Saturday 13 June 2009

Leyburn to Ripon - part 5 The Wetlands











Quarries are never a pretty sight. They are usually out in the countryside, they leave great holes in the ground, the machinery is noisy, even the gravel being shunted into the lorries breaks the rural silence.





But the ones on the side of the road to Ripon are well-shielded by a thick belt of woodland, at present wearing its early Summer choice of greens and full of birds. And by the side of the quarry is an old set of quarry workings, now worked out. These deep holes are full of water and a really spectacular Nature Reserve has been created. Yesterday morning a friend and I, with our dogs, (on leads, for obvious reasons) walked around the perimeter. What a lovely hour we spent.





There were marsh orchids, bright clumps of birds foot trefoil, banks of red campion and patches of stonecrop (we used to call this Old Man's Tobacco when we were children). On one lake there was a creche of young geese carefully supervised and marshalled by the whole flock as they glided amongst the reeds. On another lake (see photograph) surrounded by trees and sporting a border of yellow water iris, a swan and her cygnets were cruising. We walked round accompanied by birdsong, caught sight of a great crested grebe with her young and spent a very pleasant hour in the peace and quiet of the wetlands - the only disturbance was the occasional scrunch of gravel sliding into a lorry and a bird-scarer keeping birds of the crops in a nearby field.

24 comments:

Jinksy said...

You're as good as a TV wildlife show on your blog! x

Amy said...

That is so pretty!

Woman in a Window said...

To see the land reclaimed like that is a beautiful thing. An easy great hour to fill.

Unknown said...

Hello Weaver,

Yes, it is good that the quarry eventually becomes a place of beauty once more, even if the wait is a long one! Glad you enjoyed your stroll.

Heather said...

What a lovely place that disused quarry must be now, and how encouraging to see the way Nature has regained her territory. Your photos are lovely - we used to call bird's foot trefoil Lady's Slipper when we were children. I loved looking for them in my grandmother's little paddock.

steven said...

what a glorious way to spend a day! i love that something ugly becomes something lovely. leave it to nature to take care of that!!! steven

The Weaver of Grass said...

Thanks Jinksy - would have liked to get closer to the cygnets - but then again swans can be pretty nasty.

The Weaver of Grass said...

Thanks for the comments - wish you could have joined my on the walk.

Elizabeth said...

Buster would have enjoyed the walk too.
The mugs idea is fun.
Acornmoon mentioned July. You suggested June.
You two must get together and have fun organizing it!

Jackie said...

I noticed your comment about the lake district on Pamelas blog. I wonder if she realises how beautiful your area is.
I also love A Shropshire lad.

Leenie said...

Your knowledge of names of birds and plants makes the stroll with you quite an education. It is interesting to note the similarities in names when settlers from the UK recognized or brought items from their homeland.

Leenie said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
The Weaver of Grass said...

Jinksy - thank you - wish you could walk round it with me.

The Weaver of Grass said...

Thanks Amy

The Weaver of Grass said...

Woman in a window - yes, I agree - when the land is reclaimed (as often also happens here with open cast mining which is exhausted) we feel a sense of something for nothing.

The Weaver of Grass said...

Derrick - you are nearly near enough to have a walk round with me! I love reclaimed land - do you have old railway lines that have been reclaimed anywhere near you?

The Weaver of Grass said...

Yes Heather - so did we - or Lady;s Fingers. I love the way the edges of the yellow flowers are tipped with scarlet.

The Weaver of Grass said...

Thanks Steven - yes I agree with what you say.

The Weaver of Grass said...

Elizabeth - unfortunately (although sensibly) dogs have to be kept on a leash.
Shall get back to acornmoon re mugs. Thanks for pointing it out.

The Weaver of Grass said...

Jackie - on a wet day (and you get plenty of those in The Lake District) I think it is often better in a photograph than in real life!

The Weaver of Grass said...

Yes Leenie - and the same is true of place names isn't it?

Tess Kincaid said...

So nice the quarry is now a beautiful nature reserve! Nice pics.

Penny said...

I am so glad I found you through Elizabeth's plate day. I love your photos and all the other things so different to here in the dry South of Australia where I live, although it is winter now so at last a bit of green.

Unknown said...

Hello Weaver,

A slightly tardy reply to your railway lines question. The old Waverley Line that went from the Borders to Edinburgh disappeared many years ago and there are walking paths along parts of it but no quarries nearby to my knowledge. There are plans to reinstate the rail line but we won't see anything before 2014 I think!