Wharfedale Wildlife Weekly (20th May 2013)
Last week's weather played out like a typical English Summer's day... Rain being the predominant feature, with just enough sunshine to keep the optimistic hopeful!
As I had to go London for a few days last week, I didn't have as much time to discover Burley's wildlife but I still managed to squeeze some wildlife, slash walks, slash photography in...
Swifts have arrived, I see them daily now from my home studio skylight, they're brilliant!
Much to my amusement (only because it was a sociable hour) I watched a greater spotted woodpecker hammering away at the metal top of a telegraph pole in the village, it made a brilliant noise.
I've also noticed now two black bunnies, one on Burley Moor near the entrance by Coldstone Beck and one by Stead Hall Wood. Apparently they are more common in Yorkshire than other UK areas. There seems to be a debate on whether a lot of black bunnies are melanistic or just the result of a domestic pet embracing freedom! Having done a little inter-web research, it appears that black rabbits have been hopping about the UK for over 100 years, who'd of thunk it!
As I said, I didn't get much time to get out in Burley with the camera last week but the interchangeable weather made for some cool landscapes and one evening I just couldn't resist heading out. As well as the landscape at the top of this post I took the following two... too!
In this last photo, you can see a tuft of grass in the foreground. I walked right by it only to discover a Skylark, who quickly chirped up, beautifully requesting that I vacated his 'patch'! To have such a close and serendipitous encounter was a real thrill!
That's it for now, I hope to catch some new plant life with me lens next week, so watch this space!
Wharfedale Wildlife Weekly (9th May)
There wasn't a corner of Burley in Wharfedale that you couldn't pick up the aroma of BBQ this weekend! The butchers weren't the only guys busy this week here. The sudden rise in temperature has sparked a nesting frenzy! Just walking to the shops, I see a flurry of birds darting in different directions beaks full of nesting material.
I've been local most of the week which has been great for getting out and about the area.
This week's notable wildlife...
- 5 or 6 Redpolls seen at Sun Lane Nature Reserve feeders. They looked great with their deep red breeding colours!
- Saw a sparrow twice on the same walk once near Greenholme Mills the second time near the subway by Generous Pioneer.
- Spotted a Black Cap by 'the Goit' between Greenholme Mills and the Stepping Stones
- Seen at least one house martin going into a bankside nest near the stepping stones also saw a dipper splashing around a little further down the stream
- Seen a ton of Blackbirds, great birds!
- Saw several swallows feeding over the river Wharfe on the stretch that runs close to A65 (just after st Marys Church going into Otley)
- Heard a Cuckoo in the Burley Woodhead area
Here's this week in Burley through a lens...
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Following the steps of Giants...
Marmite, Coffee, Modern Art, Maggie Thatcher and seemingly, the Giant's Causeway!? I wasn't expecting the UNESCO World Heritage Site to be such a chalk and cheese landscape... but as we explored this famous area it became apparent that first impressions were quite divisive!
"Wow! Look at that!" said excitedly from one family, "is that it?" spoken with an air of disappointment from another.
Nothing in this world is liked universally, I've even met people who don't like the Beatles! Does the Causeway's fame set a precedent too high to meet some people's expectations? Is it possible that some don't see the excitement in the uniqueness of these rare rock formations? Or maybe the crowds of people clambering over every vacant space of the causeway turns some people off?
I found watching the large groups of people exploring this place almost as fascinating as the actual Causeway! Don't be mistaken, for me, the landscape is fascinating and a rather original place to visit.
The new visitor centre is quite spectacular in itself. If going round the centre fails to get you excited about this place nothing will. The architecture, design and exhibits all come together to create a truly remarkable and exciting visitor centre. Having spent some time hogging all the interactive exhibits, we made our way to The Giant's Causeway.
We decided to take the cliff top walk first and take a breather from the herds of people! The walk is stunning and the further you go the quieter it gets; each bay / cove revealing further varieties of rock formations which nesting seabirds take full advantage of. From the clifftops you get glimpses of the old coastal path that in the not too distant past people would have walked along. You also see the epic landslips that have engulfed large sections of it, which is obviously the reason for the path's closure. It's a shame because it looks like it was a quite spectacular walk!
After a while, we turned back, took a deep breath and descended into the tourist pit! You could spend as much time watching people interact with this space as you could spend looking around it, it's like a giant playground for all ages! Having lingered for what seemed an acceptable time, we made our unnecessary excuses to each other and headed off in search of somewhere a bit quieter.
We did however revisit the Giant's Causeway in the early evening where there were considerably less people and the light really brought the Causeway to life! For me, this was and is the best way to see it!
To conclude, this IS one of those 'must see' areas, you just have to be prepared to share it with a fair few other people!
BBQ Season...
This week has started to show promise that the snow may have finally retreated and some warmer weather might just be around the corner! Such times, (much like the sprouting of bluebells and the arrival of swallows,) are typically marked by overzealous Fathers reaching for a pair of shorts and optimistic shops filling their shelves with BBQ kits.
The excitement got to us too though and we headed up to Chevin Forest Park, Otley for a beautiful evening walk. The light was gorgeous and the woodland bursting with bird song. We caught sight of two courting nuthatches which was a particular highlight; but the sunset really stole the show!
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The Birds...
A large predatory shadow glides over us. A wave of excitement washes over me as we look up to see a sky full of red kites and I struggle to keep a 'cool' demeanor or just break into a childish run, as we head up to the bird hides.
Our weekend in the Brecon Beacons (so far), hadn't quite delivered everything I hoped for. An area of famed outstanding beauty, with legendary walks and mind blowing scenery; all of is pretty irrelevant when blanketed in cloud and visibility is reduced to less than ten metres!
As we approached the Red Kite Feeding Centre it seemed our perseverance over the weekend had been rewarded. It appeared we had found the only patch of blue sky in Wales! In fact, as we had arrived early we had time to test this theory out and believe it or not much more than a mile away from the Kite Centre we found ourselves shrouded in the white fluffy stuff again!
Feeding begins at 2pm daily. We found ourselves a spot in the hide and waited an agonising ten minutes for the spectacle to begin! I don't use the word 'spectacle' lightly, what occurred was mesmerising and mind-blowingly awesome! Hundreds of huge raptors gracefully and effortlessly swooping down just metres in front of us. This was a genuinely unique and thrilling experience, and I left with a feeling not too dissimilar to when I swam with wild dolphins in New Zealand! But you don't have to travel to the otherside of the world for this experience, this is in the UK and very accessible; which is just as well because we have unfinished business the Brecon Beacons!
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Perceptions and Perspective at Holy Island and Beadnell
Some landscapes are unquestionably spiritual, something about them just 'lifts' the soul. But there's no formula for them and like many things in life, they're all very subjective!
As photo briefs come and go, some you remember, some you try to forget and some stay etched in your memory, clear as day. One particular brief which will always stay with me was a portrait for an article on a couple who's son had died of a heroin overdose. They were a lovely couple who turned a potentially tricky job, into a rewarding and encouraging experience. One of the things I picked up on during the photo shoot was how important the time they had spent on Holy Island was and how they had an undoubtedly spiritual connection to that landscape and environment. This is something I found myself reflecting on when I visited Holy Island, also known as Lindisfarne.
I have to admit I didn't find a divine connection to Lindisfarne. I found the landscape intriguing, the history captivating and the bountiful wildlife enchanting. Yet I found myself walking the perimeters almost emotionless, which actually surprised me. Maybe it was the disappointment of a cancelled boat trip to the Farne Islands or a nagging concern about the tides and getting cut off from the mainland. Whatever it was, I was missing something that many before me, profess and evangalise about when visiting Holy Island.
This shouldn't be misinterpreted. Walking around Lindisfarne was awesome and I would recommend it to anyone. I just didn't find it as inspiring as I thought I would. Maybe it was the curse of expectation. This kind of scenario often occurs when I watch films: I have high expectations and am disappointed, low expectations and I thoroughly enjoy it! Maybe there's a lesson in there somewhere?
After successfully evading the incoming that tide that mercilessly cuts Lindisfarne off from the mainland twice a day, we headed to our B&B in Beadnell. As we were shown to our room I felt a twinge of jealousy as I observed a hallway full of photos capturing close up encounters with Puffins on the Farne Islands. Encounters that I seemed destined (at that time), never to experience! Ignoring their taunts, we decided to go out and explore the Beadnell coastline.
The stretch of beach we found seemed fairly standard. Nothing surprising or of outstanding interest. Yet the cluster of rock pools pulled me in to investigate. Before I knew it I had spent over an hour moving from pool to pool, barely looking up, mesmerised by these unique micro universes. On one of the occasions I did look up, I noticed a Kestrel hunting not more than ten metres away! This arguably unremarkable beach had actually become a magical and unforgettable experience. I lingered and explored until the tide forced me to abandon my newly discovered worlds.
I pondered (while tucking into a steak and ale pie in a local pub), on how an underwhelming stretch of coast (at a glance) had upstaged a location revered and celebrated by hundreds of thousands. It's a lesson most are taught from an early age, but maybe one that takes a lifetime to learn; I scolded myself and renewed a promise to try and experience every landscape with reserved judgement and without any preconceptions!
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Moon Walking in the Lakes...
Highlights: Views from above lake Grasmere, historic tracks, coffin stone and handmade gingerbread!
Nature spotted: Heron and a young red squirrel!
As I'm on a roll with writing topical posts, (something I always aim for but rarely achieve!) I thought I would mark this Valentines day with a walk from mine and CB's honeymoon. However, the romance doesn't stop there. This wasn't just any walk, this was a walk from the big cheese of the Romantics himself, this was a William Wordsworth walk!
My consistent references to 'lonely clouds' not only demonstrated my limited exposure to the works of this legendary poet but also highlighted my new wife's (there isn't an old one) exceptional patience when it come to the walking photographer!
It's hard to find a walk in the Lakes that isn't beautiful with gorgeous views and stunning scenery. This walk is no different. Maybe the difference with this walk is the sense of past, following the same rough tracks that others have walked for hundreds of years!
The walk starts and finishes in Grasmere, which made it into my top 5 list of most expensive places to park! The route is just under 6 miles and takes you round the lake (Grasmere), Rydal Water and on into Rydal. Rydal is where you can find Wordsworth's home, Rydal Mount, which offers a good opportunity to take a break and gulp down a cuppa!
The trail then heads back to Grasmere via the 'coffin route'. Before Ambleside had a church, coffins would be walked along this path all the way to St Oslwald's Church in Grasmere. Just before you reach Grasmere, there is a large flat stone known as the 'coffin stone' where pallbearers would rest the coffin and catch there breath before continuing on into the village.
At the end of the coffin route you pass Dove Cottage, which was Wordsworth's family home. Criminally (to some), we opted to remain ignorant in the ways of Wordsworth as we favoured some ginger bread and a pint. We vowed to read more Wordsworth as we tucked into some of Sarah Nelson's gingerbread and supped on our Windermere Pale by Hawkshead brewery!
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There's Snow Time Like Snow Time... Part 2
"As promised" - Is something I typically hear when someone is delivering something that is, in fact, a little later than they had initially promised! I believe that in There's Snow Time Like Snow Time Part 1 I promised to deliver this Snowy Ilkley post later in the week... Timing it with Walking Wednesday or rather #walkwednesday, proves that sometimes 'As Promised' does indeed mean just that!
So, here are some of the photographs I managed to get when out on Ilkley moor by Cow and Calf rocks...
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There's Snow Time Like Snow Time... Prt 1
Well I thought I'd try and get a topical post out for a change as I'm continually playing catchup with the Walking Photographer blog. But in what seems like the blinking of an eye, the majority of the snow has melted and strong winds carrying yet more rain are apparently imminent. Yet again I find myself a step or two lagging!
Anyway here are some photographic offerings from the recent snowfall that transformed Burley Moor, like much of the UK, into a winter wonderland!
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I also took a walk out by Cow and Calf where I took a number of snowy photographs. I will publish these photos later this week. To keep up with the latest Walking Photographer news, photographs and posts be sure to follow on twitter and like the new Facebook page
Birthday Hangovers, Walking in Historic Hackfall
Now, I already know Mrs B (CB and I were Wed in Dec 2012!) is pretty awesome... But back in autumn, for my birthday, she set a new awesomeness record! A surprise weekend in the stunning Yorkshire Dales village of Masham and a tour of the Black Sheep Brewery served as an awesome reminder that I was a very lucky husband to be indeed!
After a brilliant day and night eating and drinking Masham's finest, I was in need of some fresh air and open space. Luckily, the remedy lay just round the corner!
Hackfall is just down the road from Masham, Thorpe road, to be precise, just outside of Grewelthorpe. It's rather gentle walking, which was perfect for someone of my rather 'cloudy' disposition. The woods and surrounding area are a joy to walk through and full of little hidden surprises. This maze of wonders is largely thanks to John Aislabie who bought and landscaped the grounds in the 1700s.
Hackfall has everything, every turn and corner reveals something new and exciting, waterfalls, ruins, viewpoints, and a working fountain that is going on three hundred years old! You can not escape the sense of history in this place. After investigating a rather unusual and old looking tree a passing dog walker stopped and chatted for a minute. "Beautiful tree isn't it..." she said and continued to explain how she had found a 18th century coin embedded in the bark years ago. Tales like this only add to the magic and intrigue of the place. It wasn't just me in my foggy state that was bewitched: many artists including Turner have painted here and writers too, Wordsworth himself reflected on the beauty of the surrounding area. If you don't enjoy walking Hack Fall you might as well lock yourself away and see out the rest of your days playing FIFA and eating Nandos!
After we had almost too casually walked the grounds, taken in the the views and explored the ruins, we headed into Grewelthorpe. At the Crown Inn's beer garden we were greeted by some friendly Morris dancers who were just finishing their liquid rewards. A pint of Marstons' EPA in the sunshine and the metaphorical clouds lifted as we reflected on a delightfully original day's walking!
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