Sunday 15 November 2009

A Trip through the Dales.






















Today is a lovely Autumn day - rain is forecast for tomorrow - so we decided, the farmer and I, to have a trip out in the Dales, through Wensleydale, down into Wharfedale and through into Ribblesdale. Barely had we left home when it began to rain, so the journey down to the bottom of Wharfedale went largely unrecorded. But by the time we turned off to cut through into Ribblesdale, the sun had come out.
. We stopped for a walk in the tiny village of Eshton. The first thing was saw on getting out of the car was a grey heron making a wobbly landing in a tree - too far away to photograph but I can assure you he looked quite ridiculous. Sheep with their ram were grazing the velvety green fields; in the distance Eshton Hall, a fine building, shone in the sunlight. I took a closer shot - what a typically English country house scene it is. There was a pretty lodge by the gate and the river meandering past. Beech leaves are still clinging to their branches making superb patches of colour here and there.
Once through the villages of Hellifield, Long Preston and Gargrave, the weather came down again and we drove along in thick cloud. Eventually we wound our way back into Wensleydale and stopped at the Wensleydale Creamery, where genuine Wensleydale cheeses are made. We had a delicious lunch in the cafe there before driving home on the familiar road through the dale.
I stopped to take a picture in my favourite spot. The River Ure is just winding round the bend; on the left bank a stand of deciduous larches lines - and lights up - the bank; on the right bank a patch of cornus shows its winter red stems. That is my favourite view of our river. Usually there are one or two grey heron attendant on the banks today there were none.
Hope you enjoy the photographs though.

25 comments:

Heather said...

Beautiful images Weaver - even in November, or especially in November. Eshton Hall is magnificent but I think I'd feel cosier in the gate lodge. The weather is very fickle at present, we had a glorious morning but by lunchtime it was cloudy everywhere with the threat of rain. Thankyou for sharing your lovely trip with us - Yorkshire is so beautiful.

steven said...

hello weaver - what a lovely drive! if i could i'd love to see the cottage by the river in the right hand row of photographs second from the top. that's where i'd live! steven

Raph G. Neckmann said...

Wonderful views, Weaver! I love the red-stemmed cornus with the larches in the background. I always think larch look like auburn hair in the autumn! When one walks among them it is as if they are lit from within with a golden light.

Titus said...

Thanks Weaver, lovely! I always think herons (we are awash with them round here) are like prehistoric birds - dinosaurs in flight!

Sal said...

Lovely photos! I bet it is gorgeous in that area whatever the time of day or year. ;-)

Hildred said...

Lovely pictures Weaver, especially of the river and the trees along the bank. Thank you for taking us along on your Sunday morning outing.

Lovely the little woolly mounds of sheep, - they always make me feel nostalgic.

Golden West said...

Except for the photo of the dairy mart, this could be a scene from hundreds of years ago, which makes it all the more special! Thank you for taking us along on such a grand outing.

Crafty Green Poet said...

sounsd like a lovely trip! Herons always do look ridiculous in trees, don't they.

Gwil W said...

Lovely photos. Sheep gently grazing. I saw 14°C on the map today. Down south, it must have been ;>)

Mistlethrush said...

I was right in the car with you Weaver. Love the description of 'wobbly landing' - don't herons just look so incongruous in trees!

Never heard of Eshton Hall but it does look beautiful.

Penny said...

Thank you for the lovely drive Weaver, almost as good as being there,

Cat said...

Your photos are lovely and I'm envious of the drive. I think Yorkshire must be one of those "Heaven on Earth" places. Thank you for sharing.

Leenie said...

Beautiful landscapes. It always amazes me how the weather in your part of the world is usually so gentle even though you are much farther north. I realize the sea and the altitude make all the difference. Here we have bitter cold and a skiff of snow even though it is still officially autumn.

Rinkly Rimes said...

So very English! Even that lovely 'dale' ending to place-names. It all looks so gentle and fresh.

highlandwriter said...

beautiful pics.

:-)

Dinesh chandra said...

Nice photographs , It is great to watch the images, I also think that I m in dream land sheep are there also a river .

Great post

Regards

Dinesh Chandra

Elisabeth said...

For me, from here in Australia, I think of the BBC's version of Jane Austen's country.

I imagine all those Austen heroines in their long dresses striding across the landscape, mud up to their ankles, especially everyone's beloved Lizzie Bennett.

It couldn't have been easy in those days. I often wonder why we here idealise it so much. Could it be purely for the beauty of the landscape and the supposed simplicity of life then.

Catching the Magic said...

Such beautiful photographs. What a lovely place to visit. I so enjoyed the rural vistas, steeped in history. The thought of cheese is good too, mmmm, but it's getting close to midnight here in New Zealand and I might have nightmares! Will take off and sup some warm milk...

Bovey Belle said...

I did enjoy your little trip out. The photos just take me into your wonderful scenery - not that our bit of Wales isn't beautiful, but a change is as good as a rest. I've not heard of Eshton Hall, so must go google it . . .

Acornmoon said...

Your photographs look as if the day was bright if not wet. I don't think there is a lot to be said for November at the best of times but your part of the world does look very pretty.

The Weaver of Grass said...

Glad you all enjoyed the trip - I enjoyed taking you all! Raining again today, so we just chose the right day, didn't we?

Anonymous said...

Such beautiful photos, and what tranquility. When I lived in Yorkshire (Leeds) as a child - 1947-1954, Wensleydale was a valley-to-far, and I never got to visit it. Maybe one day ...

Unknown said...

Lovely photos, Weaver. I also love to see coloured dogwood stems.

Pamela Terry and Edward said...

I always think of Wallace when I think of Wensleydale cheese. You know, of Wallace and Gromit fame.

P.E.Adkins said...

Oh my gosh! It is so lovely there.