole 'Weekender' was great, and a nice time was had, so I would recommend this stretch of coast to all who have an interest in a break by the sea. Of course, there's a lot more to the North Yorkshire Coast than what has been written here - this was just a taster of what was on offer. Why not check it out for yourself. And on that note I shall now contact the North Yorkshire Tourist Board, Accounts Payable, to claim my 20% commission! Maybe it will subsidise more Fish n' Chips!!!

Until the next time..
Ash

North Yorkshire Coastal Route - Pt 3

Whitby

Three miles from Sandsend lies the popular town of Whitby, a seaside town, port and civil parish in the Scarborough borough of North Yorkshire, England. Situated on the east coast of Yorkshire at the mouth of the River Esk, Whitby has a combined maritime, mineral and tourist heritage, and is home to the ruins of Whitby Abbey where Caedmon, the earliest English poet, lived. The fishing port emerged during the Middle Ages and developed important herring and whaling fleets, and was where Captain Cook learnt seamanship. Tourism started in Whitby in Georgian times and developed with the coming of the railway in 1839. Tourist interest is enhanced by its location surrounded by the high ground of the North York Moors national park and heritage coastline and by association with the horror novel Dracula. Jet and alum were mined locally, and Whitby jet, which was mined by the Romans and Victorians became fashionable during the 19th century. The abbey ruin at the top of the east cliff is the town's oldest and most prominent landmark with the swing bridge across the River Esk and the harbour sheltered by the grade II listed east and west piers being other significant features. Statues of James Cook and William Scoresby and a whalebone arch all point to a maritime heritage. The town also has a strong literary tradition and has featured in literary works, television and cinema; most famously in Bram Stoker's novel, Dracula.

I've lost count of the amount of times I've visited Whitby with the camera in tow. I tend not to have a plan in mind when photographing, preferring to 'Go with the flow' and to see where I end up on each particular day. I mean, one time I will opt to photograph up top, in and around the Abbey. Another time I may find myself in and among the shopping areas, in particular Sandgate (The Old Town), with its many old fashioned shop fronts relating to times gone by, such as Victorian Costume, Whitby Jet and Maritime, amongst others. Today I concentrated on the area known as West Cliff, which overlooks the whole of Whitby and offers excellent views across the Harbour and Piers, as well as Sandgate and the Abbey. BE WARNED - the food part of this Blog entry is coming shortly, so if you're hungry as you read this, I take no blame if you suddenly have the urge to dash out and buy Fish n' Chips. Well, come on . . . no visit to Whitby would be complete without your writer indulging in a Fish Lot, eh. So heed the warning folks - the scran bit is on the way, he he. But before I rabbit on about that I'll fill you in on the photographs I've uploaded here.

Four new photo's, taken at Whitby, North Yorkshire - April 2012.(Click image to enlarge)
1. River Esk, across Sandgate towards the Swing Bridge - taken on West Cliff.
2. The world famous Magpie Restaurant, with NO QUEUE, which must be a first!
3. River Esk, across Sandgate towards the Swing Bridge - taken at ground level.
4. Panoramic stitch - Whitby, from West Cliff.

And finally, Fish and Chips at the Magpie. There was a massive queue at the restaurant door, which is very common no matter which day you visit. Not being a patient soul when me belly is rumbling, I persuaded the other half to dodge the queue and join the much shorter one next door, at the Magpie takeaway. We didn't fancy waiting an hour in the queue, for the restaurant to open its doors to us, so common sense prevailed and it wasn't long before we were at the counter next door, placing our order. Mind you, the Magpie has an excellent reputation for its food, which often means paying a premium to get yer gob round it. Ah well, it's only money and ya can't take it with ya when your number is up, so we filled our boots and done the necessary. Fish n' Chips cost £6.70 each - aye, the robbin' bastards should have worn a mask - Dick Turpin did when he robbed folk! I nearly keeled owa when yon lassie clagged an extra pund on the bill for small tub o' Mushy Peas. When I hoyd salt 'n vinegar on me scran I half expected yon lassie to shout 'That'll be an extra ten bob, mister'. They like cash in the Magpie. But hey, all thoughts of robbery were put firmly to the back of my mind when I took my first bite of that battered cod fillet - it was the Bee's Knee's, mak nee mistake about that. Nee soggy batter, like they dish out at some of these cheap seaside chip shops, this was the Real McCoy and the fish was thick and white - neen o' this grey rubbish that the Pakistani chippy's knock out! Lush chips anarl, norra bit o' fat on them, so ah hoyd the lot down me neck and weshed it doon wi' the usual Coca-Cola. In culinary terms - it doesn't get much better than this, unless it's a full blown Indian meal wi' all the trimmings. Nee wonder The Magpie is number one - no complains from us.

And on that note, I shall bid thee farewell til the final part of my North Yorkshire Coast blog - Robin Hood's Bay.
Ash

DISCLAIMER - Should you now be rushing out to order Fish n' Chips, simply blame me and forward the bill to Ashley Corr Photography, where I shall promptly 'Return To Sender'. That is all.