Tag: yorkshire

Studley Royal Deer Park

Had an absolutely fabulous day at Studley Royal Deer Park.  The weather was perfect.  Cool and autumnal but brilliant sunshine.  Did a four mile circular walk taking in beautiful views, plenty of deer, birds, water and awesome trees.
I originally went hoping to see some rutting deer, but all was quiet.  It looked like all the herds were already established.  I think rutting is at its height in October, so maybe I was too late.  I did get some nice photos though, including a white hart.
Saint Mary’s church.

The deer .

The Trees.

Ripon Cathedral in the distance and some shots around the park.

And my walk.
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My soul has been filled again until next time.

Recharging my soul

I’m a humanist so I regard my soul as my inner being – the place where all the components that make me me live.  My soul has felt a little degraded recently along with my confidence.  Not sure why …………….could be an age thing!  But today, today its been rejuvenated.  How????  Very simple……….my trusty Virago 535 and the Yorkshire countryside.  What more could you want?
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A 67 mile round trip to Malham in North Yorkshire.  Originally, I decided to go and see the peregrines at the Cove.   So I loaded my bike with my heavy camera rucksack with my Canon 7D with large zoom attached and set off.  However, when I got there, after a lovely cup of coffee and carrot cake, I took the path I thought led to the Cove, but yet again my memory mis-served me and it was the path to Janets Foss.  So didn’t need the rucksack! Doh!
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It was a lovely walk though.  So peaceful, gorgeous sunny weather and lots of birdsong.
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The wild garlic covered the floor, a missile thrush sang its heart out, a dipper in the stream was gathering food for its young residing in a hollowed out tree trunk and a woodpecker drummed in the distance.
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Janets Foss wasn’t as full as normal but this border collie was enjoying the cool water.

Don’t know what a zebra was doing in the Yorkshire Dales!  This pub supplied a welcome cold drink and although I didn’t partake the food looked gorgeous.  I will be back.
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A very short walk just over 2 miles, but can be easily extended by carrying on across the road after Janets Foss and following the footpath to the cove.
I love my adopted county and wouldn’t want to live anywhere else.

AYSGARTH FALLS ONE OF YORKSHIRES TOP BEAUTY SPOTS

Had a lovely walk with Mike and Tetley today at Aysgarth Falls in the Dales near Leyburn.  The river Ure winds its way through  Wensleydale, tumbling over limestone at Aysgarth.  There are a number of waterfalls but Upper, Lower are accessible but the Middle can be viewed from a platform.  
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The Yorkshire Dales National Park information centre there has a shop and cafe.  The scones are absolutely amazing.  I had a cherry and sultana one with jam and cream.  I actually struggled to finish it, which is unheard of
 AND there was so much cream that I didn’t need it all – again unheard of! 
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This walk is taken from the www.walkingenglishman.com  Fantastic website for walkers.
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Wildlife on a motorbike

I eventually made a decision and bought a new bike.  Its a Suzuki Intruder M800 and its my little Black Beauty!


Ok so its not so little, but it’s surprisingly easy to handle and i can get both feet on the ground which is a big plus for me!  It is now adorned with a screen – the wind drag is awful without one – and some lovely leather saddlebags.  Now all I need is some sunshine, but fat chance of that at the moment.  I was out on Saturday and got absolutely drenched to the skin!
Anyway back to the title of this post – Wildlife on a bike”…………………….  Well I see a lot of wildlife “on” bikes, but the more attractive kind is not riding a bike!  I rode from LS16 through Otley and up over Asquith Moor recently, stopped to have a scan with the binoculars and was rewarded with curlews and lapwings.
These are the best photos I have of lapwings- they are not very well focused and I haven’t any of  curlews.

      Curlews have a really weird call like a sort of constant “peewit” when they are flying.  The are fabulous acrobats and look like a huge butterfly dipping and swirling in flight.

Here are some views over the moors.

I’m a Londoner and am proud to have been born there but Yorkshire is definitely gods own county and I wouldn’t want to live anywhere else – thanks for adopting me Yorkshire.

Hampsthwaite Circular

This is a short walk I did with a friend and the again with my husband and dog back in March this year, when the weather was actually nice!!!
Start from the village of Hampsthwaite just outside Harrogate and start off with a cup of tea/coffee and something nice to go with it at Sophie’s village cafe – also a BB.  You can sit outside and watch the world go by or there’s a garden around the back.
http://www.sophiesbedandbreakfast.co.uk/
Make your way from the cafe to the left of the village green for a short walk along the road towards Birstwith.  You will walk past a path on your right leading to the village church which we will visit on the way back.    Further on up the road you will pass a layby then you will spot a barn on your right and a footpath sign.  Cross over the field and walk by the side of the river – this is the Nidderdale way.  Everything is quite straightforward then.  You eventually walk by the side of a food factory and cross over the road at Birstwith.  We the made our way onwards past a weir and some open land….

Alongside the river again and you will reach an old pack horse bridge.  You can cut your journey short here by crossing over the bridge walking up the hill, turning right and follow Nidderdale way back on the other side of the river.

We continued on alongside the River Nidd on our right until we had to climb over a wall and walk to our right along a little toll road past an old railway cottage and a little further on we crossed over the field just beyond the cottage and joined an old dismantled railway line.
           

There’s a field on the right where there were some gorgeous horses.  At the top of the hill turn right down hill towards a small copse of trees.  You will pass through a farm yard which isn’t a farm any more but stables.  After this you will bear right past a small cl caravan site down to the river again.  Follow the river until you get back to Birswith and get back on the road.  Turn left to go to the pub which is well worth a visit for the beer and the food.  Had been recently refurbished when we went.  We had a nice lunch.  At the Station Hotel.

Thats it really just follow your steps back past the food factory and return to Hampsthwaite.  However take that path that I mentioned earlier to have a look at the church and graveyard its very interesting.
 

And back to the village green.

Welcome

I have always loved animals and nature but have only just found a love of birds and birdwatching.  This coupled with more time for walking and photography, is brought together in this here blog!  It will serve as a diary/log of what I have done and seen with a display of some of my better photos.
It may interest others to know about the walks and wildlife/birds that are around where I go.
Please feel free to browse and comment and maybe share some of your walks and nature sights.