Ribblesdale Archives - Page 8 of 21 - Scribble by the Ribble

Take a buzz around Malham

Malham is nobbut five miles from home but sometimes you’d think they were a thousand miles apart. One morning last week I looked out of my window at a lovely blue sky and thought it’ll be a grand day for photography and a stroll around the limestone features of Malhamdale. Wrong. Less than two miles up the road out of Ribblesdale I could see a great grey mass of cloud shrouding the scene to the east. Ah well, I managed one or two decent shots, and some lent themselves to black-and-whites. Forget the cove, isn’t the top photo one of the most recognisable and memorable shots of Malham? I remember going in that shop over 50 years ago.

Regular Malham visitors will have strolled to Gordale Scar via the field paths by the beck and through Janet’s Foss Wood. I once again visited the wood, which later in the year contains a fantastic display of wild garlic but sadly no snowdrops here yet. I was pleased to see that the Bee Library survives. In 2013 twelve book-nests were created for solitary bees. The books all have a bee theme and have been transformed into nests in ash trees (in recognition of ash die-back disease). The library at Janet’s Foss was the fifth to be created and the first in a National Park. It is dedicated to Ken Pickles, author of Beekeeping in Wharfedale, who became allergic to his own heather honey following the Chernobyl disaster. Read more of the Malham story here http://www.the-bee-bole.com

malham bees — One of the books in the bee library

It was sad to hear of the death of Ken Morrison this week. I don’t want to give the impression that I regularly rub shoulders with the country’s self-made millionaires but I met Ken a couple of times at awards functions when I edited Dalesman – and instantly liked him. A gentleman, unpretentious and generous. Obviously I never worked for him and can only guess at what kind of a boss he was. I imagine he led by setting a good example. I doubt that Ken would ever have believed he could take his business methods onto the political stage and become a country’s leader like one trumped up egocentric bigot I could think of.

malham sun — You won’t see the detail if you’re viewing on a phone or small tablet but this was the stunning scene on my journey back from Malham

Inspirational Yorkshire women

My interview with Amanda Owen, the Yorkshire Shepherdess, appears in February’s Countryman magazine which is now on sale. Amanda is a remarkable young lady who with husband Clive and nine (at the last count) children live and farm at out-of-the-way Ravenseat in Birkdale. As I re-read the article I am reminded of a piece I wrote in Dalesman about another fine Yorkshire woman, Hannah Hauxwell. On the face of it they appear to be very different characters and their lives have certainly taken diverse paths. Hannah, before retiring, lived a solitary existence with just a few animals; Amanda, although isolated, is surrounded by her extensive family and hundreds of sheep and other animals. But they are similar in that both are strong willed and extremely hard working individuals, showing true Yorkshire grit. Both have beautiful complexions – that’s what clean Yorkshire air and clear Dales water does for you – with gentle mannerisms and caring attitudes. In my head I can still hear Hannah’s soothing tones, tinted with that North-East influence you find amongst those born near the Tees. Amanda, originally from Huddersfield, retains a hint of the West Riding in her speech which I recognise from my own childhood in the Heavy Woollen District. Both are completely unpretentious with a natural warmth, and I feel privileged to have met the two of them. Yorkshire women aren’t all Nora Batty stereotypes – they can be inspirational too. http://www.countrymanmagazine.co.uk

Yorkshire amanda — Amanda Owen and two of her younger children at her Ravenseat home

As relief from a spot of decorating, on Wednesday I drove through several Yorkshire Dales and up to Dent Station. Directly above me was as clear a blue sky I’d seen for ages, but looking towards the horizon the distant view was masked by a fine mist. The landscape west down Dentdale was still impressive but the bitterly cold wind meant I didn’t linger for long. Over the old Coal Road the views down Wensleydale, Mallerstang and Garsdale were similarly shrouded. I stopped off at Garsdale Station to pat my favourite metal dog, Ruswarp. He was still gazing out expectantly waiting for the return of his master. A quick stroll to Cotter Force proved as worthwhile as ever. The sound of tumbling water seemed to echo around like applause in a small theatre.

On Friday more blue sky in Ribblesdale tempted me out again. Penyghent and Fountains Fell looked great but further along the Silverdale Road I hit low cloud. I could hardly see 20 yards in front of me which meant the route along the narrow unfenced road and the steep descent into Halton Gill was interesting to say the least.

A stunning morning yesterday saw me at Helwith Bridge. The view along Ribblesdale from above the fishery was grand (see top pic). My old friend Penyghent looked like an iced cake. I imagine plenty of people were tempted to trek up the mountain but I was f-f-f-f-frozen – no way would I have gone up there, so it was back home for some proper cake.

Dales living – why it’s the best place to be

My Dales photo diary. How thankful I am to be able to step out into the Dales to escape briefly from life’s mental chores. I’m sure I’d go mad were I confined in an urban cell surrounded all day by concrete and metal. Just turning off the news and internet has been a blessed relief this week. I’ve so enjoyed heading out into the dales to watch the sun go down. Even though it’s been cold, the late afternoon colours have been warming for the soul here in Ribblesdale. The top photo taken near Selside shows Penyghent basking in red light.

dales ingleborough — Mist clinging to the top of Ingleborough as the sun sets

dales Hill Inn — Hill Inn in Chapel le Dale, looking towards Twisleton

dales Penyghent — Another classic Dales shot taken near Horton in Ribblesdale

dales sunset1 — I really enjoyed watching the sun go down over Langcliffe

A heaven so clear, an earth so calm,
So sweet, so soft, so hushed an air,
And deepening still the dream-like charm
Wild moor-sheep feeding everywhere.

That was the scene, I knew it well;
I knew the turfy pathway’s sweep,
That, winding o’er each billowing swell,
Marked out the tracks of wandering sheep.

Emily Bronte

dales sheep sunset — No wonder the Brontes were given to poetry

dales cyclists — Even I can see the attraction of cycling in this shot from Winskill. Now if all roads were like this in the Dales – downhill with glorious views that is – you might see me in luminous lycra (what an image to leave you with!).

Ribblesdale’s TV stars and the white stuff

While it’s always good to see Ribblesdale featured on the box I wasn’t too impressed with the programme on Friday in which Julia Bradbury walked up Penyghent. I liked the people in it, but I was left wondering what the real point of the programme was other than to give Julia something to do.

I’m all for promoting walking and the area, but in this programme everything appeared so manufactured, even by TV standards. I suppose that with it filling a slot between Coronation Street episodes I shouldn’t have expected anything of great depth. If I’m sounding pompous I apologise but I was put off in the first few minutes on hearing the term ‘Ribblesdale valley’ which always annoys me – a dale is a valley so why double up? And I’m not sure Horton-in-Ribblesdale can be classed as a ‘town’ as described – a population of around 400 with a shop is not a town in my book. And Hull Pot: a canyon? Mmmm.

There was plenty more hyperbole scattered throughout. Hull Pot was ‘totally unexpected’ enthused Julia. What was totally unexpected was the sight of Mr Lord with his fossils laid out on a sheet beside the ‘canyon’. Lucky he was there at the same time as Julia’s unexpected visit. Anyway, I’m glad she made it up ‘the sheer limestone cliff face’, and that the wind ‘put hairs on her chest’ (What?).

I was also disappointed the walk ended halfway round. A mention of all the hard work put in by volunteers to maintain the paths and environment wouldn’t have gone amiss, but I suppose I’m being picky – the shots from up above were great. By the way, is Minnie Caldwell still in Corrie?
I’m not free from criticism myself either – a chap wrote to me after I enthused about the return of steam engines through Ribblesdale, asking why we should be celebrating the reappearance of these ’noisy, dirty, expensive, environmentally-friendless monsters’.

Yes, they are outdated, I replied to him. But they pull in visitors to the area and it’s not as though they slog up the ‘Long Drag’ every day is it? I added. Then, rather embarrassingly for me, I read this week that some steam trains are to be scheduled into regular slots up the Settle-Carlisle Line! Ah well, still not as environmentally unfriendly as the planes I see leaving their marks across the sky above the Yorkshire dales, hey?

For further details of the timetabled steamers and news of the Flying Scotsman on the line, visit http://www.settle-carlisle.co.uk

Ribblesdale langcliffe — Langcliffe looking pretty in this week’s snow

I didn’t get out much this week for one reason or another but I did manage a few Ribblesdale snow shots. A snowy Ingleborough is shown at the top of the blog.

Ribblesdale lane — Pike Lane, Langcliffe

Ribblesdale train — Goods train leaving Ribblehead Viaduct

Ribblesdale sheep — Sheep feeding through the white stuff by the Ribble

Ribblesdale seen in a new light

It’s been a funny old start to 2017 here in Ribblesdale and beyond. The weather has been neither one thing nor t’ other; I’ve not had much time for getting out and about, and in the world in general, us humans don’t seem to know how to cope with the messes we’ve got ourselves into. Still, plenty to look forward to this new year. Hopefully steam trains will soon be back on the Settle-Carlisle railway, my Huddersfield Town footie team will be promoted to the Premier League, and our unelected Prime Minister will have sorted out all the injustice in our country as promised. Well, anyway, there’s a fair chance we might get one of those three.

The more observant of you will have noticed I’ve switched ‘publication day’ for my blog from Sunday mornings to Monday. Two reasons for this: one, I seem to get more traffic to the site on a Monday, (probably because too many people spend time on t’ internet at their work computers than they do at home); and two, I’m able to make better use of my Sundays. Not that I really set myself deadlines in my retirement but it’s still a buzz to have a challenge. This week’s photos highlight the changeable conditions encountered in Ribblesdale since the start of the year. The top shot of Penyghent from Winskill is in black and white, but in real life it wasn’t much different.

Reasons to love Ribblesdale

Langcliffe in Ribblesdale – a calendar for the new year. I’ve collected together some of my favourite shots from around the lovely village of Langcliffe where I live. There is a printed version in the village church of St John’s should anyone be interested. Have a great new year by the Ribble. At the end of the blog is a stirring ancient poem about Ribblesdale to get you in the mood for a visit.

The Lads Of Ribblesdale

How oft I’ve heard of Tiber’s stream where Rome’s fair city stands,
And oft I’ve heard of the glorious Rhine, away in foreign lands;
While Beranger and Lamartine can many a soul inspire
With songs of vine-clad mountains on the banks of Rhone and Loire.

For years proud London’s mighty arms have hugged old Father Thames,
And Shakespeare left sweet Avon’s banks wreathed with eternal gems;
While Falconer praised Killarney’s Falls, Sam Lover and Tom Moore
Immortalised the many streams that grace old Erin’s shore.

Some climb the hills and castles in the pleasant vale of Wye,
And by the Tweed some think of wars oft fought in days gone by;
While other hearts with rapture throb to nature’s purest tune
Sung by the Prince of Scottish Bards along the banks of Doon.

Still Craven lads, lift up your heads, there’s yet another stream
You’ve played beside in infancy and seen in midnight dream;
Where gallant men from Cæsar’s land deserted beauteous Rome,
And on the Ribble’s fertile banks were proud to make a home.

King Stephen marched and Ribble banks a rebel band to find;
King John held court in Ribblesdale ere he the “Charta” signed;
King Edward First and Edward Third at Preston longed to stay
And view the stream where John o’ Gaunt passed many a happy day.

Then stern old Scotia’s hardy sons our vaunted strength withstood,
By fiery Bruce the Ribble then was stained with human blood;
Then Henry Fourth to Clitheroe came a charter to bequeath;
Then Henry Sixth near Ribble hid, ‘mid danger, want, and death.

King James came down to Ribblesdale to hunt for witch and deer,
And after Worcester’s famous fight Charles Second dwelt down here;
And Cromwell said his bravest troops, that turned the Stuarts pale,
Were the bold unbeaten Bowland boys that dwelt in Ribblesdale.

Then here’s success to Craven lads, who love their native soil,
May rich have heart to freely give, the poor have strength to toil;
May peace and comfort claim each cot that stands within the vale,
Which the Roman, King, and cottar loved, historic Ribblesdale.

Taken from “The Poets and Poetry of Blackburn (1793-1902)” by George Hull J & G Toulmin

Why I love the dramatic Dales sky

20 Dales sky photos in this week’s blog. In the Yorkshire Dales, where Man and Nature have produced a glorious painting for me to wander through, I gaze at the sky and realise I’m actually in a play. Not in a still-life masterpiece but a never-ending action drama where all the characters interact to create the unexpected. Mood and lighting constantly change. Acoustics stretch from eerie silences to frightening howls. All my senses are touched by the sky – yet, to it I am irrelevant.
Sheep was last week’s Dales theme for my blog and if you haven’t already sussed it, the sky is what I’m focussing on today. What follows is a selection of my sky shots all taken during 2016. Ribblesdale and the Three Peaks of Penyghent, Ingleborough and Whernside are featured along with my home village of Langcliffe.

Yes, It’s enjoyable to bask under a clear blue sky during a sunny week in some exotic country but any longer and I’m itching to get back to an unpredictable Dales sky.

The western Dales are particularly good for sky watching. Here the south-west wind from the Irish Sea and Morecambe Bay meets the first real obstacles in its path as well as any warmer inland air. Clouds bubble up rapidly – and often also clear quite quickly so the scene constantly changes.

I was playing a form of Scrabble against the iPad the other evening when to my disgust it wouldn’t accept the word ‘thoil’. How could it possibly not recognise such an important Yorkshire word I demanded to know. Thoil was an oft-used word by my parents and therefore it should be in the iPad’s dictionary. I turned it off in a huff (yes, I was losing heavily at the time and I couldn’t thoil it).

Have a great time over Christmas and New Year and make sure you get plenty of fresh Dales air.

We’re short of nowt in Yorkshire

I received a card this week wishing me a Happy Yorkshire Christmas. It got me imagining Santa wearing a festive red flat cap, shouting ‘Ey up! Narthen! Sithee!’ as he travelled across the Broad Acres on a sleigh pulled by half a dozen whippets. Then I read somewhere that some chap was complaining about not seeing any sweeping plantations in the county where Yorkshire Tea is grown. I tweeted that despite the lack of tea-growing, folk can visit the forests of Pudsey where Yorkshire Puddings are scratched from the ground by specially trained ferrets. And that you can watch traditional divers off the coast of Scarborough who risk their lives searching the Great Yorkshire Reef for Yorkshire Mixtures. Yorkshire Parkin is still quarried from prehistoric deposits in Giggleswick of course. And Yorkshire Curd Tarts are produced in darkened sheds throughout the Yorkshire Dales by Yorkshire Women in pinnies mixing Yorkshire Water and Yorkshire Milk while supping Yorkshire Best Bitter. We’re short of nowt here.

I see that Giggleswick Quarry (that’s the limestone one, not the Parkin quarry) has been put up for sale. It will be interesting to see what happens to it – and what is allowed. I always thought that quarry owners in the Dales were supposed to restore any former workings once they’d been plundered, not just sell them off to the highest bidder for the new users to take on responsibility. So I looked on the Dales Environment Network website – it states:
‘We have an obligation to restore quarry sites once we have finished working them, and in the Dales we do so in partnership with a number of organisations such as the National Park Authority, Natural England, the Wildlife Trust and Dales Millennium Trust. Giggleswick quarry was closed in 2009, and is now undergoing the process of restoration. As with Old Ingleton quarry, we will be primarily relying on natural regeneration – however this is being supported by native tree planting and broadcasting of wildflower seed mixes across the site.’
So I’m left a little confused. Not being one of Her Majesty’s card-carrying investigative journalists any more, I won’t be following this up but wonder if anyone else has bothered to ask what’s happening? Perhaps the quarry owners have actually fulfilled their statutory obligations – I don’t know, but viewed from the path above, the quarry just looks like a big Yorkshire Hole.

One hole in the Dales is Birkdale Tarn – the third largest expanse of water in the Dales after Malham Tarn and Semerwater. At 1600ft it’s the highest of the three, best for solitude and hardest to photograph!

It’s a bit black ovver t’back o’Bill’s mother’s.

I couldn’t go a week without a photo of Winskill, could I? ….

Fabulous sky above Ribblehead Viaduct…

Small screens don’t do justice to panoramic views but I recommend looking at this one of the Howgills, taken a little while back, on a computer if possible.

Penyghent made but a brief appearance from under its shroud during the week…

Despite slipping and landing on my backside in the mud, a trip down to Stainforth Foss this week was worthwhile. The repaired packhorse bridge (top photo in blog) looked much better and the river was lively. Here are a couple more photos and video link.

Snow, a storm and a Dales star

Half a dozen dales, a destructive storm, snow and a TV star … it’s been a funny old week. 14 pics to enjoy. My camera captured the last of autumn’s colours down by the Ribble (top pic). My cottage roof captured the worst of the storm, with several tiles being dislodged. Fortunately the storm and the worst (or the best, depending on your point of view) of the snow dispersed later in the week so I was able to keep a date with the ‘Yorkshire Shepherdess’ Amanda Owen on her isolated farm at Ravenseat.

Being short of time today I’ll let the photos and captions tell the story.
PS: A dales date for your diary… meet David and Janet Mitchell at The Folly, Settle on Tuesday Nov 29, 10am-4pm to help celebrate the launch of the new Dalesman book, Bill Mitchell’s Yorkshire.

dales pondpyg — Snow-capped Penyghent seen in the distance from the mill pond at Langcliffe

dales millpond — Late colours on the mill pond.

dales ribble2 — A cold start to the day in the Dales… frost on the higher trees and a lively River Ribble rushing by some late autumn colour.

dales walls — Before the storm – plenty of blue sky above Langcliffe. The snow line was just a couple of hundred feet away on this day.

dales giggchap — Giggleswick Chapel looking like a Victorian postcard.

dales snowmen — The sad sight of disappearing snowmen at Winskill. All that work just melting away.

dales winskill — A classic dales view. Looking across Ribblesdale from Winskill to a snowy Ingleborough.

dales pyg — Two views of Penyghent. Looks inviting but with icy winds blowing, the temperature up at the top was well below freezing – not that I went up to find out.

dales wainwath — Further north in the dales – Wainwath Falls near Keld in Swaledale.

dales snowblend — Looking across a frozen dales landscape from Buttertubs Pass. The sky seems to blend into the icy landscape.

dales inglelong — View from Buttertubs looking back towards Ingleborough.

dales ravenseat — Ravenseat, the isolated Dales farm of author, shepherdess, supermum and now TV star Amanda Owen and her husband Clive and their nine children. I interviewed Amanda for an article due to appear in February’s Countryman magazine.

Cold comfort and hot Flashes in Ribblesdale

Such is life in Ribblesdale. I’ve gone from taking pictures of golden sunsets and striking autumnal colours to those of misty, snowy almost black and white shots all within a fortnight. It was very similar last year – take a look back at my blog posts for late November and early December 2015 and you’ll see.

Ribblesdale ribblewoods1 — Less than 2 weeks ago this was the scene between Langcliffe and Stainforth – now almost all the leaves have dropped from those trees

Ribblesdale settle2 — Looking across Ribblesdale a few days ago

Ribblesdale suns — Recent sunset seen from Winskill

Ribblesdale pygdale — Above and below a trip along the Halton Gill road just two weeks ago

Ribblesdale storm — Winter appears this week – from Helwith Bridge

Hellifield Flashes

Hot news once again this week regarding the future of Hellifield Flashes. The stretch of Ribblesdale countryside separating Hellifield and Long Preston alongside the A65, known for flooding and a vital home for thousands of wintering birds, has been a prime target for profit-hungry developers for more than 15 years. Plans for a ‘leisure complex’ have once again been submitted along with improbable promises of jobs for up to 500 people. Perhaps there will be hundreds of jobs (not necessarily new ones) while the place is being constructed, but once up and running I wonder how much employment will remain? I can also see a few individuals, like the owners of the local pub, chip shop and village store understandably rubbing their hands at the prospect of attracting more customers, but what of the quality of life for the majority of residents, the wildlife and those viewing the area from the surrounding hills? The plans have been submitted by Halton Homes of Bingley. Look on their website and you’ll see it states the Hellifield development is ‘coming soon’ – do they know something we don’t? Take a look too at their other ‘leisure’ development down the road at Pendle Chase which it describes as a ‘premium investment opportunity’. Years after planning was controversially granted for the Salterforth enterprise the place is still undeveloped. Make your own mind up as to who really benefits from such speculation and land grabbing then send your objections to Craven Council. Also visit
https://www.facebook.com/saveourcravencountryside-108150632557939/

Tree vandalism

Ribblesdale langcliffe1 — Thankfully no tree vandalism in Langcliffe this week but Sheffield residents not so lucky

While I’m on one … Like many other people who care about quality of life and Nature I was appalled to see even more of Sheffield Council’s draconian tree removal this week. They say they must remove trees from streets because they can’t afford to pick up the bill for mending damage to pavements caused by tree roots. They claim it costs £50k a year (a figure I don’t believe given the growth rate of most trees). They say nothing about the value of trees, such as how they cut down pollution, how they shield traffic noise for residents and how they provide food and nesting places for wildlife – or how they just look nice, making places more pleasant to live in. I’m so lucky to live in my Ribblesdale village where trees are appreciated. Sheffield council has now killed more than three thousand trees. It’s okay though, the government has come up with £370m to tart up Buckingham Palace… well, that’ll keep Sheffield residents happy. Oh, and there’s millions for fancy new bridges in London and don’t get me started on the unimaginable amount of money being wasted on an unnecessary new train line for businessfolk to get to their London meetings half an hour quicker.

Best not devote the whole blog to misery … it’s good news that steam trains may be back on the Settle-Carlisle line by summer 2017 and that work on fixing the section of collapsed line at Eden Brow is well underway. And more good news … in only five weeks Christmas will be over with.

berries — Just before the snow arrived, typical Dales colours near Langcliffe in Ribblesdale

Ribblesdale tide — High ‘tide’ mark on the field by the Ribble this week

Ribblesdale poppies — Remembrance in Langcliffe

Tag: Ribblesdale

Take a buzz around Malham

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Inspirational Yorkshire women

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Dales living – why it’s the best place to be

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Ribblesdale’s TV stars and the white stuff

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Ribblesdale seen in a new light

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Reasons to love Ribblesdale

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Why I love the dramatic Dales sky

Have a great time over Christmas and New Year and make sure you get plenty of fresh Dales air.

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We’re short of nowt in Yorkshire

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Snow, a storm and a Dales star

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Cold comfort and hot Flashes in Ribblesdale

Hellifield Flashes

Tree vandalism

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Have a great time over Christmas and New Year and make sure you get plenty of fresh Dales air.

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Hellifield Flashes

Tree vandalism

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